Croatia celebrates its EU membership

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) ? Fireworks are ready and foreign leaders are arriving as Croatia celebrated on Sunday its entry into the European Union some 20 years after winning independence in a bloody civil war that shook the continent.

Croatia will become the 28th EU member on Monday, the bloc's first addition since Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007. Croatia's membership marks a historic turning point for the small country, which went through carnage after declaring independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

A decade back, when Croatia started negotiating the entry, the once war-torn country was overjoyed at the prospect of becoming a member of the European elite. But with the EU in deep financial turmoil and Croatia's own economy in recession for five consecutive years, the excitement has dimmed.

Thousands of people are expected to join in the celebrations across the country, including in the main square of the capital, Zagreb, where artists will perform for dozens of EU and regional leaders until midnight when big fireworks and the singing of Beethoven's Ode to Joy ? EU's anthem ? will mark the official entry into the bloc.

Customs posts will be removed from Croatia's borders with EU neighbors Slovenia and Hungary, while EU signs and flags will be put on its borders with non-EU states Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro.

But overall, the celebrations will be much more modest and less jubilant than when Bulgaria and Romania ? currently EU's poorest states ? became members. With the entry, Croatia ? a nation of 4.2 million people ? will become the third poorest country in the EU.

"There are not too many festivities because the general situation is not brilliant," Croatian President Ivo Josipovic told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "We have to develop our economy, take care of those people who are jobless now, and there is no time and money for big celebrations."

With an unemployment rate hovering at around 20 percent, plunging living standards, endemic corruption among its political elite and its international credit rating reduced to junk, many Croats are not in the mood to celebrate.

Protest movement Occupy Croatia is planning an anti-EU march Sunday evening, saying in a statement that "the European Union is not a solution to our problems."

"The entry into the European Union is an economic genocide over the people living in our country," the group said in a statement, blasting the EU as a "union tailored for rich corporations and their politicians."

The EU is in the grips of a recession, with many countries struggling to stimulate growth while grappling with a debt crisis that has led governments to slash spending and raise taxes. The EU countries account for 60 percent for Croatia's exports, which has sent the Balkan country's economy into a steady decline.

"It's important that we remember that Croatia is joining at the strangest time for the European Union in history," said Paul Stubbs, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Economics in Zagreb. He said Croatians "might see some increased prices, some increased competition, I wouldn't expect some huge increase in investment overnight."

But, the pro-EU voices in Croatia note that joining the bloc means Croatians could find jobs in more prosperous EU countries, that their country could attract more foreign investment, and that the EU's leadership in Brussels could help keep widespread corruption and economic mismanagement in check.

"We really had no choice," said Nino Vidic, a Zagreb resident. "Croatia is a small country, and logically as a Catholic country, we strive toward the West."

___

Associated Press writer Jovana Gec contributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/croatia-celebrates-eu-membership-101549636.html

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Social Sec will stay solvent for 20 years... *IF* we pay off 1/3 of the National Debt

When Social Security was first implemented in the 1930s, the government assigned the "retirement age" to be 65. After that, you could start drawing benefits.

By some strange coincidence, the average age of death in the 1930s was..... 65.

Meaning, half the people who would pay in all their lives, would never draw out a dime, except for death benefits.

And the rest wouldn't draw out very much before they, too, kicked off.

Social Security was designed to be "self-supporting"... for that time. With no thought of what might change in the future... like medical science advancing enough to enable people to live a LOT longer.

BTW, all the money you've paid in, has already been spent. In the SS Trust Fund is nothing but IOUs from the government. Remember Obama's statements a year or so ago, that if the Debt Ceiling wasn't raised, Social Security checks couldn't be written to its benefits recipients?

The money has been "borrowed" by other government agencies, and spent. All the money being paid out as benefits to retirees, is coming from the money you and I are paying in now. None of it is being saved for us. This is the defining characteristic of a Ponzi scheme.

Which brings us to the other issue.

Remember the other predictions various govt officials have made, saying that SS will be "solvent" for the next 15 or 20 or 30 years (depending on which politician you listen to)? They mean that they will be able to pay retirees their scheduled benefits from that money supposedly in the Trust Fund, until then.

But all the Trust Fund money has been "borrowed", and is gone. This means that those agencies that "borrowed" it, have to pay back ALL the money by that deadline (15 or 20 or etc. years from now), so it can be paid out to retirees that need it. And of course, if they are going to be replenishing the Trust Funds this way, they can't borrow any more while they're paying it back.

So, how much money is owed to the SS Trust Fund and other such govt-held trust funds?

Answer: 30.1% of the entire National Debt is owed to these Trust Funds. That's $4.7 trillion. (See reference below.)

That's how much must be paid back into the SS Trust fund and other such funds, to keep them "solvent" for that long.

Has anyone heard of any plans to pay off 30% of the National Debt within the next 15 years? Or 20? Or.....?

Neither have I.

Next time someone tells you how solvent the Social Security Trust fund is, or any other government trust fund, show him the numbers and see what he says then.

Reference: See Current and Back Issues: Overview: Daily Treasury Statement: Publications & Guidance: Financial Management Service . Pick a recent date, and and look under "Intergovernmental Holdings".

Source: http://www.usmessageboard.com/politics/300809-social-sec-will-stay-solvent-for-20-years-if-we-pay-off-1-3-of-the-national-debt.html

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Mesoraco homer in 11th gives Reds 6-4 win at Texas

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Devin Mesoraco hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning and the Cincinnati Reds snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-4 victory over the AL West-leading Texas Rangers on Saturday night.

Mesoraco was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts before his 380-foot homer into the left-field seats off Kyle McClellan (0-1), which came right after Todd Frazier was hit by a pitch to start the 11th.

Cincinnati had lost six of seven and was coming off consecutive shutout losses before Shin-Soo Choo homered on the first pitch of the game.

J.J. Hoover (1-5) got the last two outs in the 10th, even after a walk and a hit. Aroldis Chapman worked the 11th for his 20th save in 23 chances.

The Reds had also lost five straight interleague games.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/29/3477852/mesoraco-homer-in-11th-gives-reds.html

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What's new in Android 4.3 Jelly Bean?

Liliputing writes, Google has yet to officially launch Android 4.3 Jelly Bean yet, but leaked Android 4.3 firmware for the Samsung Galaxy S4 started making the rounds this week. At first glance, there?s not much new in the next version of Android ? Google has started making many of its updates available through individual app updates (Gmail, Calendar, Keyboard, Play Services and so on). But when you start digging beneath the surface, Android 4.3 has more than a new version number and a slightly tweaked camera. Here are some of the things that are new in Android 4.3 so far: Even when you turn off WiFi,?

Continue reading What?s new in Android 4.3 Jelly Bean? at Liliputing

Source: http://mobilitybeat.com/liliputing/118578/whats-new-in-android-43-jelly-bean/

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Why don't spiral galaxies run out of gas? Look to the (extended) halo.

New research suggests that galaxies hold more 'normal matter' than scientists could image. This matter in the form of gas resides in halos that turn out to be about twice as vast as previously estimated.

By Pete Spotts,?Staff writer / June 28, 2013

This undated image, made by the Hubble Space Telescope and provided by the University of Utah, shows the Andromeda galaxy, the nearest neighbor to the Milky Way. New research signals that such spiral galaxies include much more 'ordinary matter' than previously estimated, which may help explain star formation.

University of Utah/AP

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Spiral galaxies like the Milky Way appear to host far more ordinary matter than previously estimated, according to a recent study. That may help explain why spiral galaxies in the nearby universe are still producing stars at respectable rates when, by all rights, star formation in these galaxies should have run out of gas billions of years ago.

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This matter resides as gas in an extended halo nearly 1 million light-years across. For a galaxy such as the Milky Way, whose disk is roughly 100,000 light-years wide, the halo holds as much ordinary, or baryonic matter as the Milky Way's disk, with all of its stars, gas, and dust.

Moreover, this gas, much of which is expelled from the galaxy itself, appears to get recycled ? returning to the galaxy to serve as the raw material for new stars and planets.

The evidence for this baryonic bonanza was gathered by an international team of astrophysicists and astronomers initially interested in some basic accounting, as well as in galaxy evolution.

Over the past decade, researchers have uncovered the recipe for the universe: 70 percent dark energy, a kind of anti-gravity that is accelerating the expansion of the universe; 25 percent dark matter, which astronomers can't see but infer because of its gravitational influence on matter astronomers can see; and ordinary, or baryonic, matter, which astronomers can see directly and exerts gravitational influence as well.

Theory suggests that the proportions of dark and baryonic matter in the universe should hold for galaxies as well. But the amount of baryonic matter astronomers detect in large spirals is only about 20 percent of what theory says should be there.

"Most of the matter is still out between the galaxies," either in a region around a galaxy where its gravity still holds sway, or beyond that in deep intergalactic space, says Michael Shull, an astrophysicist at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a member of the team, which was led by colleague John Stocke, also at the University of Colorado.

The gas is so tenuous, however,. that astronomers haven't been able to capture images of it. Instead, the team used the Hubble Space Telescope's exquisitely sensitive Cosmic Origins Spectrometer to detect the gas, using bright objects called quasars as backlights.

The quasars' light passes through the gas, producing spectra that reveal the gas's abundance, composition, and its motion and velocity.

Two years ago, another research team applied this backlighting technique to galaxies known to have quasars behind them and found evidence for the halos around 42 spiral galaxies. The team estimated that the halos held substantially more gas than the galaxies themselves did.

Dr. Stocke and?colleagues took another approach. In addition to using data from 11 targeted galaxies, the team, in effect,?randomly picked quasars first, then measured the halo of any galaxy that fell in between. That gave then roughly 60 more galaxies for their sample.

The earlier team, in effect, was looking for the lost car keys at night under the streetlight, Dr. Shull quips, while "we went and looked anywhere in the parking lot."

Both groups came up with similar results, he says.

Applied to the Milky Way, the results imply that the extent of the galaxy plus its halo is about twice as large as previously estimated, Shull says.

Temperatures in the halos were on the order of 1 million degrees Celsius, or 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit. But the halo also held so-called warm clouds, which tended to populate the inner half of the halo and consisted of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. The team estimates that the warm clouds lacked the mass to account for more than about 10 to 15 percent of the total baryonic matter spiral galaxies should have. But when the hotter halo gas was included, the books could be brought into balance.

The circumgalactic medium also is thought to play a key role in replenishing a spiral galaxy's reserves of gas for star formation, Shull explains.

The warm clouds, relatively rich in heavier elements, likely represents gas expelled from the galaxy, where stars form the heavier elements and enormous stellar explosions called supernovae eject the enriched gas into the circumgalactic medium. Some of that expelled gas doesn't move fast enough to escape the galaxy's gravitational tug and so rains back onto the galactic disk where it can help form new stars, he says.

The warm clouds that remain, however, may provide a vital service to the galaxy ? cooling some of the hotter gas that surrounds it, Shull suggests. This cooled, denser gas has lost energy and so stands a better change of getting drawn in to the galactic disk to serve as additional star fodder.

The team's results appeared recently in the Astrophysical Journal.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/SUBopsgZ4nE/Why-don-t-spiral-galaxies-run-out-of-gas-Look-to-the-extended-halo

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China state media warnings on South China Sea "irresponsible", says Philippine minister

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Wing walker, pilot die in crash at Ohio air show

CINCINNATI (AP) ? A plane carrying a wing walker crashed at an air show and exploded into flames Saturday, killing the pilot and stunt walker, authorities said.

The crash of the 450 HP Stearman happened at around 12:45 p.m. at the Vectren Air Show near Dayton in front of thousands of horrified spectators. No one else was hurt.

A video posted on WHIO-TV shows the plane turn upside-down as the performer sits on top of the wing. The plane then tilts and crashes to the ground, erupting into flames as spectators screamed.

Ian Hoyt, an aviation photographer and licensed pilot from Findlay, was at the show with his girlfriend. He told The Associated Press he was taking photos as the plane passed by and had just raised his camera to take another shot.

"Then I realized they were too low and too slow. And before I knew it, they hit the ground," he said.

He couldn't tell exactly what happened, but it appeared that the plane stalled and didn't have enough air speed, he said. He credited the pilot for steering clear of spectators and potentially saving lives.

"Had he drifted more, I don't know what would have happened," Hoyt said. He said he had been excited to see the show because he'd never seen the scheduled performer ? wing walker Jane Wicker ? in action.

On the video, the announcer narrates as the plane glides through the sky and rolls over while the stuntwoman perches on a wing.

"Now she's still on that far side. Keep an eye on Jane. Keep an eye on Charlie. Watch this! Jane Wicker, sitting on top of the world," the announcer said, right before the plane makes a quick turn and nosedive.

Federal records show that biplane was registered to Wicker, who lived in Loudon, Va. A man who answered the phone at a number listed for Wicker on her website said he had no comment and hung up.

One of the pilots listed on Wicker's website was named Charlie Schwenker. A post on Jane Wicker Airshows' Facebook page announced the deaths of Wicker and Schwenker and asked for prayers for their families.

A message left at a phone listing for Charles Schwenker in Oakton, Va., wasn't immediately returned.

Dayton International Airport spokeswoman Linda Hughes and Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Anne Ralston confirmed that a pilot and stunt walker had died but declined to give their names. The air show also declined to release their identities.

The show was canceled for the rest of the day, but organizers said events would resume Sunday and follow the previous schedule and normal operations. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash.

Another spectator, Shawn Warwick of New Knoxville, told the Dayton Daily News that he was watching the flight through binoculars.

"I noticed it was upside-down really close to the ground. She was sitting on the bottom of the plane," he said. "I saw it just go right into the ground and explode."

Thanh Tran, of Fairfield, said he could see a look of concern on the wing walker's face just before the plane went down.

"She looked very scared," he said. "Then the airplane crashed on the ground. After that, it was terrible, man ... very terrible."

Wicker's website says she responded to a classified ad from the Flying Circus Airshow in Bealeton, Va., in 1990, for a wing-walking position, thinking it would be fun. She was a contract employee who worked as a Federal Aviation Administration budget analyst, the FAA said.

She told WDTN-TV in an interview this week that her signature move was hanging underneath the plane's wing by her feet and sitting on the bottom of the airplane while it's upside-down.

"I'm never nervous or scared because I know if I do everything as I usually do, everything's going to be just fine," she told the station.

Wicker wrote on her website that she had never had any close calls.

"What you see us do out there is after an enormous amount of practice and fine tuning, not to mention the airplane goes through microscopic care. It is a managed risk and that is what keeps us alive," she wrote.

In 2011, wing walker Todd Green fell 200 feet to his death at an air show in Michigan while performing a stunt in which he grabbed the skid of a helicopter.

In 2007, veteran stunt pilot Jim LeRoy was killed at the Dayton show when his biplane slammed into the runway while performing loop-to-loops and caught fire.

Organizers were presenting a trimmed-down show and expected smaller crowds at Dayton after the Air Force Thunderbirds and other military participants pulled out this year because of federal budget cuts.

The air show, one of the country's oldest, usually draws around 70,000 people and has a $3.2 million impact on the local economy. Without military aircraft and support, the show expected attendance to be off 30 percent or more.

___

Thomas reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writers Kerry Lester in Chicago and Randy Pennell in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

___

Online:

Raw video of crash: http://bit.ly/11Vf7JA

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wing-walker-pilot-die-crash-ohio-air-show-191655523.html

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Hong Kong says Snowden has left for third country

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

FILE - In this June 21, 2013 file photo, a banner supporting Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, is displayed at Central, Hong Kong's business district. The Hong Kong government says Snowden wanted by the U.S. for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has left for a "third country." The South China Morning Post reported Sunday, June 23, 2013 that Snowden was on a plane for Moscow, but that Russia was not his final destination. Snowden has talked of seeking asylum in Iceland. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

HONG KONG (AP) ? A former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday.

Hong Kong's government did not identify the country. Snowden, who has been in hiding in Hong Kong for several weeks since he revealed information on the highly classified spy programs, has talked of seeking asylum in Iceland.

However, Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency cited an unidentified Aeroflot official as saying Snowden would fly from Moscow to Cuba on Monday and then on to Caracas, Venezuela. The WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group tweeted that Snowden was "over Russian air space" and later said in a statement he was bound for an unnamed "democratic nation via a safe route for the purpose of asylum."

The White House had no immediate comment about the departure, which came a day after the United States made a formal request for his extradition and gave a pointed warning to Hong Kong against delaying the process of returning him to face trial in the U.S.

The Department of Justice said only that it would "continue to discuss this matter with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel."

The Hong Kong government said in a statement that Snowden left "on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel."

It acknowledged the U.S. extradition request, but said U.S. documentation did not "fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law." It said additional information was requested from Washington, but since the Hong Kong government "has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr. Snowden from leaving Hong Kong."

The statement said Hong Kong had informed the U.S. of Snowden's departure. It added that it wanted more information about alleged hacking of computer systems in Hong Kong by U.S. government agencies which Snowden had revealed.

WikiLeaks said it was providing legal help to Snowden at his request and that he was being escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from the group. Its founder, Julian Assange, who has spent a year inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning about sex crime allegations, told the Sydney Morning Herald that his organization is in a position to help because it has expertise in international asylum and extradition law.

Snowden's departure eliminates a possible fight between Washington and Beijing at a time when China is trying to deflect U.S. accusations that it carries out extensive surveillance of American government and commercial operations. Hong Kong, a former British colony, has a high degree of autonomy and is granted rights and freedoms not seen on mainland China, but under the city's mini constitution Beijing is allowed to intervene in matters involving defense and diplomatic affairs.

Hong Kong has an extradition treaty with the U.S., but the document has some exceptions, including for crimes deemed political.

The Obama administration on Saturday warned Hong Kong against delaying Snowden's extradition, with White House national security adviser Tom Donilon saying in an interview with CBS News, "Hong Kong has been a historically good partner of the United States in law enforcement matters, and we expect them to comply with the treaty in this case."

Snowden's departure came as the South China Morning Post released new allegations from Snowden that U.S. hacking targets in China included the nation's cellphone companies and two universities hosting extensive Internet traffic hubs.

He told the newspaper that "the NSA does all kinds of things like hack Chinese cellphone companies to steal all of your SMS data." It added that Snowden said he had documents to support the hacking allegations, but the report did not identify the documents. It said he spoke to the newspaper in a June 12 interview.

With a population of more than 1.3 billion, China has massive cellphone companies. China Mobile is the world's largest mobile network carrier with 735 million subscribers, followed by China Unicom with 258 million users and China Telecom with 172 million users.

Snowden said Tsinghua University in Beijing and Chinese University in Hong Kong, home of some of the country's major Internet traffic hubs, were targets of extensive hacking by U.S. spies this year. He said the NSA was focusing on so-called "network backbones" in China, through which enormous amounts of Internet data passes.

The Chinese government has not commented on the extradition request and Snowden's departure, but its state-run media have used Snowden's allegations to poke back at Washington after the U.S. had spent the past several months pressuring China on its international spying operations.

A commentary published Sunday by the official Xinhua News Agency said Snowden's disclosures of U.S. spying activities in China have "put Washington in a really awkward situation."

"Washington should come clean about its record first. It owes ... an explanation to China and other countries it has allegedly spied on," it said. "It has to share with the world the range, extent and intent of its clandestine hacking programs."

____

Sylvia Hui in London and Lynn Berry in Moscow contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-23-NSA-Surveillance%20Hong%20Kong/id-34b1e81a28b34c45b2160287a644bf9a

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Leyla Ghobadi Backtracks on Kanye Cheating Allegation, Warns Kim Kardashian

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UK's Cameron rallies world leaders to NIreland

ENNISKILLEN, Northern Ireland (AP) ? British Prime Minister David Cameron says leaders gathering for the G-8 summit in Northern Ireland should reach speedy agreement on trade and tax reforms ? and draw inspiration from the host country's ability to resolve its own stubborn conflict.

Cameron says he expects formal agreement Monday to launch negotiations on a European-North American free trade agreement. He says a pact to slash tariffs on exports would boost employment and growth on both sides of the Atlantic.

Leaders from the United States, Canada, Russia, Germany, France, Italy and Japan are joining Cameron for trade-boosting talks ahead of Monday's ceremonial opening of the summit at a lakeside golf resort near the town of Enniskillen.

During a later working dinner, foreign policy issues ? especially Syria ? will be on the menu.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uks-cameron-rallies-world-leaders-nireland-052659289.html

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Ethan Hawke to play 'Macbeth' on Broadway

NEW YORK (AP) ? The Scottish play isn't taking much of a break before coming back. Ethan Hawke plans to return to Broadway this winter to play the title role in "Macbeth."

The Shakespeare tragedy will mark a reunion for Hawke with director Jack O'Brien at Lincoln Center Theater, where he starred in "Henry IV" and "The Coast of Utopia," for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.

Hawke is currently starring in the horror film "The Purge" and the romantic drama "Before Midnight," the third film in a series with "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset."

"Macbeth" had its latest incarnation on Broadway in a one-man show by Alan Cumming, which is set to close in July. Patrick Stewart led another cast in 2008.

For those who can't wait, a "Macbeth" starring Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston will be broadcast to movie theaters across the country from Manchester International Festival as part of National Theatre Live this July.

Performances of Hawke's "Macbeth" begin Oct. 24. The show is one of four that Lincoln Center Theater announced Thursday for the upcoming season, including the new Bruce Norris play "Domesticated" directed by Anna D. Shapiro and starring Laurie Metcalf.

James Lapine will direct his own adaptation of Moss Hart's autobiography "Act One" and Doug Hughes will direct the world premiere of The City of Conversation, a new play by Anthony Giardina.

___

Online: http://www.lct.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ethan-hawke-play-macbeth-broadway-172440526.html

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In the House too, the fix may well be in (Powerlineblog)

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Bon Jovi Concert Ticket Giveaway: Enter Now!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/bon-jovi-concert-ticket-giveaway-enter-now/

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Apple demos 'Activation Lock' security feature in iOS 7

We've heard quite a bit about iOS 7 today at WWDC -- in fact, the company made it clear there's still more to talk about. But despite having tons of new features to share, Apple set aside some time to walk through a new security utility, called Activation Lock. In essence, it is what it sounds like: if someone steals your phone and chooses to disable Find My iPhone, he won't be able to reactivate the phone. Same if they wipe the phone -- they'll be forced to sign in with your Apple ID and password, which they obviously wouldn't know. Barring extenuating circumstances (that "thief" happens to be a deranged ex-lover who knows your log-in credentials), the new feature should keep your data safe, if nothing else. But will it be a theft deterrent, as Apple hopes? That's a question we'll leave for another day. In the meantime, Activation Lock is available in beta today, and for iPhones, specifically. An iPad beta will follow in the coming weeks, with the final, public release set for this fall.

Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub.

Filed under: Software, Apple

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/SpnIhhpP1OE/

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On the run up to Father's Day, you can snag a Nook HD for $130 or a Nook HD+ for $150.

On the run up to Father's Day, you can snag a Nook HD for $130 or a Nook HD+ for $150. Not too shabby, especially now they place nice with Google.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/on-the-run-up-to-fathers-day-you-can-snag-a-nook-hd-fo-512264112

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What Games Are: Have We Hit ?Peak Mobile??

Mobile gaming may still be a very hot ticket, but with the recent news from companies like Zynga and Tapjoy of closures an difficulty, it does seem to have become a more difficult landscape. With the costs of user acquisition continuing and a sense that perhaps the customer is not as blind as before, the question of whether mobile gaming has peaked is important to consider. Are we at the top yet?

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

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India Rape Arrests: Police Detain 3 Suspects In Gang Rape Of American Woman (VIDEO)

NEW DELHI -- Indian police arrested three men Thursday on suspicion of gang-raping an American woman in the northern resort town of Manali earlier this week, the latest high-profile sexual assault in the country.

Police officer Vinod Dhawan said the men are accused of offering the 30-year-old woman a lift in their truck as she was hitchhiking to her guesthouse Monday night. The woman said the men then drove her to a secluded spot and raped her.

Dhawan said the three men, aged 22 and 24, were arrested Thursday near Manali, 540 kilometers (335 miles) north of New Delhi.

Police were questioning the suspects. Other details were not immediately available.

Concern about sexual assaults in India has heightened since the fatal gang rape of a woman in New Delhi in December sparked public protests demanding better protection for women.

On Wednesday, police arrested a man accused of raping an Irish woman who volunteered at a children's charity in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.

The suspect, a local businessman, had attended a party the woman hosted to celebrate her 21st birthday, police said.

The woman told police that she later went to the man's house, where she drank a cup of tea, passed out and then was raped.

In March, six men were arrested in the gang-rape of a Swiss cyclist.

Since December's attack, the government passed a law increasing prison terms for rape and making voyeurism, stalking, acid attacks and the trafficking of women punishable under criminal law.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/india-rape-arrests_n_3394970.html

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ECB expected to hold rates as economy lags

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? The European Central Bank is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate at a record low of 0.5 percent on Thursday even though there's still a recession in the 17 countries that use the euro.

The ECB cut its benchmark by a quarter point in May and analysts say it will probably hold off making more changes at its meeting in Frankfurt, Germany, while it assess how the economy is doing.

The eurozone's gross domestic product shrank 0.2 percent in the first quarter, the sixth quarter in a row. The central bank for the currency shared by 331 million people has predicted that the economy will start growing again gradually in the second half of this year. But conflicting economic indicators have left doubt about whether a recovery will come through by then or not. The unemployment rate of 12.2 percent is the highest since the currency union was formed in 1999, adding pressure to find some kind of stimulus.

President Mario Draghi has said the ECB is talking to other European Union officials about ways to encourage banks to lend more to small companies ? the backbone of the eurzone's economy. But it is not clear when a proposal might be ready. Markets will be waiting to hear Draghi's comments about the banks possible future plans at a news conference after the rate decision. Analysts say the bank could also lower its growth forecast for this year, from the current minus 0.5 percent.

The ECB's 23-member governing council meets once a month to decide on the bank's refinancing rate. That is the rate at which it loans money to private-sector banks. Through them, the refinancing rate influences how much it costs businesses and consumers to borrow.

Lower rates in theory make it easier to for companies to invest in new production or for people to buy things, and that should stimulate the economy. But that's not how it has been working out in Europe. Lending to businesses remains weak.

But the low ECB benchmark rate is not being passed on by the banks in the countries hardest hit by the eurozone's debt crisis, such as Spain and Italy. Banks remain risk-averse in the aftermath of the financial crisis and new rules limit how much they can lend relative to how much capital they have. Some banks are having trouble borrowing themselves. So credit is hard to come by" and worst hit are small businesses.

The ECB has talked about encouraging banks to bundle small business loans and have them sold off in the form of bonds, which would reap more money they could lend. The practice already exists, but loan guarantees from another European government institution such as the European Investment Bank could spur more of it. It could be next year before something like that can be set up, and ECB officials have recently downplayed how big an impact it would have.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ecb-expected-hold-rates-economy-lags-051532577.html

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Copters pluck families from raging European floods

USTI NAD LABEM, Czech Republic (AP) ? Families in southern Germany scrambled to their rooftops and were airlifted to safety by helicopter Wednesday after two levees broke and raging floodwaters swept through their village.

The drama in the southern German town of Deggendorf was being echoed in various degrees across vast tracts of central Europe. Authorities said at least 16 people have died and at least four others were missing in the surge of water overflowing riverbanks across the region since the flooding started.

Thousands of people have had to be evacuated, chemical plants along the swollen rivers have been hastily closing down and emergency workers were bracing for new flood crests at cities along the mighty Danube and Elbe rivers.

The dpa news agency said helicopters started evacuating residents Wednesday after two levees along the Danube and Isar rivers broke and huge masses of water poured into the Bavarian village of Deggendorf.

Four farmers were rescued at the very last minute by helicopter as floods submerged their tractor, firefighter Alois Schraufstetter said, adding that water was already 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) high in the village.

"This is a life-threatening situation," he told dpa.

Overall, the death toll included eight people in the Czech Republic, five in Germany, two in Austria and one in Slovakia. At least four other people were missing in the Czech Republic, according to the interior minister.

An emergency committee in Prague said the water in the Elbe was expected to reach 11 meters (36 feet) early Thursday in the northern Czech Republic, almost four times its usual height.

Firefighters said more than 19,000 people were evacuated from the flooding in the Czech Republic. Floodwaters in the Elbe, after inundating parts of Prague, were now roaring north toward Germany, particularly the city of Dresden.

In villages around Usti nad Labem, a northern Czech city of 100,000 people, police in boats were handing out drinking water and medicine to those who had not evacuated.

Alena Lacinova despaired at how much she would have to rebuild after watching the water wash into her home. In many places, even protective barriers were unable to stop the surge.

"At the moment, we have about 2.5 meters (8 feet) of water inside. The cellar and the house are flooded," she told The Associated Press, adding that she was expecting another meter (3 feet) of water soon. "It's a pity for all those who have the same problem and have not enough money to fix it anytime soon."

Lower parts of Usti nad Labem ?built around a valley ? looked like a ghost town. About 3,000 people had evacuated, while others remained inside their homes on higher ground. Some stood on hilltops, watching the water as it rose. Police also patrolled to make sure no looting occurred.

Downstream, hundreds of people were being evacuated in the eastern German city of Dresden, where the Elbe was expected to crest Wednesday evening. Early in the day the river was running about 7 meters (21 feet) over normal levels.

In addition to hundreds of German police officers and volunteers who were helping fight the floods, some 5,600 soldiers and 2,000 members of Germany's national disaster response team were deployed across the country, filling sand bags, reinforcing levees and building elevated walkways to flooded homes.

"In Dresden, we have dozens of members instructing some 300 volunteers on how to build a temporary dam to hold the water back from one of the city's main thoroughfares," said Carolin Petschke from the national disaster response team.

In the eastern German city of Halle, the downtown area was already flooded.

In the Czech capital of Prague, Environment Minister Tomas Chalupa said the city's sewage treatment plant ? which had to be shut down days ago due to high water ? might be operational again in the next 24 hours. Since the shutdown, the city's effluence has gone straight into the Vltava River, which runs through the city, a top tourist destination.

Authorities were also concerned about the safety of chemical plants next to the overflowing rivers. Some plants have been shut down and their chemicals removed.

"It's not over yet," Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas said Wednesday. "There're tough moments still ahead of us."

He pledged more than 5 billion koruna ($250 million) for cleanup work.

Czech public television said a barrier that protects one major fertilizer plant in Lovosice was leaking Wednesday but Necas visited the plant and downplayed the danger.

"The anti-floods measures are functioning well. The protective means have fulfilled their purpose," he said, adding that all dangerous chemicals had been transported to safety.

The water was slowly receding in the hard-hit Bavarian city of Passau, leaving behind vast amounts of debris. Flooding earlier this week in Passau was the worst in 500 years.

While most parts of Prague, including its historical landmarks, were protected by high metal barriers, Prague's Zoo was particularly badly hit for a second time in 11 years by the floods. The lower side of the park was submerged and its animals had to be evacuated.

The zoo estimated the damage at $8 million but insisted it would reopen its higher parts shortly.

"The flood will not break us," it said in a statement.

___

Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this story from Berlin.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/copters-pluck-families-raging-european-floods-144635489.html

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Queen Maxima's Gucci Ensemble Is A Repeat & We Love It (PHOTOS)

Reason #4723857 we love Queen Maxima: She can recycle fashion like a pro.

Not only does the Dutch royal woo us with her fearless, color-centric style choices, but the woman knows when it's time for an outfit to make a second (or third or fourth) appearance. The latest ensemble Maxima's plucked from her closet? A hot pink Gucci number she wore less than a month ago.

The spring 2013 ensemble, a '70s-style tunic and trouser set, was quintessential Maxima with its voluminous sleeves and bright, monochromatic color. The Argentinian-born royal debuted the look on May 16 during one of her first few engagements as queen, but she decided to whip it out yesterday during her visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Germany.

So while Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama get all the fashion repeat cred, we think Maxima deserves a spot up there with these trend-setting ladies. Seriously, how cool is Maxima's Gucci outfit?

On May 16th...

On June 4th...

Maxima's got plenty of chic outfits to choose from:

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• Banquet Marks Queen Beatrix's Abdication

  A stream of royals, international dignitaries and Dutch politicians arrived on Monday evening (April 29) in Amsterdam for a banquet to mark Beatrix's last evening as queen of the Netherlands. The banquet took place in Amsterdam's world famous newly renovated Rijksmuseum. Wearing a light purple gown, Queen Beatrix was flanked by her son, future king Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima in a bright red gown.

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/05/queen-maximas-gucci-photos_n_3389110.html

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SEC to consider tougher rules for money funds

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected on Wednesday to propose stricter regulations for money-market mutual funds, hoping to shore up an industry that posed risks to investors at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

SEC officials have yet to make public any proposed changes to its oversight of the $2.7 trillion industry.

Still, one rule likely to come up would allow shares of some money-market funds to "float", instead of having a fixed value of $1 per share. The proposal failed last year but has since won the backing of a panel of regulators that include Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

A floating value would be a fundamental shift for the investments. But proponents say it is necessary because it would show money funds, while safer than stocks and many other investments, still carry some level of risk. Floating values would make money funds more like bonds, whose principal changes with increases or decreases in interest rates.

Other potential rule changes include requiring funds to hold capital reserves against losses and placing limits on how quickly investors can withdraw their money.

The SEC will vote to open proposed changes to public comment, which is likely to last for several months. At some later point, the agency would finalize the rules or settle on a modified version of them.

Proponents say stricter requirements are needed to make millions of investors and companies aware of the risks associated with money funds. They say that would reduce the risk of runs on money funds. Still, greater oversight of money-market funds has been heavily opposed by the mutual fund industry.

The rules would be the first major action under Chairman Mary Jo White, who took over at the agency in April. She has said that her goal is to preserve the funds' economic benefits while also addressing their vulnerability to panic runs.

Mary Schapiro, who stepped down as SEC chairman in December, pushed unsuccessfully last year for a floating value for all money-market funds and a requirement that money funds hold capital reserves of 1 percent of the fund's assets. But three of the five commissioners opposed those changes and her proposal was never brought to a vote.

Some commissioners appeared to be sympathetic to arguments made by representatives for the industry, who complained that most of the changes previously recommended would make money funds unattractive and lead to fewer investors.

This time, however, the SEC is under pressure from the Financial Stability Oversight Council, a group of high-level regulators that has backed both the floating-value requirement and calls for strict capital reserves. Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew both sit on the panel.

In a possible compromise, the SEC could limit the floating-value requirement to those money-market funds known as "prime." They attract mainly big institutional investors as opposed to retail customers and are considered more risk-prone because they invest in short-term corporate debt.

Investors learned how risky mutual funds could be during the financial crisis. The Reserve Primary Fund, one of the largest money market funds, lost so much money that it "broke the buck." As a result, its value fell to just 97 cents per share.

The decline stoked fears over the safety of money funds. In the ensuing week, investors pulled out around $300 billion from prime money funds, representing 14 percent of the assets in those funds. The government stepped in to temporarily guarantee assets of all money funds so investors could be assured they would be protected from losses.

While some say the change is necessary, Robert Plaze, a former deputy director of the SEC's investment management division, acknowledged that a shift to a floating value should spark sharp debate.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-05-SEC-Mutual%20Funds/id-e6b4a6a15fbd419fa082093b000fff38

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U.S. targets Iran with currency, auto-sector sanctions

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday ratcheted up its efforts to isolate Iran for its suspected nuclear weapons program, targeting Tehran with currency and auto-sector sanctions.

President Barack Obama imposed sanctions on foreign financial institutions that conduct or facilitate significant transactions in the Iranian rial currency.

In an executive order, the president also approved sanctions against people who do business with Iran's auto sector, which the White House said was a major source of revenue for Tehran.

The United States and Western powers have imposed a series of economic sanctions aimed at pressuring Iran into halting what they say is a drive to build a nuclear weapon. Tehran says its nuclear program is purely for generating power and for medical devices.

Last week, the United States blacklisted eight companies in Iran's petrochemical industry.

"We hold the door open to a diplomatic solution that allows Iran to rejoin the community of nations if they meet their obligations," White House press secretary Jay Carney said in a statement. "However, Iran must understand that time is not unlimited. If the Iranian government continues down its current path, there should be no doubt that the United States and our partners will continue to impose increasing consequences."

The sanctions imposed on the rial on Monday included a ban on maintaining significant accounts outside Iran denominated in that currency. It is the first time that trade in the rial has been targeted directly for sanctions, the White House said.

(Reporting By Mark Felsenthal; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-targets-iran-currency-auto-sector-sanctions-200110345.html

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Dog Lies on Grave, Melts Internet

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/06/dog-lies-on-casket-melts-internet/

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Five Great Father's Day Gifts for Your Husband - Christian ...

There are many negative stereotypes in popular culture about fathers. In less than thirty years, we have moved from Father Knows Best to The Simpsons. Dads get a bad rap on prime time and in real life too. That especially makes Father?s Day a wonderful occasion to push back and say, ?We think dad is great!?

You want to celebrate your husband?s efforts as a dad, but you?re thinking a new tie or lawnmower is not the direction you want to go this year. Here are five ideas to get your creative juices flowing on what you can do for your husband on Father?s Day:

Offer to do hubby?s chores. Think of the weekly tasks that your husband usually tackles ? taking out trash, pulling up weeds, bringing clothes to the dry cleaners, putting gas in the car, etc. Offer to do these things for a day (or for a week if you are feeling especially merry). Or give him a book of coupons like ?Get out of trash ? free? or ?Go directly home (Skip errands which I will take care of instead. Advance notice required).?

Plan an intimate getaway. This can be as simple or elaborate as you want. You might book a room at a local hotel for one night or even go out of town for a weekend. If you have young kids, you can arrange for them to enjoy a special night at grandma?s or a friend?s house. You don?t even have to spend money on a hotel if you don?t want to. As long as the house is kid-free, you can transform it into a romantic getaway by turning off all phones and computers, lighting candles, and putting on lingerie. Marriage expert Dr. Willard Harley says it well, ?Affection is the environment of the marriage, sex is the special event."

Massage envy. Make him the envy of all the other dads by giving him a week?s worth of massages leading up to Father?s Day or following. You can give him foot massages (my husband loves those, I think they are ticklish) or back rubs. Hand massages with creams and lotions are great too. Commit to something doable like a ten minute massage every night. ?

Love letters. Think of specific things you really appreciate about how your husband parents the kids. Write a note of thanks after you see something that you like. For instance, you observe your husband is patiently teaching your first grader on the piano. You would have given up in exasperation. Write a note and praise him for being a persevering caring dad at the piano. Collect many notes like this about various things you observe over a period of time. Present him these notes on Father?s Day with a 100 Grand chocolate bar and tell him he?s really worth a million bucks. What he does every day does not go by unnoticed!

Pray for him. There are excellent books written about praying for your husband. Father?s Day is a great time to get a book like this and pray. There are so many challenges that your husband may be facing at work and home. He may have stress that you have no idea about. When you pray God?s Word over your husband, you will bless him in a powerful way that cannot be measured by dollars. Ask your husband how you can pray for him and then be faithful and faith-filled as you seek God on behalf of your spouse. Let your husband know you?re praying for him.

When you notice the positive contributions your husband is making to your family and give him an extra dose of affection to say thanks, your husband is sure to have a fabulous Father?s Day!

Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of 31 Days to a Happy Husband and 31 Days to a Younger You. She has been a guest on Family Life Today, The 700 Club, Turning Point with David Jeremiah, and The Hour of Power. Arlene and her husband James live in San Diego with their three children. Visit Arlene?s website at www.TheHappyHusband.com.

Publication date: June 3, 2013

Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/family/marriage/relationships/five-great-father-s-day-gifts-for-your-husband.html

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Sandra Bernhard gets judge-y on 'Drop Dead Diva'

By Jethro Nededog

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Sandra Bernhard will rule over an episode of Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva."

The actress and comedian is guest starring as judge Ada Brown on an episode slated to air July 21.

"I have been a huge fan of Sandra Bernhard ever since I saw her play Nancy Bartlett in 'Roseanne' in the 1990s," show creator Josh Berman told TheWrap. "She's whip smart, super funny, and her sharp tongue makes for an awesome 'Drop Dead Diva' judge."

The character takes a no-nonsense approach to a ripped from the headlines case in which a sneaky husband wins a fortune while gambling. But instead of telling his wife, he asks for a quickie divorce and then hides his winnings from her.

Shooting next week on the show's Atlanta set, Bernhard will be the latest in a line of high profile judge castings on the dramedy, including Wendy Williams, Paula Abdul, Valerie Harper and Bruce Davidson.

Bernhard most recently guest starred on ABC's "The Neighbors," "GCB," and TVLand's "Hot In Cleveland" and held recurring roles on Showtime's "The L Word" and "Roseanne." She has appeared in several movies, including cult classic "The King of Comedy" and "Hudson Hawk."

"Drop Dead Diva" was canceled by Lifetime in January after four seasons. But, the network reversed its decision in May as a result of ongoing efforts by producers Sony Television and pressure from the show's fans.

The series about a petite model who dies, then returns in a curvaceous attorney's body stars Brooke Elliot, Margaret Cho, Jackson Hurst, Kate Levering, April Bowlby, Josh Stamberg and newcomer Justin Deeley. It returns Sunday, June 23 at 9/8c.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sandra-bernhard-gets-judge-y-drop-dead-diva-140538604.html

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'Breaking Bad's' Aaron Paul weds in Malibu

56 minutes ago

REUTERS

Aaron Paul and Lauren Parsekian.

"Breaking Bad" star Aaron Paul is officially off the market. The actor wed longtime girlfriend Lauren Parsekian at Calimigo's Ranch in Malibu on Sunday, E! News has confirmed. Paul proposed to Parsekian over New Year's in 2012 while the two enjoyed a romantic trip to Paris.

Last month, the 33-year-old asked Ellie Goulding over Twitter if she would perform at his wedding.

NEWS: How do Kristen Stewart and Ellie Goulding know each other?

The "Lights" singer, who unfortunately wasn't available to perform this weekend due to her touring schedule, previously sang at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in London. Sources tell E! News that the bride looked beautiful in her wedding dress as she headed to the ceremony this afternoon flanked by her bridemaids who wore vintage-themed gowns. Lauren wore pearls with her long, blonde hair falling loose around her shoulders. Paul got ready for the big three-day celebrating by posting, "And so it begins #mrmrspaul" on his Twitter Friday with a photo of the two getting ready.

NEWS: Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul asks Ellie Goulding to sing at his wedding

And the morning after they tied the knot, the bride and groom posted sweet messages to each other on Instagram.

"A day will never go by without me reminding you how special you are," Paul wrote. "Thanks for last night my pretty little bird."

Parsekian echoed that sentiment, writing, "Well that was the most magical night of my life. #mrmrspaul," in a caption alongside the same pic.

Congratulations, you two!

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/breaking-bads-aaron-paul-weds-lauren-parsekian-6C10087242

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Report blames Pakistan politicians, security for anti-Christian riots

Nearly four years after deadly anti-Christian riots left nine dead, authorities released?a 318 page report indicating Pakistan's security establishment could have prevented them.

By Umar Farooq,?Contributor / May 26, 2013

Children of Pakistani Christians play in front of tents provided for Christian families whose homes were set on fire by a mob in Lahore, in March.

Mohsin Raza/Reuters

Enlarge

A series of violent riots against Pakistani Christians in the past decade has concerned human rights watchers and religious minorities in Pakistan.

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The latest deadly incident, which took place just two months ago, raised questions about what, if anything, can be done to prevent such violence. ??

The March incident when a Muslim mob burned down a Christian neighborhood in Lahore, echoed a similar incident in the rural town of Gojra four years earlier. Nine people were killed when rioters torched two Christian neighborhoods over rumors the Christians had celebrated a wedding by showering the groom with pages torn from the Quran. Despite hundreds of arrests, no one was tried for the riots, and relatives of those killed have now fled Pakistan.

In 2009, the Punjab government asked a senior judge to investigate how to prevent incidents like the one in Gojra. The judge interviewed nearly 600 witnesses, including senior politicians and intelligence officials, producing a 318-page report detailing who was responsible for the violence. But the full report was not released until recently ? nearly four years after the riots.?

It implicates members of Pakistan Muslim League-N, at the time just recently elected to power, and recommends Pakistan's blasphemy laws be reformed to prevent future violence. According to the report, the Interservices Intelligence (ISI) and local intelligence agencies knew banned extremist groups like Sipah-e-Sahaba were organizing the mobs, yet authorities did not take preventative action.

?Everything could have been avoided, if the local administration did what they were supposed to do,? says Mehboob Khan, who headed fact-finding trips to Gojra for the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Like the riot in Lahore this year, Mr. Khan says police had several days to curtail growing threats from Muslim extremists in Gojra.

On July 30, 2009, members of Sipah-e-Sahaba led a mob that burned down the entire village of Korian over the blasphemy accusation. The next day, preachers at three local mosques used their Friday sermons to demand that Gojra's Christian community ? some 40,000 people ? be expelled. They announced rallies the next day.

The next day, busloads of seminary students from the nearby town of Jhang ? a radical Sunni stronghold ? joined the rallies, which were addressed by local PML-N leaders and preachers from Sipah-e-Sahaba.

Bishop John Samuel, who heads an Anglican community in Gojra, says local police should have stopped the meetings and arrested those calling for more violence. ?There had already been one fire, why did the police allow these meetings?? he asks.

By that evening, crowds from the rallies made their way to the Christian neighborhood near the center of Gojra.

Despite the efforts of some religious leaders to disperse the crowd, the mob began throwing stones at the homes, and some began shooting at Christians.

Hameed Maseeh, a Christian, climbed on top of his roof and began firing back, but he was shot and killed. The crowd of Muslims swelled to more than 7,000, and some began setting fire to the Christian homes.

According to the report, police that were supposed to protect the Christians told them to flee, before leaving the scene themselves. ?At the height of the riot, they [the police] were nowhere to be seen,? recalls Bishop Samuel.

Hameed Masih's family ? unwilling to leave his body behind ? locked themselves inside their home. Seven of them, including two children and three women, died when the mob set fire to their home.

Maseeh's son accused 17 people ? including the regional PML-N head and several Sipah-e-Sahaba leaders ? of the murders. Though 113 suspects were arrested, all were released within months because witnesses refused to testify against them.

Peter Jacob, head of the minority rights group National Council for Justice and Peace, says the witnesses were systematically threatened into silence. In 2010, Hameed Masih's surviving family left Pakistan, fearing for their lives. In their absence, Pakistani courts dropped the murder case.

Two police commanders that left the scene as mobs torched Christian homes were suspended for a few months, but cleared by a subsequent departmental investigation. They have since been promoted.

The PML-N leader that had helped lead the Muslim mobs was elected to the provincial assembly in elections earlier this month.

'No problems'

In the years since the riots, the Punjab government has rebuilt the hundreds of homes that had been torched in Gojra. Christians in the area claim everything has gone back to normal.

?We have no problems with the Muslims, everything is fine,? said a Christian shopkeeper in Korian whose home was burned down, refusing to be named.

But Bishop Samuel says more than 50 families have chosen to leave Pakistan since the riots.

While it does not call for repealing the blasphemy laws completely, the Gojra report recommends removing specific protections for Muslims, and enacting measures to discourage fabricated cases. Rights groups say blasphemy accusations are often rooted in disputes over money or property.

?Reform is the first step,? Bishop Samuel says, ?If we can't finish the laws completely in Pakistan, at least charge the person making false claims.?

Jacob points out police have prevented violence in cases where they have seriously investigated blasphemy accusations.

?People didn't believe the law was being misused [before],? says Khan, ?but slowly ... they are starting to see examples of it.?

When a teenaged Christian girl was accused of blasphemy last year, the case was heard by the same judge who conducted the Gojra inquiry. Citing a lack of evidence, the judge dismissed the case, ordering the accuser's arrest instead.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/5JhMYVBnnfw/Report-blames-Pakistan-politicians-security-for-anti-Christian-riots

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