Kenya mostly calm after vote ruling; minor clashes in west

By Edmund Blair and Hezron Ochiel

NAIROBI/KISUMU, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenyan police clashed on Sunday with a few dozen protesters angry at a court's confirmation of Uhuru Kenyatta as president-elect, but the unrest was minor compared with the nationwide bloodshed after the last disputed election.

There was little sign of violence beyond Kisumu, a city in the west of Kenya where there is strong backing for Prime Minister Raila Odinga, loser in the presidential election.

Kisumu and other regions were devastated by deadly riots after the vote in 2007.

Even in Kisumu, where two people were killed by gunfire and shops were looted on Saturday after the Supreme Court declared Kenyatta had won in a fair race, most areas had cooled down on Sunday and the latest trouble was limited to the outskirts.

Many Kenyans had said they were determined to avoid a repeat of the violence five years ago that killed more than 1,200 people and hammered east Africa's biggest economy.

Kenyans said the calmer atmosphere this time was in part because of far greater trust in the reformed judiciary that ruled on the disputed March 4 vote, and also because Odinga was swift to fully accept the verdict despite his disappointment.

Kenyatta is expected to be sworn in on April 9.

"Our leader has conceded defeat, who are we to take to the streets?" said Elijah Onyango, 27, delivery man in Kisumu.

"Life has to continue with or without Raila. We are just poor citizens who must struggle to put food on the table."

In Nairobi, police were called in to defuse a bomb left in a minibus in a residential suburb, a Reuters witness and police officer said. It was unclear if there was any link to the vote. A blast hit another area of the city a day after the election.

The peaceful voting and an orderly legal challenge has helped restore Kenya's image as one of Africa's most stable democracies. Western states were anxious that cool heads prevail in their ally in the regional fight against militant Islam.

As in past ballots, tribal loyalties tended to trump political ideology at the ballot box. Odinga, a Luo, and Kenyatta, from the largest Kikuyu tribe, relied heavily on their ethnic supporters. But tensions between rival groups have not so far boiled over in the way they did after the 2007 vote.

THE HAGUE DETERRENT

Kenyatta's indictment in the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, based on charges he helped organize violent gangs after the last election, may have swollen the turnout for him and running mate William Ruto, also charged.

"It certainly helped Kenyatta and Ruto," said one European diplomat in Nairobi, but added: "The presence of the court is major deterrent to any politician who otherwise may have been tempted to hire some youths to get into a big fight."

That was echoed by Boniface Odhiambo, a 33-year-old who sells mattresses in Kisumu. "Politicians have realized that inciting people to violence will land them in The Hague and nobody wants to go there," he said.

Kenyatta and Ruto have both denied the charges and promised to clear their names.

Western states have said the charges will complicate relations because of their policy of having only "essential contacts" with indictees.

But diplomats said there could be latitude in how to define that if Kenyatta and his deputy continue to cooperate with the court. Western nations, including the United States, congratulated him on his victory.

The White House welcomed Kenya's "commitment to uphold its international obligations, including those with respect to international justice", a reference to comments along those lines made by Kenyatta in his victory speech on March 9.

JUSTICE

The unrest in Kisumu appeared to reflect spontaneous anger among Odinga supporters, worried they might be marginalized by a Kenyatta government.

Traditionally, Kenyans expect elected rulers to put their own ethnic group first. The country came third in the 2012 Transparency International bribery index which ranks countries in the region in order of the prevalence of corruption.

"They have stolen our votes and are now killing us," shouted one protester in Sunday's clashes. "We want justice for our leader. The courts were corrupted to rule in their favor."

Police fired tear gas at dozens of stone-throwing youths in a Kisumu suburb. But other areas of the city had largely calmed down.

Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's founding president and whose family controls a vast business empire, promised in a televised address after the ruling to work for all Kenyans, including those who challenged the validity of his election.

"I want to assure Kenyans that our government will be as inclusive as possible and will reflect the face of our great country," he told the nation.

Many Kenyans in places that were flashpoints five years ago, such as Kibera slum in Nairobi, or other Odinga strongholds such as Mombasa, said they wanted to move on.

"People were tired. Life has already gone back to normal since the election," said Brian Kiogora, 32, a restaurant owner in Mombasa. "Emotions were much lower, so violence was most unlikely, even with the outcome of the petition."

(Additional reporting by Joseph Akwiri in Mombasa and Thomas Mukoya and Humphrey Malalo in Nairobi; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Jon Boyle)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kenya-mostly-calm-vote-ruling-minor-clashes-west-102824031.html

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C. African Republic: March in favor of new leader

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) ? A demonstration in support of Central African Republic's new leader Michel Djotodia was held in the capital, Bangui.

Several hundred residents marched through the city of 700,000 Saturday, carrying banners endorsing Djotodia, who came to power last week when the Seleka rebel coalition advanced from the north to seize the capital city.

Djotodia met the press Friday and said that he will lead the country through a transitional period to elections in 2016, and he pledged he would not be a candidate in those polls. He vowed to strengthen the rule of law and freedom of expression in the country.

In Johannesburg, South African President Jacob Zuma announced he will visit Central African Republic on April 3 to attend a summit of the Economic Community of Central African States.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/c-african-republic-march-favor-leader-191150998.html

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Mindfulness Linked to Lower Stress Hormones | Psych Central News

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 29, 2013

New research suggests that focusing on the present rather than letting the mind drift may help to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The ability to focus mental resources on immediate experience is an aspect of mindfulness ? a skill which can be improved by meditation training, say UC-Davis researchers.

The findings stem from the Shamatha Project an ongoing comprehensive long-term, control-group study of the effects of meditation training on mind and body directed by researchers from UC-Davis and Buddhist scholars.

The new discovery is the first scientific evidence of a ?direct relation between resting cortisol and scores on any type of mindfulness scale,? said Tonya Jacobs, a first author.

A paper describing the work has published in the journal Health Psychology.

High levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal gland, are associated with physical or emotional stress. Prolonged release of the hormone contributes to wide-ranging, adverse effects on a number of physiological systems.

In the new study Jacobs, Clifford Saron and their colleagues used a questionnaire to measure aspects of mindfulness among a group of volunteers before and after an intensive, three-month meditation retreat. They also measured cortisol levels in the volunteers? saliva.

During the retreat, Buddhist scholar and teacher B. Alan Wallace of the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies trained participants in such attentional skills as mindfulness of breathing, observing mental events, and observing the nature of consciousness.

Participants also practiced cultivating benevolent mental states, including loving kindness, compassion, empathic joy and equanimity.

At an individual level, there was a correlation between a high score for mindfulness and a low score in cortisol both before and after the retreat. Individuals whose mindfulness score increased after the retreat showed a decrease in cortisol.

?The more a person reported directing their cognitive resources to immediate sensory experience and the task at hand, the lower their resting cortisol,? Jacobs said.

The research did not show a direct cause and effect, Jacobs emphasized. Indeed, she noted that the effect could run either way ? reduced levels of cortisol could lead to improved mindfulness, rather than the other way around. Scores on the mindfulness questionnaire increased from pre- to post-retreat, while levels of cortisol did not change overall.

According to Jacobs, training the mind to focus on immediate experience may reduce the propensity to ruminate about the past or worry about the future, thought processes that have been linked to cortisol release.

?The idea that we can train our minds in a way that fosters healthy mental habits and that these habits may be reflected in mind-body relations is not new; it?s been around for thousands of years across various cultures and ideologies,? Jacobs said. ?However, this idea is just beginning to be integrated into Western medicine as objective evidence accumulates. Hopefully, studies like this one will contribute to that effort.?

Saron noted that in this study, the authors used the term ?mindfulness? to refer to behaviors that are reflected in a particular mindfulness scale, which was the measure used in the study.

?The scale measured the participants? propensity to let go of distressing thoughts and attend to different sensory domains, daily tasks, and the current contents of their minds. However, this scale may only reflect a subset of qualities that comprise the greater quality of mindfulness, as it is conceived across various contemplative traditions,? he said.

Previous studies from the Shamatha Project have shown that the meditation retreat had positive effects on visual perception, sustained attention, socio-emotional well-being, resting brain activity and on the activity of telomerase, an enzyme important for the long-term health of body cells.

Source: UC-Davis

Abstract image of the brain photo by shutterstock.

APA Reference
Nauert PhD, R. (2013). Mindfulness Linked to Lower Stress Hormones. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 30, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/29/mindfulness-linked-to-lower-stress-hormones/53159.html

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/29/mindfulness-linked-to-lower-stress-hormones/53159.html

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Business, labor groups reach immigration deal as overhaul advances

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prospects for a broad U.S. immigration overhaul brightened on Saturday after major U.S. business and labor groups reached an agreement on a guest-worker program, a source familiar with the deal said.

The agreement was reached on Friday night in a conference call between the head of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, and the president of the AFL-CIO labor organization, Richard Trumka, with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer acting as the mediator, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A guest-worker program has been a major stumbling block to efforts by a bipartisan group of senators known as the Gang of Eight to reach a compromise on a way to create a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, most of whom are Hispanics.

Labor unions have argued against a guest-worker program, worrying that a flood of low-wage immigrant laborers would take away jobs from Americans. The agreement covers the pay levels for low-skilled temporary workers and the types of jobs that would be included.

Schumer briefed White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough on Saturday on the breakthrough, the source said.

The agreement still must be approved by the Gang of Eight senators, four Democrats and four Republicans. If they do so as expected, Senate legislation on a broad new immigration law would be advanced in the Senate in the coming weeks.

In recent days, the immigration effort had been stalled by failure to forge an agreement on the guest-worker program, although the White House insisted that progress was being made.

President Barack Obama wants to fulfill a campaign pledge by gaining passage of a law that would create a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants currently in the country. He has vowed to do what he can on immigration through executive actions in the absence of legislation.

Immigration long has been a controversial issue in the United States and previous efforts to craft a comprehensive overhaul of American immigration laws have failed, with Democrats and Republicans remaining far apart.

Many Republicans previously had taken a hard position against illegal immigrants. Obama's unsuccessful Republican challenger last year, Mitt Romney, had advocated "self-deportation" of illegal immigrants. Republicans in Arizona and other states passed tough laws cracking down on illegal immigrants.

But the mood for a deal is ripe because Republicans saw Hispanic Americans vote overwhelmingly for Obama and other Democratic candidates in last November's elections and they need to woo this increasingly important voting bloc.

Many Republicans see gaining favor with the Hispanic voting bloc, which accounts for 10 percent of the U.S. electorate and is growing, as a matter of political survival.

Republicans want to ensure that security along the U.S.-Mexican border is improved before immigrants can get on a path to citizenship. Obama feels security is sufficient but this disagreement is not seen as a deal-breaker.

"We're seeing right now a good bipartisan spirit," Obama told Spanish-language network Univision on Wednesday. "I want to encourage that and hopefully we'll be able to get it done."

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Will Dunham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-labor-groups-reach-immigration-deal-overhaul-advances-193136796.html

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Multi-toxin biotech crops not silver bullets, scientists warn

Mar. 29, 2013 ? The popular new strategy of planting genetically engineered crops that make two or more toxins to fend off insect pests rests on assumptions that don't always apply, UA researchers have discovered. Their study helps explain why one major pest is evolving resistance much faster than predicted and offers ideas for more sustainable pest control.

A strategy widely used to prevent pests from quickly adapting to crop-protecting toxins may fail in some cases unless better preventive actions are taken, suggests new research by University of Arizona entomologists published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Corn and cotton have been genetically modified to produce pest-killing proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt for short. Compared with typical insecticide sprays, the Bt toxins produced by genetically engineered crops are much safer for people and the environment, explained Yves Carri?re, a professor of entomology in the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences who led the study.

Although Bt crops have helped to reduce insecticide sprays, boost crop yields and increase farmer profits, their benefits will be short-lived if pests adapt rapidly, said Bruce Tabashnik, a co-author of the study and head of the UA department of entomology. "Our goal is to understand how insects evolve resistance so we can develop and implement more sustainable, environmentally friendly pest management," he said. Tabashnik and Carri?re are both members of the UA's BIO5 Institute.

Bt crops were first grown widely in 1996, and several pests have already become resistant to plants that produce a single Bt toxin. To thwart further evolution of pest resistance to Bt crops, farmers have recently shifted to the "pyramid" strategy: each plant produces two or more toxins that kill the same pest. As reported in the study, the pyramid strategy has been adopted extensively, with two-toxin Bt cotton completely replacing one-toxin Bt cotton since 2011 in the U.S.

Most scientists agree that two-toxin plants will be more durable than one-toxin plants. The extent of the advantage of the pyramid strategy, however, rests on assumptions that are not always met, the study reports. Using lab experiments, computer simulations and analysis of published experimental data, the new results help explain why one major pest has started to become resistant faster than anticipated.

"The pyramid strategy has been touted mostly on the basis of simulation models," said Carri?re. "We tested the underlying assumptions of the models in lab experiments with a major pest of corn and cotton. The results provide empirical data that can help to improve the models and make the crops more durable."

One critical assumption of the pyramid strategy is that the crops provide redundant killing, Carri?re explained. "Redundant killing can be achieved by plants producing two toxins that act in different ways to kill the same pest," he said, "so, if an individual pest has resistance to one toxin, the other toxin will kill it."

In the real world, things are a bit more complicated, Carri?re's team found out. Thierry Br?vault, a visiting scientist from France, led the lab experiments at the UA. His home institution, the Center for Agricultural Research for Development, or CIRAD, is keenly interested in factors that could affect pest resistance to Bt crops in Africa.

"We obviously can't release resistant insects into the field, so we breed them in the lab and bring in the crop plants to do feeding experiments," Carri?re said. For their experiments, the group collected cotton bollworm -- also known as corn earworm or Helicoverpa zea -, a species of moth that is a major agricultural pest, and selected it for resistance against one of the Bt toxins, Cry1Ac.

As expected, the resistant caterpillars survived after munching on cotton plants producing only that toxin. The surprise came when Carri?re's team put them on pyramided Bt cotton containing Cry2Ab in addition to Cry1Ac.

If the assumption of redundant killing is correct, caterpillars resistant to the first toxin should survive on one-toxin plants, but not on two-toxin plants, because the second toxin should kill them, Carri?re explained.

"But on the two-toxin plants, the caterpillars selected for resistance to one toxin survived significantly better than caterpillars from a susceptible strain."

These findings show that the crucial assumption of redundant killing does not apply in this case and may also explain the reports indicating some field populations of cotton bollworm rapidly evolved resistance to both toxins.

Moreover, the team's analysis of published data from eight species of pests reveals that some degree of cross-resistance between Cry1 and Cry2 toxins occurred in 19 of 21 experiments. Contradicting the concept of redundant killing, cross-resistance means that selection with one toxin increases resistance to the other toxin.

According to the study's authors, even low levels of cross-resistance can reduce redundant killing and undermine the pyramid strategy. Carri?re explained that this is especially problematic with cotton bollworm and some other pests that are not highly susceptible to Bt toxins to begin with.

The team found violations of other assumptions required for optimal success of the pyramid strategy. In particular, inheritance of resistance to plants producing only Bt toxin Cry1Ac was dominant, which is expected to reduce the ability of refuges to delay resistance.

Refuges consist of standard plants that do not make Bt toxins and thus allow survival of susceptible pests. Under ideal conditions, inheritance of resistance is not dominant and the susceptible pests emerging from refuges greatly outnumber the resistant pests. If so, the matings between two resistant pests needed to produce resistant offspring are unlikely. But if inheritance of resistance is dominant, as seen with cotton bollworm, matings between a resistant moth and a susceptible moth can produce resistant offspring, which hastens resistance.

According to Tabashnik, overly optimistic assumptions have led the EPA to greatly reduce requirements for planting refuges to slow evolution of pest resistance to two-toxin Bt crops.

The new results should come as a wakeup call to consider larger refuges to push resistance further into the future, Carri?re pointed out. "Our simulations tell us that with 10 percent of acreage set aside for refuges, resistance evolves quite fast, but if you put 30 or 40 percent aside, you can substantially delay it."

"Our main message is to be more cautious, especially with a pest like the cotton bollworm," Carri?re said. "We need more empirical data to refine our simulation models, optimize our strategies and really know how much refuge area is required. Meanwhile, let's not assume that the pyramid strategy is a silver bullet."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Arizona. The original article was written by Daniel Stolte.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. T. Brevault, S. Heuberger, M. Zhang, C. Ellers-Kirk, X. Ni, L. Masson, X. Li, B. E. Tabashnik, Y. Carriere. Potential shortfall of pyramided transgenic cotton for insect resistance management. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1216719110

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/wYWT6YRzi0Y/130330130838.htm

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Palestinian journalist jailed for Abbas photo

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) ? A West Bank appeals court on Thursday upheld a one-year prison term for a Palestinian journalist who had a photo on his Facebook page that authorities claimed portrayed President Mahmoud Abbas as a traitor, rights activists said.

It was the second such case in two months, and Abbas' Palestinian Authority is facing mounting criticism for stifling dissent. In particular, Abbas' security forces have targeted supporters of the Islamic militant Hamas, which seized the Gaza Strip from him in 2007.

The defendant in Thursday's case was Mamdouh Hamamreh, a reporter for the Hamas-linked Al-Quds TV.

Nimer Hamad, an adviser to Abbas, said the Palestinian president would pardon Hamamreh, but declined further comment.

Prosecutors have alleged that a photo montage on his Facebook page back in 2010 showed Abbas next to a villain in a popular TV drama about French colonial rule in the Levant. The villain was an informer for the French and the photo caption read: "They're alike."

Hamamreh denied that he was the one who posted the photo, but last year a court sentenced him to a year in prison. An appeals court upheld the sentence Thursday, said Issam Abdeen of the Palestinian human rights group Al-Haq.

In February, a Palestinian court sentenced university student Anas Awwad, 26, to a year in jail for "cursing the president" on Facebook. The Palestinian judiciary applies a Jordanian law that criminalizes cursing the king.

Awwad's father said at the time that his son was being punished for what appeared to be a humorous caption under a picture showing Abbas kicking a soccer ball.

An appeals court overturned Awwad's sentence earlier this month and ordered a new trial, Abdeen said. Several other Palestinians face similar charges, he said.

Abbas and his Palestinian Authority, which administers 38 percent of the West Bank, have come under fire repeatedly for squashing dissent. Hamas, which rules Gaza, has faced similar accusations, including going after supporters of Abbas' Fatah movement.

The Palestinian political split of 2007 largely halted the work of democratic institutions. It paralyzed the parliament and prevented new parliamentary and presidential elections.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-journalist-jailed-abbas-photo-192114714.html

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Nigeria's fx reserves hit 4-yr high of $48.5 bln

By Simon Evans March 28 (Reuters) - United States forward Landon Donovan, returning to soccer after a three-month break from the game, said on Thursday he hopes to be back with the national team for June's World Cup qualifiers. Donovan announced last December that he needed a break from the game, saying he had lost his passion and enjoyment for the sport, raising the question as to whether he would play at next year's World Cup finals in Brazil should the U.S. qualify. But after returning to training with his Major League Soccer club L.A. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nigerias-fx-reserves-hit-4-yr-high-48-112233643--finance.html

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Syrian rebels in strategic battle for south

In this Thursday March 28, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows fighters from the Syrian Free Army fire on a Syrian army position in Dael less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, Syria. Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed dozens of people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

In this Thursday March 28, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows fighters from the Syrian Free Army fire on a Syrian army position in Dael less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, Syria. Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed dozens of people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

In this Thursday March 28, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows a building at the Syrian government checkpoint on fire, in Dael less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, Syria. Thursday, March 28, 2013. Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed dozens of people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

In this Thursday March 28, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows heavy clashes between Syrian Free Army fighters and the regime?s army in Dael less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, Syria. Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed at least 38 people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this Thursday March 28, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian Free Army fighters in Dael less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, Syria. Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed at least 38 people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

In this Thursday March 28, 2013 image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows fighters from the Syrian Free Army firing on a Syrian army position in Dael less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province, Syria. Syrian rebels on Friday captured a strategic town near the border with Jordan after a day of fierce clashes that killed at least 38 people, activists said, as opposition fighters expand their presence in the south, considered a gateway to Damascus.(AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Capitalizing on a recent influx of weapons, Syrian rebels are waging a strategic battle for the southern part of the country and seeking to secure a corridor from the Jordanian border to Damascus in preparation for an eventual assault on the capital.

On Friday, the rebels celebrated their latest victory: They seized full control of Dael, a key town along a main highway, after forces of President Bashar Assad's regime all but withdrew from the area.

"God is great! We are coming, Bashar!" armed fighters cried overnight Thursday after they captured the last of the military checkpoints in the town where Assad's forces had been holed up, according to amateur video posted online.

Dael is one of the bigger towns in the southern Daraa province, where the uprising against Assad began in March 2011, when security forces arrested high school students who scrawled anti-regime graffiti on a wall.

Activists say it was in Dael that the first statue of Assad's father and predecessor, the late President Hafez Assad, was first toppled shortly after the protests broke out.

The regime responded with a ferocious military crackdown in the area. For a long time, it succeeded in muting the revolt there while government troops turned their attention to defending Syria's northern and eastern regions against rebel advances as the uprising turned into a civil war in which an estimated 70,000 people have been killed.

But in dusty agricultural towns and villages across the province, the rebels have recently gone on the offensive, expanding their presence with a renewed sense of purpose. The rebel fighters include Islamic militants.

The strategic region ? known as the Houran plains, which stretch from the outskirts of the capital south into Jordan ? is seen as a crucial gateway to the ultimate prize of Damascus.

A recent influx of weapons appears to have made the goal seem more within reach than ever.

Although rebels control wide areas in northern Syria that border Turkey, the Jordanian frontier is only about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Damascus, or a third of the distance to Turkey in the north, where fighters control large swaths of territory.

Rebels have established footholds in a number of Damascus suburbs but have only been able to push into limited areas in the southern and northeastern parts of the capital. Fighters say they are trying to carve out a route from Jordan to Damascus.

In recent weeks, they have made significant advances in the southern provinces of Daraa and Quneitra bordering Jordan and Israel, seizing towns and villages near the cease-fire line between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights and along the international highway linking Damascus with Jordan.

They also seized several army checkpoints, clearing a 25-kilometer (15-mile) stretch along the Syrian-Jordanian border. Last week, rebels seized a major air defense base near the village of Saida.

It is difficult to know the size of the area controlled by the rebels. Activists say that in many towns and villages in the province, regime forces maintain "symbolic" presence through small bases and checkpoints that are increasingly coming under attack.

Fighting takes place on daily basis in areas like Tafas, Sheikh Maskin and Izraa along the route.

On Friday, regime forces abandoned the last of several checkpoints in Dael after a 24-hour rebel offensive. Dael has a population of 40,000 people, making it one of the bigger towns in the region, which is dotted with small family farms, and is less than 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Jordanian border in Daraa province.

An activist in Tafas, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared government retaliation, said the presence of the regime forces in the province was shrinking daily.

The Ababil Houran and al-Omari brigades are among the prominent groups taking part in the fighting, along with the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, a band of Islamic militants that held 21 Filipino peacekeepers hostage for four days last month, raising concerns about the future of U.N. operations in the Golan Heights.

Amateur video posted online by activists showed rebels in the streets of Dael and the bodies of dead soldiers on the ground. They also showed women celebrating and fighters shouting, "We are coming, Bashar." The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to other Associated Press reporting on the events depicted.

The series of rebel gains coincided with what regional officials and military experts say is a sharp increase in weapons shipments to opposition fighters by Arab governments, in coordination with the U.S., in the hopes of readying a push into Damascus.

Officials and Western military experts have told the AP that Jordan has opened up as a new route for the weapons late last year. Two military analysts who closely follow the traffic said the weapons include more powerful, Croatian-made anti-tank guns and rockets, which the rebels have not had before.

Eliot Higgins in Britain and Nic Jenzen-Jones in Australia said they include M60 recoilless guns, M79 Osa rocket launchers, and RBG-6 grenade launchers, which all are powerful anti-tank weapons.

The weapons appear to have come in play recently. In videos posted on the Internet earlier this month, rebels are seen carrying M79 Osa rocket launchers and more advanced weapons than the ones that the rebels were previously known to have.

A Syrian opposition figure who closely follows the fighting on the ground said recent rebel gains were due to the new flow of weapons from Jordan. He said a new supply route from Jordan to Damascus meant the rebels can now advance from different fronts to the capital. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss such matters on the record.

Syrian activist Maher Jamous, who is from Dael but lives in the United Arab Emirates, said that despite the steady advances and the latest rebel victory in Dael, the regime still maintains a strong presence in the strategic province that leads to the capital.

The regime is known to have posted elite troops in Daraa province, which separates Damascus from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that the Jewish state captured in 1967 and annexed in 1981.

The province was once considered one of the most loyal regime strongholds. Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa, Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad, Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi and several others high ranking officials are from Daraa.

"Our tactical plan is (control of) Daraa and strategically Damascus because the regime will only be defeated and brought down in Damascus," said Col. Ahmad Fahd al-Naameh, commander of the Military Council of the Southern Front.

In comments to Al Arabiya, he denied receiving weapons through Jordan and said most of the weapons were captured after overrunning army posts or were bought with money from rich Syrians.

In other fighting, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said heavy clashes took place between regime forces and fighters trying again to storm a strategic military facility, known as the 17th Division base, north of the city of Raqqa that was captured by rebels this month.

The base is considered one of the most important remaining regime strongholds in the northern province that borders Turkey, the Observatory said. It added that warplanes carried out several air raids in the area.

The Observatory said regime forces bombarded the Damascus suburb of Adra, while the government-run Al-Ikhbariya TV said troops in the area killed "many terrorists" ? the term the regime uses for rebel fighters. The site is close to one of the main jails in Syria.

The Aleppo Media Center and the Observatory reported fighting, shelling and attacks by helicopter gunships near the international airport of the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its commercial center.

At least 15 people were killed and many others wounded when a missile struck in the town of Hreitan, in Aleppo province, according to the Local Coordination Committees activist group. The report could not be independently verified.

___

Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-29-ML-Syria/id-db39caa95afc4609b05f21d1ab04d5f5

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Bye Rayna? Deacon gets new 'Nashville' love

ABC

By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

"Nashville" returns Wednesday night with a brand-new episode ? and a new girlfriend for Deacon.

And y'all, it's not Rayna (Connie Britton)!

"We wanted to see what it would be like for Deacon to be smitten by somebody who's totally outside the world he's dwelled in for the last dozens of years -- an outsider, a civilian, somebody who represents the path not taken," showrunner Dee Johnson told The Clicker at the country music soap's PaleyFest panel.

"Rayna's (marriage) to Teddy kept her from having to deal with things for a long time," she added. "Now it's officially not an obstacle anymore. So what does that mean? It's sort of a new world order for her. But at the same, Deacon, who's been making himself available all these years, is suddenly not available."

"Deacon is thinking this has been pretty tricky, pretty problematic, this relationship," Charles Esten told us. "Maybe he's addicted, maybe there's parts he needs to walk away from, that aren't healthy."

"He meets somebody who's not in the music business," Esten said. "That's about as healthy as you can get in the eyes of a musician. That's definitely attractive. Plus she's a really great person, so maybe stepping into that world -- Deacon wants to give a try."

Thank his new puppy (we'll call him Young Yeller for now) for playing matchmaker with a beautiful veterinarian (Susan Misner) and newcomer to town.

"That dog is awesome," Esten raved about his new co-star. "He's such a great actor. I predict a dog Emmy at some point. I swear you're going to see a lot of good work out of that dog."

But he acknowledged that "it would definitely be hard (for a new girlfriend) to compete with that deep, deep well and reserve of emotion that is between Deacon and Rayna. But meanwhile along the way that doesn't mean that you can't really have a sympatico with someone, a real bond, a real relationship. Thereby maybe there's some collateral damage. That's how people get hurt. There's a lot of people who might get hurt in the wake of Deacon and Rayna's troubles."

That just might include their daughter, Maddie.

"How dare you?" Britton joked when asked about their secret love child. "You calling me slutty? Don't tell him, he doesn't know!"

"I don't know what's gonna happen with Deacon," she said seriously about their chances of getting back together. "For God's sake, it's been long enough, right?"

But Esten warned, "After the divorce, you thought it would be easy. It won't."

Do you hope Deacon will reunite with his soul mate? Tell us on our Facebook page!

More in The Clicker:

Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/03/27/17486934-nashville-scoop-deacon-gets-new-girlfriend-but-is-it-really-over-with-rayna?lite

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Stocks struggle for direction in early trading

NEW YORK (AP) ? U.S. stocks darted between small gains and losses in early trading Thursday as investors considered mixed signals from the U.S. economy and Europe.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 16 points, or 0.1 percent, at 14,542 half an hour after the opening bell.

The S&P inched up half a point, or 0.01 percent, to 1,563, just two points shy of the closing high it reached on Oct. 9. 2007, before the financial crisis imploded.

Investors have struggled to discern the state of the U.S. economy. For every sign that it's improving, another says it's not.

Thursday was a case in point.

The U.S. economy grew faster than first estimated in the fourth quarter, the government reported. The growth of 0.4 percent was still anemic, however. And the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits jumped for the second straight week. On a longer time frame, jobless claims have been declining since November.

Investors are also uncertain what to make of the continuing debt crisis in Europe, including the bailout of the Mediterranean island country of Cyprus. Banks there reopened Thursday for the first time in nearly two weeks.

The banks had been closed because the government was negotiating emergency loans from other European countries, and there were concerns that there would be a run on the banks. Across Cyprus on Thursday, customers stood in long but orderly lines for hours ahead of the bank openings, and guards from private security firms reinforced police outside some ATMs and banks in the capital, Nicosia.

Some investors had predicted that a bailout plan for Cyprus would send the markets up because it would calm concerns that the country's banking system might collapse. But the markets have been mixed this week. Some investors said the Cyprus bailout only serves as a reminder that Europe's debt crisis lingers.

In other trading, he Nasdaq composite index was off two points, or 0.06 percent, at 3,254.

Among stocks making big moves:

?Research In Motion, the maker of BlackBerry phones, rose after surprising analysts with a profitable quarter and better-than-expected sales of its touch-screen BlackBerry 10s. The company hopes to take back some of the market share it has lost to Apple's iPhone and other competitors. The stock rose 59 cents, about 4 percent, to $15.16.

?Repros Therapeutics, a drug developer, shot higher on news that its potential treatment for low testosterone moved closer to regulatory approval. The stock rose $6.27, or 69 percent, to $15.40.

?Signet Jewelers, which runs Kay and Jared stores, and Mosaic, the fertilizer maker, were both up after reporting higher quarterly profits and revenue. Signet rose more than 7 percent, $4.74, to $68.01. Mosaic was up more than 1 percent, rising 83 cents to $59.51.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stocks-struggle-direction-early-trading-142618454--finance.html

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France's Bruni makes emotional defense of husband Sarkozy

Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/frances-bruni-makes-emotional-defense-husband-sarkozy-115732062.html

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Imaging methodology reveals nano details not seen before: Understanding nanoparticles at atomic scale in 3-D could improve materials

Mar. 27, 2013 ? A team of scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Northwestern University has produced 3-D images and videos of a tiny platinum nanoparticle at atomic resolution that reveal new details of defects in nanomaterials that have not been seen before.

Prior to this work, scientists only had flat, two-dimensional images with which to view the arrangement of atoms. The new imaging methodology developed at UCLA and Northwestern will enable researchers to learn more about a material and its properties by viewing atoms from different angles and seeing how they are arranged in three dimensions.

The study will be published March 27 by the journal Nature.

The authors describe being able to see how the atoms of a platinum nanoparticle -- only 10 namometers in diameter -- are arranged in three dimensions. They also identify how the atoms are arranged around defects in the platinum nanoparticle.

Similar to how CT scans of the brain and body are done in a hospital, the scientists took images of a platinum nanoparticle from many different directions and then pieced the images together using a new method that improved the quality of the images.

This novel method is a combination of three techniques: scanning transmission electron microscopy, equally sloped tomography (EST) and three-dimensional Fourier filtering. Compared to conventional CT, the combined method produces much higher quality 3-D images and allows the direct visualization of atoms inside the platinum nanoparticle in three dimensions.

"Visualizing the arrangement of atoms in materials has played an important role in the evolution of modern science and technology," said Jianwei (John) Miao, who led the work. He is a professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA and a researcher with the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA.

"Our method allows the 3-D imaging of the local structures in materials at atomic resolution, and it is expected to find application in materials sciences, nanoscience, solid state physics and chemistry," he said.

"It turns out that there are details we can only see when we can look at materials in three dimensions," said co-author Laurence D. Marks, a professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.

"We have had suspicions for a long time that there was more going on than we could see from the flat images we had," Marks said. "This work is the first demonstration that this is true at the atomic scale."

Nanotechnology expert Pulickel M. Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor of Engineering at Rice University complimented the research.

"This is the first instance where the three-dimensional structure of dislocations in nanoparticles has been directly revealed at atomic resolution," Ajayan said. "The elegant work demonstrates the power of electron tomography and leads to possibilities of directly correlating the structure of nanoparticles to properties, all in full 3-D view."

Defects can influence many properties of materials, and a technique for visualizing these structures at atomic resolution could lead to new insights beneficial to researchers in a wide range of fields.

"Much of what we know about how materials work, whether it is a catalyst in an automobile exhaust system or the display on a smartphone, has come from electron microscope images of how the atoms are arranged," Marks said. "This new imaging method will open up the atomic world of nanoparticles."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northwestern University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Chien-Chun Chen, Chun Zhu, Edward R. White, Chin-Yi Chiu, M. C. Scott, B. C. Regan, Laurence D. Marks, Yu Huang, Jianwei Miao. Three-dimensional imaging of dislocations in a nanoparticle at atomic resolution. Nature, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nature12009

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/physics/~3/KCt2vVQ9aYc/130327144122.htm

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Complementing Fine Arts: Folded Book Sculptures by Luciana Frigerio

In case you thought books are just for reading, well, here?s something we want to show you, that might exceed your expectations!?We figured out that books are a wonderful way to express art. Yes, of course, a book is a piece of art itself, but beyond our regular perception, there?s another one. And another. And so on! We are so excited to see that creativity has no limits when it comes to arts! ?Luciana Frigerio, a?Vermont-based artist created a unique collection of paper art, simply called?Folded Book Sculptures. Basically that was exactly what she did. She folded page by page, creating emotional (timeless) messages by using books. She only used Times New Roman and Helvetica as fonts, because of their impact upon the viewers.

And what a better way to complement art than blending one?s exquisite taste in books with talent, devotion and hard work! The result is simply spectacular, as you can see! All the messages have a positive and powerful impact. The intriguing amount of creativity of this paper art collection determined a man to propose to his fianc?, by setting ?the book messages? on the shelf in a bookstore.?Her ?universe of paper? can be actually bought from her online Etsy Store.

Source: http://freshome.com/2013/03/27/complementing-fine-arts-folded-book-sculptures-by-luciana-frigerio/

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Cheapism: Best budget home-theater systems

By Kara Reinhardt, Cheapism.com

A sound bar (shown here with a subwoofer) is a popular alternative to a full set of speakers.

Can?t make it to the Georgia Dome next weekend for the Final Four? A home theater may not replicate the experience of being in the arena, but it sure beats streaming the games on your work computer with earbuds (not that you?ve been doing that). Accumulating a full range of surround-sound speakers can easily cost more than tournament tickets and airfare to Atlanta. Even with a cheaper audio package, though, you?ll notice a marked improvement over your TV?s built-in speakers.

After comparing features and analyzing online reviews of home-theater systems, Cheapism.com has highlighted these top picks under $400.

• The Boston Acoustics TVee 26 (starting at $300) contains two speakers in a long, slim sound bar, an economical alternative to full surround sound. It comes from a brand dedicated to speakers and features a separate, wireless subwoofer. Reviewers note the clarity and strength of the sound and admire the system?s simplicity and value. (Where to buy)
• The Zvox Z-Base 220 (starting at $200) packs three speakers and a subwoofer into a single wooden case, a design that yields better sound quality than plastic housing, according to one expert. The bass comes in for particular praise, as do features that make dialogue stand out and dampen the volume of commercials. (Where to buy)
• The Panasonic SC-BTT195 (starting at $358) is what most consumers probably picture when they think of a home theater: a 5.1 speaker configuration, with five speakers and one subwoofer, plus a Blu-ray player. This type of complete package is becoming less common, as consumers opt for inexpensive audio-only packages (like the others on this list) and prefer to choose their own Blu-ray players. Reviewers say the included player, a 3-D model, provides excellent playback, and buyers appreciate the convenience of this ?home theater in a box.? (Where to buy)
• The Panasonic SC-HTB350 (starting at $198) is a classic 2.1 system with two speakers and a subwoofer, as well as a control unit. Experts commend the system?s flexibility: The speakers can be combined into a single sound-bar-like unit, or placed separately on either side of the TV. The subwoofer is wireless, so you can put it anywhere in the room without a cord to get in the way. Bluetooth support lets an MP3 player or smartphone feed music through the speakers wirelessly, where other systems rely on a 3.5mm jack or USB input. (Where to buy)

Dolby offers a helpful guide to speaker positioning, whether you have a 2.1, 5.1, or pricier 7.1 configuration. With a sound bar, setup is less complicated and there aren?t so many wires to wrangle. The unit simply sits directly above or below the TV. All-in-one systems such as the Zvox Z-Base 220 use technology intended to mimic a 5.1 surround-sound setup. Still, some reviewers emphasize that there?s no substitute for physical speakers. True surround-sound systems like the Panasonic SC-BTT195, with two front speakers, a center channel, and two rear speakers, promise a more immersive experience.

More from Cheapism:

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How to Stay Sane When Your Whole Family Shares One Computer

Shaun Chatman

In 2009, more than half of US households had just one computer. In 2013, most American households have more gadgets than people. However, if you're still struggling to keep everyone in the family happy with just one computer, here are some smart strategies that you can carry out to encourage peace and harmony with family tech use.

Create Separate User Accounts

You can do this with both PC and Mac computers. Creating separate accounts for each family member provides a sense of individuality and control. Users can have different backgrounds, desktop icons, and folders. These accounts may have passwords for privacy as well. Consider allowing passwords to keep nosy siblings out, while requiring that all passwords be reported to parents for supervision.

Keep Individual Cubbies by the Computer

While you may share a single computer, this doesn't mean that you have to share all your gadgets. Assign each family member a cubby near the computer desk. This is ideal for storing a portable external hard drive, USB drives, Bluetooth devices, a special mouse pad, USB toys, and game discs.

Make Clear Rules for Computer Use

You can stop arguments in their early stages by setting clear rules for all computer use. Assign each family member a set amount of time each day and be specific about when this allotment will take place. Cover all contingencies such as whether computer minutes roll over to the next day, and if you will let one child to give her minutes to another. Discuss how you'll handle exceptions if a child has a special school project that requires use of the computer, so these issues are always handled fairly for every child.

Place a Clock in a Prominent Location Near the Computer

To avoid arguments about when a user's time is up, keep a specially designated clock in the computer area. This will always be the official clock for mediating computer disputes, regardless of what the user's watch or desktop may read. A clock with an alarm is ideal for setting a five-minute warning before computer time is up.

Specify Where Laptops Can be Used

Desktop computers make it easy to appoint a family computer desk. With notebooks, the rules for use are not so clear-cut. Discuss the rules for where laptops can and cannot be used both in and outside the house. Children are less likely to take part in inappropriate behavior online when computer use takes place in a family room or other common area.

Allow Computer Use Outside the Home as Needed

If one computer just isn't enough to give each child online study time at the end of the semester, you may temporarily need the use of an extra computer. Consider taking the family to the library or a computer caf? where you can get access to other computers without having to buy a whole new device.

Keeping everyone in the family on a single computer is tricky, but there's no need to write this off as impossible. Sharing the computer may limit inappropriate use in teens and foster important values such as sharing in younger children.

---

Shaun Chatman is a well published author on many authority sites. He lives in Dunedin, FL, and spends his free time playing with his kids or advising friends on tech, gadgets, finance, and travel. Follow him on Twitter <a href="http://www.twitter.com/shaun_chatman.

Illustration by Tina Mailhot-Roberge.

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/_mhD4Y9gGQw/how-to-stay-sane-when-your-whole-family-shares-one-computer

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You'll Never Hunt For a Tool With Craftsman's Whiteboard Toolbox

Craftsman is eschewing the traditional bright red paint job of its rolling toolboxes for a stark white finish that's actually far more functional. The white paint used on its Limited Edition rolling eight-drawer tool chest is dry erase-friendly, so you can label the drawers as per what's inside, take notes, or make calculations on the sides. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jX0bseCC8EI/youll-never-hunt-for-a-tool-with-craftsmans-whiteboard-toolbox

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Justices wary of broad ruling endorsing gay marriage

By Lawrence Hurley and David Ingram

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supreme Court justices signaled on Tuesday that they are reluctant to embrace a broad ruling finding a fundamental right to marriage for gays and lesbians across the United States.

As sign-waving demonstrators massed outside, the court completed more than an hour of oral argument on whether to let stand a California ban on same-sex marriage without indicating a clear path forward.

Swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy raised concerns about the court entering "uncharted waters" on an issue that divides the states.

Kennedy even raised the prospect of the court dismissing the case, a relatively unusual move that would leave intact a federal Appeals Court ruling that struck down the law, known as Proposition 8.

In a similar vein, Justice Samuel Alito also urged caution, noting that gay marriage as a concept is "newer than cellphones and the Internet."

None of the justices indicated support for the Obama administration's favored solution, which would strike down Proposition 8 and require the other eight states that already recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships to allow gays and lesbians to marry.

Earlier in the argument, the justices probed lawyers on both sides on the technical issue of whether California opponents of gay marriage had a right to be heard in federal court.

Although there was no apparent consensus on that point, if the court were to find the proponents did not have standing it would not reach the merits and then the federal District Court ruling that struck down Proposition 8 would be left intact.

U.S. citizens in general do not have a right to sue to enforce laws they favor. Chief Justice John Roberts pressed lawyer Charles Cooper, who represents gay marriage opponents, on why his clients are any different as they seek to enforce Proposition 8.

"I don't think we've ever allowed anything like that," Roberts said.

Prior to expressing his doubts about whether the court should decide the case, Kennedy pressed Cooper on the "imminent legal injury" facing almost 40,000 California children being raised by gay and lesbian couples. "They want their parents to have full recognition and full status," he said.

Cooper, facing a barrage of questions mostly from the Supreme Court's liberal wing, called California's law the equivalent of a "pause button."

Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, arguing on behalf of the Obama administration in support of striking down the law, said the California ban was not a "pause button" but a "delete button."

On Wednesday, the court will consider the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which limits the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples. Rulings in both cases are expected by the end of June.

(To follow oral arguments both days, visit the Reuters live blog at http://reut.rs/scotus1)

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and David Ingram; Additional reporting by Joseph Ax and Joan Biskupic; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Howard Goller and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-justices-gay-marriage-first-time-051006399.html

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Nook To Offer In-App Purchases ?By The First Half Of April? Through Fortumo Partnership

The Barnes & Noble Nook isn't doing amazingly well by most accounts, including a recently introduced giveaway program from the company itself that isn't quite (but sure resembles) a fire sale. Now, B&N has made an announcement that is clearly designed to prop up developer interest in the platform, with the introduction of a feature that brings it up-to-speed with others: in-app purchases.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6gt0YT7F0Zw/

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Why do we give tax breaks to country clubs? (Offthekuff)

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

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