Targeted DNA vaccine using an electric pulse

ScienceDaily (Jan. 30, 2012) ? The vaccines of the future against infections, influenza and cancer can be administered using an electrical pulse and a specially produced DNA code from the University of Oslo. The DNA code programs the body's own cells to produce a super-fast missile defence against the disease.

Researchers at the University of Oslo, Norway have developed a new type of DNA vaccine that can be used effectively against viruses and cancer. Studies reveal that the new vaccine triggers a powerful immune response. The vaccine has been tested on mice. Now the researchers hope the vaccine can be tested clinically.

This vaccine has an additional advantage. At the moment, vaccines require the inclusion of immuno-activating substances. These substances are called adjuvants and are generally composed of oil-based mixtures or aluminium salts. Adjuvants initiate local and often painful inflammation at the injection site. This inflammation fools the immune system into reacting to the vaccine.

Without additives

The new vaccine from the University of Oslo does not need the addition of adjuvants. Instead, a completely new technology is used that applies an electrical current to the injection site immediately after injection. This electrical pulse results in a molecular reaction.

"The advantage of this type of reaction is two-fold. Firstly, one injection is enough and, secondly, the immune system reacts very quickly and effectively," points out Professor Bjarne Bogen at the Centre for Immune Regulation at the University of Oslo. Bogen has developed this new vaccine technology together with Professor Inger Sandlie, post-doctorate Agnete B. Fredriksen and a number of other co-workers.

The possibilities with this new vaccine from UiO are numerous. This new vaccine technology means it will be possible to produce vaccines quickly enough to protect against new pandemics, influenza epidemics, or hostile biological threats.

No need to cultivate viruses in eggs

It is time-consuming to make traditional vaccines. Today, in order to make influenza vaccines, viruses have to be cultivated in eggs. It can take almost a year before the vaccine is ready to use.

"The first problem: the world does not have enough eggs to produce influenza vaccine quickly enough for everybody. The second problem: certain forms of the deadly bird flu kill the eggs. Fatality can be as high as 50%. If a new influenza virus kills the eggs, it will not be possible to make a vaccine," explains Bjarne Bogen to the research-magazine Apollon.

His research team is now studying whether it is possible to use this new vaccine technology to develop a rapid and effective vaccine against influenza.

DNA is the solution

The new vaccine is composed of DNA strands. To make a new vaccine, constructing just a section of DNA is enough. Bacteria are good DNA factories. By adding a special substance, the bacteria double the number of DNA strands every 20 mins. This means an 8-fold increase in an hour. Over 24 hours, the bacteria will have produced vast quantities of DNA strands. The DNA strands then need to be cleaned free of the bacteria. This copying method is used by everybody working with DNA.

Programs the cells in the body

The researchers have called the active component in this new vaccine technology Vaccibody.

When DNA is injected together with an electric pulse, DNA is taken up in the skin cells. The cells then read-off the DNA and produce some very special proteins. It is these proteins that are called Vaccibody molecules and to which the immune system reacts so strongly.

This means: the researchers have found the DNA code that programs skin cells in the body to make Vaccibody molecules.

Made up of three parts

The Vaccibody molecules are composed of three components. Each of them has an important role in the immune system. The first component is the target guidance system which, like a pair of gripping pliers, binds to dendrite cells, a type of immune cell discovered by Ralph Steinman, who last year was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

The second component of the Vaccibody molecules ensures that two identical chains are held together. Tests reveal that this special architecture is highly important if the vaccine is to work.

The third component of the Vaccibody molecule is a small piece of a virus, a bacteria or cancer cell. This small piece is called an antigen.

"The Vaccibody molecules are made so that we can insert all types of antigens. The only condition is that the antigen has a protein structure. We have inserted bits from numerous different viruses and bacteria. All have worked. We have also been able to successfully insert an antigen made up of 523 amino acids. This is an enormous molecule."

The Vaccibody molecules attach to the dendrite cells and are taken to the lymph nodes which are the headquarters of the immune system. There, the dendrite cells "display" the antigen to the most important cells in the immune system, the B cells and T cells.

Not only does this result in large-scale production of B cells, but the immune system is also stimulated to produce aggressive T cells.

"Both of these parts of the immune defence are as a rule important in our protection against viruses and bacteria, and for eliminating cancer cells. This means that Vaccibody offers double protection."

Target guiding gripping pliers

In some types of Vaccibody molecules, the gripping pliers that attach to the dendrite cells are a chemokine. Chemokines are small hormone-like substances that guide the passage of cells through the body.

"We have achieved very good results from our studies with Vaccibody molecules guided using chemokines. The chemokines can be thought of as lighthouses along the coast. They enable the immune cells to navigate correctly and have a special effect on the production of T cells, an attribute that is very important in fighting viruses and cancer," underscores Bogen.

Successful test

The Vaccibody vaccine has so far been tested on mice with cancer and influenza. Eighty percent of the vaccinated mice became resistant to cancer. 100% of those vaccinated were protected against flu. The protection was effective very quickly. Bjarne Bogen hopes that a number of major companies can test the vaccine clinically on people.

Post-doctorate Ranveig Braathen is now developing the second generation Vaccibody where, with the help of molecular cloning, she is testing new variants of the gripping pliers to optimise its efficiency.

Post-doctorate Even Fossum is looking at how Vaccibody can be used to improve the vaccine against tuberculosis. In spite of today's vaccine against tuberculosis, 1.5 million people die every year of this disease. The new vaccine will ensure a much improved immune response against this feared disease.

Post-doctorate Inger ?ynebr?ten is applying Vaccibody technology in the hope of making a vaccine against HIV. PhD students Gunnveig Gr?deland, Marta Baranowska and Ane Marie Andersson are using Vaccibody to develop new vaccines against influenza.

Post-doctorate Agnete Brunsvik and PhD student Heidi Sp?ng are using the technology to develop a cancer vaccine for patients with bone marrow cancer and melanoma.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Oslo, via AlphaGalileo. The original article was written by Yngve Vogt.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130093649.htm

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Worn-out machines as leading indicator (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Delivery trucks wear out, computers break down, software becomes outdated -- and finally businesses have to start investing in new equipment. Companies that want to remain competitive have to start spending again as an economy slowly recovers.

Four years after the downturn began, the replacement cycle shows signs of kicking into a higher gear in the United States even among small businesses, and it could give an unexpected boost to growth and employment this year.

That assumes no further shocks to the world economy caused by the euro zone debt crisis.

Greece and its bankers have yet to agree on chopping the country's debt load to 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020, something the International Monetary Fund is demanding in return for the bailout money Greece needs to avoid a default in March.

But capital spending alone is insufficient to drive a U.S. recovery that will be strong enough to quickly lift employment as consumer demand is still limited by heavy debt loads.

In the United States, large corporations have already dug into huge cash piles to upgrade plant and equipment, adding incrementally to an economy that grew by 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter.

Now small businesses, which drive about half of U.S. economic growth and a big chunk of job creation, are increasing their spending on equipment, too, an important precursor to stronger hiring.

But the U.S. jobs report for January, due on Friday, is unlikely to show marked improvement in the labor market after strong gains in December.

Economists surveyed by Reuters forecast 150,000 new jobs in January against 200,000 the prior month. Some investment banks also warn the 8.5 percent unemployment rate could tick up as signs of a gradual firming of the economy encourages more people to return to the labor force.

Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said small businesses could start hiring more aggressively as the year progresses.

In the last economic cycle, they contributed about two-thirds of the jobs growth, and when they hang out the "help wanted" signs, they can be a powerful source of employment.

"Dollar for dollar in GDP terms, they generate two jobs for every one generated by a large corporation," Shepherdson said.

For the early signs of this small business revival, Shepherdson points to two factors: access to credit has improved markedly as shown by a surge in banks' commercial and industrial lending, and an index of capital expenditure intentions, as measured by the National Federation of Independent Business, is climbing.

The NFIB in December reported that capital outlays had increased for three straight months, the first solid improvement in three years. Owners planning capital investments in the next three to six months also rose to a 40-month high.

NFIB policy analyst Holly Wade said anecdotally she hears of more businesspeople talking of increasing their budgets.

"They have stretched out their machinery and equipment and would have normally invested in replacement, but they were waiting as long as possible. Now they are starting to see better sales and earnings, and they are more comfortable investing some of those dollars in capex," she said.

"In the next three to six months, it wouldn't be surprising to see the same rate of growth in capital outlays we have seen recently," she said.

A similar pattern is evident in the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank's Business Outlook Survey. In January the index for capital expenditure plans for the next six months more than doubled to a reading of 22.9 from 10.8. And the U.S. Commerce Department's durable goods report for December showed capital goods orders outside of defense and aircraft rose by 2.9 percent.

Industrial conglomerate Honeywell International IncN> is one of the big companies expanding, although overall corporations give a mixed outlook for their plans.

"We're looking to spend $100 to $150 million more in capital on a year over year basis. Some that is going into facility upgrades, some of that is going into technology centers," Honeywell's chief financial officer, Dave Anderson, said with the release of the company's earnings last week.

"Don't look for it to be a driving force for recovery, but capital spending will continue to be a supportive factor," said Ellen Zentner, economist at Nomura Securities.

U.S. car and truck sales, due on Wednesday, are getting a boost from businesses replacing worn out models. They are seen holding at the 13.5 million annual rate in January.

The Institute of Supply Management, an industry group, will also release its U.S. manufacturing index on Wednesday; it is seen rising to 54.5 in January from 53.9.

(Reporting By Stella Dawson; additional reporting by Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/bs_nm/us_global_economy_weekahead

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When Newt went to Oxford (Powerlineblog)

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S. Sudan holds firm on oil production stoppage (AP)

JUBA, South Sudan ? South Sudan's minister of petroleum and mining says the nation will not restart oil production unless Sudan accepts a list of demands.

Stephen Dhieu Dau said Sunday that South Sudan was "committed to negotiations" but that Khartoum would have to accept their offer of paying $1 per barrel for using Sudan's pipelines for export and $2.4 billion dollar financial assistance package before South Sudan turns on production again.

He also says Sudan must withdraw troops from the disputed border region of Abyei and stop funding rebel groups in South Sudan. He says South Sudan wants an international treaty guaranteed by "international superpowers" to guarantee the agreement.

South Sudan shut down oil production Saturday after it accused Sudan of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_bi_ge/af_south_sudan_oil

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Bisping continues to question Sonnen?s manhood over low testosterone

CHICAGO -- Maybe it's a good thing Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen didn't have months to promote their fight tomorrow night on the UFC on Fox 2 at the United Center. One can only imagine the depths the trash talk would've sunk to.

Sonnen's testosterone replacement therapy is the popular subject this week for the Brit, who suggests that the American is less than a complete male. Early in the week on HDNet, Bisping alleged that Sonnen has a physical abnormality.

"[...] He's been submitted more times than I care to mention. Not to mention, the last time he lost a fight by submission, there were some issues involving performance enhancing drugs," Bisping said. "I don't know what the deal is. Apparently, he has one testicle. One testicle! This is why he uses performance enhancing drugs. He's gonna need more than one little ball to fight me next weekend!"

Sonnen served a one-year suspension for not properly disclosing that he was undergoing testosterone replacement therapy before his UFC 117 fight in California. Bisping is not a fan of fighter using TRT.

"If Sonnen needs TRT, then he's is the wrong sport. If you need TRT, then perhaps you should be carrying a purse and a handbag, and wearing a dress," Bisping told The Telegraph's Gareth A. Davies. "This is a fight sport, and Alpha males shouldn't need testosterone from anywhere else."

Strangely enough, that quote emerged from a conversation where Bisping discussed using a sports psychologist. That topic could certainly open the door for some counter-fire from Sonnen. Stay tuned, there's still 30-plus hours until the fight.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/bisping-continues-sonnen-manhood-over-low-testoterone-194252587.html

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Maryland man pleads guilty in U.S. military bomb plot (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? A Baltimore man angry about American policy toward Muslims pleaded guilty on Thursday as part of a plot to bomb a U.S. military recruitment center in Maryland and faces a 25-year prison sentence, the Justice Department said.

It said Antonio Martinez, also known as Muhammad Hussain, pleaded guilty as part of a deal with prosecutors to attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction, a car bomb, in what had been an FBI sting operation.

Martinez admitted in court that the bomb was intended to kill military service members who worked in the building in Catonsville, Maryland. But agents investigating him made sure the bomb was inert and there never was danger to the public.

Martinez was arrested in December of 2010. As part of his plea agreement, Martinez admitted that he talked about attacking military targets with an FBI confidential source, according to court documents.

In recorded conversations with the source and an FBI undercover agent, Martinez spoke about his anger toward America, his belief that Muslims were being unjustly killed by the U.S. military and his desire to send a message that soldiers would be killed unless the United States stopped its "war" against Islam.

Martinez had recently converted to Islam. Several people he initially attempted to recruit to join in the operation all declined and one of them attempted to persuade him to drop the idea, the Justice Department said.

It said Martinez then met with the source's "Afghani brother," who was really an undercover FBI agent. Before and during the investigation, Martinez stated his militant beliefs on his Facebook page, according to court documents.

The arrest of Martinez was one of a series of FBI sting operations involving terrorism plots. Around the same time, an Oregon man was arrested on charges he tried to detonate a car bomb near a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland.

Martinez, 22, faces sentencing on April 8 in federal court in Baltimore. Both prosecutors and the defense have agreed as part of the deal that a 25-year prison sentence would be appropriate.

(Reporting By James Vicini; Editing by Vicki Allen)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/us_nm/us_usa_security_maryland

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Israeli film industry is a surprising powerhouse

JERUSALEM (AP) ? The budgets are bare-bones and the talent pool is limited, but Israel has emerged as a surprising powerhouse in the foreign film industry.

The Israeli film "Footnote," up for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film this year, is Israel's fourth such nomination in the past five years, giving Israel more nominations during that period than any other country.

It's an indication to the renaissance of Israeli cinema, which has grown from a fledgling industry with poor cinematography and low box office sales to a darling of world film festivals. That's in spite ? or perhaps because ? of the country's troubled international reputation, due to its lengthy conflict with the Arab world.

The last three Israeli films that made it to the Oscar shortlist all mine the country's troubles with its Arab neighbors. "Beaufort," nominated in 2008, and "Waltz with Bashir," nominated a year after, both explored Israeli soldiers' experiences in Lebanon. "Ajami," the 2010 nominee, centers on Arab-Jewish tensions in a violence-ridden neighborhood near Tel Aviv.

This year's nomination went to an Israeli film featuring a more internal conflict ? two professors of Talmud, a father and son, dueling for academic prestige and a coveted national prize.

"It's a badge of honor for Israel," said Moshe Edery, producer of "Footnote," at a news conference after the Oscar nomination. "It's Israel's best business card around the world, especially these days."

Israeli cinema was long an embarrassment. Cheap comic melodramas were the norm in the 1960s and 1970s. Called "bourekas films" ? the Israeli equivalent of spaghetti Westerns ? they dealt with ethnic stereotypes of European and Middle Eastern Jews.

Sick of those tired tropes, a group of Israeli moviemakers created an Israeli national movie fund in 1979, hopefully named the "Israeli Fund to Encourage Quality Films."

With meager funding from studios and other private entities, filmmakers rely on public funds. But even with help from the new fund, the industry still floundered for two decades.

In 1995, the government cut public funding for cinema in half, leaving enough money to produce only five films a year. Three years later the industry hit an all-time low: Only 0.3 percent of Israeli moviegoers bought tickets to Hebrew-language cinema.

The national film body took on a new name, the Israel Film Fund, and in 2000 it begged Israel's parliament to save Israeli cinema. It did, boosting the budget to $10 million a year for investment in feature films, mandating that young filmmakers get a chance to make themselves known.

It's what gave Joseph Cedar, the Israeli director of the Oscar-nominated films "Footnote" and "Beaufort," his first big break fresh out of film school: The Israel Film Fund supported his first feature, "Time of Favor," which debuted in 2000.

"We didn't know him, but he had enthusiasm. There was something about his passion," said Katriel Schory, executive director of the national fund. "We took a chance."

In the past, "cinema funds would not support a filmmaker's first feature," said Renen Schorr, founder and director of the Sam Spiegel Film & Television School in Jerusalem. "Today, Israel wants young people to make their first films."

The boost in public funding has dovetailed with investments in Israeli cinema by European and Canadian producers, totaling about $15 million and increasing the number of films Israel puts out annually to nearly 20, according to the Film Fund.

Israel's television industry has also blossomed in recent years. After cable channels and a commercial TV station broke the monopoly and monotony of a lone state-run channel in the early 90s, there was a sudden need for new TV content, spurring competition and creativity among local screenwriters.

Now Hollywood TV executives are taking notice, adapting Israeli shows for American audiences. Showtime's hit thriller "Homeland" is adapted from the Israeli drama "Prisoners of War," the NBC game show "Who's Still Standing" originated in Israel, and other Israeli adaptations are currently in development for American TV.

Despite the surge in budgets, funding is a fraction of public money available for filmmakers in European countries.

While Israel has scored some Academy Award nominations in recent years, it hasn't won. None of the 10 Israeli films that made the best foreign language film shortlist over the years has won the big prize.

Now the focus is on Cedar, director of "Footnote," but he told reporters that the coveted Oscar isn't the only measure of success for a filmmaker.

That is exactly the lesson that his Oscar-nominated film imparts, he said.

"'Footnote' deals with the question of what happens when, while you're living your daily life, a prize is offered, which really takes over your moral reasoning and changes your perspective and sometimes completely destroys your perspective," Cedar said, summarizing the main plot line of his movie.

___

Follow Daniel Estrin: www.twitter.com/danielestrin

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-27-ML-Israel-Film-Frenzy/id-1fd8ad65cc254d9ab6a7a322cfd3e83d

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Gates injects $750M in troubled Global Fund

Bill Gates poses next to a cut out of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to promote the Global Fund's 10th anniversary at the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Gates announced a US dollar 750 million contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

Bill Gates poses next to a cut out of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to promote the Global Fund's 10th anniversary at the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. Gates announced a US dollar 750 million contribution to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, right, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, coordinating minister for economy and minister of finance of Nigeria, left, attend a plenary session at the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. The overarching theme of the meeting, which will take place from Jan. 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)

Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks during a plenary session at the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. The overarching theme of the meeting, which will take place from Jan. 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) ? Bill Gates pledged $750 million on Thursday to fight three killer diseases and rescue a beleaguered health fund whose financial losses have cost it donor support.

The Microsoft founder said he is lending his "credibility" to the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by making the donation through a promissory note so the fund "can immediately use the money and save lives."

Gates' announcement at the World Economic Forum ? a magnet for the world's business and political elites who pushed for the fund's creation ? was part of an orchestrated attempt by the fund to galvanize donors on its 10th anniversary.

"These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world's poorest," Gates told reporters.

He downplayed the $23 billion fund's reported losses of tens of millions of dollars to corruption, misuse and undocumented spending that were highlighted in Associated Press stories, and said it is "disappointing" to see how people have focused on a "small misuse of funds."

A donor backlash over AP reports about poor financial monitoring and the fund's losses uncovered by its own internal watchdog, the inspector general's office, prompted the organization last year to cancel more than $1 billion in planned new spending mainly to expand existing programs. The fund's executive director, Dr. Michel Kazatchkine, this week also announced his resignation.

"The internal checks and balances have worked in every case," Gates said. But, he added, "If you're going to do business in Africa, you're going to have some losses."

The public-private fund has helped change the fortunes of many of the world's poor through its prevention and treatment programs among 150 countries, Gates said.

The fund says it has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and given 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria over its 10-year existence. It says it also has helped prevent 1.3 million pregnant women from passing on HIV to their babies, cared for 5.6 million orphans and kept 7.7 million others alive.

"It's a breathtaking achievement," U2 rock star Bono said in a compilation of fund supporters' statements from the fund Thursday.

A former Japanese prime minister, Naoto Kan, told the news conference that his nation has contributed $1.3 billion to the fund. Kan also said the fund's "transparency" must be maintained ? which includes auditors and investigators in the inspector general's office uncovering and publicizing its own losses ? as the fund goes through a series of reforms launched last year after the AP stories.

"The European debt crisis is shaking the world economy, which in turn seriously affects the fortunes of the Global Fund. But it doesn't mean the significance of the Global Fund is less," Kan said. "The corruption exists. It's regrettable, but that's reality."

Global Fund board Chairman Simon Bland said the fund is "transforming the way we do business" by streamlining the organization and will continue to "hold ourselves accountable" for what it spends.

"There will be no shying away from that transparency," Bland said.

Bland told AP he has hired the London accounting firm RSM Tenon Group to look into internal fund allegations that Kazatchkine, a French immunologist, improperly allocated several million dollars of fund money to benefit charity activities of France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and firms run by her close friend.

Bland said the firm has produced a confidential report that he intends to make public which lends little support to the allegations. France is the second-largest contributor to the fund behind the United States, and Bruni-Sarkozy serves as one of its ambassadors.

Kazatchkine, who has been at odds with the inspector general's office that has been uncovering the losses, resigned after the board decided to create a position of general manager to chart a new direction. The position was among a series of recommendations by a high-level panel created to address the problems raised in AP articles.

"I believe it is untenable that there are two heads in an organization and that's why I decided to leave," he told AP.

Kazatchkine said the Global Fund "can't be more transparent than we have been."

"We're by far the most transparent organization in development," he said at Davos. "Fighting corruption, yes, of course, and I have repeatedly said zero tolerance for corruption. Yet we also have to recognize that this business is not without risk. And risk, or the sense of risk, can also paralyze action."

___

Frank Jordans contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-26-EU-Davos-Forum-AIDS-Fund/id-161de23bd4c5497b9245050544e77397

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Video: S&P 500 Oversold?

Walter Zimmermann, United-ICAP, and Todd Morgan, Bel Air Investment Advisors, discuss whether the S&P 500 has risen too high, too quickly.

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FACT CHECK: Obama pushes plans that flopped before

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Listen in back are Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner, right. (AP Photo/Saul Loeb, Pool)

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Listen in back are Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner, right. (AP Photo/Saul Loeb, Pool)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? It was a wish list, not a to-do list.

President Barack Obama laid out an array of plans in his State of the Union speech as if his hands weren't so tied by political realities. There can be little more than wishful thinking behind his call to end oil industry subsidies ? something he could not get through a Democratic Congress, much less today's divided Congress, much less in this election year.

And there was more recycling, in an even more forbidding climate than when the ideas were new: He pushed for an immigration overhaul that he couldn't get past Democrats, permanent college tuition tax credits that he asked for a year ago, and familiar discouragements for companies that move overseas.

A look at Obama's rhetoric Tuesday night and how it fits with the facts and political circumstances:

OBAMA: "We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That's long enough. It's time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that's rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that's never been more promising."

THE FACTS: This is at least Obama's third run at stripping subsidies from the oil industry. Back when fellow Democrats formed the House and Senate majorities, he sought $36.5 billion in tax increases on oil and gas companies over the next decade, but Congress largely ignored the request. He called again to end such tax breaks in last year's State of the Union speech. And he's now doing it again, despite facing a wall of opposition from Republicans who want to spur domestic oil and gas production and oppose tax increases generally.

___

OBAMA: "Our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a government program."

THE FACTS: That's only half true. About half of the more than 30 million uninsured Americans expected to gain coverage through the health care law will be enrolled in a government program. Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income people, will be expanded starting in 2014 to cover childless adults living near the poverty line.

The other half will be enrolled in private health plans through new state-based insurance markets. But many of them will be receiving federal subsidies to make their premiums more affordable. And that's a government program, too.

Starting in 2014 most Americans will be required to carry health coverage, either through an employer, by buying their own plan, or through a government program.

___

OBAMA, asking Congress to pay for construction projects: "Take the money we're no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home."

THE FACTS: The idea of taking war "savings" to pay for other programs is budgetary sleight of hand. For one thing, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been largely financed through borrowing, so stopping the wars doesn't create a pool of ready cash, just less debt. And the savings appear to be based at least in part on inflated war spending estimates for future years.

___

OBAMA: "Through the power of our diplomacy a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran's nuclear program now stands as one."

THE FACTS: The world is still divided over how to deal with Iran's disputed nuclear program, and even over whether the nuclear program is a problem at all.

It is true that the U.S., Europe and other nations have agreed to apply the strictest economic sanctions yet on Iran later this year. But the global sanctions net has holes, because some of Iran's large oil trading partners won't go along. China, a major purchaser of Iran's crude, isn't part of the new sanctions and, together with Russia, stopped the United Nations from applying similarly tough penalties.

___

OBAMA: "Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that's built to last - an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values."

THE FACTS: Economists do see manufacturing growth as a necessary component of any U.S. recovery. U.S. manufacturing output climbed 0.9 percent in December, the biggest gain since December 2010. Yet Obama's apparent vision of a nation once again propelled by manufacturing ? a vision shared by many Republicans ? may already have slipped into the past.

Over generations, the economy has become ever more driven by services; not since 1975 has the U.S. had a surplus in merchandise trade, which covers trade in goods, including manufactured and farm goods. About 90 percent of American workers are employed in the service sector, a profound shift in the nature of the workforce over many decades.

The overall trade deficit through the first 11 months of 2011 ran at an annual rate of nearly $600 billion, up almost 12 percent from the year before.

___

OBAMA: "The Taliban's momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home."

THE FACTS: Obama is more sanguine about progress in Afghanistan than his own intelligence apparatus. The latest National Intelligence Estimate on Afghanistan warns that the Taliban will grow stronger, using fledgling talks with the U.S. to gain credibility and stall until U.S. troops leave, while continuing to fight for more territory. The classified assessment, described to The Associated Press by officials who have seen it, says the Afghan government hasn't been able to establish credibility with its people, and predicts the Taliban and warlords will largely control the countryside.

___

OBAMA: "On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We got workers and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry to retool and restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the world's number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories."

THE FACTS: He left out some key details. The bailout of General Motors and Chrysler began under Republican President George W. Bush. Obama picked up the ball, earmarked more money, and finished the job. But Ford never asked for a federal bailout and never got one.

___

OBAMA: "We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there's no reason why Congress shouldn't at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation."

THE FACTS: With this statement, Obama was renewing a call he made last year to require 80 percent of the nation's electricity to come from clean energy sources by 2035, including nuclear, natural gas and so-called clean coal. He did not put that percentage in his speech but White House background papers show that it remains his goal.

But this Congress has yet to introduce a bill to make that goal a reality, and while legislation may be introduced this year, it is unlikely to become law with a Republican-controlled House that loathes mandates.

___

OBAMA: "Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households."

THE FACTS: It's true that a minority of millionaires pay a lower tax rate than some lower-income people. On average, though, wealthy people pay taxes at a much higher rate than middle-income taxpayers.

Obama's claim comes from a Congressional Research Service report that compared federal taxes paid by people making less than $100,000 with those paid by people making more than $1 million. About 10 percent of families with incomes under $100,000 paid more than 26.5 percent in federal income, payroll and corporate taxes. And about a quarter of millionaire taxpayers paid a rate lower than that.

___

OBAMA: "We can't bring back every job that's left our shores.... Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed."

FACT CHECK: Many of the jobs U.S. companies have created overseas won't return because they were never in the United States in the first place.

As Obama said in his speech, U.S. workers have become more productive and labor costs have fallen.

But there are powerful forces pushing the other way: Many of the overseas jobs in U.S. companies weren't transferred from the U.S. They were created in fast-growing markets in Latin America, Asia and elsewhere to serve customers in those markets. Companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index now earn more than half of their revenue from overseas.

That has fueled more job creation abroad. U.S. multinationals cut more than 800,000 jobs in the United States from 2000 to 2009, according the Commerce Department. They added 2.9 million overseas in the same period.

___

OBAMA: "Anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned doesn't know what they're talking about ... That's not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin; from Cape Town to Rio; where opinions of America are higher than they've been in years."

THE FACTS: Obama left out Arab and Muslim nations, where popular opinion of the U.S. appears to have gone downhill or remained unchanged after the spring 2011 reformist uprisings in the Middle East. A Pew Research Center survey in May found that in predominantly Muslim countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Pakistan, views of the U.S. were worse than a year earlier. In Pakistan, a major recipient of U.S. foreign aid that went unmentioned in Obama's speech, just 11 percent of respondents said they held a positive view of the United States.

___

Associated Press writers Tom Raum, Anne Gearan, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Martin Crutsinger, Jim Drinkard, Dina Cappiello, Erica Werner, Andrew Taylor, Christopher S. Rugaber and Stephen Ohlemacher contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-24-State%20of%20Union-Fact%20Check/id-801f01639fda4cd584e4841337a43bfa

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Report: Russia to deliver combat jets to Syria (AP)

MOSCOW ? Russia has signed a contract to sell combat jets to Syria, a newspaper reported Monday, in apparent support for President Bashar Assad and open defiance of international condemnation of his regime's bloody crackdown.

The respected business daily Kommersant, citing an unidentified source close to Russia's Rosoboronexport state arms trader, said the $550-million deal envisions the delivery of 36 Yak-130 aircraft. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment on the report.

If confirmed, the deal would cement Russian opposition to international efforts to put pressure on Assad's regime over its attempts to snuff out the country's uprising. The U.N. says more than 5,400 people have died over 10 months. The report of the sale comes the same day that Human Rights Watch called Russia's backing of the Syrian regime "immoral."

The Yak-130 is a twin-engined combat trainer jet that can also be used to attack ground targets. The Russian air force has recently placed an order for 55 such jets.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that Moscow doesn't consider it necessary to offer an explanation or excuses over suspicions that a Russian ship had delivered munitions to Syria despite an EU arms embargo.

Russia was acting in full respect of international law and wouldn't be guided by unilateral sanctions imposed by other nations, he said.

Lavrov also accused the West of turning a blind eye to attacks by opposition militants and supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition from abroad and warned that Russia will block any attempt by the West to secure United Nations support for the use of force against Syria.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that if the report is accurate "it would be quite concerning" and would be raised by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, who is currently in Moscow.

"As we've been saying for months, you know, our firm belief is that any country that is still trading in weapons and armaments with Syria really needs to think twice because they are on the wrong side of history, and those weapons can be used against innocents and have been," Nuland said.

Russia has been a strong ally of Syria since Soviet times when the country was led by the president's father Hafez Assad. It has supplied Syria with aircraft, missiles, tanks and other modern weapons.

Igor Korotchenko, head of the Center of Analysis of the Global Arms trade, an independent think-tank, said the jet deal apparently reflected Moscow's belief that Assad would stay at the helm.

"With this contract, Russia is expressing confidence that President Assad would manage to retain control of the situation, because such deals aren't signed with a government whose hold on power raises doubts," Korotchenko was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying. "It's another gesture by Moscow underlining its confidence that Damascus will remain its strategic partner and ally in the Middle East."

Another Moscow-based military analyst, Ruslan Pukhov, said, however, that Russia might be too optimistic about Assad's prospects.

"This contract carries a very high degree of risk," Pukhov told Kommersant. "Assad's regime may fall and that would lead to financial losses for Russia and also hurt its image."

Human Rights Watch warned Russia that by supporting Assad it is repeating the mistakes of some Western governments during the Arab Spring, saying they were too slow to recognize the popular desire for democratic change in places like Egypt and Bahrain.

"Armed elements shooting at government soldiers is materially different from government representatives shooting deliberately at unarmend civilians," Carroll Bogert, the group's deputy executive director, said at a news conference in Moscow that followed the release of HRW's annual report.

She added that the overwhelming number of victims in Syria is on the side of the demonstrators.

"The continued support of this regime is immoral and not permissible," Bogert said. "The West has already made serious mistakes with the support of Arab regimes. Russia's repetition of those mistakes will lead to tragic consequences."

____

Sofia Javed in Moscow and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_syria

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Egypt partially lifts state of emergency law (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? The head of Egypt's ruling military council said Tuesday he had decided to lift a state of emergency from Wednesday except in certain cases, a move one lawmaker said did not amount to a full cancellation of laws in place since 1981.

"I have taken a decision to end the state of emergency," Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi said in a televised address, adding that it would still apply in dealing with cases of "thuggery." He did not spell out what that meant.

"This is not a real cancellation of the state of emergency," said Essam Sultan, a newly elected member of parliament from the

Wasat Party, a moderate Islamist group.

"The proper law designates the ending of the state of emergency completely or enforcing it completely, nothing in between," he said.

(Reporting by Tom Perry/Marwa Awad)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/wl_nm/us_egypt_emergency

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Greek debt talks likely to drag on another week (AP)

BRUSSELS ? A European diplomat says that talks with private creditors to cut Greece's massive debt pile are unlikely to conclude before a summit of EU leaders next Monday, Jan. 30.

The diplomat said Monday that although a deal was "at reach", the outstanding issues had to be "fixed at the highest level." The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were ongoing and confidential.

Greek and banking officials said over the weekend that important progress was made in talks to cut Greece's debt by some euro100 billion ($129 billion).

The eurozone wants banks and other financial firms to voluntarily swap their old Greek bonds for ones with half the face value.

But disagreement remains over the interest rate Greece will have to pay on the new, lower-valued bonds.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PARIS (AP) ? European finance ministers will try on Monday to give new momentum to talks on a Greek debt relief deal that is crucial to avoid a default but remains elusive due to disagreements with the country's private creditors.

A deal would see Greece's debt load lightened by about euro100 billion ($129 billion) by having the creditors swap their Greek bonds for new ones of a longer maturity and potentially lower interest rate.

Germany, which is heavily involved in the negotiations because it pays for most of Greece's bailout, is leading a push for the new bonds to pay lower rates than the creditors are currently willing to accept.

The French and German finance ministers, Francois Baroin and Wolfgang Schaeuble, were holding talks in Paris before a meeting with their eurozone counterparts later in the day in Brussels.

Greek officials say negotiations on the private debt writedown are continuing over the phone, while no appointment has been set yet for new face-to-face talks this week.

Last week, representatives of the country's private creditors held three days of intensive talks with Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos on the bond swap, which is officially called-Private Sector Involvement, or PSI.

The negotiations had been due to resume Saturday, according to Greek officials. But Charles Dallara, managing director of the Institute of International Finance, which is handling the talks on behalf of banks and other private holders of Greek government bonds, left for a "long-standing engagement" in Paris on Saturday.

Dallara told The Associated Press over the weekend that he is "constantly talking by phone" with Greek officials and that the talks are "coming together."

The IIF's legal and financial advisers are still in Athens working on several "outstanding issues" with Greek officials and Dallara will return "as needed," a spokesman said.

On Sunday, Dallara was quoted by private Antenna TV as saying he had presented Athens with "the best possible" proposal on the debt writedown, and that "the main pieces are in the puzzle."

"I believe the elements now are in place for a historic voluntary PSI deal. It is a question now really of the broader reaction of the European official sector and of course the IMF to this proposal," he said.

Having the creditors accept the deal voluntarily would avoid the payout of insurance on the restructured bonds. The EU and IMF are trying hard to keep it a voluntary deal, but Dallara suggested their demands were pushing the limits of what the private creditors could consider voluntary.

"Our offer that was delivered to the Prime Minister is the maximum offer consistent with a voluntary PSI deal," he added. "We are in a crossroads. Either we choose a voluntary debt restructuring (or) the alternative is to choose the path of default."

Dallara said he was "quite hopeful" that common ground can be reached "in the very, very, very short term."

The writedown is a key part of Greece's second international bailout, agreed in October but not yet finalized. Since May 2010, the country has been surviving on a first euro110 billion ($142 billion) batch of rescue loans agreed on condition of deep spending cuts and sweeping public sector reforms.

Debt inspectors from the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund ? collectively known as the troika ? will be meeting government officials in Athens this week on the course of the austerity program. Without approval from the troika, Greece will be cut off from its rescue loan lifeline, which would force it into a messy default on its debts in late March and ? most likely ? abandon the euro.

___

Paphitis contributed from Athens.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120123/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

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Euro zone finance ministers to rule on glacial Greek debt talks (Reuters)

BRUSSELS/ATHENS (Reuters) ? Euro zone finance ministers will decide on Monday what terms of a Greek debt restructuring they are ready to accept as part of a second bailout package for Athens after negotiators for private creditors said they could not improve their offer.

Resolving the issue of a Greek debt swap is key to putting Athens' debt on a sustainable path and avoiding a chaotic default that could threaten the whole currency bloc.

After several rounds of talks, Greece and its private creditors are converging on a deal in which private bondholders would take a real loss of 65 to 70 percent on their Greek bonds, officials close to the negotiations said.

But some details of the debt restructuring, which will involve swapping existing Greek bonds for new, longer-term bonds to bring Greek debt down to a more sustainable 120 percent of GDP in 2020 from 160 percent now, are unresolved.

"What I am confident of is that our offer, that was delivered to the prime minister, is the maximum offer consistent with a voluntary PSI deal," Institute of International Finance chief Charles Dallara, who is negotiating on behalf of banks and insurers holding Greek debt, told Antenna TV on Sunday.

"We are at a crossroads and I remain quite hopeful," said Dallara, who left Athens on Saturday without a deal in place.

"We will listen to the report on the negotiations, see how far they have gotten and have the ministers say what is acceptable and what is not in terms of outcome of the negotiations," one Eurogroup official said.

Once the guidance from the finance ministers, known as the Eurogroup, is clear, talks on the restructuring could be finalized later in the week.

Talks on the extent of Private Sector Involvement (PSI) in the Greek debt restructuring are a vital part of a second financing package for Athens that would keep it funded until 2014.

"We are working for a deal in time for the January 30 summit of EU leaders. The restructuring offer needs to be made in the course of February," the official said.

"Obviously there is a clear link between the PSI and the next programme and what we will be focusing on in the Eurogroup is making the next programme operational."

Without the second bailout from the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund, Greece will not be able to pay back 14.5 billion euros in maturing bonds in March, triggering a messy default that would hurt the whole euro zone economy.

There are doubts that even with a new bailout Greece's mountainous debt can be reduced to a still-painful 120 percent of GDP by 2020.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on Sunday the crucial factor was that Athens should have a level of debt that was sustainable by then. "This goal must be achieved," he told German public broadcaster ARD.

STICKING POINT

Euro zone leaders agreed in October that the second bailout would total 130 billion euros, if private bondholders forgave half of what Greece owes them in nominal terms.

But Greek economic prospects have deteriorated since then, which means either euro zone governments or investors will have to contribute more than thought.

The main sticking point is coupon, or interest rate, the new Greek bonds would carry. Officials said the new bonds are likely to be 30 years in maturity and carry a progressively higher coupon, which would average out at around 4 percent.

"The euro zone ministers will examine the proposal and say whether we have a deal. If they say we don't, we're back to the negotiating table," a banking source close to the talks said.

Progress will be presented to euro zone ministers by Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos.

"We then expect a discussion about the coupon," a senior Greek banker close to the negotiations told Reuters.

"I believe that the private sector can accept a lower coupon than the 4 percent average, but the question then is: will the PSI still be on a voluntary basis?" he said.

The voluntary character of the debt restructuring is important to avoid triggering the pay-out of insurance against a Greek default.

While the sums of such insurance appear relatively small, euro zone officials said, such a "credit event" could trigger a chain reaction of events that would entail rapid and large scale contagion in euro zone debt markets, and is thus best avoided.

NEW RESCUE FUND

After dealing with Greece, euro zone ministers will choose a replacement for European Central Bank Board member Jose Manuel Gonzales Paramo, whose term ends in May.

The 17 ministers of the euro zone will then be joined by 10 ministers from the other European Union countries to finalise a treaty setting up the euro zone's permanent bailout fund - the 500 billion euro European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Its predecessor, the EFSF, is widely viewed as insufficient.

The ESM is another crucial element in the bloc's efforts to end the sovereign debt crisis that threatens to engulf Spain and Italy after claiming Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

The fund should boost market confidence in euro zone defences should Spain or Italy need emergency financing. Separately, the IMF has launched a proposal to boost its war chest by $600 billion.

IMF head Christine Lagarde is to discuss this during a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday. She will make a speech on Monday in which she is expected to urge euro zone leaders to act quickly while acknowledging it is not merely Europe's problem because "innocent bystanders" will also be hit by a worsening debt crisis.

The 27 EU finance ministers will also prepare the final draft of another treaty to sharply tighten fiscal discipline in the euro zone, called the fiscal compact, that is designed to ensure another sovereign debt crisis cannot happen in future.

EU leaders are to sign off on both treaties on January 30, allowing the ESM to become operational in July.

To prepare for the January 30 summit, Merkel will meet European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy on Monday evening.

(Additional reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Ingrid Melander in Athens; Reporting By Jan Strupczewski, editing by Mike Peacock)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120122/bs_nm/us_eurozone_ministers

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SC GOP voters focused on economy, beating Obama (The Arizona Republic)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/189320133?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Pakistan PM defends president at Supreme Court (AP)

ISLAMABAD ? Pakistan's prime minister has struck a conciliatory tone in an appearance before the Supreme Court, trying to cool down a political and legal crisis destabilizing the nuclear-armed country.

The unusual appearance by a head of government before a high court on Thursday was the latest move in a high-stakes struggle between the civilian regime, the judges and Pakistan's powerful army generals, who have seized power three times since 1947.

At stake is the future of Pakistan's leadership and its ties to the U.S. Relations between the two countries have been strained since last May's unilateral U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Pakistan's elected government is locked in bitter conflict with the army over a secret memo asking for Washington's help in curtailing the power of the generals after the bin Laden raid. The army was outraged by the memo, allegedly sent by the government, and pushed the Supreme Court to set up a commission to investigate. The government insists it did not send the memo.

On Thursday the Supreme Court stepped into another part of the struggle, a decade-old Swiss corruption case involving President Asif Ali Zardari. Some believe the military is maneuvering the court to depose Zardari and his government, while others point to bad blood between the president and the court's chief justice.

Against that complicated and tense background, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed to honor a summons to appear before the court to answer charges he was ignoring the judiciary.

The court wants government prosecutors to formally ask Swiss authorities to reopen a shelved graft probe against Zardari, who was found guilty in absentia in a Swiss court in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks from Swiss companies. Zardari appealed, but in 2009 Swiss prosecutors dropped the case after a request from the Pakistani government.

Gilani insisted that Zardari is immune from prosecution. Judges didn't immediately accept that, but they adjourned for two weeks to hear more arguments in the case.

For two years, the government has been refusing orders to reopen the decade-old corruption case against Zardari, infuriating the judiciary. Zardari loyalists have long claimed that the court wants to get the president out of office, regardless of the law.

"It is my conviction that he (Zardari) has complete immunity inside and outside (the) country," Gilani said in a 10-minute speech that was laced with humility. "I have no intention of ridiculing the court. We have the highest regard for the court."

Later, Gilani's lawyer, Aitzaz Ahsan, offered a concession to the court, agreeing to argue the issue of the president's immunity when the hearing resumes on Feb. 1. The government previously insisted presidential immunity was a right, and therefore didn't need to be debated in court.

"I will bow to the court order and will also speak on immunity to satisfy the court that the president has complete immunity," Ahsan told reporters.

Security was especially tight during the court session, which was also attended by several of Gilani's ministers and coalition partners. Police lined the roads in front of the Supreme Court, and two helicopters hovered over the building during the hearing.

Supporters and opponents of the government competed for attention outside the court. A group of about a dozen women chanted, "Long live Zardari!" while several dozen lawyers shouted slogans in favor of the court chief justice and against the president.

Political analysts said events at the court Thursday indicated something of a thaw.

"This will definitely contribute to reduce the tension, but it is not the end of the problems for the president," said political science professor Hasan-Askari Rizvi.

The crisis is distracting Pakistan's leaders from the severe economic and security challenges it faces, not least the threat posed by Islamist militants with links to al-Qaida who are waging war on the state.

On Thursday, gunmen seized two foreign aid workers, an Italian and a German, from just outside their office in the central Pakistan town of Multan, police and intelligence officials said.

The men were bundled into a car in a supposedly secure part of Multan, said the officials, who didn't give their names because of the sensitivities surroundings crimes involving foreigners.

The Italian government confirmed one its citizens had been kidnapped in Multan.

The men were working for a development agency helping victims of the 2010 floods, the officials said. They declined to say who they believed abducted the men.

Kidnappings for ransom are common in Pakistan. Islamist militants also abduct people and are currently holding at least three foreigners.

Last year, gunmen kidnapped an American from the Punjabi city of Lahore, and al-Qaida now claims to be holding him.

___

Associated Press writer Sebastian Abbot in Islamabad and Khalid Tanveer contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

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Capsule Wants To Be Your One Stop Shop For (Private) Events

Events management startup Capsule describes itself as a little bit of Path, Color, Evite and GroupMe, but also none of those things according to co-founders Cyrus Farudi and Omri Cohen. From what I can tell, the startup is attempting to fix the beleaguered events space, which is basically something which could be totally amazing if Facebook separated its Events vertical into a separate "Messenger" type app. Oh Lord please do this.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/PVZGoO1f41U/

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Huawei Ascend P1 S, Smartphone Android Tertipis dengan Tebal 6.68 mm

HUAWEI membocorkan ponsel Android super slim besutannya, Huawei Ascend P1 S saat gelaran CES. Ya, sebagai pabrikan ponsel yang tergolong aktif merilis ponsel, Huawei ingin mencoba menjadi pesaing utama di pasar smartphone Amerika Serikat.

Huawei Ascend P1 S berjalan pada sistem operasi Android Sandwich Ice Cream dan prosesor dual-core CPU A9? 1.5 Ghz dan chip grafis SGX 540, salah satu yang tercepat di pasaran.

Smartphone ini menawarkan resolusi tinggi 960 x 540 pada layar Super AMOLED berukuran 4.3 inci, dengan kamera 8-megapiksel belakang dan memori 1-gigabyte RAM.

Ascend hadir sebagai ponsel tertipis di dunia sampai saat ini, dengan tebal hanya 6,68 milimeter, mengalahkan pemegang rekor sebelumnya yaitu ponsel Fujitsu yang memiliki ketebalan dua milimeter.

Sementara, untuk performa waktu siaganya, Ascend mengandalkan baterai 1800 mAh. Untuk harganya, Huawei Ascend P1 S dibanderol dengan harga antara $ 200 dan $ 300.

(maya/CN19)

Bagi Anda pengguna ponsel, nikmati berita terkini lewat http://m.suaramerdeka.com
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Source: http://suaramerdeka.com/v1/index.php/read/gaya/2012/01/05/1355

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With South Carolina Primary Looming, Republican Candidates Focus Their Message (ContributorNetwork)

A new poll released by Monmouth University on Tuesday shows Mitt Romney has increased his lead in South Carolina, according to AHN. This latest poll corroborates another by CBS News/New York Times that also showed Romney has achieved a measurable advantage going into Saturday's primary.

His nearest competitors remain Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, both of whom are vying to achieve their first primary victory. Both men are taking pains to present themselves as a better, alternative option to Romney and each other.

How is Mitt Romney polling in South Carolina?

The Monmouth University poll places Romney in the lead with 33 percent of the vote. Second place in that poll belongs to Gingrich, who polled at 22 percent, while Santorum claims third with 14 percent. Ron Paul is polling closely to Santorum, with 12 percent.

The CBS News/New York Times poll, released early Wednesday, has Romney in the lead by a slightly closer margin of 28 percent to Gingrich's 21 percent. In that poll, Santorum and Paul are also closer together, with 16 percent and 15 percent, respectively. In both polls, Rick Perry is garnering single-digit support.

What is Newt Gingrich's focus going into Saturday's primary?

As Romney's nearest competitor at this point in South Carolina's primary race, Gingrich's message has taken two different turns. The first part of his emphasis this week has focused on Romney. Gingrich is presenting himself to South Carolina voters in town halls and other campaign stops as the only viable conservative option, an alternative to Romney and the man best able to gather a national majority to beat President Barack Obama, according to USA Today.

The second part of Gingrich's focus this week concerns his own nearest rival, Rick Santorum. Gingrich has been touting Santorum's defeat in his re-election bid in Pennsylvania as proof that his fellow candidate can't ultimately win the presidential election in November. He has also been warning against the dangers of splitting the conservative Republican vote, saying that a vote for Santorum will essentially translate into a vote for Romney in Saturday's primary.

What message is Santorum focusing on leading up to the primary?

Santorum is focusing on worries surrounding his electability versus Obama. Politico has pointed out that he is actively trying to negate the charge that he is unelectable by highlighting the number of times that he has been elected to office and the high percentage of his political races that he has won in the past.

Santorum is not only focusing on proving that he is a strong candidate for president, but he has also been questioning the electability of Romney and Gingrich. He has highlighted the fact that his election record is better than Romney's, with him emerging the victor some four out of five of his political races, versus Romney's record of winning one out of three. He also has been placing his record up against Gingrich's performance in the primary season so far, pointing out that he beat his fellow candidate in both the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120118/pl_ac/10849403_with_south_carolina_primary_looming_republican_candidates_focus_their_message

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