ST. LOUIS (AP) ? Kohki Idoki erased a five-stroke deficit against a fading Kenny Perry with room to spare, charging to a two-stroke victory Sunday in the Senior PGA Championship.
It was the third bitter final-round major tournament failure for the 52-year-old Perry, who led by three strokes with six holes to play but settled for a second-place tie with Jay Haas.
The 51-year-old Idoki closed with a 6-under 65 to finish at 11 under at Bellerive Country Club and win $385,000 and become the first player to win the tournament on his first attempt since Michael Allen in 2009.
Idoki got a beer shower from fellow Japanese players Joe Osaki and Kiyoshi Murota after finishing ahead of Perry's final group.
Perry shot a 72, and Haas had a 70. Perry squandered a two-stroke lead with two holes to go in the 2009 Masters and also let victory slip away in the 1996 PGA.
Mark O'Meara was fourth, three strokes back after 65 including an eagle on No. 17. Murota was another shot behind after a 67.
Perry staggered to the finish line, beginning with a double bogey on No. 13 that dropped him into a tie with Idoki. Another bogey on No. 16 dropped him out of the lead he held or shared since the end of the second round and he bogeyed No. 17 after shooting sideways out of deep rough in trees on No. 17.
Perry lost his lead three-putting from the fringe up against the edge of the rough on No. 13, running it past the cup from about 3 feet before holing out to put him at even par for the day.
He arched his back in disappointment after leaving a long birdie putt just short on No. 14.
Idoki climbed into contention with four birdies and no bogeys on the front nine, and added two more birdies in a flawless finish.
Jim Rutledge closed with a 64 for the best round of the tournament. He tied for sixth with fellow Canadian Rod Spittle, Russ Cochran, Kirk Triplett and Duffy Waldorf. Rutledge had seven birdies, five on the front nine, with no bogeys and no long putts to save par.
Leisure Travel has a really, really hot deal for you ? a Disney Cruise Line 14-day Panama Canal sailing. It ?leaves Sat., September 14, 2013 from Los Angeles and sails?to Cabo?San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Panama Canal, Cartagena, Cozumel and ends in Galveston, TX.
The total cost for an ocean view cabin is $1931.22; for an inside cabin, it?s just $1791.22. Prices include the cruise, port and tax and are based on two adults per cabin.
This offer is valid until Fri., May 31, 2013. Limited space available.
For pricing on additional passengers and to make your reservation, call Leisure Travel at (719) 556-2116 or 556-6447.
We've gotta give it to Microsoft... building a YouTube app for Windows Phone 8 that strips out advertising and allows users to download streaming videos was one hell of a way to get Google's attention about the lack of an official app for the platform -- even if it managed to attract ire at the same time. Now, multiple reports are coming in that both companies have reached an agreement of sorts, which will result in an app that's fully compliant with YouTube's Terms of Service in the coming weeks. You might've already guessed it, but unlike Microsoft's most recent conciliatory update to its YouTube app, the next version will serve up ads. You'll find a joint statement from both companies after the break. Now that the pair are learning to cooperate, might we suggest they take a look at Gmail?
May 24, 2013 ? A new discovery at Oregon Health & Science University highlights an ingenious method to ensure the body effectively reacts when infected with the highly evasive HIV virus that causes AIDS. The same team of researchers has been utilizing this unique approach to develop its own HIV vaccine candidate, which has so far shown promising results in animal studies.
This latest research finding will be published in the May 24, 2013, edition of the journal Science.
"A major challenge in developing an effective HIV vaccine is figuring out how to target this evasive virus," said Dr. Louis Picker, M.D., associate director of the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, where the work was conducted.
CD8+ "cytotoxic" T cells are an important component of the immune system and are particularly important for pathogens, like HIV, that easily evade antibodies. They serve as sentries within the body that detect and destroy virus-infected cells, accomplishing this function by recognizing short viral peptides on the surface of infected cells. T-cells are designed to be quite frugal in the number of different viral peptides they recognize, typically responding to just a handful of such peptides. This is a problem for control of HIV, which is able to able change its peptides and thus escape T cells responses that do not target the relatively few functionally critical peptides that can't change without debilitating the virus. In the vast majority of HIV infections, the few viral peptides recognized by T cells are not the vulnerable ones, and the virus escapes.
Therefore, the strategy that Dr. Picker and his colleagues adopted was to try to develop a vaccine to increase the number of viral peptides that T cells would recognize, reasoning that increasing this "recognition breadth" would allow T cells to more effectively respond to HIV.
The researchers found that cytomegalovirus or CMV, a common virus already carried by a large percentage of the population, may hold the key. Their studies in the non-human primate model of HIV, called SIV, found that a modified version of CMV engineered to express SIV proteins generates SIV-specific T cells that recognize three-fold as many SIV peptides as T cell generated by conventional vaccines and SIV itself. Moreover, these responses were entirely different from conventional responses, such that even viruses that had previously escaped natural responses would still be vulnerable. In effect, the hunters of the body were provided with a much better targeting system to help them find and destroy an elusive enemy.
Picker and his colleagues believe an HIV vaccine equipped with a modified CMV vector might be able to both prevent infection (prophylactic vaccine) and effectively battle the virus even if applied post-infection in individuals with infections suppressed by anti-retroviral therapy. Moving forward, the research team hopes to utilize this new information to create customized CMV vectors with a broad ability to identify several components of HIV and then incorporate this component into an effective vaccine.
"We hope we can begin clinical trials in human patients within a few years," explained Dr. Picker. "This new information gives us a much clearer roadmap for effectively targeting the disease which to this point has found ways to evade the human immune system."
National Institutes of Health (P01 AI094417, RO1 AI060392, RO1 AI059457, P51 OD 011092 and contract #HHSN261200800001E), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative funded this research.
OHSU and paper authors Drs. Picker, Hansen, Fr?h and Nelson have a significant financial interest in TomegaVax, Inc., a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research and technology. The potential individual and institutional conflicts of interest have been reviewed and managed by OHSU.
Facebook hires: Sydney vertical leads, data tools engineer, finance manager, more
Facebook removed 38 positions from its?careers page?this week, likely after making hires in the areas of sales, HR, finance and user operations, among others.
The company appears to have filled a number of key sales roles in Sydney:?Head of Financial Services & Travel;?Head of Technology, Telecommunications & Entertainment; and?Head of Sales Mid-Market, Australia & New Zealand. That team seems to be growing quickly over the past few months as Facebook looks to build deeper relationships with advertisers all over the world.
Prior listings removed from Facebook?s?careers page:
Hardware Test Engineer, Intern (Menlo Park)
Solutions Engineer (London)
Manager, Software Engineering (Menlo Park)
Business Operations Manager (Menlo Park)
Finance Manager, FP&A ? IT (Menlo Park)
International General Ledger Accountant (Contract) (Hyderabad)
Training and Development Program Manager (Menlo Park)
Content Strategist (Menlo Park)
Data Center Facility Operations Engineering Manager (Altoona)
Ads Policy Enforcement Associate (Austin)
Data Analyst, Latin America (S?o Paulo)
Analyst, User Operations, Vietnamese (Dublin)
Media Solutions (Mexico City)
Media Solutions (Buenos Aires)
Account Manager (Paris)
Account Manager Brazil (S?o Paulo)
Client Partner Miami (Miami)
Client Partner (Buenos Aires)
Head of Financial Services & Travel (Sydney)
Head of Sales Mid-Market, Australia & New Zealand (Sydney)
Head of Technology, Telecommunications & Entertainment (Sydney)
Manager, Global Sales Outsourcing (S?o Paulo)
Account Manager (London)
Agency Manager (London)
Client Partner, National Sales (Menlo Park)
Client Partner, QSR (Chicago)
Client Partner (Austin)
Who else is hiring? The?Inside Network Job Board?presents a survey of current openings at leading companies in the industry.
Mediabistro Event
In the past few weeks, we?ve added industry insiders from Facebook, Chartboost, Tango, Tilting Point, PlayHaven, Paltalk, and more to the speaking roster of Inside Social Apps, June 6-7 in San Francisco. You?ll learn strategies for success with experts like Deb Liu, Product Manager at Facebook. Register now and save $200.?
World News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/world/ Get the latest world news headlines from Yahoo! News. Find breaking world news, including analysis and opinion on top world stories.en-USCopyright (c) 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reservedThu, 23 May 2013 17:15:31 -04005World News Headlines - Yahoo! Newshttp://news.yahoo.com/world/ http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/th/main_142c.gifSyrian opposition scrambles to save credibility ahead of peace talks<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-opposition-scrambles-save-credibility-ahead-peace-talks-211531717.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZwfP.vnzuODQwKvj2HwdrA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-23T211531Z_1_CBRE94M1N2000_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-SYRIA-CRISIS-OPPOSITION.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Sabra, acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, speaks during the opening session of a meeting by members of the Syrian opposition in Istanbul" align="left" title="Sabra, acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, speaks during the opening session of a meeting by members of the Syrian opposition in Istanbul" border="0" /></a>By Khaled Yacoub Oweis and Ece Toksabay ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition in exile met on Thursday to decide whether to attend a peace conference that the United States and Russia see as a crucial path to ending two years of civil war. Under international pressure to swiftly resolve internal divisions, the Syrian National Coalition began talks in Istanbul to elect a coherent leadership and decide on the conference which could take place in Geneva in the coming weeks. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-opposition-scrambles-save-credibility-ahead-peace-talks-211531717.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 17:15:31 -0400Reuterssyrian-opposition-scrambles-save-credibility-ahead-peace-talks-211531717<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-opposition-scrambles-save-credibility-ahead-peace-talks-211531717.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ZwfP.vnzuODQwKvj2HwdrA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-23T211531Z_1_CBRE94M1N2000_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-SYRIA-CRISIS-OPPOSITION.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Sabra, acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, speaks during the opening session of a meeting by members of the Syrian opposition in Istanbul" align="left" title="Sabra, acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, speaks during the opening session of a meeting by members of the Syrian opposition in Istanbul" border="0" /></a>By Khaled Yacoub Oweis and Ece Toksabay ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The Syrian opposition in exile met on Thursday to decide whether to attend a peace conference that the United States and Russia see as a crucial path to ending two years of civil war. Under international pressure to swiftly resolve internal divisions, the Syrian National Coalition began talks in Istanbul to elect a coherent leadership and decide on the conference which could take place in Geneva in the coming weeks. ...</p><br clear="all"/>British police ponder conspiracy after soldier murder<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/british-soldier-hacked-death-suspected-islamist-attack-060253278.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/d2jgw80zNyNBuga2B2hVfA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-22T202944Z_2_CBRE94L1KSB00_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-BRITAIN-KILLING-CAMERON.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="A police forensics officer investigates a crime scene where one man was killed in Woolwich" align="left" title="A police forensics officer investigates a crime scene where one man was killed in Woolwich" border="0" /></a>By Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Police investigating the murder of a soldier hacked to death on a busy London street were looking on Friday into whether the two suspected killers, British men of Nigerian descent, were part of a wider conspiracy. The two suspects, aged 22 and 28, are under guard in hospitals after being shot and arrested by police following the murder of 25-year-old Afghan war veteran Lee Rigby on Wednesday in broad daylight. They have not yet been charged. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/british-soldier-hacked-death-suspected-islamist-attack-060253278.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 19:01:24 -0400Reutersbritish-soldier-hacked-death-suspected-islamist-attack-060253278<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/british-soldier-hacked-death-suspected-islamist-attack-060253278.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/d2jgw80zNyNBuga2B2hVfA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-22T202944Z_2_CBRE94L1KSB00_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-BRITAIN-KILLING-CAMERON.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="A police forensics officer investigates a crime scene where one man was killed in Woolwich" align="left" title="A police forensics officer investigates a crime scene where one man was killed in Woolwich" border="0" /></a>By Guy Faulconbridge and Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Police investigating the murder of a soldier hacked to death on a busy London street were looking on Friday into whether the two suspected killers, British men of Nigerian descent, were part of a wider conspiracy. The two suspects, aged 22 and 28, are under guard in hospitals after being shot and arrested by police following the murder of 25-year-old Afghan war veteran Lee Rigby on Wednesday in broad daylight. They have not yet been charged. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Kerry meets Israelis, Palestinians in bid to revive talks<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-meets-israelis-palestinians-bid-revive-talks-115501517.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/pOdTcO3aYv61YC4MThqNXQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-23T180253Z_3_CBRE94M0Y8W00_RTROPTP_2_ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-KERRY.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. Secretary of State Kerry waves as he stands next to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat in Ramallah" align="left" title="U.S. Secretary of State Kerry waves as he stands next to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat in Ramallah" border="0" /></a>By Arshad Mohammed JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday and acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace negotiations. There were no signs of any breakthrough as Kerry visited Israel for the fourth time in his four months in office to try to revive a peace process that has been moribund for more than two years. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-meets-israelis-palestinians-bid-revive-talks-115501517.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 14:02:53 -0400Reuterskerry-meets-israelis-palestinians-bid-revive-talks-115501517<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-meets-israelis-palestinians-bid-revive-talks-115501517.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/pOdTcO3aYv61YC4MThqNXQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-23T180253Z_3_CBRE94M0Y8W00_RTROPTP_2_ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-KERRY.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="U.S. Secretary of State Kerry waves as he stands next to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat in Ramallah" align="left" title="U.S. Secretary of State Kerry waves as he stands next to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Erekat in Ramallah" border="0" /></a>By Arshad Mohammed JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday and acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace negotiations. There were no signs of any breakthrough as Kerry visited Israel for the fourth time in his four months in office to try to revive a peace process that has been moribund for more than two years. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Repatriating detainees to Yemen key to closing Guantanamo<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/repatriating-detainees-yemen-key-closing-guantanamo-235432843.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_6iAaYWWW8v4yghVKhlxeQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-23T235432Z_1_CBRE94M1UEZ00_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-USA-OBAMA-GUANTANAMO.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="The interior of an unoccupied communal cellblock is seen at Camp VI, a prison used to house detainees at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay" align="left" title="The interior of an unoccupied communal cellblock is seen at Camp VI, a prison used to house detainees at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay" border="0" /></a>By Susan Cornwell and Jane Sutton WASHINGTON/MIAMI (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's pledge on Thursday to lift a ban on transfers of detainees to Yemen from the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, addresses one of the core obstacles to clearing out the detention camp. Of the 86 detainees who have been cleared for transfer or release, 56 are from Yemen, where al Qaeda has a dangerous presence. There are 80 more prisoners who are not cleared and an unknown number of those are Yemeni as well. Most of the Yemeni prisoners were captured more than a decade ago. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/repatriating-detainees-yemen-key-closing-guantanamo-235432843.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 19:54:32 -0400Reutersrepatriating-detainees-yemen-key-closing-guantanamo-235432843<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/repatriating-detainees-yemen-key-closing-guantanamo-235432843.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_6iAaYWWW8v4yghVKhlxeQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-23T235432Z_1_CBRE94M1UEZ00_RTROPTP_2_CNEWS-US-USA-OBAMA-GUANTANAMO.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="The interior of an unoccupied communal cellblock is seen at Camp VI, a prison used to house detainees at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay" align="left" title="The interior of an unoccupied communal cellblock is seen at Camp VI, a prison used to house detainees at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay" border="0" /></a>By Susan Cornwell and Jane Sutton WASHINGTON/MIAMI (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's pledge on Thursday to lift a ban on transfers of detainees to Yemen from the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, addresses one of the core obstacles to clearing out the detention camp. Of the 86 detainees who have been cleared for transfer or release, 56 are from Yemen, where al Qaeda has a dangerous presence. There are 80 more prisoners who are not cleared and an unknown number of those are Yemeni as well. Most of the Yemeni prisoners were captured more than a decade ago. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Magnitude 8.2 earthquake strikes Russian Far EastMOSCOW (Reuters) - A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck off Russia's eastern coast on Friday, briefly prompting a tsunami scare but causing no casualties or substantial damage, Russian emergency authorities said. The epicentre of the quake was located at a depth of 385 miles in the Sea of Okhotsk, 244 miles west of the nearest city, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the U.S. Geological Survey said. ...http://news.yahoo.com/magnitude-8-2-earthquake-strikes-russian-far-east-062626435.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 03:20:31 -0400Reutersmagnitude-8-2-earthquake-strikes-russian-far-east-062626435Venezuela prosecutor to open probe over leaked recording<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-prosecutor-open-probe-over-leaked-recording-025316423.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/r5LiZX4rbvPoPOMgaO80DQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-24T025316Z_1_CBRE94N081600_RTROPTP_2_VENEZUELA-POLITICS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Venezuela's President Maduro embraces National Assembly President Cabello in La Orchila" align="left" title="Venezuela's President Maduro embraces National Assembly President Cabello in La Orchila" border="0" /></a>CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's prosecutor's office said on Thursday it would open an investigation into in a recording the opposition says features a top government ally accusing the deputy head of the ruling Socialist Party of corruption and conspiring against the new president. Opposition deputies on Monday broadcast the recording of a conversation they said was between powerful state television commentator Mario Silva and a Cuban intelligence agent and later requested an investigation of it. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-prosecutor-open-probe-over-leaked-recording-025316423.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 22:53:16 -0400Reutersvenezuela-prosecutor-open-probe-over-leaked-recording-025316423<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-prosecutor-open-probe-over-leaked-recording-025316423.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/r5LiZX4rbvPoPOMgaO80DQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-24T025316Z_1_CBRE94N081600_RTROPTP_2_VENEZUELA-POLITICS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="Venezuela's President Maduro embraces National Assembly President Cabello in La Orchila" align="left" title="Venezuela's President Maduro embraces National Assembly President Cabello in La Orchila" border="0" /></a>CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's prosecutor's office said on Thursday it would open an investigation into in a recording the opposition says features a top government ally accusing the deputy head of the ruling Socialist Party of corruption and conspiring against the new president. Opposition deputies on Monday broadcast the recording of a conversation they said was between powerful state television commentator Mario Silva and a Cuban intelligence agent and later requested an investigation of it. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Obama talks drones: Will it increase transparency for Pentagon to take lead?In his widely anticipated foreign-policy speech Thursday, President Obama rejected the wisdom of a global ?war on terror? and warned, in the words of President James Madison, that ?No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.?http://news.yahoo.com/obama-talks-drones-increase-transparency-pentagon-lead-011607130.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 21:16:07 -0400Christian Science Monitorobama-talks-drones-increase-transparency-pentagon-lead-011607130Boy Scouts allow gay scouts, but leave ban on gay leaders in placeThe Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to approve the admission of openly gay youth members but left in place a ban on homosexual adult scout leaders, raising the prospect of gay scouts having to leave the group when they become adults.http://news.yahoo.com/boy-scouts-allow-gay-scouts-leave-ban-gay-001631810.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 20:16:31 -0400Christian Science Monitorboy-scouts-allow-gay-scouts-leave-ban-gay-001631810Immigration reform is stuck in House, but 'gang' is resoluteBipartisan immigration reformers in the House haven?t yet managed to clinch a deal, missing their self-imposed deadline, but neither has the group called it quits.http://news.yahoo.com/immigration-reform-stuck-house-gang-resolute-235629125.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 19:56:29 -0400Christian Science Monitorimmigration-reform-stuck-house-gang-resolute-235629125Obama renews push to close Guant?namo military prisonPresident Obama is renewing his stalled effort to close the military detention center at Guant?namo Bay, Cuba. It was a promise he made when he first ran for president, but one he couldn?t keep when Congress began blocking funds for releasing or transferring hundreds of prisoners captured as part of the war on terror.http://news.yahoo.com/obama-renews-push-close-guant-namo-military-prison-230806647.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 19:08:06 -0400Christian Science Monitorobama-renews-push-close-guant-namo-military-prison-230806647Clashes in Lebanon feed fear of Syria spillover<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/clashes-lebanon-feed-fear-syria-spillover-191630324.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3iOrECetp94zyitm_V7AmQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f12b1b24694b211320f6a706700b1dc.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, shows rebel fighters celebrating after purportedly capturing an army base in Nairab, northwestern Syria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The video is consistent with independent AP reporting. Rebel fighters captured an army base late Wednesday, a rare victory after a series of battlefield setbacks, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-opposition group said. The group said scores of pro-regime troops and more than a dozen rebels were killed in the battle for the base, near the northwestern town of Nairab. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" align="left" title="In this image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, shows rebel fighters celebrating after purportedly capturing an army base in Nairab, northwestern Syria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The video is consistent with independent AP reporting. Rebel fighters captured an army base late Wednesday, a rare victory after a series of battlefield setbacks, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-opposition group said. The group said scores of pro-regime troops and more than a dozen rebels were killed in the battle for the base, near the northwestern town of Nairab. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Lebanese supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad fired heavy machine guns and lobbed mortar shells at each other Thursday in some of the worst fighting in the port city of Tripoli in years.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/clashes-lebanon-feed-fear-syria-spillover-191630324.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 15:18:31 -0400Associated Pressclashes-lebanon-feed-fear-syria-spillover-191630324<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/clashes-lebanon-feed-fear-syria-spillover-191630324.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/3iOrECetp94zyitm_V7AmQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2f12b1b24694b211320f6a706700b1dc.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, shows rebel fighters celebrating after purportedly capturing an army base in Nairab, northwestern Syria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The video is consistent with independent AP reporting. Rebel fighters captured an army base late Wednesday, a rare victory after a series of battlefield setbacks, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-opposition group said. The group said scores of pro-regime troops and more than a dozen rebels were killed in the battle for the base, near the northwestern town of Nairab. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" align="left" title="In this image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, shows rebel fighters celebrating after purportedly capturing an army base in Nairab, northwestern Syria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The video is consistent with independent AP reporting. Rebel fighters captured an army base late Wednesday, a rare victory after a series of battlefield setbacks, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-opposition group said. The group said scores of pro-regime troops and more than a dozen rebels were killed in the battle for the base, near the northwestern town of Nairab. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)" border="0" /></a>BEIRUT (AP) ? Lebanese supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad fired heavy machine guns and lobbed mortar shells at each other Thursday in some of the worst fighting in the port city of Tripoli in years.</p><br clear="all"/>WHO: Scientific red tape mars efforts vs. virus<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/scientific-red-tape-mars-efforts-vs-virus-212342227.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/zuQybH7I.0pyZp8v5qJmfQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/6af82107e8f36610320f6a70670005ca.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="China's Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, WHO, delivers a speech during the 66th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)" align="left" title="China's Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, WHO, delivers a speech during the 66th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)" border="0" /></a>GENEVA (AP) ? International efforts to combat a new pneumonia-like virus that has now killed 22 people are being slowed by unclear rules and competition for the potentially profitable rights to disease samples, the head of the World Health Organization warned Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/scientific-red-tape-mars-efforts-vs-virus-212342227.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 17:46:28 -0400Associated Pressscientific-red-tape-mars-efforts-vs-virus-212342227<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/scientific-red-tape-mars-efforts-vs-virus-212342227.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/zuQybH7I.0pyZp8v5qJmfQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTEzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/6af82107e8f36610320f6a70670005ca.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="China's Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, WHO, delivers a speech during the 66th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)" align="left" title="China's Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, WHO, delivers a speech during the 66th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, May 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Keystone, Jean-Christophe Bott)" border="0" /></a>GENEVA (AP) ? International efforts to combat a new pneumonia-like virus that has now killed 22 people are being slowed by unclear rules and competition for the potentially profitable rights to disease samples, the head of the World Health Organization warned Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>Sweden's riots raise questions about inequality<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/swedens-riots-raise-questions-inequality-185602510.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/vVhPsV03jT46qRK0vyJeYA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/d4bfd87746b3b311320f6a706700c12d.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Firemen extinguish a burning car in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby after youths rioted in several different suburbs around Stockholm for a fourth consecutive night, late May 23, 2013. Youths in immigrant-heavy Stockholm suburbs torched cars and threw rocks at police in riots believed to be linked to a deadly police shooting of a local resident in the suburb of Husby. (AP Photo/Scanpix, Fredrik Sandberg) SWEDEN OUT" align="left" title="Firemen extinguish a burning car in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby after youths rioted in several different suburbs around Stockholm for a fourth consecutive night, late May 23, 2013. Youths in immigrant-heavy Stockholm suburbs torched cars and threw rocks at police in riots believed to be linked to a deadly police shooting of a local resident in the suburb of Husby. (AP Photo/Scanpix, Fredrik Sandberg) SWEDEN OUT" border="0" /></a>HUSBY, Sweden (AP) ? Sweden has long been a bastion of generous social welfare and an egalitarian political culture. So many people were shocked when scores of youths hurled rocks at police and set cars ablaze during rioting in several largely immigrant areas near Stockholm this week.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/swedens-riots-raise-questions-inequality-185602510.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 15:34:52 -0400Associated Pressswedens-riots-raise-questions-inequality-185602510<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/swedens-riots-raise-questions-inequality-185602510.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/vVhPsV03jT46qRK0vyJeYA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/d4bfd87746b3b311320f6a706700c12d.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Firemen extinguish a burning car in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby after youths rioted in several different suburbs around Stockholm for a fourth consecutive night, late May 23, 2013. Youths in immigrant-heavy Stockholm suburbs torched cars and threw rocks at police in riots believed to be linked to a deadly police shooting of a local resident in the suburb of Husby. (AP Photo/Scanpix, Fredrik Sandberg) SWEDEN OUT" align="left" title="Firemen extinguish a burning car in the Stockholm suburb of Rinkeby after youths rioted in several different suburbs around Stockholm for a fourth consecutive night, late May 23, 2013. Youths in immigrant-heavy Stockholm suburbs torched cars and threw rocks at police in riots believed to be linked to a deadly police shooting of a local resident in the suburb of Husby. (AP Photo/Scanpix, Fredrik Sandberg) SWEDEN OUT" border="0" /></a>HUSBY, Sweden (AP) ? Sweden has long been a bastion of generous social welfare and an egalitarian political culture. So many people were shocked when scores of youths hurled rocks at police and set cars ablaze during rioting in several largely immigrant areas near Stockholm this week.</p><br clear="all"/>Police: Suicidal jumper's fall kills SKorean girlSEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? South Korean police say a suicidal man jumping to his death killed a 5-year-old girl by falling on her as she walked with her parents outside the apartment building.http://news.yahoo.com/police-suicidal-jumpers-fall-kills-skorean-girl-062751857.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 02:27:51 -0400Associated Presspolice-suicidal-jumpers-fall-kills-skorean-girl-062751857Chinese media: North Korea envoy offers talks<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-media-north-korea-envoy-offers-talks-025632723.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/nNdfc4Hmz0OCf3X1Kn4oeQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/953aa63361b0b911320f6a7067004039.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this May 23, 2013 photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Liu Yunshan, right, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with North Korean envoy Choe Ryong Hae in Beijing, China. On a visit to repair ties with China and waiting to meet its leader, Choe paid deference Thursday to hopes by the North's chief ally for renewed multinational nuclear talks. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Xie Huanchi) NO SALES" align="left" title="In this May 23, 2013 photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Liu Yunshan, right, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with North Korean envoy Choe Ryong Hae in Beijing, China. On a visit to repair ties with China and waiting to meet its leader, Choe paid deference Thursday to hopes by the North's chief ally for renewed multinational nuclear talks. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Xie Huanchi) NO SALES" border="0" /></a>BEIJING (AP) ? A North Korean envoy, on the second day of his fence-mending visit to ally China, heeded Beijing's wishes by offering to renew nuclear disarmament talks, Chinese state media said.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-media-north-korea-envoy-offers-talks-025632723.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 22:57:12 -0400Associated Presschinese-media-north-korea-envoy-offers-talks-025632723<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/chinese-media-north-korea-envoy-offers-talks-025632723.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/nNdfc4Hmz0OCf3X1Kn4oeQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/953aa63361b0b911320f6a7067004039.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="In this May 23, 2013 photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Liu Yunshan, right, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with North Korean envoy Choe Ryong Hae in Beijing, China. On a visit to repair ties with China and waiting to meet its leader, Choe paid deference Thursday to hopes by the North's chief ally for renewed multinational nuclear talks. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Xie Huanchi) NO SALES" align="left" title="In this May 23, 2013 photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Liu Yunshan, right, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with North Korean envoy Choe Ryong Hae in Beijing, China. On a visit to repair ties with China and waiting to meet its leader, Choe paid deference Thursday to hopes by the North's chief ally for renewed multinational nuclear talks. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Xie Huanchi) NO SALES" border="0" /></a>BEIJING (AP) ? A North Korean envoy, on the second day of his fence-mending visit to ally China, heeded Beijing's wishes by offering to renew nuclear disarmament talks, Chinese state media said.</p><br clear="all"/>Muslim hard-liners ID suspect in London attack<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/muslim-hard-liners-id-suspect-london-attack-213703062.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uzJ6ttYxKiRZqGK1Vl8ueQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/fa0e237b45c5ae11320f6a7067005da2.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Police and forensic officers work near the scene of an attack in which two men are accused of butchering a British soldier near Woolwich barracks in London, Wednesday, May, 22, 2013. Scotland Yard said officers responded to reports of an assault Wednesday afternoon in the London neighborhood of Woolwich. London Ambulance service said one man was found dead at the scene and two other men were taken to the hospital, with one in serious condition. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)" align="left" title="Police and forensic officers work near the scene of an attack in which two men are accused of butchering a British soldier near Woolwich barracks in London, Wednesday, May, 22, 2013. Scotland Yard said officers responded to reports of an assault Wednesday afternoon in the London neighborhood of Woolwich. London Ambulance service said one man was found dead at the scene and two other men were taken to the hospital, with one in serious condition. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)" border="0" /></a>LONDON (AP) ? A man seen with bloody hands wielding a butcher knife after the killing of a British soldier on the streets of London was described as a convert to Islam who took part in demonstrations with a banned radical group, two Muslim hard-liners said Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/muslim-hard-liners-id-suspect-london-attack-213703062.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 17:57:37 -0400Associated Pressmuslim-hard-liners-id-suspect-london-attack-213703062<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/muslim-hard-liners-id-suspect-london-attack-213703062.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uzJ6ttYxKiRZqGK1Vl8ueQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/fa0e237b45c5ae11320f6a7067005da2.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Police and forensic officers work near the scene of an attack in which two men are accused of butchering a British soldier near Woolwich barracks in London, Wednesday, May, 22, 2013. Scotland Yard said officers responded to reports of an assault Wednesday afternoon in the London neighborhood of Woolwich. London Ambulance service said one man was found dead at the scene and two other men were taken to the hospital, with one in serious condition. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)" align="left" title="Police and forensic officers work near the scene of an attack in which two men are accused of butchering a British soldier near Woolwich barracks in London, Wednesday, May, 22, 2013. Scotland Yard said officers responded to reports of an assault Wednesday afternoon in the London neighborhood of Woolwich. London Ambulance service said one man was found dead at the scene and two other men were taken to the hospital, with one in serious condition. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)" border="0" /></a>LONDON (AP) ? A man seen with bloody hands wielding a butcher knife after the killing of a British soldier on the streets of London was described as a convert to Islam who took part in demonstrations with a banned radical group, two Muslim hard-liners said Thursday.</p><br clear="all"/>Russia's oldest human rights group fights "foreign agent" tag<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/russias-oldest-human-rights-group-fights-foreign-agent-072824932.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/m2TUEOl1zFAUq.ZtWqSYjw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-24T072824Z_1_CBRE94N0KRF00_RTROPTP_2_RUSSIA-NGOS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="The sign of Russian human rights organisation Memorial is seen outside their offices in Moscow" align="left" title="The sign of Russian human rights organisation Memorial is seen outside their offices in Moscow" border="0" /></a>MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's oldest human rights group went to court on Friday to try to stop state prosecutors forcing it to register as a "foreign agent" under a law it says is intended by President Vladimir Putin to silence dissent. Memorial, which has fought political repression since Soviet times, refuses to comply with the law which critics describe as a crude attempt to reassert Putin's authority after tens of thousands called for him to quit during protests last year. ...</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/russias-oldest-human-rights-group-fights-foreign-agent-072824932.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 03:28:24 -0400Reutersrussias-oldest-human-rights-group-fights-foreign-agent-072824932<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/russias-oldest-human-rights-group-fights-foreign-agent-072824932.html"><img src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/m2TUEOl1zFAUq.ZtWqSYjw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2013-05-24T072824Z_1_CBRE94N0KRF00_RTROPTP_2_RUSSIA-NGOS.JPG" width="130" height="86" alt="The sign of Russian human rights organisation Memorial is seen outside their offices in Moscow" align="left" title="The sign of Russian human rights organisation Memorial is seen outside their offices in Moscow" border="0" /></a>MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's oldest human rights group went to court on Friday to try to stop state prosecutors forcing it to register as a "foreign agent" under a law it says is intended by President Vladimir Putin to silence dissent. Memorial, which has fought political repression since Soviet times, refuses to comply with the law which critics describe as a crude attempt to reassert Putin's authority after tens of thousands called for him to quit during protests last year. ...</p><br clear="all"/>Turkey passes bill restricting alcohol sales, adsANKARA, Turkey (AP) ? Turkey's parliament has passed legislation to ban all advertising of alcohol and tighten restrictions on sales in the mainly Muslim but secular country.http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-passes-bill-restricting-alcohol-sales-ads-071945098.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 03:19:45 -0400Associated Pressturkey-passes-bill-restricting-alcohol-sales-ads-071945098Earthquake hits Russia's Far EastMOSCOW (AP) ? A powerful earthquake on Friday hit Russia's Far East with tremors felt as far away as Moscow, about 7,000 kilometers (4,400 miles) west of the epicenter.http://news.yahoo.com/earthquake-hits-russias-far-east-063635354.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 03:11:39 -0400Associated Pressearthquake-hits-russias-far-east-063635354Oil falls below $94 on weak outlook for demandBANGKOK (AP) ? The price of oil was knocked lower Friday by a combination of ample supplies and lukewarm demand.http://news.yahoo.com/oil-falls-below-94-weak-outlook-demand-055257811.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 01:52:57 -0400Associated Pressoil-falls-below-94-weak-outlook-demand-0552578115 climbers feared dead on world's 3rd highest peakKATMANDU, Nepal (AP) ? A Nepalese official says five climbers are missing and feared dead on the world's third highest mountain.http://news.yahoo.com/5-climbers-feared-dead-worlds-3rd-highest-peak-055118774.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 01:51:18 -0400Associated Press5-climbers-feared-dead-worlds-3rd-highest-peak-055118774Asia stocks extend losses after big sell-off<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stocks-extend-losses-big-sell-off-054558985.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cAJlYnz7aa.GxVpbmfz4.A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/14f77ec94456a811320f6a706700c352.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" align="left" title="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" border="0" /></a>BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stocks continued to retreat Friday after being routed the day before by unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing and fears the Federal Reserve will start withdrawing its monetary stimulus.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stocks-extend-losses-big-sell-off-054558985.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 01:45:58 -0400Associated Pressasia-stocks-extend-losses-big-sell-off-054558985<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stocks-extend-losses-big-sell-off-054558985.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cAJlYnz7aa.GxVpbmfz4.A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/14f77ec94456a811320f6a706700c352.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" align="left" title="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" border="0" /></a>BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stocks continued to retreat Friday after being routed the day before by unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing and fears the Federal Reserve will start withdrawing its monetary stimulus.</p><br clear="all"/>5 climbers missing on world's 3rd highest mountainKATMANDU, Nepal (AP) ? A Nepalese official says five climbers are missing and feared dead on the world's third highest mountain.http://news.yahoo.com/5-climbers-missing-worlds-3rd-highest-mountain-054100177.htmlFri, 24 May 2013 01:41:00 -0400Associated Press5-climbers-missing-worlds-3rd-highest-mountain-054100177Asia stock markets edge up after big sell-off<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stock-markets-edge-big-sell-off-025630695.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cAJlYnz7aa.GxVpbmfz4.A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/14f77ec94456a811320f6a706700c352.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" align="left" title="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" border="0" /></a>BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stock markets staged a mild recovery Friday, a day after being routed by unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing and fears the Federal Reserve will start withdrawing its monetary stimulus.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stock-markets-edge-big-sell-off-025630695.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 22:56:30 -0400Associated Pressasia-stock-markets-edge-big-sell-off-025630695<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stock-markets-edge-big-sell-off-025630695.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/cAJlYnz7aa.GxVpbmfz4.A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/14f77ec94456a811320f6a706700c352.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" align="left" title="A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)" border="0" /></a>BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stock markets staged a mild recovery Friday, a day after being routed by unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing and fears the Federal Reserve will start withdrawing its monetary stimulus.</p><br clear="all"/>Stricken Japan nuke plant struggles to keep staff<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/stricken-japan-nuke-plant-struggles-keep-staff-081936734.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/oDZQTNH2xaWOsf815ihDvA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/6a07dbab4453a811320f6a706700bc0a.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, workers in protective suits and masks wait to enter the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Japan. Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that melted down in March 2011 after being hit by a tsunami, is finding that it can barely meet the headcount of workers required to keep the three broken reactors cool while fighting power outages and leaks of tons of radiated water, said current and former nuclear plant workers and others familiar with the situation at Fukushima. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, workers in protective suits and masks wait to enter the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Japan. Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that melted down in March 2011 after being hit by a tsunami, is finding that it can barely meet the headcount of workers required to keep the three broken reactors cool while fighting power outages and leaks of tons of radiated water, said current and former nuclear plant workers and others familiar with the situation at Fukushima. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool)" border="0" /></a>TOKYO (AP) ? Keeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in the decades-long effort to safely decommission it.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/stricken-japan-nuke-plant-struggles-keep-staff-081936734.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 22:42:17 -0400Associated Pressstricken-japan-nuke-plant-struggles-keep-staff-081936734<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/stricken-japan-nuke-plant-struggles-keep-staff-081936734.html"><img src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/oDZQTNH2xaWOsf815ihDvA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/6a07dbab4453a811320f6a706700bc0a.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, workers in protective suits and masks wait to enter the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Japan. Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that melted down in March 2011 after being hit by a tsunami, is finding that it can barely meet the headcount of workers required to keep the three broken reactors cool while fighting power outages and leaks of tons of radiated water, said current and former nuclear plant workers and others familiar with the situation at Fukushima. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool)" align="left" title="FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 file photo, workers in protective suits and masks wait to enter the emergency operation center at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, Japan. Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that melted down in March 2011 after being hit by a tsunami, is finding that it can barely meet the headcount of workers required to keep the three broken reactors cool while fighting power outages and leaks of tons of radiated water, said current and former nuclear plant workers and others familiar with the situation at Fukushima. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, Pool)" border="0" /></a>TOKYO (AP) ? Keeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in the decades-long effort to safely decommission it.</p><br clear="all"/>Extremists claim responsibility for Niger attacks<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/extremists-claim-responsibility-niger-attacks-021723723.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5ftN0BaKKkFfGW6i91o5Qw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/e242b7ab46dfb411320f6a706700a58f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A soldier wounded in a car bombing attack on a military camp, lies in a hospital in Agadez, in northern Niger, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously on Thursday, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing a total of 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. Both attacks were claimed by a spinoff of al-Qaida, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, which earlier vowed to avenge the four-month-old French-led military intervention which ousted them from town's in Mali's north.(AP Photo)" align="left" title="A soldier wounded in a car bombing attack on a military camp, lies in a hospital in Agadez, in northern Niger, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously on Thursday, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing a total of 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. Both attacks were claimed by a spinoff of al-Qaida, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, which earlier vowed to avenge the four-month-old French-led military intervention which ousted them from town's in Mali's north.(AP Photo)" border="0" /></a>NIAMEY, Niger (AP) ? Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. A surviving attacker took a group of soldiers hostage, and authorities were attempting to negotiate their release.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/extremists-claim-responsibility-niger-attacks-021723723.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 22:18:55 -0400Associated Pressextremists-claim-responsibility-niger-attacks-021723723<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/extremists-claim-responsibility-niger-attacks-021723723.html"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/5ftN0BaKKkFfGW6i91o5Qw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/e242b7ab46dfb411320f6a706700a58f.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="A soldier wounded in a car bombing attack on a military camp, lies in a hospital in Agadez, in northern Niger, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously on Thursday, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing a total of 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. Both attacks were claimed by a spinoff of al-Qaida, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, which earlier vowed to avenge the four-month-old French-led military intervention which ousted them from town's in Mali's north.(AP Photo)" align="left" title="A soldier wounded in a car bombing attack on a military camp, lies in a hospital in Agadez, in northern Niger, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously on Thursday, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing a total of 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. Both attacks were claimed by a spinoff of al-Qaida, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, or MUJAO, which earlier vowed to avenge the four-month-old French-led military intervention which ousted them from town's in Mali's north.(AP Photo)" border="0" /></a>NIAMEY, Niger (AP) ? Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. A surviving attacker took a group of soldiers hostage, and authorities were attempting to negotiate their release.</p><br clear="all"/>Writer Chinua Achebe honored in Nigeria funeral<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/writer-chinua-achebe-honored-nigeria-funeral-145616638.html"><img src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/crBW4jL0wegJvGXBIbv.TQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTg2O3E9ODU7dz0xMzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/18ef6e5c462bb011320f6a70670012d0.jpg" width="130" height="86" alt="Pallbearers carry the coffin of late author Chinua Achebe at his funeral service, held at St. Philip's Anglican Church in Ogidi, Nigeria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Writer Chinua Achebe shunned Nigeria?s corrupt politicians and twice turned down national honors, never fearing to criticizing those he felt ruined a country he once supported breaking away from. On Thursday, however, the lawmakers and the country?s elite came to him. Hundreds attended Achebe?s funeral among the rolling hills of his eastern Nigeria home, a service that saw even President Goodluck Jonathan literally hold up the writer?s books. The gold plaque on his coffin simply called him the ?eagle atop the Iroko tree? in his native Igbo language. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)" align="left" title="Pallbearers carry the coffin of late author Chinua Achebe at his funeral service, held at St. Philip's Anglican Church in Ogidi, Nigeria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. Writer Chinua Achebe shunned Nigeria?s corrupt politicians and twice turned down national honors, never fearing to criticizing those he felt ruined a country he once supported breaking away from. On Thursday, however, the lawmakers and the country?s elite came to him. Hundreds attended Achebe?s funeral among the rolling hills of his eastern Nigeria home, a service that saw even President Goodluck Jonathan literally hold up the writer?s books. The gold plaque on his coffin simply called him the ?eagle atop the Iroko tree? in his native Igbo language. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)" border="0" /></a>OGIDI, Nigeria (AP) ? Writer Chinua Achebe shunned Nigeria's corrupt politicians and twice turned down national honors, never fearing to criticize those he felt ruined his country. On Thursday, however, the lawmakers and the country's elite came to praise him.</p><br clear="all"/>http://news.yahoo.com/writer-chinua-achebe-honored-nigeria-funeral-145616638.htmlThu, 23 May 2013 21:27:23 -0400Associated Presswriter-chinua-achebe-honored-nigeria-funeral-145616638http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/world
Is the devil you know better than the one you don?t?
For Israel, there's no clear answer. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected this week a report that Israel prefers President Bashar al-Assad over Islamic rebels as the ruler of Syria, this has not always been the case.
For the first year of the civil war, some Israeli defense officials privately claimed that Israel would be better off with Assad. The viewpoint stemmed from a tactical assessment of Israel?s borders and the fact that the Syrian front had been its quietest, even more than the so-called peaceful borders with Jordan and Egypt. Yes, Israel fought a major war with Syria in 1973, but since then, the line of demarcation had been peaceful.
Israeli infantry soldiers of the Golani prepare their Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) as they take part in exercises during their deployment in the Israeli annexed Golan Heights, near the border with Syria, on May 7, 2013. (Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty Images)
These officials also warned that the alternative to Assad would be a splintered country that could turn into Libya, or, even worse, into something of a Somalia.
Another reason for preferring Assad in those initial months of the uprising was that for intelligence services, it is easier to predict what a country will do by tracking a single clear hierarchical leadership. If that leadership falls and the country descends into chaos, tracking one?s enemy and predicting what they will do becomes extremely complex.
But as the death toll climbed and rebel forces conquered larger parts of the country, Israeli intelligence analysts understood that even if they might prefer the Alawite despot, the chances he would survive were slim. Anyhow, they realized, Assad had also lost his legitimacy as a ruler.
Even then, Israel?s assessments were grossly inaccurate. Ehud Barak, Israel?s defense minister until two months ago, predicted in June 2011 that Assad would fall by the end of that year. When that turned out to be wrong, Barak again tried to predict what would happen, saying in February 2012 that Assad would fall ?within weeks?.
What was behind Barak?s assessments remains a mystery and ultimately could have simply been a case of wishful thinking. Nevertheless, it demonstrates the difficulty in predicting the course of events in Syria.
For Israel, the scenarios vary and most intelligent analysts are wary of making public predictions. On the one hand, it is possible Assad?s forces will retake lost parts of the country. A key ongoing battle where they are gaining momentum is in Al-Qusair, near Homs, the outcome of which could impact the rest of the civil war.
On the other hand, there is always the possibility that someone on the inside will get to Assad, similar to the way his brother-in-law and minister of defense were assassinated last July. This would likely be a fatal blow to the Alawite-run regime.
Alternatively?and believed to be the more likely scenario?Syria will eventually splinter and different factions will take control of different territories. Assad and the Alawites will control the coastal areas like Tartus, home to Russia?s naval base; The Druze will rule the South, the Kurds the north and the Sunnis, the majority of the country.
The problem with this is that a country ruled by non-state actors?like Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip?would be more difficult to deter from attacking as well as in defeating if a wider conflict erupts. Iin contrast, a state actor has clear sources of power like national infrastructure and military bases, which, if destroyed, could constitute decisive defeat.
Ultimately, whether it is Assad or the rebels, Israel would prefer a scenario under which there is a clear ruler of the entire country, even one which is a declared enemy of the Jewish state, but which will at least be able to take responsibility for the military and its strategic assets?chemical weapons and advanced missile systems.
In the more immediate term, when Israel looks at Syria over the next few months and specifically at the Syrian side of the Golan, it sees a growing tactical threat.
An example of this was provided early Tuesday morning when shots were fired at an IDF border patrol. These skirmishes are expected to escalate and could eventually include rocket attacks into nearby Israeli towns. For these reasons, the IDF has already bolstered its forces along the line of demarcation and is erecting new barriers and early-warning systems. ?
The second challenge Israel faces in Syria stems from the possible proliferation of chemical weapons?either to Hezbollah or into rebel hands?as well as the transfer of advanced weaponry, like ballistic and surface-to-air missiles, to terrorist organizations.
Three known airstrikes have been recorded in recent months against such transfers and Netanyahu has threatened more if additional ones are attempted. A future airstrike could easily lead to a wider conflict if Assad retaliates.
On the upside, though, the civil war is having one positive effect on the region by weakening the Iranian-Syrian-Hezbollah alliance, or what Israeli military intelligence refers to as the ?Shia Crescent." Iran?s ability to arm Hezbollah has, for example, been significantly impaired.
Until a few years ago, Israel spoke about returning to the Golan Heights to achieve this objective. Now, that is completely off the table.
Just as important, though, is how Teheran must be feeling as it finds itself increasingly isolated in a region where its last real ally is fighting for his survival. If and how this will impact Iranian decisions on its nuclear program remains to be seen.
So who will Israel be better off with in Syria? Ultimately, it doesn?t really make a difference since the answer will be delivered on the streets of Damascus and Aleppo, not in the corridors of the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv.
Ai Weiwei is one of China's preeminent contemporary artists, having won numerous worldwide accolades for his architectural feats (such as that awesome Beijing National Stadium from the 2008 Olympics). Problem is, Ai isn't what you'd call a "company man," riling Chinese authorities for years with his brand of political activism that inbcluded producing documentaries on political dissidents and subjects considered sensitive by the party. This ultimately resulted in his 81-day detention in 2011 on flimsy tax evasion charges.
So what do you do after being thrown in the clink for nearly three months? You write the most hardcore Chinese metal song since Wing Sings AC/DC, that's what.
Facebook removed 38 positions from its?careers page?this week, likely after making hires in the areas of sales, HR, finance and user operations, among others.
