RIM committee stresses importance of independent chair (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? A review of Research In Motions' leadership structure by a committee of independent directors has concluded that no future chief executive or other employee can be chairperson of the BlackBerry maker.

The panel's findings were published on RIM's website late on Monday, a day before a Jan 31 deadline.

The committee said in its report that it had recommended that RIM should separate the roles of Chair and CEO and amend the board mandate accordingly.

On January 22, the company appointed Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada's Group Executive, as independent board chair.

Company investors led by Northwest & Ethical Investments LP had demanded that RIM name an independent chairman, a role previously shared by co-Chief Executive Officers Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, to ensure the board acted independently of management.

Lazaridis and Balsillie stepped down just over a week ago but will remain on the board.

(Reporting By Nicola Leske; Editing by Carol Bishopirc and Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/bs_nm/us_rim_chair

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Macworld: Trade show? Nah. Apple 'lifestyle' event.

Macworld is coming into its own after Apple pulled out three years ago. The new Macworld is smaller, consumer oriented, and inspirational.

Macworld Expo, a once powerful Mac tradeshow, is getting new life as smaller event for Apple consumers and fans. The revamped three-day event, now called?Macworld | iWorld, is taking place this week in San Francisco.

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?We took a little Comic Con, we took a little?South by Southwest, and then added our own kind of special flavors,? said general manager Paul Kent. ?It?s product discovery on the show floor, learning in our tech talks, and then there?s this concept of inspiration. People come here to see what cool stuff people are doing with this technology.?

There are two floors of product booths, classes, art installations, and various ?infotainment? options that attempt to appeal to casual Apple fans. The main show floor is filled with lively demos, such as a skier and a snowboarder on a trampoline promoting sports headphones. There?s a greater-than-usual amount of booth babes mingling with Apple fans of all ages and backgrounds. And upstairs in the ?Macworld Midway? area, a DJ spins music that can only be heard on headphones.

To stay relevant, the show is aiming younger: hipster band Modest Mouse played the opening party and South Park Studios (the cartoon guys, not the San Francisco startup zone) has a big presence. In order to draw in the geek-on-the-street,?Macworld/iWorld dropped the price of advance tickets from $300 to $75.

Official numbers won?t be released until after the event, but Kent says attendance is up, 20 percent of pre-registrations were first-timers, and there are 10 percent more exhibitors than last year. Presenters say the classes and panels have had better attendance than in years past.

Of the 300 exhibitors, nearly half are Mac and mobile app developers. As the addition of ?iWorld? to the name indicates, organizers recognized mobile is taking over and sought out independent mobile developers. iPhone and iPad apps and accessories dominate the show floor.

The shift in focus to what Kent calls a ?hardcore consumer lifestyle event? wasn?t a choice, but an attempt to recover from Apple?s not-so-amicable departure. The company pulled out of the show completely three years ago, after unveiling the first iPhone at Macworld Expo in 2007. The IDG World Expo group, owned by IDG, immediately lost a lot of other big name companies and had to scramble for a plan B.

Macworld Expo?s first year without Apple felt like it would be the last ? the space was too big for the small number of booths and attendees, every-other exhibitor was slinging cheap iPhone cases, and the biggest topic of conversation was Apple?s departure. The next year was slightly better, helped by a great schedule of classes and talks. But as with any break-up, it seems time was needed to heal, and this year it seems like the show is doing all right, all by itself.

See also:

Kindle Fire leads Android in taking a bite out of iPad market?share?

Why we need to put the ?run? back into?Java

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/HbQ7DliuFvU/Macworld-Trade-show-Nah.-Apple-lifestyle-event

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The fight for Cuban-Americans is on in Florida (AP)

HIALEAH, Fla. ? If Mitt Romney wins Tuesday's primary, a sliver of the GOP electorate in Florida may be one of the big reasons. Cuban-Americans are deeply committed voters who can have an impact in competitive races, and Romney has strong support among the influential Cuban-American establishment.

Older exiles also tend to vote heavily through absentee ballots, where the former Massachusetts governor all but certainly has an edge. And the candidate's emphasis on fixing the economy is resonating with backers like Jesus Ovidez, who cares more about jobs than he does U.S. policy toward Cuba.

"When we are in a better position here, then we can worry about over there. But first you have to put your own house in order," said Ovidez, who spent months in a forced labor camp before fleeing the island in the late 1960s.

Ovidez has been a co-owner of Chico's Restaurant in the heavily Cuban-American community of Hialeah north of Miami for more than 30 years. He gestured around to the mostly empty chairs during one recent lunch hour and talked about how Romney's emphasis on the economy was one of the main reasons he already has cast his vote for the former businessman.

"There's no money. People don't go out to eat any more," said Ovidez. Maybe, he said, Romney can help change that. Plus, Ovidez argued, Romney is the only Republican who can beat President Barack Obama, saying: "He's an individual who is a millionaire, and with money you win elections."

During the past week, a series of polls have shown Romney pulling ahead of chief challenger Newt Gingrich in the run up to Tuesday's primary.

Overall, roughly 11.1 percent of registered Republicans in Florida are Hispanic. And of all Hispanic voters in the state, 32.1 percent are Cuban, 28.4 percent are Puerto Rican and 25 percent come mostly from Central and South America., according to the Pew Hispanic Center, which cites the Florida Division of Elections.

Ana Carbonell, a longtime political operative now working for Romney, estimates that 14 percent of the GOP primary vote comes from Miami-Dade County and, of that, 75 percent is Cuban-American.

Generally, Cuban-American voters have the highest turnout rates. In 2008, they helped John McCain win the primary over Romney, who lost heavily in Miami-Dade County, where this voting group is most concentrated.

Cuban-American voters are particularly reliable in the primary in part because so many of the older exiles vote early through absentee ballots, and Romney's campaign ? with the significant help from local Cuban-American political leaders ? has led all other campaigns in encouraging Floridians to vote before Tuesday. He or his allies have been on the TV airwaves since December targeting early voters. And in recent days, they have flooded Spanish-radio and TV with ads attacking Gingrich.

Romney's strength among the old-guard Cuban-Americans was evident last week when he received a standing ovation before he even spoke to more than 400 exile political and civic leaders. They packed the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, where thousands fleeing Fidel Castro's revolution first received health care and were processed by immigration officers in the 1960s. Romney was flanked by prominent Cuban-American politicians, including former Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress.

While Romney highlighted his business background and spoke on the economy, he also tapped into the pride many Cuban-Americans still feel toward the island nation and their angst over its leaders.

"If I'm fortunate enough to become the next president, it is my expectation that Fidel Castro will finally be taken off this planet," Romney told the crowd to wild applause. Castro, 85, has been ill since 2006, when he handed over power to his brother, Raul. "We have to be prepared, in the next president's first or second term, it is time to strike for freedom in Cuba."

Arguably the state's most popular Cuban-American politician, Sen. Marco Rubio, has withheld an endorsement during the primary but came to Romney's defense in the past week, criticizing Gingrich over an ad that labeled Romney anti-immigrant.

Gingrich, for his part, has called for a U.S.-supported "Cuban spring" uprising against the long-standing communist regime.

If elected, he told a crowd of Hispanic business and civic leaders Friday, he would bring to bear "the moral force of an American president who is serious about intending to free the people of Cuba, and willingness to intimidate those who are the oppressors and say to them, `You will be held accountable.'"

Gingrich has talked of covert action to overthrow the government of Raul Castro, though he insisted such efforts would not include violence.

And he signed a pledge to roll back the ability of Cubans to visit and send money to relatives on the island to the strict limits Bush imposed in 2004. Such promises play well in the older exile community, many of whose homes were confiscated during the Cuban revolution and are far less likely than newer Cuban immigrants to have close family there.

Gingrich also aired a Spanish-language radio ad in South Florida, reminding voters of Romney's 2007 presidential campaign gaffe, in which he proudly declared in Little Havana, "Patria or muerte, venceremos!" (Fatherland or death, we shall overcome) ? not realizing the line was a slogan of Fidel Castro.

All that has helped sway retired insurance agent and Cuban exile Bernardo Diaz.

Last week, he declared his vote for Romney.

"I don't want Obama, and he's the only one who can win," Diaz said, as he puffed on a cigarette outside the famed Versailles Restaurant in Miami's Little Havana.

Days later, he had changed his mind, saying: "I'm leaning toward Gingrich. Gingrich seems more energetic, stronger on Cuba."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_el_pr/us_florida_the_cuban_vote

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Santorum cancels morning campaign events to be with hospitalized daughter, Bella (Star Tribune)

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Marine to serve no jail time in Iraqi killings (AP)

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. ? The lone Marine to face sentencing for the killing of two dozen unarmed Iraqis in one of the Iraq War's defining moments walked away with no jail time Tuesday after defending his squad's storming of the homes of Haditha as a necessary act "to keep the rest of my Marines alive."

Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich's sentence ends a six-year prosecution for the 2005 attack that failed to win any manslaughter convictions. Eight Marines were initially charged; one was acquitted and six others had their cases dropped.

Wuterich, who admitted ordering his squad to "shoot first, ask questions later" after a roadside bomb killed a fellow Marine, ended his manslaughter trial by pleading guilty on Monday to a single count of negligent dereliction of duty.

The deal that dropped nine counts of manslaughter sparked outrage in the besieged Iraqi town and claims that the U.S. didn't hold the military accountable.

"I was expecting that the American judiciary would sentence this person to life in prison and that he would appear and confess in front of the whole world that he committed this crime, so that America could show itself as democratic and fair," said survivor Awis Fahmi Hussein, showing his scars from a bullet wound to the back.

Military judge Lt. Col. David Jones initially recommended the maximum sentence of three months for Wuterich, saying: "It's difficult for the court to fathom negligent dereliction of duty worse than the facts in this case."

But after opening an envelope to look at the terms of the plea agreement as is procedure in military court, Jones announced the deal prevented any jail time for the Marine.

"That's very good for you obviously," Jones said tersely to Wuterich.

Jones did recommend that the sergeant's rank be reduced to private, but decided not to cut two-thirds of his pay because the divorced father has sole custody of his three daughters. The rank reduction has to be approved by a Marine general, who already signed off on the plea deal.

Wuterich read a statement apologizing to the victims' families and said he never fired on or intended to harm innocent women and children. But he said his plea shouldn't be seen as a statement that he believes his squad dishonored their country.

"When my Marines and I cleared those houses that day, I responded to what I perceived as a threat and my intention was to eliminate that threat in order to keep the rest of my Marines alive," he said. "So when I told my team to shoot first and ask questions later, the intent wasn't that they would shoot civilians, it was that they would not hesitate in the face of the enemy."

"The truth is I never fired my weapon at any women or children that day," Wuterich told Jones.

The contention by Wuterich, 31, of Meriden, Conn., contradicts prosecutors and counters testimony from a former squad mate who said he joined Wuterich in firing in a dark back bedroom where a woman and children were killed.

Prosecutors argued that Wuterich's knee-jerk reaction of sending the squad to assault nearby homes without positively identifying a threat went against his training and caused needless deaths of 10 women and children.

"That is a horrific result from that derelict order of shoot first, ask questions later," said Lt. Col. Sean Sullivan.

Defense attorney Neal Puckett said Wuterich has been falsely labeled a killer who carried out a massacre in Iraq and insisted he only intended to protect his Marines in an "honorable and noble" act.

"The appropriate punishment in this case, your honor, is no punishment," Puckett said.

Wuterich directly addressed family members of the Iraqi victims, saying there were no words to ease their pain.

"I wish to assure you that on that day, it was never my intention to harm you or your families. I know that you are the real victims of Nov. 19, 2005," he said.

Wuterich, who hugged his parents after he spoke, declined comment on Jones' decision. His attorneys, Neal Puckett and Haytham Faraj, said in a statement: "We believe justice prevailed for Staff Sgt. Wuterich and in turn, he wishes it was within his power to impart the same measure of justice to the families of the victims of Haditha."

Military prosecutors worked for more than six years to bring Wuterich to trial on manslaughter charges that could have sent him away to prison for life. But only weeks after the long-awaited trial started, they offered Wuterich the deal that stopped the proceedings.

It was a stunning outcome for the last defendant in the case once compared with the My Lai massacre in Vietnam.

The Haditha attack is considered among the war's defining moments, further tainting America's reputation when it was already at a low point after the release of photos of prisoner abuse by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison.

During the trial before a jury of combat Marines who served in Iraq, prosecutors argued Wuterich lost control after seeing his friend blown apart by the bomb and led his men on a rampage, blasting their way in with gunfire and grenades. Among the dead was a man in a wheelchair.

Faraj said the deal was reached last week when the government recognized its case was falling apart with contradictory testimony from witnesses who had lied to investigators. Many of the squad members had their cases dropped in exchange for testifying. Prosecutors have declined to comment.

Wuterich was also seen as taking the fall for senior leaders and more seasoned combat veterans in his squad, analysts said. It was his first time in combat.

Brian Rooney, an attorney who represented a former defendant, said cases like Haditha are difficult to prosecute because a military jury is unlikely to question decisions made in combat unless wrongdoing is clear-cut and egregious, like rape.

"If it's a gray area, fog-of-war, you can't put yourself in a Marine's situation where he's legitimately trying to do the best he can," said Rooney, who represented Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the highest-ranking Marine charged in the case. "

Many of his squad mates testified that they do not believe to this day that they did anything wrong because they feared insurgents were inside hiding.

Wuterich plans to leave the Marine Corps and start a new career in informational technology. His lawyers said they plan to petition for clemency.

___

Associated Press writers Barbara Surk and Mazin Yahya in Baghdad, Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Raquel Dillon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/usmilitary/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120125/ap_on_re_us/us_marines_haditha

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McDonald's 4Q net income jumps 11 pct

In this Jan. 20, 2012 photo, the McDonald's logo is displayed on a drink as customers purchase lunch at McDonald's, in Springfield, Ill. McDonald?s Corp. saw net income jump by 11 percent in the fourth quarter, as the fast-food giant continued to attract budget-conscious customers with low prices. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

In this Jan. 20, 2012 photo, the McDonald's logo is displayed on a drink as customers purchase lunch at McDonald's, in Springfield, Ill. McDonald?s Corp. saw net income jump by 11 percent in the fourth quarter, as the fast-food giant continued to attract budget-conscious customers with low prices. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

In this Jan. 20, 2012 photo, the McDonald's logo and a Happy Meal box with french fries and a drink are posed at McDonald's, in Springfield, Ill. McDonald?s Corp. saw net income jump by 11 percent in the fourth quarter, as the fast-food giant continued to attract budget-conscious customers with low prices. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

NEW YORK (AP) ? McDonald's says net income rose by 11 percent in the fourth quarter as the world's largest burger chain continues to attract budget-conscious customers.

Net income of $1.38 billion translated to $1.33 per share, beating the $1.29 predicted by analysts polled by FactSet.

Revenue jumped 10 percent to $6.82 billion, slightly above expectations of $6.81 billion.

McDonald's has performed well throughout the recession and its aftermath with a two-pronged strategy. It's continued to attract a base of cash-strapped customers by keeping prices low, and it's been able to lure the newly budget-conscious, who in previous years might have shunned the burger chain, with new offerings like smoothies, lattes, and remodeled restaurants.

The company's game plan is often copied by other fast-food restaurants, and its decisions on pricing, menu items and other topics serve as a bellwether for the rest of the industry.

In a statement, CEO Jim Skinner said the company plans to open 1,300 new restaurants in the coming year. The additions, which would include Japan and Latin America, would mean a net gain of about 900 restaurants to the 33,500-plus locations around the world.

McDonald's, whose share price has climbed from about $63 to just more than $100 in the last two years, has been praised for moving to where demand is. The company gets less than a third of its revenue from the U.S. Europe makes up 40 percent, up from 36 percent five years ago. The European restaurants are performing well, growing revenue 9 percent, even "in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty," McDonald's said in a statement.

The region that covers Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East makes up 22 percent of revenue, up from 14 percent five years ago, with some of that growth focused on China. That region grew revenue by 13 percent.

Skinner said McDonald's Corp. would continue to set aside money for renovating restaurants. The renovations have helped attract new customers but have irritated some franchisees who had to pay some of the costs.

The cost of raw ingredients will be a key topic when executives answer analysts' questions about earnings in a conference call Tuesday morning. McDonald's raised prices twice last year and left the door open for more increases as it struggled with rising costs for ingredients like wheat and corn. Now costs for many commodities have leveled off, but analysts will want to know if McDonald's sees more increases in the near future.

It said in its earnings release that it expects costs for most of its commodities in the U.S. to increase 4.5 to 5.5 percent in the U.S., and 2.5 to 3.5 percent in Europe. Three months ago, it predicted increases of 4.5 to 5 percent for both the U.S. and Europe for 2011.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-24-Earns-McDonald's/id-73994b77e2e74712810e6b8afd5f8bd0

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Romney says he favors 'self-deportation' (AP)

TAMPA, Fla. ? Mitt Romney said in Monday's GOP debate that he favors what he calls "self-deportation" over policies that require the federal government to round up illegal immigrants and return them to their home countries.

"The answer is self-deportation, which is people decide they can do better by going home because they can't find work here because they don't have legal documentation to allow them to work here," Romney said.

Romney's answer came after he was pressed on how he could be in favor of illegal immigrants returning to their home countries and applying for citizenship while also saying that he does not want the federal government to round people up and deport them.

Romney said that if employers enforce high standards for legal documentation of their employees, potential illegal immigrants will not be able to find work. He says this will allow the federal government to avoid having to round up people because they will leave on their own.

The federal government has previously experimented with a trial self-deportation program under the Bush Administration. It gave illegal immigrants up to 90 days to leave the country but was scrapped after two-and-half weeks in 2008 when it only produced eight volunteers. That left federal immigration officials vowing to intensify their efforts to track down illegal immigrants ? a policy Romney has said he does not support.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_debate_immigration

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Bodum Bistro Drip Coffee Maker: It?s Not Bitter

Danish kitchenware supremo Bodum has granted itself a do-over on the worst machine in your kitchen: the coffee-embittering drip machine. The new Bistro is a cross between old-school percolator and currently-fashionable pour-over coffee. And for convenience, it looks hard to beat. When you wake up, you head–like any rational human–to the kitchen to make coffee. [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/p1pxhS7emBw/

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China reports second bird flu death in a month

BEIJING (AP) ? China on Sunday reported its second bird flu fatality in a month following deaths last week in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The patient died Sunday in Guizhou province in the southwest after being hospitalized on Jan. 6, the health ministry said in a brief statement. It said the flu was highly pathogenic but gave no indication whether it was confirmed to be the H5N1 strain.

Mainland officials told Hong Kong authorities the patient was a 39-year-old man who reported having no contact with poultry, government-run Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK said. It gave no other details of his identity.

The health ministry statement said 71 people who had contact with the patient showed no unusual symptoms.

China suffered its first bird flu fatality in 18 months when a bus driver in Shenzhen, a city that borders Hong Kong, died Dec. 31.

Last week, Vietnam reported its first bird flu fatality in nearly two years ? an 18-year-old man who worked on a duck farm.

In Cambodia, a 2-year-old boy died last week after reportedly having contact with sick poultry in his village, according to the World Health Organization.

Indonesia also has reported one bird flu death this year.

WHO says that as of Friday, there have been 343 human deaths from 582 confirmed bird flu cases worldwide since 2003. Some 27 of those deaths were in China and 60 in Vietnam.

___

Online:

Chinese Ministry of Health: www.moh.gov.cn

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2012-01-22-AS-China-Bird-Flu/id-f7c94c9a86434b85a37442309516a5de

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Mondale: Time 'not on our side' for Vikings stadium this year (Star Tribune)

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Is '5G' mobile broadband just around the corner? IMT-Advanced explained (Digital Trends)

With Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint racing to bring 4G LTE services to customers (and T-Mobile having long marketed its hot-rodded HSPA+ as 4G technology) it might seem the 4G mobile broadband is on the verge of going mainstream. But what if we said these technologies were really just a sort of ?4G Lite,? and the real 4G was just around the corner ? and up to 10 times faster than what mobile operators are touting as 4G today. Would you be interested?

That?s exactly what?s happening. At its meeting this week in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Telecommunications Union, the United Nations agency focused on communications technology, has just approved the specifications for IMT-Advanced.

?IMT-Advanced marks a huge leap forward in state-of-the-art technologies, which will make the present day smart phone feel like an old dial-up Internet connection,?" said ITU secretary-general Hamadoun Tour?, in a statement. ?Access to the Internet, streaming videos, and data transfers anytime, anywhere will be better than most desktop connections today.?

Sound good? We thought so.

What is IMT-Advanced?

IMT stands for ?International Mobile Telecommunications. For the last 25 years or so, the ITU?s IMT standards have helped shape the way mobile services have developed worldwide. IMT-Advanced isn?t a specific technology like HSPA+, WiMax, or LTE?rather, it?s a specification and list of requirements for high-speed mobile broadband service. Communications developers still have to build gear that meets the specs, and they can do that any way they like. Once their technologies have been proven to meet the requirements, they can get the official IMT-Advanced designation.

The last set of standards the ITU approved were called IMT-2000, and they?re the basis for the 3G technologies carriers have been rolling out for the last decade. IMT-Advanced is the next generation of these technologies, so technically IMT-Advanced defines 4G. And guess what? The LTE, WiMax, and HSPA+ services that have been rolled out to consumers and marketed as ?4G? don?t measure up.

Right now two technologies have been found to meet the IMT-Advanced criteria: WirelessMAN-Advanced and and LTE-Advanced. WirelessMAN-Advanced is an evolution of the 802.16e technologies that serve as the basis for today?s WiMax services (WiMax is essentially a friendlier marketing term). As the name implies, LTE-Advanced is a further refinement of existing LTE technology that brings it into full compliance with IMT-Advanced requirements.

Just as with WiMax and LTE today, there will be likely be competing technologies bringing IMT-Advanced capabilities to consumers. Right now, LTE-Advanced would seem to have the upper hand, primarily because the vast majority of wireless operators around the world have worked to standardize on current LTE technologies, and that ought to give them a leg up on moving to LTE-Advanced. However, there are networks ? like Sprint and Clearwire along with others in South Korea, Russia, Belarus, and Nicaragua ? that have chosen to run with WiMax technology.

What will IMT-Advanced bring?

The main benefit of IMT-Advanced will be bandwidth, but we?ll simplify that to speed.

Today, most mobile data users rely on 3G technologies, and typical download rates are around 2 Mbit/s downstream, and far less upstream ? something like 200 Kbit/s. Given the right conditions, 3G technology can hit 14.4 Mbit/s downstream and 5.76 Mbit/s upstream. Tweaks to the systems and HPSA+ services like those operated by T-Mobile can push that theoretical limit to 42 Mbit/s downstream ? and T-Mobile hopes to be able to crank that up again to 82 Mbit/s downstream in order to compete with LTE services.

The ?4G? WiMax and LTE technologies being marketed today improve on 3G capabilities. In ideal conditions (and with a full 20MHz of frequency space available) WiMax can offer up to 128 Mbit/s downstream and 56 Mbit/s upstream, and LTE has a theoretical peak capacity of 100 Mbit/s upstream and 50 Mbit/s downstream in the same conditions. Of course, real-world bandwidth is going to be lower: Some of the capacity is taken up with protocol transaction and housekeeping to keep things moving along, and sometimes problems or interference means data has to be re-sent. Furthermore, not all base site locations are going to have a full 20MHz available, and a site?s bandwidth is shared amongst all users connected to a particular site. Those ideal conditions mean you can?t be moving: The more (and faster) your mobile device moves, the worse its data performance becomes.

Mobile technologies implementing the IMT-Advanced requirements will blow all those technologies out of the water. IMT-Advanced is to offer a nominal data rate of 100 Mbit/s downstream while moving, even at high speeds relative to a base site. That means users in cars, trains, and even planes should be able to receive mobile broadband service in the neighborhood of theoretical maximums for current ?4G? mobile broadband technology. And it gets better: if you?re not moving, IMT-Advanced technologies should be able to deliver a theoretical maximum of 1 Gbit/s, which is ten times more bandwidth.

If all that seems like technical gobbledegook, think of it this way: With IMT-Advanced technology, it should take about 20 seconds to download a full-length (44 min) standard-definition television episode to a smartphone. Want high-definition? It?ll take less than a 90 seconds. How about a whole album of music? Roughly one minute at full CD quality, no compression. That?s faster than most users? fixed-line broadband connections to their homes.

IMT-Advanced also includes new techniques for dynamically sharing network resources, so base stations using the technology can support more concurrent users per cell. The technology is also designed to offer global roaming capabilities and seamless handoffs between base stations, meaning users are less likely to experience hiccups as they move between one site and another. For markets like the United States where available radio spectrum has often been sliced up into lots of tiny pieces, IMT-Advanced also scales well from small to large blocks of spectrum, enabling operators to use their spectrum more efficiently ? although the best performance (of course) comes with the biggest blocks.

How will all that bandwidth be used?

Like current WiMax and LTE technologies, IMT-Advanced 4G connectivity can be used for a broadband connection to homes or businesses. Since those connections won?t be moving, fixed-point connections should enjoy lots of bandwidth, assuming providers want to offer affordable service plans. For folks who can?t get cable, fiber, or high-speed DSL connections (or just don?t like the strings providers attach to those services) IMT-Advanced technologies might be a viable alternative, particularly in rural areas and other communities under-served by existing broadband providers.

For mobile users, IMT-Advanced holds out the possibility of significantly raising or perhaps eliminating those pesky data caps imposed by mobile operators. As LTE users are already discovering, data caps can be a significant impediment to use: Some users of Verizon LTE have reported they could potentially blow through a month?s worth of LTE data service in less than an hour of Internet use.

The notion that raising the bandwidth capabilities for mobile networks could raise or eliminate data caps might seem counter-intuitive: After all, U.S. mobile operators (particularly AT&T) have long been complaining that they have trouble keeping up with the data demands of their customers.

However, the only way mobile operators will be able to sell services using the bandwidth offered by IMT-Advanced technologies will be to introduce innovative new services that require that bandwidth. Obvious applications include things like offering high-definition streaming video. With IMT-Advanced technologies, mobile users might be able to engage in high-definition video chats or watch live, high-definition television (or, heck, even slap on 3G headgear) while on high-speed commuter rail ? and never experience a hiccup.

When will IMT-Advanced reach the streets?

The ITU?s formal adoption of the IMT-Advanced specification doesn?t do much for getting the technology deployed. The ITU doesn?t develop or build telecommunications gear itself. Furthermore, despite its role within the United Nations and broad international support, ITU requirements aren?t considered binding standards. The ITU is just one standards body among many: the WiMax Forum, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers also play roles in solidifying telecommunications technologies. In other words, implementation details still need to be hashed out amongst other standards bodies, licensing issues resolved, and then telecommunications developers can start working to build gear and adapt their existing technologies to support IMT-Advanced. Bottom line, it?s going to be at least a couple years before IMT-Advanced starts to trickle into the marketplace.

For now, when AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are trying to peddle their latest 4G services, just remember ?real? 4G is just around the corner ? although, when it gets here, we?re sure mobile operators will be tempted to call it ?5G.?

?

Image credit: Shutterstock /?hxdbzxy

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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New legislation aims to better define 4G

Windows Phone 7 may get Instagram before Android

Capsule: A Web and mobile app that collects, contains, and organizes your private content and conversations

Leaked info points to 11 new Sony smartphones for 2012

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20120119/tc_digitaltrends/is5gmobilebroadbandjustaroundthecornerimtadvancedexplained

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Man pleads no contest to stalking Halle Berry (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? A man with a criminal history who showed up at Oscar winner Halle Berry's house in the Hollywood Hills pleaded no contest on Thursday to a charge of stalking her, and a judge ordered him to stay 200 yards away from the actress for 10 years.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Dennis Landin also handed down a 386-day jail sentence to the 28-year-old man, Richard Franco.

But Franco will soon be released because he has already served half that term behind bars since his arrest in July, and he is being given credit for the other half of the sentence under measures to reduce overcrowding in the Los Angeles County jail system, prosecutors said.

Franco, who according to Los Angeles police has a history of violence, theft and drug offenses, was found to have a book with "nonsensical ramblings" and Berry's name in his handwriting, the actress said in court papers filed last year.

Franco first approached Berry's home on July 9, 2011, when she was talking to her manager and saw through a glass door that Franco -- whom she does not know -- was in the gated backyard, the papers stated. Berry's manager yelled at Franco and he left, she said in the papers.

The actress further said that on July 10, she went to her kitchen to get a Diet Coke and noticed Franco was on the other side of a glass door, less than one foot away.

She said she ran upstairs to call police. That evening, arrangements were made to have armed security officers at her home, and Franco was caught when he returned the next day.

Los Angeles police Detective John Gregozek testified in court last year that he spoke to Berry a day after the defendant's arrest.

"She was afraid for her safety and that of her daughter, as well," Gregozek said. "She hired armed security to stay at her residence 24 hours."

As a result of his plea, a residential burglary charge against Franco was dismissed.

In addition to jail time and the stay away order, Franco was placed on five years probation and ordered to undergo one year of psychological counseling, said Los Angeles deputy district attorney Wendy Seagall.

(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120120/en_nm/us_halleberry_stalker

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Finally, a backpack that you can ride as a scooter (Yahoo! News)

Brazilian designer finds way to combine the joy of scooter ownership with the joy of backpack ownership

Have you ever looked at your backpack and wondered, "gee,?why can't this be a scooter, too?" No, of course you haven't. Still, that didn't stop Brazilian designer?Gustavo Brenck from inventing the?Gig Pack, a backpack that converts to a scooter.

The Gig Pack's design is simple ? or, at least, as simple as a?backpack-turned-transportation can be. When you're ready to leave the house, just pull out the base of the scooter, fasten the straps to keep them from getting caught up in the wheels, and ... scoot.?When you've arrived at your destination, the aluminum scooter folds up inside the backpack without compromising space for other items.

The?fashion-conscious scooter can safely support people weighing up to 200 pounds. But don't go out grabbing a second mortgage on your house to buy one just yet ? Brenck is still looking for manufacturers.

(Source)

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

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Razer Orochi Wired/Wireless Gaming Mouse - Woot

Like A Little Desk Tank

Maybe you can?t tell by the photo, but trust us. the front of this mouse is pretty cool.

Lots of mice are like one big dollop of technology, like someone dropped hot soup on your desk and it congealed into a hunk of plastic. We?re happy to say that the Razer Orochi Gaming Mouse doesn?t look anything like that. Really, it?s more like you?ve got the Batman Begins Batmobile on your desk, with those two side pincers and the neat center wheel, which you?ll use for scrolling.

It?s also Bluetooth 2.0 ready, so you don?t need any wires, and there?s a 4000 dpi gaming-grade laser sensor, so when you draw a little highway on your desk, this baby will zip right down it, knocking over buses and cars and shooting missiles and? aw, you saw it. Everybody in the world saw it. It was really sweet, right?

That?s what this mouse can make you a part of. With the Razer Orochi Gaming Mouse, you?ll be mousing like a super-hero. In fact, you won?t even be mousing? you?ll be BATSING.

Yeah, trademark that now, Razer, because you mark our words, it?s gonna be the next big term.

?

Warranty: 90 Day Razer

Condition: Refurbished

Features:

• The Razer Orochi brings mobile gaming mouse standards to new heights with its small form factor and bleeding-edge technology
• Equipped with a gaming-grade laser sensor and dual mode wired/wireless functionality
• With built-in Bluetooth 2.0 compatibility with most laptops, the Razer Orochi offers gamers on the go hassle-free wireless convenience
• With a wired mode option, the Razer Orochi delivers gaming grade precision, control and accuracy
• Boasts 4000dpi 3G Laser sensor, which enables movement speeds of 5 times that of standard 800dpi optical sensors

System Requirements

• Bluetooth enabled PC / Mac with USB port
• Windows? 7 / Windows Vista? / Windows? XP or Mac OS X (v10.4 and above)
• Internet connection (for driver installation)
• At least 35MB of hard disk space

Technical Specifications

Razer Precision 3G Laser sensor Tracking up to 100 inches per second Ambidextrous design Razer Synapse On-board Memory On-The-Fly Sensitivity adjustment Zero-acoustic Ultraslick mouse feet Gold-plated USB connector Powered by 2 AA batteries Approx. size in mm: 3.9" (L) x 2.6"(W) x 1.4"(H)

Wireless Mode

Gaming optimized Bluetooth? 2.0 connectivity Up to 2000DPI sensitivity 125Hz polling/ 8ms response Powered by 2 AA batteries High performance batteries are recommended for longer battery life To conserve power, switch off the Razer Orochi when not in use

Wired Mode

Detachable three foot, lightweight, braided micro-USB cord Up to 4000DPI sensitivity 1000Hz Ultrapolling/ 1ms response

In the box:

• Razer Orochi Gaming Mouse
• USB Cable
• (2) AA Batteries
• Carry Case

Source: http://www.woot.com/Blog/ViewEntry.aspx?Id=21179

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Watch WSU basketball coach Ken Bone fall on his wazoo

Sunday?s rivalry game between Washington State and Washington was better than suggested by the final score ? UW 75, WSU 65 ? as the Huskies overcame a sizable deficit with a 21-4 run in the second half.

Surely, that was entertaining enough. But during the middle of that Huskies run, WSU coach Ken Bone got a little too excited. Hopping up to call a timeout at 9:29 left, Bone?s feet slipped out from under him and he flopped onto the court.

Good sport he is, he laughed it off.

You can watch video of the goof at Deadspin.

CLICK TO WATCH

Meanwhile, the Huskies seem to now be finding themselves as a serious Pac-12 contender. Now 4-1 in conference games, Washington is in third place behind Stanford and California, which are tied at 5-1 each.

The Cougs slipped to 1-4.

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle news. Contact Nick Eaton at nickeaton@seattlepi.com or on Twitter as @njeaton.

Sunday?s rivalry game between Washington State and Washington was better than suggested by the final score ? UW 75, WSU 65 ? as the Huskies overcame a sizable deficit with a 21-4 run in the second half. Surely, that was entertaining enough. But during the middle of that Huskies run, WSU coach Ken Bone got [...]

continue reading

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2012/01/16/watch-wsu-basketball-coach-ken-bone-fall-on-his-butt/

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Apple co-founder prefers Android phones, blasts Siri (Appolicious)

Steve Wozniak may have helped Steve Jobs build one of the greatest consumer electronics empires in the world, but this Apple co-founder admits that he loves his Android handset. During an interview with the Daily Beast, the Woz blasts the iPhone for its limitations and highlights a number of perks that Android brings, including voice commands that are better than Siri and navigation. ?My primary phone is the iPhone, I love the beauty of it,? Wozniak says. ?But I wish it did all the things my Android does, I really do.?

The statement was heard around the world, as Wozniak adds fuel to the bitter battle between Apple and Android. It?s a rivalry that hearkens back to the days of Apple versus Microsoft back in the 1990s, where Apple lost out to volume, pricing and accessibility. Wozniak thinks Apple?s mobile strategy may not be differentiated enough, however, saying ?there?s not as big a difference [between iOS and Android] as there was between Mac and Windows.?

Android losing control of its market?

Wozniak goes on to note Apple?s strict app approval process as a sticking point that ultimately gives Android the lead, and this has been a point of contention from day one. Apple?s been slow to give up control over its ecosystem, while Android may have given up too much control with its open app store. Some argue that Android?s openness is contributing to its detriment around fragmentation, some even saying that Google has no chance of regaining control. But it may not be total control Google?s after when it comes to Android. Its open source platform acts as a partner for manufacturers like Samsung and HTC, emboldening the Android ecosystem for rapid expansion and broad consumer appeal. It?s worked out quite well for handset makers, even enabling Samsung to compete on a more direct level with the Apple iPhone.

The dangers of Android patent infringement

But making Android phones does have its downside. Microsoft, the company that first beat out the Macintosh PC some decades ago, is looking to dominate the mobile scene any way it can. This strategy revolves around targeting Android manufacturers for licensing agreements, and Pantech could be next. South Korea?s third largest handset maker is reportedly in talks with Microsoft regarding the patent usage in its Android smartphones, and could end up paying around $5 per Android device sold. HTC and Samsung already have deals with Microsoft, which now collects fees from nearly 70 percent of Android device makers. South Korea?s second-largest handset maker, LG, just signed a deal last week.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/appolicious_rss/rss_appolicious_tc/http___www_androidapps_com_articles10786_apple_co_founder_prefers_android_phones_blasts_siri/44205448/SIG=134b0senq/*http%3A//www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/10786-apple-co-founder-prefers-android-phones-blasts-siri

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'Occupy Congress' attempts to get lawmakers' attention

On Tuesday, activists from around the US plan activities dubbed ?Occupy Congress." Organizers hope this will be the largest Occupy gathering yet, and individual lawmakers may expect visits.

Tuesday marks the debut of Occupy 2.0.?Gathering?on the steps of the nation?s Capitol building in Washington Tuesday morning, Occupyers from around the United States plan to?mark the day dubbed ?Occupy Congress.??

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Says one of the event?s organizers, lawyer and author Kevin Zeese, ?The world will see the beginning of a much?more sophisticated, angry and targeted Occupy movement.? ?

With some 30 activist groups, supporters from local movements around the country as well as some 10,000 Facebook supporters stating their intention to show up, organizers hope this will be the largest Occupy gathering yet.

?If the first three months of the movement awakened the country?s elites,? says Mr. Zeese, ?our American spring will scare them.?

The significance of the date,?according to the Occupy Congress website is to welcome the?2012 House of Representatives back to town: ?We need to be there en masse as soon as they begin their legislative session to let them know that they?re not going to waste another year. What better way to welcome them back than to have a huge demonstration that will drive the conversation on the ground and in the media.?

While the day will include standard Occupy events?such as a rally, an open-mike period, and a General Assembly, it will also include carefully-choreographed, one-one-one?visits to individual lawmakers. Directions for?setting up an appointment?are on the website, complete with guidance for identifying your local representative and how to?contact them.

Villanova University social movement researcher Catherine Wilson calls?Tuesday?s action an important escalation of the movement?s potential power.??

?By moving its site of operation to the halls of Congress, Occupy hopes not only to frame the key political issues at hand but also to influence political decision-making by building relationships with public officials,? she notes via email.?Support from public officials would benefit Occupy as a whole by lending the movement legitimacy, she says.

But lobbying?members of Congress?reduces the original spirit of Occupy Wall Street to politicking, says Drexel University professor George Ciccariello-Maher.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/MUhzPA5EpCE/Occupy-Congress-attempts-to-get-lawmakers-attention

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The custom-built "roleplay" system was designed and implemented by Eric Martindale as of July 2009. All attempts to replicate or otherwise emulate this system and its method of organizing roleplay are strictly prohibited without his express written and contractual permission; violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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S&P, Greece pressure euro zone to boost defenses (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Mass euro zone ratings downgrades are unlikely to shake up investors too much, but with Greek debt talks at an impasse, pressure has been loaded on the bloc to shore up its defenses and glimmers of optimism from last week have been firmly doused.

With the United States and Japan already downgraded from "AAA," the likes of France and Austria are in good company and Standard & Poor's ratings cuts had been flagged in December. Nonetheless, the upbeat tone that surrounded last week's strong Spanish bond auction now seems a distant memory.

"The euro zone crisis is now dominating market activity again, after a period in which better economic news from the U.S., and easier monetary policy in China had helped markets move higher," said Dominic Rossi, chief investment officer, equities, at Fidelity Worldwide Investment.

Shares in Asia fell more than 1 percent on Monday in reaction to the S&P downgrades and the euro hovered near a 17-month low against the dollar.

U.S. markets are closed for the Martin Luther King holiday, but the euro zone will not have to wait long for a test of investor appetite.

France will attempt to sell up to 8 billion euros of debt on Thursday and Spain will tap the market again after a successful bond auction last week where it raised twice as much as expected at lower borrowing costs.

Analysts put that success down to the flood of cheap 3-year money the European Central Bank pushed into the banking system in December. It will make the same offer in February, fostering hopes that it can avert a credit crunch and helped bolster struggling euro zone debt issuers to boot.

ECB Governing Council member Ewald Nowotny said on Sunday the central bank would do all it could to calm the situation after the downgrade.

"Everything that is within our possibilities will be done to bring about a relaxation (of the situation)," he said on television in Austria.

But the twin blows of the serial S&P downgrades and the stalled Greek bond swap talks have cast another pall of gloom. This time, Spain will try to sell longer-term debt, which could be tougher.

"While the market impact of the downgrades is unlikely to be very significant in the short term, they serve as a stark reminder that the euro area sovereign crisis is here to stay," analysts at RBS said. "We continue to expect the crisis to deepen eventually leading to further widening in spreads across countries vis-a-vis Germany."

After downgrading nine of the euro zone's 17 countries, S&P said it would decide shortly whether to do the same for the currency area's EFSF bailout fund. Ratings cuts for commercial banks are probably imminent too.

"Speculation around an EFSF downgrade will now grow, complicating its ability to raise capital and displace the ECB in the sovereign bond purchasing program," Rossi said. "Both the ECB and the IMF will get sucked further into central roles."

A senior euro zone official said the EFSF could retain its AAA rating with Standard & Poor's through higher guarantees from the euro zone's remaining triple A countries or lower lending capacity.

Still, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said on German radio on Monday that German guarantees for the EFSF were sufficient.

Negotiations with the banks on a bond swap scheme designed to eat into Greece's colossal debts are expected to restart on Wednesday with Athens warning of catastrophe if they fall apart.

Without a deal, a planned 130 billion euro Greek bailout of which the bond swap is a vital part will be fundamentally holed, raising the prospect of default in March when massive bond payments are due. That, rather than the long-anticipated S&P downgrades, looks to be the bigger worry for investors.

"At this stage, there is a growing risk of a coercive rather than voluntary debt restructuring, even though the latter is still our base case," said Joachim Fels, economist at Morgan Stanley.

SENSE OF URGENCY

Euro zone leaders do seem to be gripped with a sense of urgency although they have failed for nearly three years to get on the top of the sovereign debt crisis born in Greece.

Rather than launch a broadside at S&P, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday said she and her fellow leaders must act more swiftly to impose common fiscal rules and get a permanent rescue fund up and running.

"Although nobody is excited about the S&P decision, the step may actually help to get a quick agreement on the fiscal compact," a German government official said.

While not expecting a euro zone break up, S&P blamed its leaders for focusing too much on cutting debts and not sufficiently on competitiveness and growth.

The ratings agency, and many economists, say austerity for its own sake will be self-defeating - deepening economic downturns and cutting government revenues needed to lower debt.

"Market participants are worried about a vicious circle in which they tighten, growth weakens, the deficits get bigger despite the efforts to tighten," said Jim O'Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

The concerns were echoed by IMF Deputy Managing Director David Lipton, who said EU action was needed.

"Without.... action, Europe will be swept into a downward spiral of collapsing confidence, stagnant growth and fewer jobs," he said at a conference in Hong Kong on Monday.

Ahead of an EU summit on January 30 which will attempt to alight upon a growth strategy, shuttle diplomacy continues apace this week.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy sees Spain's Mariano Rajoy in Madrid on Monday. Italian premier Mario Monti visits Britain's David Cameron in London on Wednesday, then hosts Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Rome at the end of the week.

Aside from Greece it is Italy, facing massive bond repayments over the next three months, which poses the biggest threat to the euro zone. It was downgraded two notches by S&P.

"More than the moves on France and Austria, which are relatively symbolic and to a large extent reflected in prices already, the Italian downgrade might be key going forward," said Laurent Fransolet at Barclays Capital.

"Italy is at BBB+ now by S&P, but is on watch negative by Fitch and on negative outlook by Moody's and therefore some further downgrades are likely."

The more upbeat view is that, in the end, Europe's leaders will not allow the whole edifice to collapse, despite German and ECB reservations about many of the policy options. But even optimists say uncertainty will reign for some time.

"Some day the markets will wake up and see that Europe is not going to allow a collapse. If they get through the next six months, you can see the tide turning. Sentiment changes very rapidly," said John Fitzgerald of the Economic and Social Research Institute, a Dublin-based think tank, who also sits on the board of the Irish central bank.

Europe is the biggest threat to the global economy, JP Morgan's chief executive Jamie Dimon told German newspaper Die Welt's Sunday edition. "I thought Europe would muddle through. I still believe that," he was quoted as saying.

(Additional reporting by Andreas Rinke, Alex Smith, Nigel Stephenson, Robin Emmott, Jamie McGeever and Adrian Croft)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120116/bs_nm/us_eurozone

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Pakistani court clashes with weakened government (AP)

ISLAMABAD ? The political crisis engulfing Pakistan deepened Monday when the nation's top court clashed with a beleaguered government already under attack from the powerful army ? a combined assault that could bring down the U.S.-backed administration.

The Supreme Court launched contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for failing to carry out its order to reopen a corruption case against President Asif Ali Zardari and demanded Gilani make a rare appearance before the judges Thursday. If the court convicts Gilani of contempt, he could serve up to six months in prison and be disqualified from holding office.

The nuclear-armed country is already grappling with an ailing economy and a violent Islamist insurgency. The latest clash could also complicate U.S. efforts to get Pakistan to cooperate on the war in neighboring Afghanistan, especially peace talks with the Taliban ? although Washington had made little headway on that even before this crisis.

"The Supreme Court and the government are in an open clash now, and it seems fairly obvious the court is unwilling to back off," said Cyril Almeida, a lawyer and columnist for Pakistan's Dawn newspaper.

Even before the latest clash with the court, the government was locked in a bitter conflict with the army over a secret memo sent to Washington last year aimed at stopping a supposed military coup.

The Supreme Court ruling boosted the sense that the administration could fall, squeezed between the court and Pakistan's powerful generals. Some observers have speculated the army is working behind the scenes with the court to oust the government by constitutional means.

"Once the Supreme Court, the army and the political opposition agree the government needs to go sooner rather than later, it seems very difficult for the government to stay on," Almeida said.

Still the court could have its own reasons for stepping up pressure on the government. Supreme Court Justice Mohammad Iftikhar Chaudhry has clashed with Zardari in the past, and the judges could be fed up with the government defying its order to reopen the corruption case against the president.

Gilani promised to appear before the Supreme Court on Thursday but warned both the judges and the army that they must protect democracy.

"It cannot happen that they derail system," said Gilani after a majority in parliament ? mostly the ruling party and its allies ? passed a resolution supporting the government.

The resolution said the balance of powers "must be fully respected and adhered to and all state institutions must strictly function within the limits imposed on them by the constitution."

Critics have predicted the civilian government's demise many times since it was elected in 2008 after 10 years of military rule, and it has always defied the forecasts. But this time around, the crisis has drawn the army in more directly, and the court seems to be in no mood to compromise

Since Pakistan was founded in 1947, no civilian government has ever completed a full five-year term before being toppled by a military coup or forced to call early elections. There have been three coups over that period, and while a fourth is considered unlikely, early polls look increasingly possible because of the rising tension.

The Supreme Court has ordered the government to ask Swiss authorities to reopen a corruption case against the president that dates back to the 1990s. The case centers on $60 million in kickbacks that Zardari and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, allegedly received from Swiss cargo companies.

The government has refused to reopen the case, saying Zardari has immunity, and supporters say the court is pursuing a vendetta against the civilian leadership.

Zardari has been vulnerable to prosecution since 2009 when the Supreme Court struck down an amnesty granting him and other leading political figures immunity from past graft cases. The court deemed the amnesty, which was granted in 2008, as unconstitutional.

The court initiated contempt proceedings against the prime minister on Monday after the government failed to respond to an order outlining a series of punitive options the judges could take if the government did not reopen the case against Zardari. Attorney General Maulvi Anwarul Haq told the court he had not received instructions from the country's leaders on how to respond to the order ? a response that clearly angered the judges.

Faced with going to jail, Gilani may tell the court during his appearance Thursday that he intends to write the letter to Swiss authorities authorizing them to reopen the case against Zardari, but that could come with a serious political cost.

Zardari stated in an interview last week that he would never send the letter, saying it would dishonor his late wife. Last year, Swiss prosecutors told reporters they couldn't reopen the case because Zardari had immunity.

The prime minister has also clashed with army ? the strongest institution in the country ? over the memo scandal.

The army was outraged by the memo, which was allegedly sent by the government and offered the U.S. a raft of favorable security policies in exchange for reining in the military.

The army pushed the Supreme Court to open an inquiry into the scandal last month against the wishes of the government, which has denied any connection to the memo and argued the matter was already being probed by parliament.

Gilani criticized the army last week for cooperating with the Supreme Court probe, saying the standoff was nothing less than a choice between "democracy and dictatorship." The prime minister's comments followed a warning from the generals of possible "grievous consequences" ahead if the government did not stop its criticism of the army.

Gilani warned members of parliament Thursday, especially in the opposition, of serious consequences if they didn't stand by the government in supporting democracy.

"If there is no democracy, everything will be finished," said Gilani. "If there is no democracy, we will all go together."

____

Associated Press writers Chris Brummitt and Asif Shahzad contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120116/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

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Tebowmania grabs headlines from Brady

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady smiles during practice at the their training facility in Foxborough, Mass. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady smiles during practice at the their training facility in Foxborough, Mass. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady listens to a reporters question during a media availability at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. New England takes on the Denver Broncos in an NFL divisional playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 14. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady talks with reporters during a media availability at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow throws a pass during NFL football practice in Englewood, Colo, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. The Broncos are scheduled to play the New England Patriots in a divisional playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 14 in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Hyoung Chang) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, left, looks on during NFL football practice in Englewood, Colo, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. The Broncos are scheduled to play the New England Patriots in a divisional playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 14 in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Hyoung Chang) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) ? For his latest trick, Tim Tebow is making three-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady disappear from the headlines.

Now, with Tebowmania in full force, the Denver Broncos hope to make the New England Patriots vanish from the playoffs when they meet Saturday night.

Photos of the devout, much doubted Denver sensation kneeling on the turf in prayer are a weekly occurrence. There are plenty of shots of him with arms thrust in the air after a scoring play.

But where are those pictures of Brady posing with supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen or with the Patriots title trophies?

That's what happens when Tebow leads the Broncos to four overtime wins in one season, capped by last Sunday's wild-card victory over Pittsburgh. For Brady, coming off one of the best of his 12 seasons, greatness is expected and not often celebrated.

"I'm never surprised at what gets talked about anymore," Patriots left tackle Matt Light said with a smile. "I think I saw a seven-minute (video) piece on a girl that ate M&Ms while doing a handstand. That was interesting. I mean, I got into it for a while.

"I think it's just any time there's anything new ? he's obviously new (and) he's done some incredible things this season. I think the hype is justified."

If Tebow can stun the odds makers who have made the Broncos 13 1-2-point underdogs, the attention will grow heading into the AFC championship game. Forecasters are predicting the coldest day of the winter with temperatures in the single digits Saturday night.

Tebow, who played four seasons at Florida, hasn't been in many games below 20 degrees.

"I'd say probably a handful," he said, "not as many as Mr. Brady has, probably."

The Patriots, winners of eight straight games but losers of their last three in the playoffs ? the last two at home ? beat the Broncos on Dec. 18 in Denver, 41-23.

New England (13-3) gave up 167 yards rushing in the first quarter and trailed 16-7 early in the second. But three Denver turnovers in that quarter were costly. Defensively, the Broncos controlled receiving stars Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski, but were hurt by the Patriots' other tight end, Aaron Hernandez.

The Patriots gave up the second-most yards in the league this season, but, with Brady, they scored the third most. So pass rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil must get to him early and defensive backs must cover as long as necessary.

Tebow won't have leading receiver Eric Decker, who hurt his left knee against Pittsburgh. But Willis McGahee ran for 1,199 yards and Tebow added 660 this season on the NFL's top rushing team.

"We can learn a little bit from our last game against them, but this is a whole new deal," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "They're a tough team to prepare for. They give you a lot of looks on both sides of the ball."

Tebow brought the Broncos (9-8) back from a 1-4 start all the way to the playoffs despite completing 46.5 percent of his passes with a flawed motion and losing the last three regular-season games.

But the hype soared after last Sunday's playoff victory.

On the very first play of overtime, Pittsburgh had no deep safety. All Demaryius Thomas had to do was catch Tebow's 18-yard pass over the middle and run the rest of the way for an 80-yard touchdown and a 29-23 win.

That cranked up the Tebowmania volume on postgame shows but not among his teammates.

"For the most part, it's not like it's something that you ask for," Tebow said. "You care about going out there and trying to get better every day and trying to be a great teammate."

And his teammates don't focus on the hype.

"It's nowhere in the locker room," safety Quinton Carter said. "Everybody else outside of here can have fun with that. We're here to work. We're here to win. We don't think about it."

Tebow also has gotten plenty of attention for displaying his religious views by Tebowing ? the description for his kneeling ? and referring to his faith.

Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater also is deeply religious.

"I think he's doing the right thing," Slater said. "I think that he's challenging other believers across the league to maybe be more open about their beliefs as well."

Brady rarely discusses his personal feelings. He prefers to focus only on football. But there are similarities in how he and Tebow began their careers, both facing doubts about their NFL prospects.

The Patriots didn't draft Brady until the sixth round in 2000 and he became a starter in the third game of 2001 after Drew Bledsoe was injured. Tebow won two national championships and the Heisman Trophy at Florida but wasn't drafted until the 25th pick in 2010 and started just three games as a rookie amid doubts about his passing skills.

"I think everybody has a story to tell. Every player who has made it this far has had to overcome some adversity," Brady said. "It could be injuries or a lack of opportunities or you're stuck behind someone else. There are very few people that get brought to the NFL ushered in on a red carpet.

"I think everybody has to fight through some things, which really, you can see kind of someone's strength of character and what they're made of when they're faced with adversity."

Then there's the parallel between each quarterback's first playoff game.

Ten years ago, on Jan. 19, the Patriots beat the Oakland Raiders 16-13 in the "Tuck Rule Game." Brady appeared to lose a fumble with 1:43 left, but officials ruled the replay showed his arm going forward. That made it an incompletion even though Brady appeared to be trying to tuck the ball into his body.

Adam Vinatieri then tied the game with a 45-yard field goal in the snow with 27 seconds to go in regulation and won it with a 23-yarder midway through overtime.

Unlikely? Definitely.

"That was a long time ago," Light said. "I think that where we are now is drastically different than where we were then."

But more unlikely than Tebow's 80-yarder to Thomas?

Another similarity: both quarterbacks strive to be just one of the guys, unselfish players who blend in.

In 2005, Brady posed for GQ Magazine holding a baby goat. His teammates razzed him.

And now, Tebow says his teammates tease him about his fame.

"Hopefully, they see you as a friend and as a teammate," he said. "The rest of it is something that we laugh at and, sometimes, they make fun of you for."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-13-FBN-Broncos-Patriots/id-a9192da9cca04768aee5050ae9da28a0

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