Canada Further Expands Sanctions Against Syria

(No. 390 - December 23, 2011 - 10:15 a.m. ET) Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today announced new sanctions on Syria?s Assad regime in response to its ongoing and escalating repression of Syrians:

?Despite increased international condemnation, the senseless violence against the Syrian people continues to claim lives.

?Canada is therefore continuing to step up its pressure on the regime and those who support it by introducing additional targeted sanctions.

?These measures prohibit all imports, with the exception of food, from Syria; all new investment in Syria; and the export to Syria of equipment, including software, for the monitoring of telephone and Internet communications. Canada is also imposing an assets freeze and prohibiting economic dealings with additional individuals and entities associated with the Assad regime.

?Canada stands with the Syrian people in their efforts to secure for themselves a brighter future. We look forward to a new Syria that respects the rights of its people and lives in peace with its neighbours.

?Canada remains committed to working with our international partners to bring pressure to bear on the Assad regime.

?Sanctions imposed by like-minded partners, including the United States and the European Union, and recently by the Arab League are having an impact in isolating the regime.?

On December 15, 2011, Canada announced a voluntary evacuation of its citizens in Syria and expedited efforts to help them leave the country as soon as possible. We continue to urge all Canadians in Syria to leave immediately, while commercial means are still available.

For more information, please visit Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations.

- 30 -

A backgrounder follows.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
Follow us on Twitter: @DFAIT_MAECI

Effective immediately, the amendment to the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations prohibits all imports, with the exception of food, from Syria; prohibits all new investment in Syria; prohibits the export to Syria of equipment, including software, for the monitoring of telephone and Internet communications; and imposes an assets freeze and a prohibition on economic dealings with additional individuals and entities associated with the Assad regime.

The additional individuals and entities announced today, and named below, bring the total of those targeted by Canada?s sanctions to 81 individuals and 31 entities.

Individuals

1. Tarif Akhras
2. Issam Anbouba
3. Emad Ghraiwati
4. Jumah Al-Ahmad (Major-General)
5. Lu?ai Al-Ali (Colonel)
6. Jasim Al-Furayj (Lieutenant-General)
7. Aous Aslan (General), (a.k.a. Aws Aslan)
8. Ali Abdullah Ayyub (Lieutenant-General)
9. Ghassan Belal (General)
10. Abdullah Berri
11. George Chaoui
12. Zuhair Hamad (Major-General)
13. Amar Ismael
14. Mujahed Ismail
15. Saqr Khayr Bek
16. Wajih Mahmud (Major-General)
17. Kifah Moulhem
18. Nazih (Major-General)
19. Bassam Sabbagh
20. Fu?ad Tawil (Major-General)
21. Mustafa Tlass Tala, (Lieutenant-General)
22. Ibrahim Al-Hassan (Major-General)
23. Fahid Al-Jassim (Lieutenant-General)
24. Mohammad Al-Jleilati
25. Mohammad Nidal Al-Shaar (Doctor)
26. Mohammad Al-Shaar
27. Khald Al-Taweel
28. Ali Barakat (Brigadier)
29. Ghiath Fayad
30. Nazih Hassun (Brigadier)
31. Maan Jdiid (Captain)
32. Talal Makhluf (Brigadier)
33. Khalil Zghraybih (Brigadier)

Entities

1. Al Furat Petroleum Company
2. Al Watan
3. Business Lab
4. Centre d??tudes et de Recherches Syrien (CERS)
5. Cham Press TV
6. Handasieh - Organization For Engineering Industries
7. Industrial Solutions
8. Mechanical Construction Factory (MCF)
9. Syria Trading Oil Company
10. Syronics-Syrian Arab Co. for Electronic Industries

For more information on Canada?s sanctions against Syria, please see Syria.

Context

On May 24, 2011, Canada announced targeted sanctions against the Syrian regime and some designated individuals and entities in response to the ongoing violent crackdown by Syrian military and security forces against Syrians peacefully protesting for democracy and human rights. These measures, which remain in place, were a blend of administrative measures and actions taken under the authority of the Special Economic Measures Act and were consistent with initiatives taken by like-minded partners, including the United States and the European Union.

On August 13, 2011, Canada expanded sanctions by seeking to freeze the assets of four additional individuals and two additional entities associated with the Syrian regime and to ensure that those people believed to be inadmissible to Canada would be prevented from travelling to Canada. Measures implemented by Canada included a prohibition on dealing in the property of listed individuals and entities?including the provision of financial services and making property available for their benefit?and travel restrictions.

Canadian Measures

1. Travel restrictions: Canada ensured that persons associated with the Syrian government who are believed to be inadmissible to Canada are prevented from travelling to Canada.
2. An asset freeze: Canada imposed an asset freeze against people associated with the current Syrian regime and entities involved in security and military operations against the Syrian people.
3. A ban on specific exports and imports: Canada placed a ban under the Export and Import Permits Act on the export from Canada to Syria of goods and technology that are subject to export controls. These items include arms, munitions, and military, nuclear and strategic items that are intended for use by the Syrian armed forces, police or other governmental agencies.
4. A suspension of all bilateral cooperation agreements and initiatives with Syria.

The measures announced are consistent with Canada?s foreign policy priority to promote freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law around the world. Canada stands with the Syrian people in their calls for a brighter future for Syria.

A news release announcing the May 24 sanctions can be found at PM announces sanctions on Syria.

For more information on the August 13 announcement, please visit Statement by Minister Baird on Situation in Syria.

On October 4, 2011, Canada imposed the following additional measures:

1. A prohibition on the importation, purchase or transportation of petroleum or petroleum products from Syria.
2. A prohibition on new investment in the Syrian oil sector.
3. A prohibition on the provision or acquisition of financial services for the purpose of facilitating the importation, purchase or transportation of Syrian petroleum or petroleum products.
4. A prohibition on the provision or acquisition of financial services for the purpose of investing in the Syrian oil sector.

For information on the October 4 announcement, please visit Canada Expands Sanctions Against Syria.

Source: http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2011/390.aspx?lang=eng

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This Week's Top Downloads [Download Roundup]

Dec 24, 2011 5:00 PM 4,708 0

• DeSopa for Firefox Bypasses SOPA DNS Blocking (Firefox) DeSopa is the latest Firefox add-on that can counter the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)'s DNS blocking if the bill passes. The extension gets you through sites censored by DNS and lets you browse them by IP address.
• Better Explorer Brings a Windows 8-Style Explorer to Windows 7, Ribbon and All (Windows) If you like the look of Windows 8's new version of Windows Explorer, but don't want to use the developer preview, free app Better Explorer brings some of the perks to your Windows 7 desktop.
• MiLocker Brings MIUI's Gorgeous Lock Screens to Any Android Device, Even Non-Rooted Ones (Android) If you've ever had the luxury of using the MIUI ROM on your Android device, you already understand how good it looks and how customizable it is. We love it too, but if you want a taste of what MIUI offers without having to root your device, back it up, install a new ROM, and restore your data, you can try MiLocker, a lockscreen utility that brings MIUI's customizable lock screens to any Android device, including stock devices that haven't been rooted.
• WhoAreYou Brings Visual Caller ID to Android (Android) WhoAreYou is a free app designed to bring true caller ID (caller ID without needing the contact in your phone book) to your mobile phone. It visually displays who's calling, so you can decide to answer, send to voicemail, or "ditch" the caller.
• Photo Police Sniffs Out Photoshopped Images, Highlights How They Were Changed (Mac) We've discussed how a keen eye can help you detect if an image has been photoshopped, but if you need an app to help you determine if that photo is a fake, Photo Police is a utility for the Mac that can help. If it does detect that an image has been modified, it will show you what's been changed so you can get an idea of what the original may have looked like.
• Visual Hashing Makes Sure You Never Mistype Your Passwords (Chrome/Firefox) If you regularly mistype your password because you're in a rush, Visual Hashing will turn your password into a colored hash to you can immediately see whether you've typed it correctly or not.
• Kindle Fire Utility Easily Roots, Updates, and Hacks Your Kindle Fire (Windows) Several Kindle Fire hacks have surfaced since its release, but now you can get them all in one handy utility. The aptly named Kindle Fire Utility will root and update your device as well as repair permissions, install the TWRP recovery app, and more.
• MyUnity Fixes Annoyances in Ubuntu's Unity Interface (Ubuntu) If you're using the newest versions of Ubuntu, you probably have an annoyance or two with the Unity interface. MyUnity is a system tweaker based around changing Unity's behavior and appearance.
• To-Do Manager Astrid Updates Android and iOS Apps with a New UI and Featured Lists (iOS/Android) Popular mobile to-do manager Astrid took the wraps off of its new Android and iPhone apps recently, completely overhauling the interface to make it easier to get right to the items you're working on, see all of the related information around a specific item, and featured lists from some of the developers' favorite sites to help you add some fun and time-saving projects to your list.
• Password Security Scanner Audits the Passwords Stored in Windows Programs (Windows) Password Security Scanner from NirSoft is a program that does what its name suggests: Scans the passwords in Windows applications (Microsoft Outlook, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and more) and displays security information about the passwords-without actually showing you the passwords.

Related Stories

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/cJS09k5YMXo/this-weeks-top-downloads

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Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology

The state of morning gridlock just got a little more real with the introduction of Navteq's real-time traffic via HD radio -- to be included with Garmin's nüvi 3490LMT personal navigation device. The service is said to be four to ten times faster than other similar offerings, updating details every 30 seconds for 270,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper goodness. Lucky for us, the feature will be available on other nüvi devices as well, using the Garmin GTM 60 adapter. Push past the break to check out the full PR.

Continue reading Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology

Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 06:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Garmin  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/25/navteq-traffic-to-launch-on-garmin-devices-using-hd-radio-techno/

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Sioux Falls man dies after one-vehicle crash

A Sioux Falls man has died from injuries suffered in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 29 near the Worthing exit on Saturday, Nov. 19. Philip Hassebroek, 28, was the driver of a 2004 Ford F250 truck that lost control as it traveled southbound on I-29....

Source: http://www.argusleader.com?altcast_code=005e030ec7

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Windows Registry Errors: Finding and Correcting Them

If there happen to be errors in your machine registry, the efficiency of such machine may diminish severely and also often several programs can be altered. Quite a few won't start normally, regularly very cold or even stopping while some may work strange, system registry errors can also lead to a computer or laptop to stop responding dependant upon the extent of these inaccuracies. If you are a specialist with PCs, you could see the pop up messages and resolve such problems one by one although the majority of people will not even know what the registry is, thus what ways can they tackle this kind of issue? Here, I'm going to focus on a number of things which an individual could take to be able to look for and also fix registry errors to quicken the functionality of the computer.
One can find a couple of ways you could employ in correcting errors in your system registry, the first is to repair the mistakes on your own by personally finding the place the issues are then entering the accurate values in the registry. This isn't an effortless job because typing in bad figures can be an even serious threat to your computer or laptop in comparison with lost details, and that means you may just attempt this when you're certain in what you do. The other one technique is to hire a specialist to check out your computer, get when the inaccuracies can be and fix them. Whilst this approach is really costly, it is a lot better than fumbling about in a windows registry by yourself. Be sure that that pro you get is actually skillful when it comes to microsoft windows computer and is going to perform the job.
By far one of the best and reliable approach you should use would be to download and install some system registry cleaner to have the issues within your registry fixed conveniently. You should know that there are so many apps over the internet which carry out registry fix review?but they are simply not all the same, it is crucial for you to be diligent and discover the best app that provides a great many additional characteristics for example backing up the computer registry, forewarning a person whenever a malware tries to corrupt the system registry and perhaps performing routine checks on the system registry to identify then tackle whatever mistakes that might be present. An advantage with this tactic is you don't have to be a pro in order to deal with the registry, any computer end user can search a PC, see mistakes and fix them with ease.
Looking for the suitable registry fixer is actually another venture that can be demanding if you do not realize what features to search for in a windows reg fixer. Since there are plenty of windows registry scanners sold in the market these days, you will have to research widely in forums and even assessment sites and find the one which will be most suitable in restoring a computer or laptop without a lot difficulty. It must be convenient, trusted and automatic so that it searches the system registry on a regular basis. A good program to fix computer registry mistakes also needs to have the ability to update routinely and when possible provide you with great tips on ways to secure the computer or laptop from damage presented by by applications, viruses as well as malware which leave modifications on the system registry.

Source: http://www.theworldmindnetwork.net/xn/detail/3056526%3ABlogPost%3A521954

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Smooth traveling weather expected for much of US (AP)

ALBANY, N.Y. ? The Christmas weekend is expected to start with benign weather and smooth traveling across much of the country, except for some mountainous parts of the Northeast and Southwest.

The National Weather Service says higher elevations in New York state and New England could get 3 to 6 inches of snow Thursday night and into Friday.

The rest of the East down to the Carolinas can expect rain into midday Friday. Rain and thunderstorms are expected along the Gulf Coast.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of New Mexico, with as much as a foot of snow in the mountains before it tapers off Friday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111222/ap_on_re_us/us_holiday_travel_weather

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dxsfeeds: PadGadget Daily App Deal ? 74 iPad Apps on Sale: For today?s Daily Deal we?ve found 74 great apps to add to you... http://t.co/P4qo4rf6

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Tom Cruise Having 'A Blast' With 'Mission: Impossible' Series

'Ghost Protocol' star tells MTV News he'll continue the series, 'If I can make 'em at a level I want to make 'em.'
By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

MTV News' Josh Horowitz and Tom Cruise
Photo: MTV News

The last time we wanted to talk to Tom Cruise, we had to get on a plane, fly 12 hours across the Atlantic, and practically scale the 2,716-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai. It was easier this time, as the New York City premiere for Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" took place at the Ziegfeld Theatre, just a few blocks away from MTV News' Times Square headquarters.

The Big Apple opening brought out an array of Hollywood talent in addition to Cruise: wife Katie Holmes, co-stars Jeremy Renner, Josh Holloway, Paula Patton and Simon Pegg, plus Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Queen Latifah, Robin Thicke, Jerry Ferrara and Adam Shankman. Oh, and a couple thousand fans screaming so loud for Cruise you'd have thought they were hanging by a shoelace from the top of the Burj Khalifa.

In defense of these fans, it was freaking Tom Cruise they were cheering for, and it's been more than five years since the last "Mission" film. And if he keeps delivering franchise installments the way he wants, these premieres might happen many more times in the future.

"If I can make 'em at a level I want to make 'em," Cruise told MTV News of continuing the series. "Thing is, I've never wanted to compromise. If we can figure that out, I love making them. As a producer, they're a lot of fun. As an actor, they're really a blast and challenging."

What it comes down to for Cruise is a deep love of the source material: the '60s-era TV series starring Peter Graves, Martin Landau and others. "I just remember watching it at home on television. I loved the music and the whole thing with the gadgets and the team and the places they would go to. It was kind of a family event for us. When I went to Paramount the first time to produce it, they weren't really turning TV series into movies, but I was pretty excited about it. To be today at number four is pretty cool."

Are you excited for the latest "Mission" movie? Tell us in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Videos

• MTV Rough Cut: 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'

Related Photos

• 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Premiere Heats Up Dubai

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676301/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-tom-cruise.jhtml

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Phil Spector to take appeal to US Supreme Court (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? A lawyer for imprisoned music legend Phil Spector is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review his murder conviction, arguing his constitutional rights were violated by the trial judge.

Attorney Dennis Riordan contends that Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler became a witness for the prosecution by offering his opinion on an expert's testimony.

The filing was expected to reach the court Friday. It cites the prosecution's use of the judge's videotaped comments and his picture during prosecution summations.

The same arguments were made to state appellate justices, who refused to consider them because of a belated filing. They upheld Spector's second-degree murder conviction in the death of actress Lana Clarkson.

The California Supreme Court declined to review the case.

Spector is serving 19 years to life in prison.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_en_mu/us_phil_spector

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Swiss club Sion loses Europa League legal fight - Football news

December 15, 2011 ? GENEVA (AP) ? FC Sion lost its lengthy legal fight with UEFA on Thursday, failing to win reinstatement to the Europa League in a player eligibility dispute which had threatened football's legal structures.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA's right to kick Sion out of the competition because the Swiss club fielded ineligible players in a playoff victory over Celtic. With its verdict, the court also protected UEFA and FIFA, who had warned of legal anarchy if Sion won its case.

"This respect of the rules has to be applied at all levels: of players, clubs, leagues, and in all competitions, in order to preserve what football stands for," UEFA said in a statement. The court said the decision was "rendered unanimously by the three Swiss arbitrators comprising the arbitral panel in this case."

CAS ordered Sion to pay UEFA 40,000 Swiss francs ($42,500) for legal costs. The verdict was delivered less than 24 hours before UEFA conducts the draw for the Round of 32. Had it lost the case, UEFA faced a tricky dilemma to restore Sion halfway through the competition.

CAS said it would publish reasons for its ruling "within the next weeks." Sion then has 30 days to appeal at Switzerland's supreme court, which can overturn verdicts in a process typically lasting several months if legal process was abused.

"The club will soon go to the Swiss Federal Tribunal," Sion said in a statement. "The CAS does not offer any guarantee of independence (in particular, how it chooses arbitrators) and violates several standards of national and international law."

Sion had challenged UEFA's decision to award Celtic 3-0 wins by default for both legs of a playoff in August. Sion had won 3-1 on aggregate using five players signed in breach of a FIFA transfer ban. The dispute dates from 2008, when Sion broke FIFA transfer rules by luring goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary to break his contract with Egyptian club Al-Ahly.

FIFA banned Sion from registering new players for two official trading periods spanning one year. The legality of the sanction was upheld despite Sion appeals to FIFA, CAS and then the supreme court, which ruled in January. The sanction then took effect, but Sion defied it in the offseason and signed six new players ? Pascal Feindouno, Mario Mutsch, Gabri, Jose Goncalves, Stefan Glarner and Billy Ketkeophomphone ? arguing that the ban had been served over accumulated time.

Sion's aggressive legal tactics succeeded in entangling the Swiss league, which approves player registrations, and football's governing bodies as the club and players sought a variety of interim rulings in local civil courts.

The legal statutes of FIFA and UEFA prohibit clubs from using ordinary courts to resolve football disputes, and they repeatedly warned Sion that it must respect CAS's authority. In its ruling Thursday, CAS said some legal cases were still outstanding.

FIFA and the Swiss league have filed appeals at CAS to challenge an interim decision granted to the players by a court in Sion's home canton (state) in August. Sion had asked UEFA for ?5 million ($6.5 million) in damages and filed a criminal complaint against UEFA President Michel Platini. He met with prosecutors in UEFA's neighboring home canton (state) to explain his organization's stance.

Sion also enlisted Belgian sports lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont and said it would formally complain about UEFA to the European Commission.

Source: http://www.mail.com/int/sports/soccer/912992-swiss-club-sion-loses-europa-league-legal-fight.html

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Anonymous donors pay strangers' layaway accounts (AP)

OMAHA, Neb. ? After a Good Samaritan helped her pay off the layaway bill she'd accumulated to buy Christmas gifts for her grandchildren, Lori Stearnes planned to collect her paycheck Friday and head to Kmart anyway.

Her new plan: Pay the stranger's kindness forward by using the money she'd budgeted to instead support somebody else.

"It just gives you a warm feeling," said Stearnes, 53, of Omaha. "... With all the things going on the world, just to have someone do that is so, I don't know, it's hard to put into words."

At Kmart stores across the country, Santa seems to be getting some help: Anonymous donors are paying off strangers' layaway accounts, buying the Christmas gifts other families couldn't afford, especially toys and children's clothes set aside by impoverished parents.

Stearnes said at first she thought it was a joke when someone from the Omaha store called to say someone had paid off most of her layaway bill for toys and outfits she bought for the youngest four of her seven grandchildren.

The total bill was about $250, but after the stranger helped, she only had a $58 balance, she said. Stearns, who cleans medical instruments at a hospital, said she and her husband, Lloyd, live paycheck to paycheck and that layaway often helps spread out the costs of Christmas.

A similar random act of kindness happened at a Kmart in Indianapolis, where a young father wearing dirty clothes and worn-out boots, stood in line at a layaway counter alongside three small children.

He asked to pay something on his bill because he knew he wouldn't be able to afford it all before Christmas. Then a mysterious woman stepped up to the counter.

"She told him, `No, I'm paying for it,'" recalled Edna Deppe, assistant manager at the store in Indianapolis. "He just stood there and looked at her and then looked at me and asked if it was a joke. I told him it wasn't, and that she was going to pay for him. And he just busted out in tears."

Before she left the store Tuesday evening, the Indianapolis woman in her mid-40s had paid the layaway orders for as many as 50 people. On the way out, she handed out $50 bills and paid for two carts of toys for a woman in line at the cash register.

"She was doing it in the memory of her husband who had just died, and she said she wasn't going to be able to spend it and wanted to make people happy with it," Deppe said. The woman did not identify herself and only asked people to "remember Ben," an apparent reference to her husband.

Deppe, who said she has worked in retail for 40 years, had never seen anything like it.

"It was like an angel fell out of the sky and appeared in our store," she said.

Most of the donors have done their giving secretly.

Dona Bremser, an Omaha nurse, was at work when a Kmart employee called to tell her that someone had paid off the $70 balance of her layaway account, which held nearly $200 in toys for her 4-year-old son.

"I was speechless," Bremser said. "It made me believe in Christmas again."

Dozens of other customers have received similar calls in Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and Montana.

The benefactors generally ask to help families who are squirreling away items for young children. They often pay a portion of the balance, usually all but a few dollars or cents so the layaway order stays in the store's system.

The phenomenon seems to have begun in Michigan before spreading, Kmart executives said.

"It is honestly being driven by people wanting to do a good deed at this time of the year," said Salima Yala, Kmart's division vice president for layaway.

The good Samaritans seem to be visiting mainly Kmart stores, though a Wal-Mart spokesman said a few of his stores in Joplin, Mo., and Chicago have also seen some layaway accounts paid off.

Kmart representatives say they did nothing to instigate the secret Santas or spread word of the generosity. But it's happening as the company struggles to compete with chains such as Wal-Mart and Target.

Kmart may be the focus of layaway generosity, Yala said, because it is one of the few large discount stores that has offered layaway year-round for about four decades. Under the program, customers can make purchases but let the store hold onto their merchandise as they pay it off slowly over several weeks.

Karl Graff, assistant manager of the Omaha store, said at least one good Samaritan paid off the accounts of five people. One woman broke into tears when he called to tell her about the help.

"She wasn't sure she was going to be able to pay off their layaway and was afraid their kids weren't going to have anything for Christmas," Graff said. "You know, 50 bucks may not sound like a lot, but I tell you what, at the right time, it may as well be a million dollars for some people."

In Missoula, Mont., a man spent more than $1,200 to pay down the balances of six customers whose layaway orders were about to be returned to a Kmart store's inventory because of late payments.

Store employees reached one beneficiary on her cellphone at Seattle Children's Hospital, where her son was being treated for an undisclosed illness.

"She was yelling at the nurses, `We're going to have Christmas after all!'" store manager Josine Murrin said.

A Kmart in Plainfield Township, Mich., called Roberta Carter last week to let her know a man had paid all but 40 cents of her $60 layaway.

Carter, a mother of eight from Grand Rapids, Mich., said she cried upon hearing the news. She and her family have been struggling as she seeks a full-time job.

"My kids will have clothes for Christmas," she said.

Angie Torres, a stay-at-home mother of four children under the age of 8, was in the Indianapolis Kmart on Tuesday to make a payment on her layaway bill when she learned the woman next to her was paying off her account.

"I started to cry. I couldn't believe it," said Torres, who doubted she would have been able to pay off the balance. "I was in disbelief. I hugged her and gave her a kiss."

___

Associated Press writers Michael J. Crumb in Des Moines, Iowa; Matt Volz, in Helena, Mont.; and Jeff Karoub in Detroit contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_re_us/us_layaway_santas

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Oil near $96 amid Europe debt, economy concerns (AP)

SINGAPORE ? Oil prices rose to near $96 a barrel Thursday in Asia after plunging the previous session on investor pessimism that Europe's debt crisis will trigger a recession on the continent next year.

Benchmark crude for January delivery was up 95 cents to $95.90 a barrel in late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $5.19, or 5.2 percent, to settle at $94.95 on Wednesday.

In London, Brent crude was up 99 cents at $105.24 on the ICE futures exchange.

Crude dropped Wednesday amid growing concerns about slowing global oil demand. The International Energy Agency and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have recently forecast fuel consumption will grow slightly next year, but some analysts say even those modest expectations may be too optimistic.

Before Wednesday, crude had traded near $100 for the last month after jumping from $75 in October amid signs the U.S. economy is slowly improving.

"The latest demand forecasts from both OPEC and the IEA still look too high and oil prices have further to fall," Capital Economics said in a report. The consultancy expects Brent crude to fall to near $85 by the end of next year.

Investor fears that European leaders may not be able to contain the region's debt woes helped pull the euro down to its lowest level against the U.S. dollar in 11 months Wednesday. A stronger dollar makes crude more expensive for investors with other currencies.

In other energy trading on the Nymex, natural gas fell 0.1 cents at $3.14 per 1,000 cubic feet. Heating oil gained 2.8 cents to $2.86 a gallon and gasoline futures added 3.5 cents to $2.54 a gallon.

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Video: Clinton in Germany for Afghan conference (cbsnews)

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Trump, Gingrich To Create Apprentice Program for Poor Kids (ABC News)

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Michelle Obama Honors Military Families at White House (ABC News)

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House panel votes to subpoena Corzine on MF Global

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A congressional panel has voted to subpoena former Sen. Jon Corzine to compel him to testify at a hearing next week about his role leading the investment firm MF Global, which collapsed after a disastrous bet on European debt.

The House Agriculture Committee voted Friday to issue the subpoena. Committee Chairman Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said Corzine hadn't yet confirmed that he would come and "his testimony is essential to fulfill our objectives."

It woulkd be a rare appearance by a former member of Congress asked to testify under oath about a matter under federal investigation in which he was involved.

Regulators are investigating whether MF Global used money from customers' accounts for its own purposes as its financial condition worsened.

An estimated $1.2 billion or more may be missing from customer accounts.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-02-MF%20Global-Corzine-Congress/id-27ad2f5e06b541848fbf5b29efd8b4de

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House Republicans step up anti-regulation effort (AP)

WASHINGTON ? House Republicans have launched their most ambitious, pro-business effort yet to rein in Obama administration regulators, triggering a furious debate over the value of new rules for clean air, workplace safety, children's toys and many other categories.

The House was set to vote Friday on the second of two anti-regulation bills, legislation that would impose potentially stifling procedures on federal regulators. Republicans argue that avoiding expensive new regulations would aid businesses in hiring workers, while Democrats counter that Americans' health and safety would be jeopardized.

The White House budget office didn't wait for the vote to announce that if the bill passed Congress, senior administration advisers would recommend a veto.

At this point, the Republican effort is mainly a 2012 campaign issue because the Democratic-run Senate has not passed any of the anti-regulation bills the House has approved this year.

Until now, Republicans have focused on derailing specific proposed rules, many of them from the Environmental Protection Agency. The latest effort, however, would curtail regulators ? and their proposed rules ? across the entire federal government.

The bill considered Friday, the Regulatory Accountability Act, would require numerous steps before new rules could be issued. Regulators would have to consider the legal authority for the rule, the nature and significance of the problem, any reasonable alternatives, and potential costs and benefits of the alternatives.

Federal courts would have an expanded role and the government would have a tougher legal standard to meet for a proposed rule to be affirmed.

OMB Watch, an advocacy organization that tracks federal regulations, said if the bill already had been law, the government would not have been able to issue a finding that greenhouse gases endangered public health. The group said it would have been more difficult to withstand court challenges to findings that a popular weed killer was dangerous. It would have been tougher to defend statements about the health impact of too much salt. And the government would have had to weaken a strong rule on lead in gasoline.

Still to come, probably next week, is a bill that would make it far easier for Congress to kill regulations.

The House on Thursday passed the first of the three bills in this latest anti-regulation effort. It would give more weight to the impact of federal regulations on small businesses, whose owners can be a powerful political force and are being courted by both parties.

The bill went to the Senate on a 263-159 vote.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_go_co/us_republicans_regulations

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Mason Disick and Other Celebrity Tots Who Eat Alternative Diets (omg!)

Celebs are known to go on fad diets to get red carpet ready in an instant -- Dukan diet anyone? But these days, it's their kids who are following the unusual eating habits. More than just picky eaters, these lil ones are removing wheat, nuts, and meat from their menus due to allergies and health. Take a look at seven Tinseltown tots moving beyond the children's menu and eating differently than other children in the cafeteria.

PHOTOS: 5 tips For raising a child on a vegan diet

Mason Disick: Nut Free
When Mason was 11 months old, Kourtney Kardashian found herself rushing her tot to the hospital after he tasted peanut butter and proceeded to throw up and break out in hives. On her web site she wrote:

"Friday night Mason ate some peanut butter and had a little allergic reaction to it. He threw up within minutes of tasting it and got hives on his face. I called 911, and the fire department came immediately. They suggested that we take him to the hospital, so we did. He was in good spirits the whole time and didn?t even know anything was wrong. He even enjoyed riding in the ambulance. He's such a good boy!"

While the mama hasn't commented on this diet since then, it is probably safe to say that she won't be serving him nuts any time soon.

PHOTOS: More adorable pics of Mason

Bear Blu: Vegan
Alicia Silverstone has been a long-time advocate for the vegan lifestyle. Her Kind Life book and website teach people how to achieve the animal-free diet. After going through a vegan pregnancy, Silverstone will introduce it to her son, saying:

"Bear was grown on vegan food, and we?ll continue nourishing him with a healthy diet. He'll be eating an organic, plant-based diet. I intend to take great care of his precious, new baby body, so I'm committed to giving him nothing but the purest and most healthy food possible. We want to keep his immune system strong so that he'll be super healthy, which is just one of the many reasons he'll eat vegan."?

PHOTOS:Weirdest celebrity baby names

Bryn Hoppy: Vegetarian
A natural foods chef herself, it's no surprise that Bethenny Frankel is making a food choice for her daughter. On her website, Frankel wrote about her decision to give baby Bryn a vegetarian diet:

"As far as raising Bryn as a vegetarian, that was a personal choice. If Bryn is older and wants something at a party that isn?t vegetarian, I don?t want her to feel ostracized. She'll find her way. I have eaten raw, vegan, vegetarian etc., and I love the feeling of eating all of those healthy foods and not incorporating meat. If I have to vow to never eat meat again, because she starts to notice that I have a piece of turkey bacon, then I may make that sacrifice. I chose not to have her be vegan, because I believe she needs the fat and protein in milk, and sometimes I need her to fill up on organic cheese. Her health comes first. Also, if she didn't eat so many beans and good proteins, I might change this approach."

PHOTOS:Bethenny and other celeb moms dish on the joys of motherhood

Apple Martin: Vegetarian
Gwyneth Paltrow is known for following a variety of fad diets -- macrobiotic anyone? -- but now it is her daughter that's converted to one. Though mama Paltrow's cookbook is filled with meat and fish dishes, she says that lil Apple is, "totally vegetarian." Paltrow says, "She came to it on her own. Sometimes I can get her to eat a little fish or something but almost never."

PHOTOS: Gwyneth Paltrow through the years

Rocco Ritchie: Vegetarian, Macrobiotic, Organic
Madonna's strict macrobiotic diet has paid off over the years -- she certainly doesn't look her 53 years old. When she divorced Guy Ritchie, she wanted to ensure that her kids would continue to follow her diet, even when she wasn't with them. According to reports, she issued her ex-husband a set of tough rules when the kids visit him, including keeping to a vegetarian, macrobiotic, and organic diet.

PHOTOS: Us Weekly's most talked-about babies of 2011

RJ Peete: Gluten Free
When Holly Robinson Peete was told her son RJ was diagnosed with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder at 3 years old, she did what any mother would do: find a way to make things work. She soon learned he had a gluten sensitivity and began removing wheat from his diet. She said:

"Our son had a gluten sensitivity. He tested off the charts for wheat. I had never even heard of a wheat allergy, and this was long before any celebrity came out talking about special diets. We were dealing with this long before that. We did a workup on our boy, and he was allergic to wheat. Wheat is in everything! We found it extremely helpful to wean him off of that."

"Now he's semi gluten free. He's built a tolerance to it over the years, so we've worked it back into his diet a little bit. We don't overdo it. We have two other little guys, so we started them off in the gluten-free world, so we could all eat the same kind of pizza. When we go shopping, I gotta go to three stores and online. You can't just get gluten-free stuff. You gotta find the stuff that tastes good. Ten years ago, you'd be surprised how little stuff was there that tasted good. Now there are a lot of really delicious brands that have fought hard to make some of these things taste better. That also goes to how unaffordable it can be. You can't get that food at Costco. In your family budget, you gotta work that in."

PHOTOS: See what these celeb kids eat

Evan Asher: Gluten Free
A longtime advocate for gluten-free diets for autistic children, Jenny McCarthy believes that the removal of gluten and casein products helped cure her son, Evan, of the brain disorder. She wrote:

"We believe what helped Evan recover was starting a gluten-free, casein-free diet, vitamin supplementation, detox of metals, and antifungals for yeast overgrowth that plagued his intestines. Once Evan's neurological function was recovered through these medical treatments, speech therapy and applied behavior analysis helped him quickly learn the skills he could not learn while he was frozen in autism."

?

Related Links:

5 Pregnancy Diet Tips For Vegan Mamas-To-Be

Hold the Bacon! Gifts for Vegan Babies

Please Don't Feed Me! 8 Accessories For Tots With Food Allergies

5 Vegan/Vegetarian Celebrity Mamas-To-Be: Did They Maintain Their Diets During Pregnancy?

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"Ouija" gets different spirit from "Buffy" writer (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Marti Noxon is toning "Ouija" down from a bombastic epic to a more intimate, atmospheric -- and scary -- movie.

The "Fright Night" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" writer's presence on the project has brought it a new energy, an individual close to the movie told TheWrap.

In August, Universal passed on an earlier version written by Simon Kinberg. McG was attached to direct the project, which was part of Universal's deal with Hasbro, and the studio paid the toymaker a $5 million fee when it chose against making the movie.

At the time, Universal cited budget concerns -- the earlier version would have cost more than $125 million to produce, the individual said.

Kinberg is not known as an intimate movie guy: He wrote "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "X-Men: The Last Stand," "Sherlock Holmes" and McG's upcoming comedy "This Means War."

The new version, which Hasbro is paying to develop, is less daunting than the Kinberg/McG one. Noxon is focusing more on the concept of the Ouija board -- a seance game that is said to help players communicate with spirits.

Since Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes, which is producing the movie, brought Noxon in for the rewrite, "Ouja" has attracted interest from a raft of independent studios.

Bay's company, however, is accustomed to working with majors.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111130/media_nm/us_ouija

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Krasinski, Hunt, Common among in-crowd at Sundance

	Essential News from The Associated Press

? ?Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Iranian students storm British Embassy in Tehran (AP)

TEHRAN, Iran ? Hard-line Iranian students stormed British diplomatic sites in Tehran on Tuesday, bringing down the Union Jack flag, burning an embassy vehicle and throwing documents from windows in scenes reminiscent of the seizing of the U.S. Embassy compound in 1979.

The mob surged past riot police into the British Embassy complex ? which they pelted with petrol bombs and stones ? two days after Iran's parliament approved a bill that reduces diplomatic relations with Britain following London's support of recently upgraded Western sanctions on Tehran over its disputed nuclear program. Flames shot out of a sport utility vehicle parked outside the brick building.

Demonstrators outside the embassy also burned British flags and clashed with police as the rally, which had been organized by student groups at universities and seminaries.

Less than two hours later, police appeared to regain control of the site. But the official IRNA news agency said about 300 protesters entered the British ambassador's residence in another part of the city and replaced British flags with Iranian ones. The British Foreign Office harshly denounced the melee and said Iran has a "clear duty" under international law to protect diplomats and offices.

"We are outraged by this," said the statement. "It is utterly unacceptable and we condemn it."

It said a "significant number" of protesters entered the compound and caused vandalism, but gave no other details on damage or whether diplomatic staff was inside the embassy, although the storming occurred after business hours.

In Washington, the White House issued a statement strongly condemning the attacks and saying Iran has an obligation to protect foreign embassies. The U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Iran during the embassy siege in 1980.

The semiofficial Mehr news agency said embassy staff had left the compound before the mobs entered, but it also said those who occupied the area had taken six staff as hostages. It did not give their nationalities and the report was later removed from the website without elaboration.

The protesters broke through after clashing with anti-riot police and chanting for its takeover. "Death to England," some cried in the first significant assault of a foreign diplomatic area in Iran in years. More protesters poured into the compound as police tried to clear the site.

Smoke rose from some areas of the embassy grounds and the British flag was replaced with a banner in the name of 7th century Shiite saint, Imam Hussein. Occupiers also tore down picture of Queen Elizabeth II.

The occupier called for the closure of the embassy calling it a "spy den" ? the same phrase used after militants stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and held 52 hostages for 444 days. In the early moments of the siege, protesters tossed out papers from the compound and hauled down the U.S. flag. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic relations since then.

The rally outside the British Embassy ? on a main street in Tehran downtown ? included protesters carrying photographs of nuclear scientist Majid Shahriari, who was killed last year in an attack that Iran blamed on Israeli and British spy services.

State TV reported that another group of hard-line students gathered at the gate of British ambassador's residence in northern Tehran, at the same time.

Britain's Foreign Office said it was in contact with embassy officials. Officials were still checking on the well-being of workers and diplomats, a spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity in line with standing policy.

It also warned its citizens in Iran to "stay inside and keep a low profile."

Tensions with Britain date back to the 19th century when the Persian monarchy gave huge industrial concessions to London, which later included significant control over Iran's oil industry.

But they have become increasingly strained as the West accuses Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons ? a charge Tehran denies.

In recent years, Iran was angered by Britain's decision in 2007 honor author Salman Rushdie with a knighthood.

Rushdie went into hiding after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a 1989 fatwa, or religious edict, ordering Muslims to kill the author because his novel "The Satanic Verses" allegedly insulted Islam.

The decision shortly after Iran detained 15 British sailors and marines in March 2007 for allegedly entering the country's territorial waters in the Gulf ? a claim Britain denies. The 15 were released after nearly two weeks in captivity.

In 2006, angry mobs burned the Danish flag and attacked Danish and other Western embassies in Tehran in protest to the reprinting of a cartoon deemed insulting of the Prophet Muhammad in the Nordic country's newspapers.

___

Associated Press writer David Stringer in London contributed to this report.

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Review: Ralph Finnes gets the Bard right in "Coriolanus" (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) ? Taking a Shakespeare play out of its original period and context is dangerous business. Get it right -- figure out what's modern and fresh about the centuries-old text -- and you wind up with something as enduring as "West Side Story." Blowing it leads to embarrassments like Julie Taymor's recent mishmash "The Tempest"; anyone with the chutzpah to tackle the Bard and futz about with the work risks creating the memorably awful play-within-the-movie from "Hamlet 2."

"Coriolanus," the directorial debut of actor Ralph Fiennes, gets it right.

Featuring battle sequences with the same immediacy as the last decade's worth of Iraq/Afghanistan movies, and scenes where it feels perfectly natural for iambic pentameter to be coming out of the mouths of cable-news pundits, this "Coriolanus" fits perfectly into the modern world and raises questions that are as tough for contemporary viewers as they were for the groundlings at the Globe.

None are more feared or ferocious on the battlefield than Caius Martius (Fiennes, more Voldemort than "English Patient" here) -- and why shouldn't he be, after being raised by Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave), a woman so enthralled with her son's wounds and wartime valor as to be the military equivalent of a Stage Mom, with a dash of Angela Lansbury's mommy-monster from "The Manchurian Candidate" thrown in for good measure.

After leading a valiant skirmish and facing enemy warrior Aufidius (Gerard Butler, breaking his streak by appearing in an actual good movie) in hand-to-hand combat, Martius returns to "a city known as Rome" in triumph and is given the titles of general and Coriolanus. Pushed by Volumnia, he pursues a position as consul, but while the senate adores him, the people in the street still resent him for withholding grain from the starving non-military population years earlier.

Goaded by Martius' rivals, the populus Romanus refuse to give Martius their endorsement, and he's banished from the city, leading him to turn to Aufidius to seek revenge.

Those of a Fascistic bent have always read into "Coriolanus" because of its anti-hero's despising of rule by the common people -- the play was banned in pre-Vichy France for just that reason -- but Fiennes doesn't use this as an excuse to give us another Shakespeare play retooled as 1930s cautionary tale. (Ian McKellen made a splendid jack-booted Richard III, while Alan Cumming's Saturninus, in Julie Taymor's "Titus," ruled his kingdom smack-dab in Mussolini's old stomping grounds.) And while Fiennes is hardly pro-brownshirt, he does make us ponder the logic of exiling the city's fiercest defender in a time of war.

Fiennes and screenwriter John Logan ("Hugo," "Rango") blend the Bard with talk shows, automatic weapons, and riot shields without ever awkwardly drawing attention to the juxtaposition, and the first-time director proves himself exceedingly capable at drawing out many powerful performances, not least of all his own.

But even with the fine acting by Fiennes, Butler, Jessica Chastain (if you're keeping score, this is her sixth movie of 2011) and Brian Cox, "Coriolanus" belongs to Redgrave, who's not so much an actress here as a force of nature.

She dominates the proceedings and everyone in them without resorting to histrionics or theatrical trickery, and it's one of the year's most indelible performances.

"Coriolanus" may lack the verve of the 1995 "Richard III," much less the exuberant rage of Derek Jarman's ACT UP-era spin on Marlowe's "Edward II," but it's nonetheless the best kind of modernization, one that reminds us of both the eternal power of great literature and the tragically cyclical nature of history itself.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111201/people_nm/us_coriolanus_review

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