New target for cancer therapy identified, preclinical study shows

Public release date: 31-Jan-2012
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Contact: Rachel Steinhardt
rsteinhardt@licr.org
212-450-1582
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

TDO enzyme enables tumors to avoid detection and rejection by the immune system

New York, NY -- Scientists from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) in Brussels identified a new target for cancer therapy, an enzyme which prevents the immune system from recognizing and destroying certain types of tumors. Called tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase or TDO, the enzyme works by depriving immune cells of tryptophan, an amino acid essential to their activity. TDO is produced by a significant number of human tumors. Scientists also show that blocking TDO activity with a novel TDO inhibitor promotes tumor rejection in mice. The study findings were published online today in the January 30 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Cancer immunotherapy leveraging the body's own immune system to attack and destroy tumors is emerging as a promising method for cancer treatment. Clinical testing of several immunotherapeutic approaches has shown variable success. Tumors often develop survival mechanisms to prevent the attack from the immune system. Researchers are now looking to evaluate the mechanisms that enable these tumors to escape detection by the immune system.

Previously, Brussels scientists from LICR and the de Duve Institute at the Universit catholique de Louvain (UCL) studied one enzyme that proved to do just that. It is known as indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase or IDO1 for short. IDO1 is expressed in many cancers, including prostate, colon, pancreas and cervical tumors. IDO1 blocks the immune system's ability to reject those tumors, by depriving immune cells of tryptophan. In the PNAS study released today, the same Belgian researchers have shown that TDO is also expressed in various human tumors and degrades tryptophan in a similar manner. Tumors expressing TDO include bladder and liver cancers, as well as melanomas.

"Little is known about the TDO enzyme and its ability to trick the immune system and prevent it from destroying deadly tumors. Our research is the first to explore this relationship," said study lead investigator, Benoit J. Van den Eynde, M.D., Ph.D., Brussels Branch Director at LICR.

The group studied a series of 104 human tumor lines of different types to confirm the activity of TDO in tumor cells. They learned that 20 tumors expressed TDO only, 17 others expressed IDO1 only and 16 expressed both. The findings suggest that TDO and IDO1 enzymes represent complementary cancer immunotherapy targets, which if blocked could potentially impact 51% of all tumors.

Demonstrating TDO Expression and Its Role in Thwarting Immune Attack

Using a validated mouse tumor model, researchers established that TDO expression caused tumor cells to resist immune rejection. They first vaccinated the mice with an antigen that caused them to reject the tumor. Then they injected TDO-expressing tumor cells into the immunized mice. Researchers found that immunized mice no longer rejected the TDO-expressing tumors. This demonstrated that the presence of TDO prevented the immune system from attacking tumors.

In collaboration with scientists from the University of Namur (Belgium), the team then developed an active compound to inhibit TDO enzymatic activity. "Our study showed quite beautifully that the TDO inhibitor restored the ability of mice to reject tumors despite the presence of TDO in tumor cells," said Dr. Van den Eynde.

Research recently published in the October 6, 2011 issue of Nature (Opitz, C.A. et al.) validates today's study results by showing that TDO expression in human glioblastomas promotes tumor progression.

Toward Clinical Development of a TDO-inhibitor

The research team is moving forward to validate TDO inhibition in other preclinical models. Working closely with LICR colleagues in San Diego, the team will also conduct high-throughput screening to find a more stable TDO-inhibitor compound that can be advanced in clinical testing.

LICR plans, conducts, administers, and sponsors its own clinical trials as part of its technology development process. This process allows basic investigations to continue into early stage clinical evaluation of a new therapy, and makes the clinic an essential arm of the research enterprise.

"We will continue to search for inhibitors of TDO, an important new clinical target," confirmed Jonathan Skipper, Ph.D., Executive Director, Technology Development at LICR. "LICR intends to license its discovery to a new commercial enterprise in the near future."

###

About The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

LICR is an international non-profit organization committed to improving the understanding and control of cancer through integrated laboratory and clinical discovery. Leveraging its worldwide network of investigators and the ability to sponsor and conduct its own clinical trials, the Institute is actively engaged in translating its discoveries into applications for patient benefit. Since its establishment in 1971, the Institute has expended more than $1.5 billion on cancer research.

For further information please contact Rachel Steinhardt, rsteinhardt@licr.org or 212-450-1582.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 31-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Rachel Steinhardt
rsteinhardt@licr.org
212-450-1582
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

TDO enzyme enables tumors to avoid detection and rejection by the immune system

New York, NY -- Scientists from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) in Brussels identified a new target for cancer therapy, an enzyme which prevents the immune system from recognizing and destroying certain types of tumors. Called tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase or TDO, the enzyme works by depriving immune cells of tryptophan, an amino acid essential to their activity. TDO is produced by a significant number of human tumors. Scientists also show that blocking TDO activity with a novel TDO inhibitor promotes tumor rejection in mice. The study findings were published online today in the January 30 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Cancer immunotherapy leveraging the body's own immune system to attack and destroy tumors is emerging as a promising method for cancer treatment. Clinical testing of several immunotherapeutic approaches has shown variable success. Tumors often develop survival mechanisms to prevent the attack from the immune system. Researchers are now looking to evaluate the mechanisms that enable these tumors to escape detection by the immune system.

Previously, Brussels scientists from LICR and the de Duve Institute at the Universit catholique de Louvain (UCL) studied one enzyme that proved to do just that. It is known as indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase or IDO1 for short. IDO1 is expressed in many cancers, including prostate, colon, pancreas and cervical tumors. IDO1 blocks the immune system's ability to reject those tumors, by depriving immune cells of tryptophan. In the PNAS study released today, the same Belgian researchers have shown that TDO is also expressed in various human tumors and degrades tryptophan in a similar manner. Tumors expressing TDO include bladder and liver cancers, as well as melanomas.

"Little is known about the TDO enzyme and its ability to trick the immune system and prevent it from destroying deadly tumors. Our research is the first to explore this relationship," said study lead investigator, Benoit J. Van den Eynde, M.D., Ph.D., Brussels Branch Director at LICR.

The group studied a series of 104 human tumor lines of different types to confirm the activity of TDO in tumor cells. They learned that 20 tumors expressed TDO only, 17 others expressed IDO1 only and 16 expressed both. The findings suggest that TDO and IDO1 enzymes represent complementary cancer immunotherapy targets, which if blocked could potentially impact 51% of all tumors.

Demonstrating TDO Expression and Its Role in Thwarting Immune Attack

Using a validated mouse tumor model, researchers established that TDO expression caused tumor cells to resist immune rejection. They first vaccinated the mice with an antigen that caused them to reject the tumor. Then they injected TDO-expressing tumor cells into the immunized mice. Researchers found that immunized mice no longer rejected the TDO-expressing tumors. This demonstrated that the presence of TDO prevented the immune system from attacking tumors.

In collaboration with scientists from the University of Namur (Belgium), the team then developed an active compound to inhibit TDO enzymatic activity. "Our study showed quite beautifully that the TDO inhibitor restored the ability of mice to reject tumors despite the presence of TDO in tumor cells," said Dr. Van den Eynde.

Research recently published in the October 6, 2011 issue of Nature (Opitz, C.A. et al.) validates today's study results by showing that TDO expression in human glioblastomas promotes tumor progression.

Toward Clinical Development of a TDO-inhibitor

The research team is moving forward to validate TDO inhibition in other preclinical models. Working closely with LICR colleagues in San Diego, the team will also conduct high-throughput screening to find a more stable TDO-inhibitor compound that can be advanced in clinical testing.

LICR plans, conducts, administers, and sponsors its own clinical trials as part of its technology development process. This process allows basic investigations to continue into early stage clinical evaluation of a new therapy, and makes the clinic an essential arm of the research enterprise.

"We will continue to search for inhibitors of TDO, an important new clinical target," confirmed Jonathan Skipper, Ph.D., Executive Director, Technology Development at LICR. "LICR intends to license its discovery to a new commercial enterprise in the near future."

###

About The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

LICR is an international non-profit organization committed to improving the understanding and control of cancer through integrated laboratory and clinical discovery. Leveraging its worldwide network of investigators and the ability to sponsor and conduct its own clinical trials, the Institute is actively engaged in translating its discoveries into applications for patient benefit. Since its establishment in 1971, the Institute has expended more than $1.5 billion on cancer research.

For further information please contact Rachel Steinhardt, rsteinhardt@licr.org or 212-450-1582.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/lifc-ntf013112.php

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Experts, officials to testify on Cuba oil drilling (AP)

MIAMI ? Members of the U.S. Coast Guard, experts and U.S. officials will testify on the risk of oil drilling off the coast of Cuba, and whether the U.S. is prepared for any possible spill.

Those expected to speak Monday at the satellite congressional sub-committee hearing in Sunny Isles, just north of Miami Beach, include U.S. Rep Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Also on the list, fellow South Florida Cuban-American U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and David Rivera. They will discuss possible impacts of the deep-water oil drilling Cuba is seeking to begin.

Ros-Lehtinen wants to deny U.S. visas to anyone helping the Cuban government advance its oil drilling plans.

Florida University Professor John Proni says spills could reach U.S. coastal waters, seriously damaging the nation's ecology and economy.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_re_us/us_cuba_oil_drilling

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ABB to buy Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion

GENEVA (AP) ? Swiss engineering group ABB Ltd. said Monday that it has agreed to pay $3.9 billion in cash for Thomas & Betts Corp., a deal that boosts its market presence in North America.

The Zurich-based maker of power and automation technology and the Memphis, Tennessee-based supplier of low-voltage products jointly announced that both companies' boards have agreed to ABB paying $72 a share for the U.S. company. The board of Thomas & Betts has recommended the deal to its shareholders.

ABB, a market leader for industrial motors, described the deal as part of a strategy that boosts its market presence in North America, and said the price of $72 a share is a 24-percent premium over Thomas & Betts' closing stock price on Jan. 27.

The Swiss company has about 130,000 employees spread among operations in 100 nations. In the U.S., ABB is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, and has 18,000 workers. It reported $5 billion in revenues for the first nine months of 2011.

Thomas & Betts employs about 9,400 people and is forecast to report 2011 revenues of about $2.3 billion.

Through the deal the Swiss firm said it expects to save costs and gain revenues of about $200 million a year by 2016.

ABB expects the deal to close sometime in the second quarter, subject to regulatory approvals. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is helping finance it.

ABB Chief Executive Joe Hogan called the acquisition "a great fit" It is his firm's largest such deal since ABB's purchase of Baldor Electric Co. in 2010.

"Thomas & Betts is a well-run company with strong brands and excellent distribution channels in the world's largest low-voltage products market," Hogan said. "This is another big step toward our goal of expanding our presence in the key North American market."

A year ago the Justice Department's antitrust division approved ABB's $3.1 billion acquisition of Baldor, a Fort Smith, Arkansas-based industrial-motor company.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-30-EU-ABB-Thomas-and-Betts/id-5a661c7632e648d8a82d10928fc1ce08

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Pro Bowl to feature plenty of offense, new faces

/

By JAYMES SONG

updated 8:45 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2012

HONOLULU - Tony Gonzalez, Ray Lewis and Champ Bailey know what to expect. The new faces at the Pro Bowl aren't so sure, and are curious how intense they should play in Sunday's all-star game.

"I've never been in a Pro Bowl before, so I don't know what the tempo is going to be like," San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews said. "So it's going to be fun to get out there and see how it goes."

Six rookies are among the 36 first-timers, including quarterbacks Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers and Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals, who are replacing Super Bowl quarterbacks Eli Manning and Tom Brady.

Their selection makes this Pro Bowl the first that will feature two rookie quarterbacks.

"This is like the height of being an NFL player ? being an all-star and having the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue ? just having that jersey," said Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft. "Only a few people can say, 'I've made it to the NFL,' but fewer number can say they've made it here."

In a game known to highlight offense, the NFC will feature two of the game's most prolific quarterbacks.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers will start for the NFC and will be backed up by New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. Rodgers passed for 4,463 yards with 45 touchdowns and just six interceptions. His quarterback rating of 122.5 set an NFL record. Brees, meanwhile, threw for 5,476 yards, breaking Dan Marino's single-season record.

The NFC also features Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy and receivers Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona), Steve Smith (Carolina) and Greg Jennings (Green Bay).

Houston defensive end Antonio Smith acknowledges the NFC has a lot of great players on offense, but isn't too worried.

"We got so many weapons. We got so many Super Bowls. We got Hall of Fame players on our team. So I think we'll be all right," Smith said.

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will start for the AFC, with San Diego's Philip Rivers and Dalton backing him up.

"I think any quarterback will tell you that we wish we were getting ready to play in a game a week from now, but it's always an honor to come," said Rivers, who this season joined Brees and Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks to pass for 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.

The players wrapped up a week of "workouts" on Saturday.

"The practices have been great," Cardinals rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson said. "It's definitely the most laid-back practices I've ever been involved in."

The brief practices have been as grueling and intense as a poolside, Hawaiian lomilomi massage. The players, some wearing sunglasses, often sweat more after practice ? signing autographs for the fans.

"If you break a sweat during practice in Hawaii, there's a rule you've got to be sent home by the NFL," said Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, who is making his eighth Pro Bowl in his 14th season.

After practice, the players usually spend their days golfing, fishing, shopping or lounging on the beach with their families. In a season that began with a bitter labor dispute is ending in paradise for these players.

"It's more than what I thought it would be. It's amazing. It's truly amazing," said Smith, making his first trip.

The players are hoping this won't be the final game in Hawaii. NFL and state officials are negotiating a deal to keep the game in the islands. Many said they wouldn't play if it were elsewhere.

Bengals rookie receiver A.J. Green said he spent time learning from the players he grew up admiring. He doesn't know what to expect Sunday.

"A lot of guys aren't trying to get hurt. I think it's going to be up tempo, but not too crazy," he said.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who is leading the NFC, said his game plan was simple with such a loaded team. "Our goal is to have 11 on the field," he said.

McCarthy said the game is all about the players, who earned this trip with their work during the season.

"I don't think anybody's too worried about how many touches they get or where the ball is going to go," he said.

Maybe with the exception of Jennings, who believes he has the inside track on the throws with his coaches calling plays and Rodgers as the signal caller.

"The other (receivers) already know, when I'm in the game, 85 is going to get the ball," Jennings said.

This year's winners will receive a record $50,000 each, up $5,000 from last year, with the losing players earning $25,000.

"When that fourth quarter rolls around and there's a little bit of money on the line, I think you'll see the tempo step up. We'll all be ready for it," Packers linebacker Clay Matthews said.

Chargers tight end Antonio Gates said he expects to play hard.

"I only know one way to prepare for a game. I don't know how to go half-speed," he said. "This is still a game. Guys still got on pads and coming out to compete."

Besides the money, conference bragging rights are on the line.

"It's still a pride thing ? AFC vs. NFC," Gates said. "We feel like we are the tougher division and they feel the same."

Rivers said the money is important, but isn't the main motivator for these competitors.

"Even if we were playing for nothing, when it comes down to it, they're still keeping score," he said.

___

Follow Jaymes Song at http://twitter.com/JaymesSong

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46177434/ns/sports-nfl/

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Mitt Romney Attacks Newt Gingrich Himself After Campaign Ad Comes Under Fire

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- Mitt Romney went after fellow Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Saturday for the former House speaker's ethics violations while in Congress, a common line of attack by the former Massachusetts governor's campaign but less frequently employed by the candidate himself.

"I'm running against Speaker Gingrich, for instance, he's a very nice fellow," Romney said, as the crowd booed. "He's an historian. But that doesn't give him the right to rewrite history."

Romney tends to go after President Barack Obama in his stump speeches, leaving the attacks on Gingrich to his campaign staff. The campaign has hammered Gingrich for his ethics violations in multiple ads and statements, including one that congratulated him, mockingly, on the 15-year anniversary of the reprimand from his colleagues.

On Saturday, the campaign released an ad, "History Lesson" that used using archived news footage of NBC's Tom Brokaw on Jan. 21, 1997 -- the day that Gingrich was found guilty of ethics violations.

NBC promptly requested that the ad be taken down, quoting Brokaw as saying he was "extremely uncomfortable" with being a part of political ads. "I do not want my role as a journalist compromised for political gain by any campaign," he said in a statement released by NBC.

Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom told reporters after the Panama City event that the campaign is reviewing the letter, but believes that the footage was taken under fair use and meant to expose Gingrich's explanations of the ethics violation as "fanciful."

"We thought it would be useful to go back and look at the 'Nightly News' opened on the very day that Gingrich was reprimanded, and what they pointed out is that Speaker Gingrich came to Washington preaching a higher standard and instead was laid low by his own ethics violations," Fehrnstrom said.

"I think it's useful to remind people that Newt Gingrich went to Washington to change things and he failed. Washington changed him," he added.

During the Panama City rally, Romney took up the same message in his own words. He said that the Republicans expected good things from Gingrich after he helped the party regain a majority in the House of Representatives and wrote the Contract for America. But his ethics violations ruined that reputation, and caused him to "resign in disgrace," Romney said.

After a man yelled out that Gingrich failed, Romney stopped mid-sentence. "You're right, he failed," he said.

"We have to go back and look at history and say, he may be a great guy with a lot of great ideas, but he is not the leader that we need at a critical time," he said of Gingrich. "This will be an historic election and we need to have someone who has been a leader and succeeded at being a leader. I have and I will lead America back to strength."

As HuffPost's Jon Ward reported, Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond slammed the ad in a campaign press release titled, "Another Big Lie From the Romney Campaign."

"The Romney campaign is up with another false ad attacking Speaker Gingrich. This time their false ad shows news coverage from 1997 after the House of Representatives voted to reprimand Speaker Gingrich," Hammond wrote. "What the Romney campaign is hoping the American people don?t remember is that in 1999, the IRS cleared Speaker Gingrich of the substance of the ethics committee investigation."

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/28/mitt-romney-newt-gingrich-tom-brokaw-ad_n_1239210.html

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'Barefoot Bandit' sentenced to 6 1/2 years (AP)

SEATTLE ? A federal judge on Friday sentenced "Barefoot Bandit" Colton Harris-Moore to 6 1/2 years in prison for his infamous two-year, international crime spree of break-ins, and boat and plane thefts that ended in 2010.

Harris-Moore hopscotched his way across the United States, authorities said. He flew a plane stolen in northwestern Washington to the San Juan Islands, stole a pistol in British Columbia and took a plane from Idaho to Washington state, stole a boat in southwestern Washington to go to Oregon, and took a plane in Indiana and flew to the Bahamas, where was arrested.

He earned his nickname because he committed several of the crimes without wearing shoes.

Harris-Moore apologized to his victims shortly before U.S. Judge Richard Jones imposed the sentence, which will be served concurrently with state prison time.

"I now know a crime that took place overnight will take years to recover from," the 20-year-old said in court.

He particularly apologized for stealing planes, saying his arrogance led him to keep alive his dream of flying.

"What I did could be called daring, but it is no stretch of the imagination to say that am lucky to be alive ... absolutely lucky," he said. "I should have died years ago."

Before Friday's sentencing, defense attorneys said federal prosecutors released cherry-picked excerpts from emails in an effort to make Harris-Moore appear callous and self-aggrandizing.

He called the Island County sheriff "king swine," called prosecutors "fools," and referred to reporters as "vermin." He also described his feats ? stealing and flying planes with no formal training ? "amazing" and said they were unmatched by anyone except the Wright brothers.

But Harris-Moore's lawyers claim the full emails show that he is sorry for what he did and thankful for the treatment he received from a state judge who called his case a "triumph of the human spirit." The state judge sentenced him last month to seven years, at the low end of the sentencing range.

The attorneys acknowledged that in certain instances he bragged, but they said those writings were simply the product of an impulsive adolescent and don't reflect his true remorse.

Harris-Moore apologized for those emails in court Friday.

The judge asked Harris-Moore to speak to young people who may look up to him because of his exploits.

"I would say to younger people they should focus on their education, which is what I am doing right now," he said. "I want to start a company. I want to make a difference in this world, legally."

Federal prosecutors had asked for Jones to impose a 6 1/2 year sentence to be served while Harris-Moore serves his state time. His attorneys had asked for a federal sentence of just under six years.

The judge acknowledged that Harris-Moore had a difficult childhood, one with "complete lack of parental guidance" and alcohol abuse. But he said he was concerned that that his previous court appearances didn't have an impact on him.

Jones acknowledged that Harris-Moore committed his early crimes to survive after fleeing from home. But he said "most of the federal offenses were committed for one reason: to fulfill your passion for flying at all costs and consequences."

The judge encouraged Harris-Moore to get treatment in prison.

"The most important day in your life is what you do when you are released. It will be up to you to create a new flight plan," Jones said.

Harris-Moore's defense lawyers said treatment was already under way.

There will be another hearing in a month to decide how much restitution Harris-Moore will be required to pay.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/us_barefoot_bandit

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Investing In Education | City Year New York Blog

Hannah Prescott-Eberle, corps member on the Newtown High School Microsoft team in Elmhurst, Queens, shared a story about her service: "Ruddy and I sit down in class every day to review his English and Math work to make sure everything is complete, and in the past few months his attendance and coursework have improved dramatically. "

Yesterday, at our Second Annual Investment Community Breakfast, we brought?together more than 100 professionals from the investment community for a morning of inspiration, and thanks to the investment from our?attendees and an?anonymous match, we were able to raise more that a quarter million dollars before 9am. This year?s breakfast featured two longtime friends and?industry insiders, Fred Poses, Chief Executive Officer of Ascend Performance Materials and Operating Partner of SK Capital Partners, and Louis A. Simpson, Chairman of SQ Advisors, LLC, for a discussion moderated by Gerry Fabrikant, former senior writer for the business section of the New York Times.

Charlotte Twaalfhoven, CYNY '11 Alumna, joined us for this special event. Today, she supports others in philanthropic giving.

We enjoyed their take on the state of the economy, world markets, and how the tax code is influencing growth. We also discussed education reforms and the role philanthropy can play. ?One of the big problems in the U.S., is that companies want to expand in the U.S. but they can?t find the workforce that is trained to do the jobs,? said Mr. Simpson, ?this is basically a fault of our education system in crucial areas.? Today Mr. Simpson pledged to join our Individual Team Sponsor Program and encouraged others to do the same, ?I hope all of you will join me because I think it?s [City Year] a great organization.?

?Lou wants to give money, whether it is an investment or through philanthropy, to people and organizations that are doing good things, and doing them as effectively as they could,? said Mr. Poses, as he praised Mr. Simpson for his pledge. Mr. Poses is working with a team at CYNY helping to determine the most effective way for us to grow our impact in schools. ?Philanthropy is not only about giving, but giving of your skills and tools? he said, ?some of our most rewarding moments are working with the people in nonprofits and seeing all that they can do to make themselves better.?

After some great discussions about education reform and the importance of giving with Louis A. Simpson and Fred Poses, Gerry Fabrikant (center) opened the floor up for professionals of the investment community to ask some of their own questions.

We would not be able to host an event like this without the dedication of our Investment Community Board (ICB). ICB member, Shreyas D Gupta?from Sandell Asset Management, spoke about his first introduction to City Year and how he found himself making it a priority in his life. ?If these young adults want to give one year of their life to helping the community it is incumbent on us to rise up to support them,? said Mr. Gupta. ?They represent a vast ocean of potential and that is very important to me.?

We would like to thank Barclays Capital and?CYNY Advisory Board Member Jeff Davis?for hosting this event.

And a final thank you to our Investment Community Board (listed below) and to all of our attendees for your investment in City Year.

2012 INVESTMENT COMMUNITY BOARD

REED CARROLL Butler Capital Investments, LLC

DREW CHIN Woodson Capital Management

TOM CLARK Apax Partners

BEN FARKAS Hellman & Friedman

JUSTIN FRANKEL Wavecrest Asset Management

SHREYAS GUPTA Sandell Asset Management

WILDER HARVARD Morgan Stanley | Prime Brokerage

TYLER HENRITZE The Blackstone Group

DAVID HOBBS Tiger Eye Capital

ROB PAHLAVAN Family Equity Partners, LLC

NICK RENWICK

DOUG ROSS Normandy Hill Capital, LP

---

See more pictures from the event here.

Learn about last year?s breakfast here.

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Source: http://cityyearnewyork.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/investing-in-education/

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Friend says on 911 call Demi Moore was convulsing (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Demi Moore smoked something before she was rushed to the hospital on Monday night and was "semi-conscious, barely," according to a caller on a 911 recording released Friday by Los Angeles fire officials.

The woman tells emergency operators that Moore had been "having issues lately."

"Is she breathing normal?" the operator asked.

"No, not so normal. More kind of shaking, convulsing, burning up," the friend said.

When the emergency operator asked what Moore ingested or smoked, the caller replied, but the answer was redacted.

"Some form of ... and then she smoked something. I didn't really see. She's been having some issues lately with some other stuff. So I don't know what she's been taking or not."

When the operator asked the friend if this has happened before, she said, "I don't know. There's been some stuff recently that we're all just finding out."

By the end of the call, Moore seemed to have improved.

"She seems to have calmed down now. She's speaking," a male caller told the operator.

Moore announced in November she had decided to end her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher following news of alleged infidelity.

Moore, 49, and Kutcher, 33, were wed in September 2005.

Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore's three daughters ? Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle ? from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly. Moore and Kutcher were photographed socializing with Willis, and the couple attended Willis' wedding to model-actress Emma Heming in 2009.

Moore and Kutcher created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations' efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.

Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films "Margin Call" and "Another Happy Day." Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV's "Two and a Half Men" and is part of the ensemble film "New Year's Eve."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_en_mo/us_people_demi_moore

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Rebel leader demands new Papua New Guinea gov't (AP)

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea ? Rebel soldiers seized the military's headquarters Thursday and replaced Papua New Guinea's top defense official with their own leader, who gave Prime Minister Peter O'Neill a week to step aside for his ousted predecessor.

The self-proclaimed new leader of the country's defense forces, retired Col. Yaura Sasa, insisted he was not mounting a coup. But he warned that the military will take unspecified action unless O'Neill stands down and former prime minister Michael Somare, is reinstated, as the national Supreme Court ordered last month.

"Both Sir Michael Somare and O'Neill have seven days to implement the Supreme Court's orders to resolve the current political impasse or I will be forced to take actions to uphold the integrity of the Constitution," Sasa told reporters in Port Moresby.

The government called on Sasa and his supporters to surrender and said the mutiny did not have support from the broader military.

Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah told reporters that about 30 soldiers were involved in the mutiny and 15 of them have been arrested. Namah said Sasa could be charged with treason, which carries the death sentence.

The new crisis comes during a turbulent period for the South Pacific's most populous island nation, where both O'Neill and Somare claim to be the rightful prime minister.

Rebel soldiers overpowered guards at the Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby before dawn. They then moved to the military headquarters at Murray Barracks and placed the head of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, Brigadier General Francis Agwi, under house arrest. There were no reports of bloodshed.

Sasa, who last served as Papua New Guinea's defense attache to Indonesia before retiring from the military, told reporters he had been legitimately appointed defense chief by Somare.

Somare's spokeswoman Betha Somare told Australian Broadcasting Corp. that his ousted cabinet had confirmed Sasa's appointment several days ago. Betha Somare, who is also Michael Somare's daughter, did not immediately reply to The Associated Press' request for comment on Thursday.

Namah said Somare had "no sanity" and was using "rogue soldiers to pursue his own greed and selfishness."

O'Neill had told Australia ? Papua New Guinea's former colonial master and main provider of foreign aid ? that "authorities were taking steps to manage the situation," Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

Somare was Papua New Guinea's first prime minister when it became independent in 1975, and was knighted by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Papua New Guinea's Parliament replaced him with O'Neill in August, while Somare was getting medical treatment outside the country.

Last month, the country's Supreme Court and Governor-General Michael Ogio backed Somare, who the court ruled was illegally removed. But Ogio changed his mind days later, saying bad legal advice had led him to incorrectly reinstate Somare.

Australia, which has the largest diplomatic mission of any country in Port Moresby, called for Agwi to be reinstated.

"We urge that the situation be resolved as soon as possible, and that the PNGDF chain of command is restored," the foreign affairs department said in a statement.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_re_as/as_papua_new_guinea_mutiny

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H&M profits down on discounting, higher costs (AP)

STOCKHOLM ? Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB on Thursday posted a 2.4 percent drop in fourth-quarter net profits, slightly weaker than market expectations, due to higher materials costs and heavy discounting to attract customers during an economic downturn.

Still, the company said it continued to gain market share during the period and remains optimistic about the future.

It plans to open 275 new stores in the coming year ? in Bulgaria, Latvia, Malaysia, Thailand and Mexico, the group's first foray into Latin America. It will also launch online sales on the world's largest online market, the United States.

H&M, which is headquartered in Stockholm, said net profit dropped to 5.36 billion kronor ($790 million) in the September-November period from 5.49 billion in the same quarter a year earlier, despite a rise in sales to 36.19 billion kronor from 34.79 billion kronor.

The company blamed currency fluctuations, higher purchasing prices ? mainly due to more expensive cotton ? and discounts it had to make to fend off competition during what it called "one of the toughest years for a long time for the fashion retail industry."

It said it also focused on higher quality and more sustainable materials.

H&M, whose main competitor is Spain's Inditex, the owner of Zara, specializes in offering the latest fashion trends at low prices. It has collaborated with international designers and fashion icons, such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Madonna and David Beckham.

The closely-watched gross margin, an indicator of profitability, fell to 61.9 percent in the fourth quarter from 63.2 percent a year earlier.

However, the December sales figures, released in conjunction with the report, pleased market watchers. They showed a 13 percent increase, including sales tax, compared with the same month a year earlier, while the company said the development for January looked "strong."

Analysts had feared that the warmer-than-usual weather would have negative effects on the sale of its autumn- and winter collections during the Christmas season.

For the full year 2011, the group posted a net profit of 15.82 billion kronor, down from 18.68 billion kronor the previous year.

In mid-morning trade, shares in the company had fallen 0.6 percent to 220.90 kronor ($32.65) on the Stockholm stock exchange.

Simon Kjellstrom, an analyst at Pareto Ohman in Stockholm said that although the squeezed margins disappointed slightly, the positive news about strong sales in both December and January largely offset that gloom. "The first quarter has started off well," he said, "and it balances it out."

CEO Karl-Johan Persson said that despite the economic uncertainty experienced in many of the company's markets in 2011, "the fact that we have gained market share, proves that our customers appreciate our collections."

Looking ahead, he said the macro-economic challenges are likely to continue also in 2012, "but we have a strong belief in our offering and are convinced that H&M will continue to maintain its strong position as the year goes on."

H&M, founded in 1947, has 94,000 staff and around 2,500 stores in 43 countries. It also owns other brands like higher-priced COS and urban fashion labels such as Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120126/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_sweden_earns_h_m

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Video: Which vision will America choose?

Broken heart may become a diagnosis

??NYT: In a bitter skirmish over the definition of depression, a new report contends that a proposed change to the diagnosis would characterize grieving as a disorder and greatly increase the number of people treated for it.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46122369#46122369

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Lawyer says he advised Gingrich on lobbying laws in 2000 (reuters)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/191027552?client_source=feed&format=rss

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State of Union: Obama to take on economic anxiety

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2012, file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington. President Barack Obama commands center stage in a political year so far dominated by Republican infighting, preparing to deliver a State of the Union address that will go right to the heart of Americans' economic anxiety and try to sway voters to give him four more years in office. He is expected to urge higher taxes on the wealthy, propose steps to make college more affordable and offer new remedies for the still worrisome housing crisis. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2012, file photo, President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington. President Barack Obama commands center stage in a political year so far dominated by Republican infighting, preparing to deliver a State of the Union address that will go right to the heart of Americans' economic anxiety and try to sway voters to give him four more years in office. He is expected to urge higher taxes on the wealthy, propose steps to make college more affordable and offer new remedies for the still worrisome housing crisis. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is polishing a State of the Union address that will go to the heart of Americans' economic anxiety and try to sway voters to give him four more years. He will speak Tuesday night to a nation worried about daily struggles and unhappy with his handling of the economy.

Obama is eager to command center stage in a year dominated by Republican infighting.

Obama's 9 p.m. EST address before a politically divided Congress will be built around ideas meant to appeal to a squeezed middle class.

He is expected to urge higher taxes on the wealthy, propose ways to make college more affordable, offer new steps to tackle housing woes and try to help U.S. manufacturers expand hiring.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-23-US-State-of-the-Union/id-7ec2e66015864ef6bf5afd3e129249cf

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Huawei Honor review

Phone makers love to take pride in the extravagant names they give their products, but it's likely that the Huawei Honor is more to its creator than just a decently-specced handset. After all, the introduction of the Honor -- followed by last week's announcement of the super-slim Ascend P1 S -- appears to represent a shift in the OEM's overall product placement strategy. Huawei has done a great job finding customers in emerging and prepaid markets, but now it has its sights set on cranking out noteworthy phones that will gain the attention of anyone looking for a high-end device.

Huawei Honor shipping in December to select markets

Huawei Mercury arrives on Cricket

Huawei Honor gets Ice Cream Sandwich

Based on its laundry list of specs, the Honor isn't a high-end handset compared to some of its LTE and dual-core competitors. And yet, it's still the best device Huawei's offered to date, and it's clear the company's upcoming phones are only going to get better. So we're really eyeing the Honor as a step closer to the OEM finally realizing its ultimate goal. Does it live up to its name? Can the Honor play with the big boys, or is it nothing more than just an outward indication of the company's future? Read on to find out.

Gallery: Huawei Honor overview

Continue reading Huawei Honor review

Huawei Honor review originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Russia hopes Iran nuclear talks will resume soon (Reuters)

SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) ? Russia believes there is a good chance that talks between global powers and Iran on Tehran's nuclear program could resume soon despite a planned EU oil embargo and other sources of tension, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.

Lavrov emphasized Moscow's opposition to Western sanctions against Iran, saying they reduced the chances of ending the confrontation over Iran's nuclear program, which the United States and Europe fear is aimed at developing weapons.

"Despite these aggravating factors, we still have a strong hope to resume talks in the nearest future," he said of long-dormant talks between Iran and six global powers -- Russia, China, the United States, Britain, France and Germany.

He said Russia would try to deter both Iran and the West from making counterproductive moves that would further jeopardize the chances for talks, but did not explain how it would do so.

The European Union banned imports of oil from Iran Monday and imposed a number of other economic sanctions, joining the United States in a new round of measures aimed at pushing Iran into reining in its nuclear activities.

Veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member Russia has emphasised it opposes any further sanctions beyond the four rounds of measures it approved in the council in recent years.

Lavrov said last week that additional sanctions were aimed at triggering popular discontent in Iran by "strangling" the economy and the civilian population.

Russia has proposed a plan under which existing sanctions would be eased in return for steps by Tehran to instill trust and wants the proposal to be discussed if the talks, stalled for a year, resume.

Iran said last week that it was in touch with the six powers to reopen talks soon, but the European Union denied it, and Western nations said Iran must show it is serious about demonstrating that its nuclear activities are purely peaceful.

(Reporting by Alexei Anishchuk; writing by Steve Gutterman; editing by Thomas Grove and Tim Pearce)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/wl_nm/us_iran_russia

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Protesters to demonstrate outside US courthouses (AP)

NEW YORK ? Protesters plan to "occupy" courthouses in more than 100 cities across the U.S. on Friday to protest a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that removed most limits on corporate and labor spending in federal elections.

The grassroots coalition, called Move to Amend, said the protest will kick off petition drives to gain support for a constitutional amendment that would overturn Citizens United v. FEC, a 2010 court ruling that allowed private groups to spend huge amounts on political campaigns with few restrictions. Occupy Wall Street activists are joining the protest.

"The courts created the idea that the corporation is a person with constitutional rights," said David Cobb, an Occupy the Courts organizer. "It's the justification for the whole corporate takeover of our government."

A last-minute court dispute left the status of the protest in New York City unclear. A judge on Thursday ruled that demonstrators do not have a First Amendment right to protest in front of a Manhattan federal courthouse.

Protesters had filed a lawsuit asking the judge to overturn the government's rejection of their permit application. The permit had been denied on grounds that the courthouse poses unique security concerns.

In light of the ruling, protesters did not announce whether the event would be moved to another location.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120120/ap_on_re_us/us_occupy_the_courts

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HBT: A's are 'very interested' in signing Manny

Athletics general manager Billy Beane said during the Winter Meetings last month that he would prefer to go younger at designated hitter this season, but despite having a number of internal options, things might not work out that way.

Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes Los Angeles?was told by a source (link in Spanish) that Oakland is ?very interested? in Manny Ramirez, who is currently preparing for his comeback attempt in Miami.

We learned a couple of weeks ago that the Orioles and Blue Jays sent scouts to watch Ramirez take batting practice. Rojas was told that while Baltimore ?liked? what they saw, the A?s are the team showing the most interest, despite the fact that they haven?t actually seen him in person yet. The 39-year-old is expected to hold a workout for interested teams before the end of the month, so if Rojas? source is correct, they?ll presumably take a look at him within the next few days.

If or when Ramirez signs with an MLB team, he?ll have to serve a reduced 50-game suspension for his second positive PED test before being eligible to play during the regular season. However, he would be allowed to suit up during spring training.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/20/the-athletics-are-very-interested-in-manny-ramirez/related/

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Europe exhales after another good week

Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos leaves Maximou mansion after a meeting with Charles Dallara and Jean Lemiere from the Institute of International Finance, which represents Greece's private bondholders and Greek Prime Lukas Papademos, Athens, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos leaves Maximou mansion after a meeting with Charles Dallara and Jean Lemiere from the Institute of International Finance, which represents Greece's private bondholders and Greek Prime Lukas Papademos, Athens, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

Charles Dallara, right, and Jean Lemiere from the Institute of International Finance, which represents Greece's private bondholders, leave Maximou mansion after a meeting with Greek Prime Lukas Papademos and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos in Athens, Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. Greece is confident a debt relief deal with private creditors that is crucial to avoid default can be reached "very soon," a government spokesman said Friday. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? Europe has taken a step back from the brink.

Three weeks into the year, borrowing rates for debt-saddled countries have fallen to more manageable levels. Auctions of government debt have gone better, a sign of increased investor confidence.

And while it may have been an embarrassment, especially to France, a sweeping downgrade of nine European countries last week by Standard & Poor's, the credit rating agency, has been met with a shrug in financial markets.

All this is in stark contrast to the final weeks of last year, when countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece watched helplessly as the costs of managing their debt spiraled ever higher, and governments fell in Athens and Rome.

High hurdles remain: Greece must still cut a deal with its private creditors, to say nothing of the long-term problems ? massive debt, uncompetitive economies and the prospect of years of cutbacks in public spending.

But for the moment, the continent is exhaling.

Portuguese Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar, after his country successfully sold ?2.5 billion of its national debt on Thursday, ventured that it was "a sign that we may be coming to a turning point."

Among other good news this week in the European debt crisis:

? Despite having an AA+ credit rating now, France easily sold ?9.5 billion, or about $12.2 billion, in bonds at interest rates lower than at previous auctions when its rating was AAA. The sale eased fears that S&P's downgrade of France would hurt the finances of the continent's No. 2 economy. France sold four-year bonds at 1.89 percent, down from 2.32 percent in November, and 10-year, inflation-linked bonds at 1.07 percent, also down from 2.32 percent.

? Spain raised ?6.6 billion, far more than its initial target of ?3.5 billion to ?4.5 billion. It agreed to pay 5.4 percent on its bonds, down from 5.54 percent in the last such auction in December. Demand was twice what was being offered.

? Stock indexes in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain ? plus the Dow Jones industrial average in the United States ? have climbed back close to their levels from last August, when the crisis spread to Italy and took a turn for the worse.

The European Central Bank, chief monetary authority for the 17 countries that use the euro currency, gets some of the credit for sending cash flowing to banks ? and through them, it appears, to troubled countries.

In December, the ECB said it would lend banks unlimited amounts of money to stabilize them. It also said it would lower the interest rate on the loans to 1 percent, extend the maximum term from one year to three and accept collateral of lower quality. The banks responded by borrowing 489 billion in three-year loans at a low interest rate, currently 1 percent.

The banks appear to have used at least some of that money to buy the bonds governments have been selling almost daily. The extra demand at the bond auctions also helps bring down the interest rates on the bonds.

Stefan Schneider, chief international economist at Deutsche Bank, says the ECB "is now the main source of financing" for the troubled countries' banks "and gives these banks the opportunity to invest in the government bonds of their own countries."

Another ECB all-you-can-eat credit offering is slated for Feb. 28.

The central bank has refused pleas to expand its limited program and buy government bonds itself on the open market. It says countries need to cut debt themselves and not expect a central bank bailout.

Members of the ECB governing council have cited law that prohibits the bank from financing governments. Some analysts say the massive bank loans appear to be doing exactly that, just indirectly.

Schneider, though, cautioned that there is no "magic bullet" to solve the crisis.

"I think we will not be able, even with the advantage of hindsight, to indicate the point in time when the crisis ended," he said.

On Friday, stocks in Europe mostly held their gains for the week, waiting for the outcome of Greece's negotiations with its creditors on a deal to cut the face value of up to ?200 billion in debt by 50 percent.

A deal in Athens would allow the country to receive a second bailout package from other European governments and the International Monetary Fund, and cut Greece's debt from an estimated 160 percent of its annual economic output to 120 percent by 2020.

That is still painfully high, but without the help, Greece will not be able to pay ?14.5 billion in debt due March 20. A Greek default would send borrowing costs higher across Europe and could trigger chaos in the global financial system.

Even with a deal, Greece could default in coming years. An IMF review in December conceded that 120 percent is at the upper end of what is sustainable, and only if Greece's economy starts growing again after five years of recession.

And Greece is just one potential problem. Many countries are either headed for recession or stuck in deep ones, which will make debt reduction even tougher.

While Portugal, Greece and Ireland could be bailed out by the other euro countries and the IMF, Italy is considered much too big to rescue for any substantial length of time.

The new prime minister, Mario Monti, has promised to shake up what he calls an over-regulated, underperforming economy, accelerate economic growth and reduce the country's debt burden, which is also 120 percent of its annual economic output. But he faces tough political opposition.

Spain has taken some steps to loosen regulations on hiring and firing but has no clear growth model after the collapse of its real estate bubble. Unemployment is 22.9 percent, and for people under 25, it's a staggering 49.6 percent.

Bank stocks got a big bounce Thursday after stronger-than-expected bank earnings in the United States and word that Germany's Commerzbank could meet new requirements to boost its capital buffers without needing government help.

This week's stock rally across Europe left Germany's DAX 30 9.5 percent higher over the past month, France's CAC up 8.7 percent and the FTSE 100 in London up 5.9 percent.

Investors are all too aware that previous respites from market turmoil have turned out to be temporary.

For now, investors can increase their holdings of risky assets, says Joerg Kraemer, chief economist at Commerzbank. But he had an ominous warning this week in a note to investors.

"The ECB can only buy time," he said. "With many problems still unresolved in Spain and Italy, the sovereign debt crisis is likely to continue, and the economic recovery following the recession is likely to be lackluster."

___

Associated Press writer Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-20-Europe-Financial%20Crisis/id-9287c5a511514a0693d4337479acb75e

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Scientific paper shows California condor still threatened by human activities

Public release date: 20-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Christina Simmons
csimmons@sandiegozoo.org
619-685-3291
Zoological Society of San Diego

A recently released scientific paper authored by San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research scientists shows the leading causes of death of the endangered California condor in the wild are human influenced, with lead poisoning being the primary factor in juvenile and adult birds.

The study documents the deaths of wild California condors at all release sitesCalifornia, Arizona and Baja, California, Mexicofrom the inception of the reintroduction program in October 1992 through December 2009. The study found that 70 percent (53 out of 76) of condor moralities can be attributed to human influences.

For nestlings (birds younger than 6 months of age), 73 percent of known mortalities can be attributed to the consumption of microtrash, such as bottle caps and small pieces of broken glass, plastic and metal. Lead toxicosis, from the ingestion of spent ammunition, was the most important factor in juvenile condor mortality (birds between the age of 6 months and 5 years) and was the only significant cause of death in adults (birds 6 years old and older). Eight of 23 birds that died of lead poisoning still had metal or lead fragments in their gastrointestinal tract. Condor 422 was in the wild for six months and was exposed to lead four times prior to its death.

"The most important mortality factor for the combined free-ranging populations was lead toxicosis," states the report. "The evidence that the principal source of exposure is lead ammunition is overwhelming and includes the recovery of lead shotgun pellets and bullet fragments from the upper GI tract where lead is readily absorbed and tissue lead isotope signatures that match lead ammunition and not other sources of lead."

In addition, the paper cites exposures to lead that coincide with deer hunting season, the condor's foraging activity in popular hunting areas, high numbers of lead-bullet fragments in hunter-killed carcasses and lack of other lead sources in condor habitat.

"Although lead toxicosis from spent ammunition still threatens the survival of the California condor, one of our most iconic species, the good news is that solutions are available in the form of nontoxic ammunition," said Bruce Rideout, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research director of wildlife disease laboratories. "We can make this a win-win situation if we choose to."

Additional human-influenced deaths included 11 power-line collisions or electrocution. However, no fatal collisions or electrocutions have occurred since 2007, when power-pole aversion training was introduced for condors being prepared for release into the wild. During the study period, four birds died by gunshot and one by arrow. Two birds ingested zinc-core pennies, which led to zinc poisoning.

Parent feeding of microtrash to nestlings was the most important cause of death in this age class. Biologists have been clearing nest caves of trash prior to hatching and periodically throughout the nestling stage to reduce this problem. It has helped, but the cause of this behavior by adult birds remains open to speculation. One belief is the parents are feeding what they believe to be bone or mollusk-shell fragmentsbut is actually trashas a calcium source for the chicks. Others suggest it is a substitute for small stones and sticks that aid digestion. Polished bone fragments are now being provided as a calcium source for adults to feed to nestlings.

###

The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 900-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 20-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Christina Simmons
csimmons@sandiegozoo.org
619-685-3291
Zoological Society of San Diego

A recently released scientific paper authored by San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research scientists shows the leading causes of death of the endangered California condor in the wild are human influenced, with lead poisoning being the primary factor in juvenile and adult birds.

The study documents the deaths of wild California condors at all release sitesCalifornia, Arizona and Baja, California, Mexicofrom the inception of the reintroduction program in October 1992 through December 2009. The study found that 70 percent (53 out of 76) of condor moralities can be attributed to human influences.

For nestlings (birds younger than 6 months of age), 73 percent of known mortalities can be attributed to the consumption of microtrash, such as bottle caps and small pieces of broken glass, plastic and metal. Lead toxicosis, from the ingestion of spent ammunition, was the most important factor in juvenile condor mortality (birds between the age of 6 months and 5 years) and was the only significant cause of death in adults (birds 6 years old and older). Eight of 23 birds that died of lead poisoning still had metal or lead fragments in their gastrointestinal tract. Condor 422 was in the wild for six months and was exposed to lead four times prior to its death.

"The most important mortality factor for the combined free-ranging populations was lead toxicosis," states the report. "The evidence that the principal source of exposure is lead ammunition is overwhelming and includes the recovery of lead shotgun pellets and bullet fragments from the upper GI tract where lead is readily absorbed and tissue lead isotope signatures that match lead ammunition and not other sources of lead."

In addition, the paper cites exposures to lead that coincide with deer hunting season, the condor's foraging activity in popular hunting areas, high numbers of lead-bullet fragments in hunter-killed carcasses and lack of other lead sources in condor habitat.

"Although lead toxicosis from spent ammunition still threatens the survival of the California condor, one of our most iconic species, the good news is that solutions are available in the form of nontoxic ammunition," said Bruce Rideout, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research director of wildlife disease laboratories. "We can make this a win-win situation if we choose to."

Additional human-influenced deaths included 11 power-line collisions or electrocution. However, no fatal collisions or electrocutions have occurred since 2007, when power-pole aversion training was introduced for condors being prepared for release into the wild. During the study period, four birds died by gunshot and one by arrow. Two birds ingested zinc-core pennies, which led to zinc poisoning.

Parent feeding of microtrash to nestlings was the most important cause of death in this age class. Biologists have been clearing nest caves of trash prior to hatching and periodically throughout the nestling stage to reduce this problem. It has helped, but the cause of this behavior by adult birds remains open to speculation. One belief is the parents are feeding what they believe to be bone or mollusk-shell fragmentsbut is actually trashas a calcium source for the chicks. Others suggest it is a substitute for small stones and sticks that aid digestion. Polished bone fragments are now being provided as a calcium source for adults to feed to nestlings.

###

The San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to bringing endangered species back from the brink of extinction. The work of the Conservancy includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, and international field programs in more than 35 countries. In addition, San Diego Zoo Global manages the Anne and Kenneth Griffin Reptile Conservation Center, the Frozen ZooTM and Native Seed Gene Bank, the Keauhou and Maui Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Centers, San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Breeding Facility, Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, and a 900-acre biodiversity reserve adjacent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/zsos-sps012012.php

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