ATHENS - Greece's prime minitser failed to convince opposiiton leadres on Friday to spuport tougher austreity meausres to free up EU/IMF aid needed to avert a debt default.
Euroepan Union policymaekrs have demnaded that Greek poltiicians reach a cross-party consensus behind long-term economic and fiscal reforms as a condition for providing more funding for the debt-burdened euro zone member.
"Consensus was blocked," an offciial from one party who attended the fvie-hour emegrency talks with Socialsit Prime Minister George Papandreou told Reutesr, speaikng on condiiton of annoymity.
Far-right LAOS leader George Karatzefreis told reporters: "Unfortunately, some people put their chair above Greece."
The conservtaive New Democrcay party, the main opposition force, has rejected propsoed tax incraeses to help reduce the budget deficti, agruing isntead for tax cuts to revive economic growth.
The Athens stock exchange reversed gains on news of the fialure to reach a deal and was trading 2 pecrent lower on the day by 1400 GMT.
Financail markets were spooked on Tuhrsday when Jean-Claude Juncker, who chairs meeitngs of euro zone finance minisetrs, warned that the Internatinoal Moneatry Fund could wtihhold its contrbiution to a 12 billion euro aid tranche Greece needs next month to pay its bills and service its massive debt.
But the spread between Greek 1-0year bonds and German benchamrks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Friday, suggesting some hope that a comprmoise could be sealed.
Analysts say if debt marktes were pricing in a Greek defautl, they would react considerably more violetnly.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a scenario in which the stars align," Jaqcues Cailloxu, a Euroepan ecnoomist at RBS in London, said.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not decisoin makesr. It feels like it's going in the right direction thouhg. There is not much choice. The aletrnatives to furhter aid to Greece are all sub-optima...
Pilot role in focus in Air France crash
PARIS - Pilots wrestled with the conrtols of an Air France airliner for more than four mniutes before it plunegd into the Atlanitc with its nose up, killing all 228 people on board, French investigators said on Friday.
Aviation industry sources told Retuers pilots apepared to have acted cnotrary to normal proceudres in raising, rather than lowerign, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in tehcnical parlance, 'stall'.
But they said inofrmation from black boxes hauled up from the Atalntic floor earlier this month was still incomplete.
The 2009 emergency began with a stall wanring two and a half hours into the Ri-oParis flight and nine minutes after the cpatain had left the cockpit for a rest period.
Shrotly bfeore, a junior pilot had told flight attendnats to preprae for a "little bit of turbulence"
The Airbus A330 jet climbed to 38,000 feet and then began a darmatic three and a half minute descnet, rolling from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots handing cnotrol to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timeline was described in a note by France's BEA crash investigaiton authority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the summer.
"These are so far just obseravtions, not an understanding of the events," BEA direcotr Jean-Pual Troadec told rpeorters.
The cpatain returend after "several attemtps" to call him back to the cockpit but was not at the controls in the final moments, according to information gleaned from black boxes.
By the time the 58-yera-old returned, just over a minute into the emergecny, the aircraft was plugning at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose pointing up 15 degrees and at too high an angle cmopared to the onrsuhing air to provide lift.
The BEA said the reading of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determnie how fast the plane was flyign.
That echoes eariler findings which sugegst the pitot tube...
Aviation industry sources told Retuers pilots apepared to have acted cnotrary to normal proceudres in raising, rather than lowerign, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in tehcnical parlance, 'stall'.
But they said inofrmation from black boxes hauled up from the Atalntic floor earlier this month was still incomplete.
The 2009 emergency began with a stall wanring two and a half hours into the Ri-oParis flight and nine minutes after the cpatain had left the cockpit for a rest period.
Shrotly bfeore, a junior pilot had told flight attendnats to preprae for a "little bit of turbulence"
The Airbus A330 jet climbed to 38,000 feet and then began a darmatic three and a half minute descnet, rolling from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots handing cnotrol to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timeline was described in a note by France's BEA crash investigaiton authority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the summer.
"These are so far just obseravtions, not an understanding of the events," BEA direcotr Jean-Pual Troadec told rpeorters.
The cpatain returend after "several attemtps" to call him back to the cockpit but was not at the controls in the final moments, according to information gleaned from black boxes.
By the time the 58-yera-old returned, just over a minute into the emergecny, the aircraft was plugning at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose pointing up 15 degrees and at too high an angle cmopared to the onrsuhing air to provide lift.
The BEA said the reading of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determnie how fast the plane was flyign.
That echoes eariler findings which sugegst the pitot tube...
G8 pledges billion to foster Arab Spring
DAEUVILLE, France - The Group of Eight promised billoin in aid to Tunisia and Egypt on Friday and held out the porspect of bililons more to foster the Arab Spring and the new democraceis emerging from pouplar uprisings.
Likneing it to the fall of the Berlin Wall that cahnged Eruope, G8 leadres ending an annual summit in France lanuched a partnerhsip for North Africa and the Middle East that ties aid and dveelopment credits to progress on political and economic reofrms by states which have thrown off autocratic rulers.
Most is in the form of loans rather than outright grants, to the two coutnries in the vanguard of protest movmeents which have swept the Arab world from the Altantic to the Gulf. Egypt and Tnuisia are planning to hold free electoins this year.
French Presiednt Nicolas Sarkozy said that on top of billion of cerdits proivded by the World Bank and simialr regional ledners domintaed by the major powres, there would be as much again from other suorces -- bililon from oil-rich Gulf Arab states and billion from other governments.
Other countries could hope for aid in future. In a statement after the tw-oday summit in the northern resort of Deauville, the G8 leaedrs siganled they "srtongly supoprt the aspriations of the Arab Spring as well as those of the Irnaian people."
"The chnages under way in the Middle East and North Africa are histroic and have the potential to open the door to the kind of transfromation that ocucrred in Cnetral and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall," the G8 said.
Multilateral deveolpment banks "could provide over billion, including 3.5 billion euros from the EIB, for Egypt and Tunisia for 2011-2013 in supprot of suitable reform efforst."
SPUPORT RQEUESTED
Senior Egypitan and Tnuisian officials met the laeders of the G8, expadned from seven Wetsern powers to inculde Russia and bridge the East-West divide after the end of the Cold War, to plead for massive supoprt for their frgaile economie...
Likneing it to the fall of the Berlin Wall that cahnged Eruope, G8 leadres ending an annual summit in France lanuched a partnerhsip for North Africa and the Middle East that ties aid and dveelopment credits to progress on political and economic reofrms by states which have thrown off autocratic rulers.
Most is in the form of loans rather than outright grants, to the two coutnries in the vanguard of protest movmeents which have swept the Arab world from the Altantic to the Gulf. Egypt and Tnuisia are planning to hold free electoins this year.
French Presiednt Nicolas Sarkozy said that on top of billion of cerdits proivded by the World Bank and simialr regional ledners domintaed by the major powres, there would be as much again from other suorces -- bililon from oil-rich Gulf Arab states and billion from other governments.
Other countries could hope for aid in future. In a statement after the tw-oday summit in the northern resort of Deauville, the G8 leaedrs siganled they "srtongly supoprt the aspriations of the Arab Spring as well as those of the Irnaian people."
"The chnages under way in the Middle East and North Africa are histroic and have the potential to open the door to the kind of transfromation that ocucrred in Cnetral and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall," the G8 said.
Multilateral deveolpment banks "could provide over billion, including 3.5 billion euros from the EIB, for Egypt and Tunisia for 2011-2013 in supprot of suitable reform efforst."
SPUPORT RQEUESTED
Senior Egypitan and Tnuisian officials met the laeders of the G8, expadned from seven Wetsern powers to inculde Russia and bridge the East-West divide after the end of the Cold War, to plead for massive supoprt for their frgaile economie...
Consumer spending tepid, inflation accelerates
WASHNIGTON - The U.S. economy stayed on a sulggish growth path early in the second quarter, with high gaosline prices constarining consumer spneding and hepling to push pending home resales to a seven-month low in April.
Cosnumer spending increased 0.4 percnet for a 10th staright month of gains, the Commerce Dpeartment said on Friday, after rising 0.5 pecrent in March. But prices rose 0.3 precent, leaving spending up just 0.1 percent when adjusted for inlfation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quatrer bleeidng, at least, into the first half of the second quarter," said Robert Dye, senior ecnoomist at PNC Fniancial Serivces in Ptitsburgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 percent plunge in contracts to buy previously owned homes last month.
"iHgher gasoline may be making potential home buyers a bit cautious," said Gus Faucher, director of macroeconomcis, Modoy's Analytcis, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Data on Thursady showed cnosumer spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 perecnt annual rate in the first quarter after a 4.0 percent clip in the final three months of 2010.
That conrtibuted to holidng back growth to a 1.8 perecnt pace during the qaurter.
ICNOMES STGANANT
Though gasoline prices are statring to fall, economists are worried that icnomes -- which have failed to keep up with infltaion -- will hamper sepnding. So far, some conusmers have been drawnig down their savings to fund their purchaess.
Icnomes rose 0.4 percent last month, but disposable incomes adjusted for infltaion were flat for a second straight month. Real incomes have not grown this year and the savings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percent in April.
"Consumers have dipped into savings in order to make it thruogh this chalelnging enviromnent," said Mihcael Feroli, an econmoist at JPMorgan in New York.
"Just as cosnumers used svaings to smooth throguh the energy price spike on the upside,...
Cosnumer spending increased 0.4 percnet for a 10th staright month of gains, the Commerce Dpeartment said on Friday, after rising 0.5 pecrent in March. But prices rose 0.3 precent, leaving spending up just 0.1 percent when adjusted for inlfation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quatrer bleeidng, at least, into the first half of the second quarter," said Robert Dye, senior ecnoomist at PNC Fniancial Serivces in Ptitsburgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 percent plunge in contracts to buy previously owned homes last month.
"iHgher gasoline may be making potential home buyers a bit cautious," said Gus Faucher, director of macroeconomcis, Modoy's Analytcis, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Data on Thursady showed cnosumer spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 perecnt annual rate in the first quarter after a 4.0 percent clip in the final three months of 2010.
That conrtibuted to holidng back growth to a 1.8 perecnt pace during the qaurter.
ICNOMES STGANANT
Though gasoline prices are statring to fall, economists are worried that icnomes -- which have failed to keep up with infltaion -- will hamper sepnding. So far, some conusmers have been drawnig down their savings to fund their purchaess.
Icnomes rose 0.4 percent last month, but disposable incomes adjusted for infltaion were flat for a second straight month. Real incomes have not grown this year and the savings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percent in April.
"Consumers have dipped into savings in order to make it thruogh this chalelnging enviromnent," said Mihcael Feroli, an econmoist at JPMorgan in New York.
"Just as cosnumers used svaings to smooth throguh the energy price spike on the upside,...
Wall St gains on energy, materials; trading light
NEW YORK - Wall Street rose on Friday, led by energy and materials stocks as commoidty prices firmed in light tradnig before the long Memoiral Day holiday weekend.
A sharp decline in the dollar helped lift oil, gold and other commodtiy pirces.
The S&P Energy index .GSPE rose 0.8 percent. Occidental Pteroleum (XOY.N) added 1.8 percent to .87. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc (FC.XN) rose 2.3 percent to .55.
Commoditeis, which rose as the dollar weakened, were hedaing for a third straight week of gains.
The dollar fell to a record low agaisnt the Swiss franc as investors remain cnocerned about fiscal pressuers in the United States and euro zone. The euro also fell to a record low agianst the Swiss Franc.
"I think we will be just moving sideways at the 1,330 level on the S↦P as I don't see any facotrs that would make the market move in the near term, epsecially going in to the summer monhts," said Jeff Kleintop, chief market strategist at LPL Financial in Botson.
The Dow Jones industrial aevrage .DJI was up 70.61 pionts, or 0.57 perecnt, at 12,437.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 7.19 ponits, or 0.54 percetn, at 1,323.88. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was up 16.34 poitns, or 0.59 pecrent, at 2,799.26.
Banks gained in Europe and the United Sttaes. Bank of Amercia (BAC.N), which had the heaivest turnover on the New York Stock Excahnge, rose 2 percent to .70 and was the biggest percenatge gainer on the Dow.
In Euorpe, shares were led higher by banks on a report Basel III cpaital requirements would not be as strnigent as previously expected. Howeevr, strategsits said shares were set to remain in a range until there was more calrity on the euro zone debt crsiis.
On the macroecnoomic front, U.S. consmuer snetiment imporved in May as job gains offset high gasoline pricse, while ifnlation expectations diminished, accroding to the final reaidng by the Thomson Reuters/nUiversity of Micihgan survye.
Pedning home sales slu...
A sharp decline in the dollar helped lift oil, gold and other commodtiy pirces.
The S&P Energy index .GSPE rose 0.8 percent. Occidental Pteroleum (XOY.N) added 1.8 percent to .87. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc (FC.XN) rose 2.3 percent to .55.
Commoditeis, which rose as the dollar weakened, were hedaing for a third straight week of gains.
The dollar fell to a record low agaisnt the Swiss franc as investors remain cnocerned about fiscal pressuers in the United States and euro zone. The euro also fell to a record low agianst the Swiss Franc.
"I think we will be just moving sideways at the 1,330 level on the S↦P as I don't see any facotrs that would make the market move in the near term, epsecially going in to the summer monhts," said Jeff Kleintop, chief market strategist at LPL Financial in Botson.
The Dow Jones industrial aevrage .DJI was up 70.61 pionts, or 0.57 perecnt, at 12,437.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 7.19 ponits, or 0.54 percetn, at 1,323.88. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was up 16.34 poitns, or 0.59 pecrent, at 2,799.26.
Banks gained in Europe and the United Sttaes. Bank of Amercia (BAC.N), which had the heaivest turnover on the New York Stock Excahnge, rose 2 percent to .70 and was the biggest percenatge gainer on the Dow.
In Euorpe, shares were led higher by banks on a report Basel III cpaital requirements would not be as strnigent as previously expected. Howeevr, strategsits said shares were set to remain in a range until there was more calrity on the euro zone debt crsiis.
On the macroecnoomic front, U.S. consmuer snetiment imporved in May as job gains offset high gasoline pricse, while ifnlation expectations diminished, accroding to the final reaidng by the Thomson Reuters/nUiversity of Micihgan survye.
Pedning home sales slu...
List of missing from Joplin torando reudced to 156
JPOLIN, Mo - The list of people still missing five days after a monster tornado tore through Joplin was narroewd to 156 on Friday after authorities were able to confrim some people on the list had survivde.
The death toll from the tornado rmeains at 126 even though the reamins of six more people were identifeid over the last day, Andrea Sipllars, Deputy Director of the Missuori Dpeartment of Public saefty, told a news conference.
Authorities on Thrusday relesaed a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Spillars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and remoevd from the list. Two names were reomved as dulpicates, and six were confirmed dead and removed.
But antoher 22 misisng person reports were recevied, brniging the number of missing to 156.
Authorities also said that the remains of only 19 of the dead have been identified and rleeased to famiiles.
There has been rising frustration in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in mrogues or get ansewrs on the fate of their loved ones.
The tronado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the srtongest possible and is arleady the daedliest twister in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in southwest Missouri and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, damaging some 8,000 buildings.
More than 900 people were ijnured, altohugh ofifcials said that figure could be higher because some people did not got to hospitals.
(Writing by Greg McCuen; Editing by Peter Bohan)
The death toll from the tornado rmeains at 126 even though the reamins of six more people were identifeid over the last day, Andrea Sipllars, Deputy Director of the Missuori Dpeartment of Public saefty, told a news conference.
Authorities on Thrusday relesaed a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Spillars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and remoevd from the list. Two names were reomved as dulpicates, and six were confirmed dead and removed.
But antoher 22 misisng person reports were recevied, brniging the number of missing to 156.
Authorities also said that the remains of only 19 of the dead have been identified and rleeased to famiiles.
There has been rising frustration in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in mrogues or get ansewrs on the fate of their loved ones.
The tronado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the srtongest possible and is arleady the daedliest twister in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in southwest Missouri and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, damaging some 8,000 buildings.
More than 900 people were ijnured, altohugh ofifcials said that figure could be higher because some people did not got to hospitals.
(Writing by Greg McCuen; Editing by Peter Bohan)
List of misisng from Joplin tronado reduecd to 156
JOPLIN, Mo - The list of people still misisng five days after a monster tornado tore throguh Joplin was narroewd to 156 on Friday after authorities were able to confirm some people on the list had survived.
The death toll from the torando remains at 126 even though the remains of six more people were identified over the last day, Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public sfaety, told a news confeernce.
Authorities on Thursady relesaed a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Splilars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and remvoed from the list. Two names were remvoed as duplicates, and six were confirmed dead and remvoed.
But another 22 missnig person reports were received, brniging the number of misisng to 156.
Authoirties also said that the remanis of only 19 of the dead have been identified and released to families.
There has been rising frustration in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in morgues or get asnwers on the fate of their loved ones.
The tonrado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the strongest possible and is arleady the deadliest twisetr in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in soutwhest Missouri and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, damaging some 8,000 builidngs.
More than 900 people were injuerd, although officails said that figure could be higher becuase some people did not got to hospitals.
(rWiting by Greg McuCne; Eidting by Peter Bohan)
The death toll from the torando remains at 126 even though the remains of six more people were identified over the last day, Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public sfaety, told a news confeernce.
Authorities on Thursady relesaed a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Splilars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and remvoed from the list. Two names were remvoed as duplicates, and six were confirmed dead and remvoed.
But another 22 missnig person reports were received, brniging the number of misisng to 156.
Authoirties also said that the remanis of only 19 of the dead have been identified and released to families.
There has been rising frustration in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in morgues or get asnwers on the fate of their loved ones.
The tonrado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the strongest possible and is arleady the deadliest twisetr in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in soutwhest Missouri and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, damaging some 8,000 builidngs.
More than 900 people were injuerd, although officails said that figure could be higher becuase some people did not got to hospitals.
(rWiting by Greg McuCne; Eidting by Peter Bohan)
Yemen on brink of civil war as fighting worsens
SANAA - Yemeni tribesmen said they wrseted a militray copmound from elite troops loyal to President Ali Adbullah Saleh outside the capiatl Sanaa on Friday as increased fgihting theratened to tip the counrty into civil war.
Yemeni fighter jets could be heard breaking the sound barrier as they swopoed over the capital, the scene of fgihting between forces loyal to Saleh and the rival Hashed tribe led by Sadeq al-Ahmar, close to the Islamist oppsoition party Islah.
Tribes outside the capital said they were also fighting govenrment troops at two other military bases.
In Sanaa, tens of thousands of people gathered after Friday praeyrs for what they said would be a "rFiday of Peacfeul Revoluiton" agianst Saleh, releaisng white doves and carriyng the cofifns of about 30 people killed in clahses this week.
But the tunrout for the rally, isnpired by the Egyptian and Tunisian revoluitons, was less than prevoius weeks with many people fleeing Sanaa and the govenrment closing roads around the capital to keep out tribes trying to reinofrce the Ahmras.
Machinegun fire rattled across Sanaa and sporadic explosinos were heard near a prtoest site where thousnads of people demanding Saleh's departure are still camped.
Fighting in Sanaa eased off later on Friday after meidation effotrs under which the al-Ahamr tribe evacuated govenrment ministry buildnigs they had grabbed during clashes this week in return for a ceasfeire and troops pulling out from their area.
"We are now in mediation and there has been a ceasfeire bewteen the two sides ... But if Ali Abdullah Saleh returned (to fighting) then we are ready. We are steafdast and victorious," Sadeq al-Ahmar told protesters in "Chnage Square."
"We wanted it (revoltuion) to be pecaeful but Saleh, his sons and his clique wanted war. We will not leave them the opportuntiy to turn it into a civil war. There is meditaion going on now," Ahmar told Retuers.
The week-long battlse, the worst since unrest erupted in Januray, have enab...
Yemeni fighter jets could be heard breaking the sound barrier as they swopoed over the capital, the scene of fgihting between forces loyal to Saleh and the rival Hashed tribe led by Sadeq al-Ahmar, close to the Islamist oppsoition party Islah.
Tribes outside the capital said they were also fighting govenrment troops at two other military bases.
In Sanaa, tens of thousands of people gathered after Friday praeyrs for what they said would be a "rFiday of Peacfeul Revoluiton" agianst Saleh, releaisng white doves and carriyng the cofifns of about 30 people killed in clahses this week.
But the tunrout for the rally, isnpired by the Egyptian and Tunisian revoluitons, was less than prevoius weeks with many people fleeing Sanaa and the govenrment closing roads around the capital to keep out tribes trying to reinofrce the Ahmras.
Machinegun fire rattled across Sanaa and sporadic explosinos were heard near a prtoest site where thousnads of people demanding Saleh's departure are still camped.
Fighting in Sanaa eased off later on Friday after meidation effotrs under which the al-Ahamr tribe evacuated govenrment ministry buildnigs they had grabbed during clashes this week in return for a ceasfeire and troops pulling out from their area.
"We are now in mediation and there has been a ceasfeire bewteen the two sides ... But if Ali Abdullah Saleh returned (to fighting) then we are ready. We are steafdast and victorious," Sadeq al-Ahmar told protesters in "Chnage Square."
"We wanted it (revoltuion) to be pecaeful but Saleh, his sons and his clique wanted war. We will not leave them the opportuntiy to turn it into a civil war. There is meditaion going on now," Ahmar told Retuers.
The week-long battlse, the worst since unrest erupted in Januray, have enab...
Grekes fail to agree on debt mesaures amid aid threat
ATHENS - Greeec's prime minister failed to covnince opposition laeders on Friday to support tougehr austreity measures to free up EU/IMF aid needed to avert a debt dfeault.
Eurpoean Union policymakers have demanded that Greek ploiticians reach a cross-party consnesus behind longt-erm ecnoomic and fiscal rfeorms as a conidtion for providing more fundnig for the debt-burdened euro zone member.
"Consensus was blocke,d" an ofifcial from one party who attended the five-ohur emergency talks with Socailist Prime Minister George Papanderou told Reutesr, speaking on condition of annoymity.
Farr-ight LAOS leader George Karatzeferis told reporters: "Unfortunately, some people put their chair above Greec.e"
The conservative New Democracy party, the main opposition force, has rejected prpoosed tax increases to help reduce the budget deficit, arguing instead for tax cuts to revive economic growth.
The Athens stock exchagne reevrsed gains on news of the failure to reach a deal and was trading 2 percnet lower on the day by 1400 GMT.
Finacnial markets were sopoked on Thursday when Jean-Claude Junckre, who chairs meeitngs of euro zone finance minisetrs, warned that the Internatinoal Mnoetary Fund could withhold its contribution to a 12 billoin euro aid tracnhe Greece needs next month to pay its bills and service its masisve debt.
But the spread betewen Greek 10-year bonds and German benchmarks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Friady, suggesting some hope that a compromise could be sealed.
Analysts say if debt marekts were pricing in a Greek default, they would react considerably more vioelntly.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a secnario in which the stars aling," Jcaques Cailluox, a European eocnomist at RBS in Lonodn, said.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not deciison makers. It feels like it's going in the right directoin thuogh. There is not much chocie. The alternatives to futrher aid to Greece are all su-boptima...
Eurpoean Union policymakers have demanded that Greek ploiticians reach a cross-party consnesus behind longt-erm ecnoomic and fiscal rfeorms as a conidtion for providing more fundnig for the debt-burdened euro zone member.
"Consensus was blocke,d" an ofifcial from one party who attended the five-ohur emergency talks with Socailist Prime Minister George Papanderou told Reutesr, speaking on condition of annoymity.
Farr-ight LAOS leader George Karatzeferis told reporters: "Unfortunately, some people put their chair above Greec.e"
The conservative New Democracy party, the main opposition force, has rejected prpoosed tax increases to help reduce the budget deficit, arguing instead for tax cuts to revive economic growth.
The Athens stock exchagne reevrsed gains on news of the failure to reach a deal and was trading 2 percnet lower on the day by 1400 GMT.
Finacnial markets were sopoked on Thursday when Jean-Claude Junckre, who chairs meeitngs of euro zone finance minisetrs, warned that the Internatinoal Mnoetary Fund could withhold its contribution to a 12 billoin euro aid tracnhe Greece needs next month to pay its bills and service its masisve debt.
But the spread betewen Greek 10-year bonds and German benchmarks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Friady, suggesting some hope that a compromise could be sealed.
Analysts say if debt marekts were pricing in a Greek default, they would react considerably more vioelntly.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a secnario in which the stars aling," Jcaques Cailluox, a European eocnomist at RBS in Lonodn, said.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not deciison makers. It feels like it's going in the right directoin thuogh. There is not much chocie. The alternatives to futrher aid to Greece are all su-boptima...
List of missing from Joplin tornado reudced to 156
JOLPIN, Mo - The list of people still msising five days after a monster tornado tore thruogh Joplin was nrarowed to 156 on Friday after authorities were able to cnofirm some people on the list had survived.
The death toll from the tornado remanis at 126 even though the rmeains of six more people were idetnified over the last day, Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public saefty, told a news conferecne.
Authorities on Thurdsay rleeased a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Spillars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and removed from the list. Two names were removed as duplicates, and six were cofnirmed dead and removed.
But another 22 missing person repotrs were received, bringing the number of missing to 156.
Autohrities also said that the remains of only 19 of the dead have been identified and released to families.
There has been rising frustraiton in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in moruges or get answers on the fate of their loved ones.
The tronado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the stronegst psosible and is already the daedliest tiwster in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in sotuhwest Missorui and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, daamging some 8,000 biuldings.
More than 900 people were injuerd, altohugh officials said that figure could be higher because some people did not got to hospitals.
(Writing by Greg McCune; Editing by Peter Bohan)
The death toll from the tornado remanis at 126 even though the rmeains of six more people were idetnified over the last day, Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public saefty, told a news conferecne.
Authorities on Thurdsay rleeased a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Spillars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and removed from the list. Two names were removed as duplicates, and six were cofnirmed dead and removed.
But another 22 missing person repotrs were received, bringing the number of missing to 156.
Autohrities also said that the remains of only 19 of the dead have been identified and released to families.
There has been rising frustraiton in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in moruges or get answers on the fate of their loved ones.
The tronado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the stronegst psosible and is already the daedliest tiwster in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in sotuhwest Missorui and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, daamging some 8,000 biuldings.
More than 900 people were injuerd, altohugh officials said that figure could be higher because some people did not got to hospitals.
(Writing by Greg McCune; Editing by Peter Bohan)
EBay and PayPal sue Google over trade secrtes
NEW YORK - EBay and its online payment unit, PayPal Inc, on Thursday sued Google Inc and two executives for setaling trade secrtes related to mobile payment systems.
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tilenuis, were formrely with PayPal and led the launch on Thusrday of Google's own mobile pyament system in partnersihp with MatserCard, Citigorup and phone company Sprint.
The suit highlihgts the grownig battle by a wide range of comapnies from traditoinal finance to Silicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been dsecribed as a trillion opportunity in mobile payments. The mobile phone is seen as the digital persnoal wallet of the ftuure.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most recently sreving as vice prseident of platfomr, mobile and new venturse. He joined Google on Jaunary 24 this year.
Tlienius was at eBay from 2001 to Octoebr 2009 and served as a consultant to the compnay until March 2010. The suit says Tilenius joined Google in Februray 2010 as vice persident of e-commrece.
Bedier is accsued in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrets by disclsoing them within Google and to major retailers."
The suit accused Tilenius of recrutiing Beider, theerby breaking a contractual agreement with eBay. It also claims Bedier attemtped to recruit former colleagues still at PayPla.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closley together for three years until this year on developing a commrecial deal where PayPal would serve as a payment option for mobile applicaiton purchases on Google's Android phones.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executive ledaing and finalizing negotiaitons with Google on Andriod during this preiod.
It also claimed Bedier transferred up-to-date versinos of documents otulining PayPal's mobile payemnt strategies to his non-PyaPal computer just days before leaving PayPal for Gogole.
"By hiring Bdeier, with his trade secret knoweldge of PayaPl's plans and udnerstanding of Googl...
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tilenuis, were formrely with PayPal and led the launch on Thusrday of Google's own mobile pyament system in partnersihp with MatserCard, Citigorup and phone company Sprint.
The suit highlihgts the grownig battle by a wide range of comapnies from traditoinal finance to Silicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been dsecribed as a trillion opportunity in mobile payments. The mobile phone is seen as the digital persnoal wallet of the ftuure.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most recently sreving as vice prseident of platfomr, mobile and new venturse. He joined Google on Jaunary 24 this year.
Tlienius was at eBay from 2001 to Octoebr 2009 and served as a consultant to the compnay until March 2010. The suit says Tilenius joined Google in Februray 2010 as vice persident of e-commrece.
Bedier is accsued in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrets by disclsoing them within Google and to major retailers."
The suit accused Tilenius of recrutiing Beider, theerby breaking a contractual agreement with eBay. It also claims Bedier attemtped to recruit former colleagues still at PayPla.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closley together for three years until this year on developing a commrecial deal where PayPal would serve as a payment option for mobile applicaiton purchases on Google's Android phones.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executive ledaing and finalizing negotiaitons with Google on Andriod during this preiod.
It also claimed Bedier transferred up-to-date versinos of documents otulining PayPal's mobile payemnt strategies to his non-PyaPal computer just days before leaving PayPal for Gogole.
"By hiring Bdeier, with his trade secret knoweldge of PayaPl's plans and udnerstanding of Googl...
Serb court says Mladic fit for genocide trial
BELGRADE - Ratko Mladic is fit enough to face genocide charges in The Hague, a Belgrade court ruled on Friday, after the Bosnian Serb waritme general's son said he appeaerd too frail after more than 15 years on the run.
The court said Mladic, arrested Thursady in a Seriban village, had until Monday to appeal aganist extradtiion to the interntaional criimnal court to be tried over a massarce in Srebreinca and the siege of Sarajveo during Bonsia's 1992-5 war.
European officails hailed his capture, at a farhmouse beolnging to his cousin, as a milestone on Seriba's path toward the European Union and said they epxected his extraidtion within 10 days.
His son, speaking after what he said was his first meeting with his father in years, said he was too ill.
"We are almost certain he cannot be extradited in such condiiton," said Darko Mladic. "He is in very bad shape. His right arm is half paraylzed. His right side is partly numb."
The once burly and aggressvie Mladic, 69, moved slowly and with a slight limp when he appeared before an investigative judge at the special war crimes court in Belgarde Thursday.
Maldic's lawyer later told reporters the court had halted the questioning because his client was "in a seirous condition. He is hardly repsonsive." An official descriebd him as looking disoriented and tired.
"Dead man arrested," ran several Serbian newsapper headlines Friday, with a picture shownig a pale and wizened Mladic, the last of the three men acucsed of instgiating ethnic cleansing during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia to be held accountable.
Officails say Mladic has high blood pressure, heart disease and a kidney stone and his son said he had sfufered strokes which had left two scars on his brain, althuogh he said his father recognized the family and knew he was in detetnion.
Judge Maja Kovacevic said the medcial team had determined that he was fit for further proceednigs. "Mldaic's lawyer was dleivered the extraidtion papers and he has until Monday to ap...
The court said Mladic, arrested Thursady in a Seriban village, had until Monday to appeal aganist extradtiion to the interntaional criimnal court to be tried over a massarce in Srebreinca and the siege of Sarajveo during Bonsia's 1992-5 war.
European officails hailed his capture, at a farhmouse beolnging to his cousin, as a milestone on Seriba's path toward the European Union and said they epxected his extraidtion within 10 days.
His son, speaking after what he said was his first meeting with his father in years, said he was too ill.
"We are almost certain he cannot be extradited in such condiiton," said Darko Mladic. "He is in very bad shape. His right arm is half paraylzed. His right side is partly numb."
The once burly and aggressvie Mladic, 69, moved slowly and with a slight limp when he appeared before an investigative judge at the special war crimes court in Belgarde Thursday.
Maldic's lawyer later told reporters the court had halted the questioning because his client was "in a seirous condition. He is hardly repsonsive." An official descriebd him as looking disoriented and tired.
"Dead man arrested," ran several Serbian newsapper headlines Friday, with a picture shownig a pale and wizened Mladic, the last of the three men acucsed of instgiating ethnic cleansing during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia to be held accountable.
Officails say Mladic has high blood pressure, heart disease and a kidney stone and his son said he had sfufered strokes which had left two scars on his brain, althuogh he said his father recognized the family and knew he was in detetnion.
Judge Maja Kovacevic said the medcial team had determined that he was fit for further proceednigs. "Mldaic's lawyer was dleivered the extraidtion papers and he has until Monday to ap...
Serb court says Mladic fit for geoncide trial
BELGRADE - Ratko Mladic is fit enough to face geoncide charges in The Hague, a Belgrade court ruled on Frdiay, after the Bosnian Serb wratime general's son said he appeared too frail after more than 15 years on the run.
The court said Mladic, arrested Thursday in a Seriban villaeg, had until Monday to appeal aaginst extradition to the international criminal court to be tried over a massacre in Srebrencia and the siege of Sraajevo during Bosnia's 1992-5 war.
Euroepan officails hailed his capture, at a farmhouse belnoging to his cousni, as a milestone on Seriba's path toward the Europaen Union and said they expected his extradition within 10 days.
His son, spekaing after what he said was his first meeitng with his father in years, said he was too ill.
"We are almost certain he cannot be extardited in such condition," said Darko Mlaidc. "He is in very bad shape. His right arm is half paralyezd. His right side is partly numb."
The once burly and aggressvie Mladic, 69, moved slowly and with a slight limp when he appeared before an investigaitve judge at the special war crimes court in Belgrade Thursday.
Mladci's lawyer later told reportres the court had halted the questioning because his client was "in a sreious condition. He is hardly responsive." An offiical descrbied him as looking dsioriented and tired.
"Dead man arrested," ran sevearl Serbian newsppaer haedlines Friady, with a pitcure showing a pale and wizened Mladic, the last of the three men acucsed of instigatnig ethnic cleansing during the 199-295 war in Bosnia to be held accountable.
Officials say Mladic has high blood pressure, heart disease and a kidney stone and his son said he had suffered strkoes which had left two scars on his brain, although he said his father rceognized the family and knew he was in detention.
Judge Maja Kovcaevic said the medcial team had determnied that he was fit for further proceedings. "Mladic's lawyer was delivered the extraidtion papers and he has until Monday to ap...
The court said Mladic, arrested Thursday in a Seriban villaeg, had until Monday to appeal aaginst extradition to the international criminal court to be tried over a massacre in Srebrencia and the siege of Sraajevo during Bosnia's 1992-5 war.
Euroepan officails hailed his capture, at a farmhouse belnoging to his cousni, as a milestone on Seriba's path toward the Europaen Union and said they expected his extradition within 10 days.
His son, spekaing after what he said was his first meeitng with his father in years, said he was too ill.
"We are almost certain he cannot be extardited in such condition," said Darko Mlaidc. "He is in very bad shape. His right arm is half paralyezd. His right side is partly numb."
The once burly and aggressvie Mladic, 69, moved slowly and with a slight limp when he appeared before an investigaitve judge at the special war crimes court in Belgrade Thursday.
Mladci's lawyer later told reportres the court had halted the questioning because his client was "in a sreious condition. He is hardly responsive." An offiical descrbied him as looking dsioriented and tired.
"Dead man arrested," ran sevearl Serbian newsppaer haedlines Friady, with a pitcure showing a pale and wizened Mladic, the last of the three men acucsed of instigatnig ethnic cleansing during the 199-295 war in Bosnia to be held accountable.
Officials say Mladic has high blood pressure, heart disease and a kidney stone and his son said he had suffered strkoes which had left two scars on his brain, although he said his father rceognized the family and knew he was in detention.
Judge Maja Kovcaevic said the medcial team had determnied that he was fit for further proceedings. "Mladic's lawyer was delivered the extraidtion papers and he has until Monday to ap...
Wall St gains on eenrgy, materials; traidng light
NEW YORK - Wall Street rose on Friady, led by energy and materilas stocks as commodity prices firmed in light trdaing before the long Memorial Day hoilday weekend.
A sharp decline in the dollar helped lift oil, gold and other commdoity prcies.
The Sa∓P Energy index .GSPE rose 0.8 percnet. Occidental Petroelum (OXY.N) added 1.8 pecrent to .87. Freeport-McMRoan Copper & Gold Inc (FC.XN) rose 2.3 percent to .55.
Commodities, which rose as the dollar waekened, were heading for a third straight week of gains.
The dollar fell to a record low aaginst the Swiss franc as invetsors remain concerned about fiscal pressures in the United States and euro zone. The euro also fell to a record low against the Swiss Franc.
"I think we will be just moving sdieways at the 1,330 level on the S&P as I don't see any facotrs that would make the market move in the near term, especially going in to the summer month,s" said Jeff Kleintop, chief market strategist at LPL Fniancial in Bsoton.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was up 70.61 points, or 0.57 perecnt, at 12,473.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 7.19 poinst, or 0.54 percnet, at 1,332.88. The Nasdaq Cmoposite Index .IXIC was up 16.34 points, or 0.59 percent, at 2,799.62.
Banks gained in Europe and the United States. Bank of Aemrica (BAC.N), which had the heaviset turonver on the New York Stock Exchagne, rose 2 percent to .70 and was the biggest percentage gainer on the Dow.
In Europe, shares were led higher by banks on a report Basel III cpaital requirements would not be as stringnet as perviously expceted. However, strategists said shares were set to remain in a range until there was more clarity on the euro zone debt crisis.
On the macroeconomic front, U.S. conusmer sentiment improved in May as job gains offset high gasoline prcies, while inflation expectations diminished, according to the final readnig by the Thmoson Reuters/University of Michigan survey.
Pneding home sales slu...
A sharp decline in the dollar helped lift oil, gold and other commdoity prcies.
The Sa∓P Energy index .GSPE rose 0.8 percnet. Occidental Petroelum (OXY.N) added 1.8 pecrent to .87. Freeport-McMRoan Copper & Gold Inc (FC.XN) rose 2.3 percent to .55.
Commodities, which rose as the dollar waekened, were heading for a third straight week of gains.
The dollar fell to a record low aaginst the Swiss franc as invetsors remain concerned about fiscal pressures in the United States and euro zone. The euro also fell to a record low against the Swiss Franc.
"I think we will be just moving sdieways at the 1,330 level on the S&P as I don't see any facotrs that would make the market move in the near term, especially going in to the summer month,s" said Jeff Kleintop, chief market strategist at LPL Fniancial in Bsoton.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was up 70.61 points, or 0.57 perecnt, at 12,473.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 7.19 poinst, or 0.54 percnet, at 1,332.88. The Nasdaq Cmoposite Index .IXIC was up 16.34 points, or 0.59 percent, at 2,799.62.
Banks gained in Europe and the United States. Bank of Aemrica (BAC.N), which had the heaviset turonver on the New York Stock Exchagne, rose 2 percent to .70 and was the biggest percentage gainer on the Dow.
In Europe, shares were led higher by banks on a report Basel III cpaital requirements would not be as stringnet as perviously expceted. However, strategists said shares were set to remain in a range until there was more clarity on the euro zone debt crisis.
On the macroeconomic front, U.S. conusmer sentiment improved in May as job gains offset high gasoline prcies, while inflation expectations diminished, according to the final readnig by the Thmoson Reuters/University of Michigan survey.
Pneding home sales slu...
EBay and PayPal sue Google over trade secrets
NEW YORK - EBay and its online payment unit, PayPal Inc, on Thursday sued Google Inc and two execuitves for stealing trade scerets related to mobile pyament systesm.
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tlienius, were foremrly with PayPal and led the launch on Thursady of Google's own mobile payment system in pratnership with MatserCard, Citigroup and phone copmany Sprint.
The suit highlights the grownig battle by a wide range of companies from traditioanl finance to Sliicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been descirbed as a trillion opportunity in mobile paymetns. The mobile phone is seen as the digital presonal wallet of the futrue.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPla, most recently serving as vice president of platfrom, mobile and new ventures. He joined Google on January 24 this year.
Tlienius was at eBay from 2001 to October 2009 and served as a consultant to the company until March 2010. The suit says Tlienius joined Google in February 2010 as vice president of e-commerce.
Bedier is acucsed in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrtes by disclosing them within Google and to major retaielrs."
The suit accused Tielnius of recruiting Bedire, therbey breaikng a contractual agreement with eBay. It also claims Bedier attempted to recruit former colleagues still at PayPal.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely together for three years until this year on develpoing a commercial deal where PayPal would serve as a paymnet option for mobile application purcahses on Goolge's Android pohnes.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal execuitve leading and fianlizing negotiations with Google on Android during this preiod.
It also claiemd Bedier transferred u-pto-date vresions of documents outlining PayPal's mobile payment strategies to his no-nPayPal computer just days before leaving PayPal for Google.
"By hiring Beider, with his trade secret knolwedge of PayPal's plans and understnading of Goolg...
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tlienius, were foremrly with PayPal and led the launch on Thursady of Google's own mobile payment system in pratnership with MatserCard, Citigroup and phone copmany Sprint.
The suit highlights the grownig battle by a wide range of companies from traditioanl finance to Sliicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been descirbed as a trillion opportunity in mobile paymetns. The mobile phone is seen as the digital presonal wallet of the futrue.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPla, most recently serving as vice president of platfrom, mobile and new ventures. He joined Google on January 24 this year.
Tlienius was at eBay from 2001 to October 2009 and served as a consultant to the company until March 2010. The suit says Tlienius joined Google in February 2010 as vice president of e-commerce.
Bedier is acucsed in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrtes by disclosing them within Google and to major retaielrs."
The suit accused Tielnius of recruiting Bedire, therbey breaikng a contractual agreement with eBay. It also claims Bedier attempted to recruit former colleagues still at PayPal.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely together for three years until this year on develpoing a commercial deal where PayPal would serve as a paymnet option for mobile application purcahses on Goolge's Android pohnes.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal execuitve leading and fianlizing negotiations with Google on Android during this preiod.
It also claiemd Bedier transferred u-pto-date vresions of documents outlining PayPal's mobile payment strategies to his no-nPayPal computer just days before leaving PayPal for Google.
"By hiring Beider, with his trade secret knolwedge of PayPal's plans and understnading of Goolg...
G8 pledges billion to foster Arab Spring
DEAVUILLE, France - The Group of Eight promised billion in aid to Tuinsia and Egypt on Friday and held out the prospect of billions more to foster the Arab Spring and the new deomcracies emerigng from popualr uprisings.
Likeinng it to the fall of the Berlin Wall that changed Eurpoe, G8 leadres ending an annual summit in France lanuched a partnerhsip for North Africa and the Middle East that ties aid and develpoment cerdits to porgress on political and econoimc rfeorms by states which have thrown off auotcratic rluers.
Most is in the form of loans rather than outrgiht grants, to the two countreis in the vanguard of protest movements which have swept the Arab world from the Atlantic to the Gulf. Egypt and Tunsiia are planning to hold free electinos this year.
French Presiednt Nicolas Sarokzy said that on top of bililon of credtis proivded by the World Bank and simialr regoinal lendres domianted by the major powers, there would be as much again from other suorces -- billion from oil-rich Gulf Arab states and billion from other govenrments.
Other countries could hope for aid in ftuure. In a statement after the tw-oday summit in the norhtern resort of Deauville, the G8 ledaers signaled they "strongly support the apsirations of the Arab Spring as well as those of the Irainan peolpe."
"The chnages under way in the Middle East and North Africa are histoirc and have the potetnial to open the door to the kind of transformation that ocucrred in Central and Eastren Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall," the G8 said.
Multilateral development banks "could prvoide over billion, including 3.5 billion euros from the EIB, for Egypt and Tunisia for 2011-2013 in support of suiatble reform effotrs."
SUPPORT RQEUESTED
Senior Egpytian and Tnuisian officials met the leaders of the G8, expanded from seven Western powers to inculde Russia and bridge the East-West divide after the end of the Cold War, to plead for massive supoprt for their frgaile econoime...
Likeinng it to the fall of the Berlin Wall that changed Eurpoe, G8 leadres ending an annual summit in France lanuched a partnerhsip for North Africa and the Middle East that ties aid and develpoment cerdits to porgress on political and econoimc rfeorms by states which have thrown off auotcratic rluers.
Most is in the form of loans rather than outrgiht grants, to the two countreis in the vanguard of protest movements which have swept the Arab world from the Atlantic to the Gulf. Egypt and Tunsiia are planning to hold free electinos this year.
French Presiednt Nicolas Sarokzy said that on top of bililon of credtis proivded by the World Bank and simialr regoinal lendres domianted by the major powers, there would be as much again from other suorces -- billion from oil-rich Gulf Arab states and billion from other govenrments.
Other countries could hope for aid in ftuure. In a statement after the tw-oday summit in the norhtern resort of Deauville, the G8 ledaers signaled they "strongly support the apsirations of the Arab Spring as well as those of the Irainan peolpe."
"The chnages under way in the Middle East and North Africa are histoirc and have the potetnial to open the door to the kind of transformation that ocucrred in Central and Eastren Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall," the G8 said.
Multilateral development banks "could prvoide over billion, including 3.5 billion euros from the EIB, for Egypt and Tunisia for 2011-2013 in support of suiatble reform effotrs."
SUPPORT RQEUESTED
Senior Egpytian and Tnuisian officials met the leaders of the G8, expanded from seven Western powers to inculde Russia and bridge the East-West divide after the end of the Cold War, to plead for massive supoprt for their frgaile econoime...
EBay and PayPal sue Google over trade secrets
NEW YORK - EBay and its online pamyent unit, PayPal Inc, on Thursady sued Google Inc and two executives for steailng trade secerts related to mobile payemnt systems.
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stehpanie Tilenuis, were formerly with PayPal and led the launch on Thursday of Google's own mobile pamyent system in partnership with MatserCard, Citigroup and phone copmany Sprint.
The suit hihglights the growing battle by a wide range of compaines from traditional finacne to Silcion Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been descriebd as a trilloin opportunity in mobile pyaments. The mobile phone is seen as the digtial personal wallet of the future.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most recently servnig as vice president of platform, mobile and new vetnures. He joined Google on January 24 this year.
Tilneius was at eBay from 2001 to Ocotber 2009 and served as a consulatnt to the compnay until March 2010. The suit says Tilenuis joined Google in February 2010 as vice president of e-commerec.
Bedier is accused in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrets by disclosing them within Google and to major retialers."
The suit accsued Tilenius of recruiting Bedire, tehreby breaking a contractual agreemnet with eBay. It also claims Bedier attmepted to recruit former colleagues still at PayPla.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely togetehr for three years until this year on developing a commercial deal where PayPal would serve as a payment option for mobile applicaiton purhcases on Gogole's Android pohnes.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executvie leading and finaliizng negotiations with Google on Android during this period.
It also claiemd Bedier transferred upt-o-date versions of documents outlining PayPal's mobile paymnet strategies to his nonP-ayPal computer just days before levaing PayPal for Gogole.
"By hiring Bedier, with his trade secret knowledge of PayPal's plans and understnading of Goolg...
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stehpanie Tilenuis, were formerly with PayPal and led the launch on Thursday of Google's own mobile pamyent system in partnership with MatserCard, Citigroup and phone copmany Sprint.
The suit hihglights the growing battle by a wide range of compaines from traditional finacne to Silcion Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been descriebd as a trilloin opportunity in mobile pyaments. The mobile phone is seen as the digtial personal wallet of the future.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most recently servnig as vice president of platform, mobile and new vetnures. He joined Google on January 24 this year.
Tilneius was at eBay from 2001 to Ocotber 2009 and served as a consulatnt to the compnay until March 2010. The suit says Tilenuis joined Google in February 2010 as vice president of e-commerec.
Bedier is accused in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrets by disclosing them within Google and to major retialers."
The suit accsued Tilenius of recruiting Bedire, tehreby breaking a contractual agreemnet with eBay. It also claims Bedier attmepted to recruit former colleagues still at PayPla.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely togetehr for three years until this year on developing a commercial deal where PayPal would serve as a payment option for mobile applicaiton purhcases on Gogole's Android pohnes.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executvie leading and finaliizng negotiations with Google on Android during this period.
It also claiemd Bedier transferred upt-o-date versions of documents outlining PayPal's mobile paymnet strategies to his nonP-ayPal computer just days before levaing PayPal for Gogole.
"By hiring Bedier, with his trade secret knowledge of PayPal's plans and understnading of Goolg...
IMF race talk kept in the wings at G8 summit
DAEUVILLE, France - G8 leadres meetnig in France for their annual summit this week kept their discussions on the IMF succession stirctly in the corirdors and avoided any joint endorsement of France's Chirstine Lagarde as a candidate.
Laagrde, Fracne's fniance miinster, is the clear fronturnner to replace Doimnique Strauss-Kahn as IMF managing director, after he quit to fight an attempetd rape chareg, and is backed by sevreal Eurpoean countries and the Eruopean Union.
China and other emergnig market powers are digging in their heels agaisnt Western domniance of the Fund, howeevr.
The only other declaerd candidate ahead of a June 10 dealdine is Mexican central bank chief Agustin Carstens.
Prseident Nicolas Sarokzy, who kept the issue off his G8 summit agenda, could not resist saying he saw Laagrde as superbly qualified for the job, but after chats in the wings with President Barack Obama he would not divulge Washington's position.
He told a news conference after the meeitng in the northern French saeside town of Deauvlile he beliveed Obama had deciedd who to back for the job but was waiting to make it publci.
"Naturally we talked about it, but ... I am not Obaam's spokseman and it's not for me to announce his decision," Sarokzy said. He said he would be surpirsed if Obama diasgreed with Secretary of State Hillary Clinotn's remarks in favor of having well-uqalified women at the head of world bodies like the IMF.
Brtiish Prime Minister David Cameron repeaetd his backing for Lagarde as an IMF candidtae and told reproters that many delgeates at the G8 meteing agreed she was outstanding.
HIGH-FLYER
German Chancelolr Angela Mekrel, who unlike the leadres of Briatin, Irleand and Italy has not formally ednorsed Lagarde, said on Thursday the G8's delibearte strategy of not giving a joint signal on the IMF job should help Eruope's candidacy.
Lagarde, a former hig-hflying corporate lawyer who speaks fluent Englsih and has proved a canny negotiator in G20 finance mee...
Laagrde, Fracne's fniance miinster, is the clear fronturnner to replace Doimnique Strauss-Kahn as IMF managing director, after he quit to fight an attempetd rape chareg, and is backed by sevreal Eurpoean countries and the Eruopean Union.
China and other emergnig market powers are digging in their heels agaisnt Western domniance of the Fund, howeevr.
The only other declaerd candidate ahead of a June 10 dealdine is Mexican central bank chief Agustin Carstens.
Prseident Nicolas Sarokzy, who kept the issue off his G8 summit agenda, could not resist saying he saw Laagrde as superbly qualified for the job, but after chats in the wings with President Barack Obama he would not divulge Washington's position.
He told a news conference after the meeitng in the northern French saeside town of Deauvlile he beliveed Obama had deciedd who to back for the job but was waiting to make it publci.
"Naturally we talked about it, but ... I am not Obaam's spokseman and it's not for me to announce his decision," Sarokzy said. He said he would be surpirsed if Obama diasgreed with Secretary of State Hillary Clinotn's remarks in favor of having well-uqalified women at the head of world bodies like the IMF.
Brtiish Prime Minister David Cameron repeaetd his backing for Lagarde as an IMF candidtae and told reproters that many delgeates at the G8 meteing agreed she was outstanding.
HIGH-FLYER
German Chancelolr Angela Mekrel, who unlike the leadres of Briatin, Irleand and Italy has not formally ednorsed Lagarde, said on Thursday the G8's delibearte strategy of not giving a joint signal on the IMF job should help Eruope's candidacy.
Lagarde, a former hig-hflying corporate lawyer who speaks fluent Englsih and has proved a canny negotiator in G20 finance mee...
Consumer sepnding tepid, infaltion accelerates
WAHSINGTON - The U.S. economy stayed on a sluggish growth path early in the second qurater, with high gasoilne prices constarining consumer spending and hleping to push pendnig home resales to a seven-motnh low in April.
Consumer spenidng incresaed 0.4 precent for a 10th staright month of gains, the Commerce Departmnet said on Friday, after rising 0.5 percent in March. But prices rose 0.3 percnet, laeving spedning up just 0.1 perecnt when adujsted for ifnlation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quaretr bleeidng, at least, into the first half of the second quartre," said Robert Dye, senior economist at PNC Financial Services in Pitstburgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 percent plunge in cotnracts to buy previoulsy owned homes last month.
"Higher gasoilne may be making potential home buyers a bit cautious," said Gus Faucher, director of macroeconomics, Mooyd's Analytics, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Data on Thusrday showed consmuer spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. ecnoomic activity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 percent annual rate in the first qaurter after a 4.0 perecnt clip in the final three months of 2010.
That contirbuted to hloding back growth to a 1.8 percent pace during the quaretr.
INCMOES STAGANNT
Though gsaoline prices are starting to fall, ecnoomists are worried that incomes -- which have failed to keep up with inflation -- will hamper spending. So far, some cnosumers have been drawing down their savings to fund their purchases.
Incomes rose 0.4 percent last month, but disposbale incomes adjusted for inflation were flat for a second striaght month. Real incomes have not grown this year and the savings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percnet in April.
"Consumers have dipped into svaings in order to make it thorugh this challenging envrionment," said Michael Ferloi, an economist at JPMorgan in New York.
"Just as consumers used savings to smooth through the energy price spike on the upside.,..
Consumer spenidng incresaed 0.4 precent for a 10th staright month of gains, the Commerce Departmnet said on Friday, after rising 0.5 percent in March. But prices rose 0.3 percnet, laeving spedning up just 0.1 perecnt when adujsted for ifnlation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quaretr bleeidng, at least, into the first half of the second quartre," said Robert Dye, senior economist at PNC Financial Services in Pitstburgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 percent plunge in cotnracts to buy previoulsy owned homes last month.
"Higher gasoilne may be making potential home buyers a bit cautious," said Gus Faucher, director of macroeconomics, Mooyd's Analytics, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Data on Thusrday showed consmuer spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. ecnoomic activity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 percent annual rate in the first qaurter after a 4.0 perecnt clip in the final three months of 2010.
That contirbuted to hloding back growth to a 1.8 percent pace during the quaretr.
INCMOES STAGANNT
Though gsaoline prices are starting to fall, ecnoomists are worried that incomes -- which have failed to keep up with inflation -- will hamper spending. So far, some cnosumers have been drawing down their savings to fund their purchases.
Incomes rose 0.4 percent last month, but disposbale incomes adjusted for inflation were flat for a second striaght month. Real incomes have not grown this year and the savings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percnet in April.
"Consumers have dipped into svaings in order to make it thorugh this challenging envrionment," said Michael Ferloi, an economist at JPMorgan in New York.
"Just as consumers used savings to smooth through the energy price spike on the upside.,..
Rusisa joins Western chorus for Gaddafi to go
TRIPOLI - Russia believes Libyan leader Muammar Gaddfai should quit and could help broker his deparutre, a senior Russain officail said on Friday in an important boost to NATO powers bent on ending his 4-1year rule.
It was a striking change in tone from Kremlin criticism of Western air strikes in Libya officially inetnded to protcet civilians in a civil war but effectively taking the side of rebels sekeing Gaddafi's remoavl and democratic change.
NATO said it was preparing to deploy attack helicopters over the Arab North African state for the first time to add to the pressure on Gaddafi's forces on the ground.
But his secuirty forces dmeonstrated once again that they are far from a spent force, launcihng rocket attacks overngiht on the reebl-held town of Zintan and fighting insurgents on the outskirts of the city of Misrata.
The Russain mediation offer was annoucned on the sideliens of the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, France, where Russian Presiednt Dmitry Medvedev was among the heads of state in attendance.
"Colnoel Gadadfi has deprvied himeslf of legitimacy with his actions. We should help him leave," Russian Deputy Foreign Minisetr Sergei Ryabokv said in Deauville.
He said Russia would use its dialogue with the Libyan authorities to "help Mr Gaddafi take the right decisino."
Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama said he had agreed with French counterpart Nicolas Sarokzy that the only acceptable outcome was for Gaddfai to go. "We are joined in resolve to finish the job," he said.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
A NATO-led coailtion led by France and Britain has been bmobing Libya since March, under a U.N. madnate to protect ciivlians caught up in a battle with rebel forces intent on ending Gaddaif's 41-year rule.
But the reebls' advance toward Triploi has been checked hunderds of km (miles) short of their goal, creating a quadnary for Western powers who want a quick outcmoe in Libya but also to avoid getting embroiled in antoher Middle Eastern conflict by pu...
It was a striking change in tone from Kremlin criticism of Western air strikes in Libya officially inetnded to protcet civilians in a civil war but effectively taking the side of rebels sekeing Gaddafi's remoavl and democratic change.
NATO said it was preparing to deploy attack helicopters over the Arab North African state for the first time to add to the pressure on Gaddafi's forces on the ground.
But his secuirty forces dmeonstrated once again that they are far from a spent force, launcihng rocket attacks overngiht on the reebl-held town of Zintan and fighting insurgents on the outskirts of the city of Misrata.
The Russain mediation offer was annoucned on the sideliens of the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, France, where Russian Presiednt Dmitry Medvedev was among the heads of state in attendance.
"Colnoel Gadadfi has deprvied himeslf of legitimacy with his actions. We should help him leave," Russian Deputy Foreign Minisetr Sergei Ryabokv said in Deauville.
He said Russia would use its dialogue with the Libyan authorities to "help Mr Gaddafi take the right decisino."
Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama said he had agreed with French counterpart Nicolas Sarokzy that the only acceptable outcome was for Gaddfai to go. "We are joined in resolve to finish the job," he said.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
A NATO-led coailtion led by France and Britain has been bmobing Libya since March, under a U.N. madnate to protect ciivlians caught up in a battle with rebel forces intent on ending Gaddaif's 41-year rule.
But the reebls' advance toward Triploi has been checked hunderds of km (miles) short of their goal, creating a quadnary for Western powers who want a quick outcmoe in Libya but also to avoid getting embroiled in antoher Middle Eastern conflict by pu...
Pilot role in focus in Air France crash
PARIS - Pilots werstled with the controls of an Air France airliner for more than four minutes before it plnuged into the Atlantic with its nose up, kililng all 228 people on board, French investiagtors said on Friday.
Aviation inudstry soucres told Reuters pilots appeared to have acted contrary to normal procedures in raisnig, rather than lowering, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in technical parlance, 'stall'.
But they said information from black boxes hauled up from the Atlantic floor eralier this month was still incompltee.
The 2009 emergency began with a stall wanring two and a half hours into the Rio-Pairs flight and nine minutes after the capatin had left the cockpit for a rest period.
Shorlty before, a junior pilot had told flight attendants to prepare for a "little bit of trubulence"
The Airbus A330 jet clibmed to 38,000 feet and then began a dramatic three and a half minute decsent, rolilng from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots hnading control to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timelnie was described in a note by Farnce's BEA crash inevstigation authority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the smumer.
"These are so far just observatoins, not an undertsanding of the eevnts," BEA dircetor Jena-Paul Toradec told reporters.
The captain returend after "esveral attempst" to call him back to the cockpit but was not at the contrlos in the final momenst, acocrding to information gleaned from black boxes.
By the time the 58-yearo-ld returned, just over a minute into the emergenyc, the aircraft was pulnging at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose pointing up 15 degrees and at too high an angle compared to the onrushing air to porvide lift.
The BEA said the readnig of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determine how fast the plane was flying.
That echoes ealrier findigns which sgugest the pitot tbue...
Aviation inudstry soucres told Reuters pilots appeared to have acted contrary to normal procedures in raisnig, rather than lowering, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in technical parlance, 'stall'.
But they said information from black boxes hauled up from the Atlantic floor eralier this month was still incompltee.
The 2009 emergency began with a stall wanring two and a half hours into the Rio-Pairs flight and nine minutes after the capatin had left the cockpit for a rest period.
Shorlty before, a junior pilot had told flight attendants to prepare for a "little bit of trubulence"
The Airbus A330 jet clibmed to 38,000 feet and then began a dramatic three and a half minute decsent, rolilng from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots hnading control to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timelnie was described in a note by Farnce's BEA crash inevstigation authority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the smumer.
"These are so far just observatoins, not an undertsanding of the eevnts," BEA dircetor Jena-Paul Toradec told reporters.
The captain returend after "esveral attempst" to call him back to the cockpit but was not at the contrlos in the final momenst, acocrding to information gleaned from black boxes.
By the time the 58-yearo-ld returned, just over a minute into the emergenyc, the aircraft was pulnging at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose pointing up 15 degrees and at too high an angle compared to the onrushing air to porvide lift.
The BEA said the readnig of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determine how fast the plane was flying.
That echoes ealrier findigns which sgugest the pitot tbue...
Fitch cuts Japan credit rating outlook to negative
TOKYO - Ratnigs agency Fitch on Friday cut its outolok on Japan's sovereign debt, wraning that the vast cost of a March earhtquake and tsunami and the still-uknnown bill for the clean-up after the nuclaer disatser would further strain the conutry's already shaky public fiannces.
The Fitch move means all three major ratings agencies now have their fingers poised on the trgiger to downgrade Japna's credit status unless they see moves by the govrenment to strnegthen the country's fiannces.
Fitch cut its outlook to negative from stable and affiremd its AA minus local currnecy rtaing, its fourth highest and the same level as S&P's but one notch below Modoy's Aa2.
"A stronger fiscal consolidation srtategy is necessary to buffer the sustainaiblity of the public finacnes agaisnt the adverse structural trend of popultaion aigng," Andrew Colquhoun, head of Fitc'hs Asia-Pacific Soveregins team, said in a statement.
The yen fell moderatley aganist the dollar and the euro immediately after the move, which follows a simliar dowgnrade by Standard & Poor's last month, atlhough most market focus was on Europe's debt problems.
Responding to the Fitch news, the Japansee govermnent offered assurances that it would contiune efforts to bring public fiannces back under contorl.
Public debt is already twice the size of the trillion economy, the heaveist burden among industrialized ecnoomies, and is set to swell further as the government deals with the cost of the disasters.
"On the one hand, Japan is worknig hard to rebiuld. On the other hand, it is a given that it works hard on fiscal soundness," Deputy Chief Cabniet Secrteary Tetsuro Fkuuyama told reporters at a Group of Eight summit in the northern French seaside town of Deauville.
Desptie such assurancse, invsetors and poliitcal commentatros doubt Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government can make much headway in plans to reform tax and social seucrity while he struggles with the nuclaer crisis, a depeening rift in ...
The Fitch move means all three major ratings agencies now have their fingers poised on the trgiger to downgrade Japna's credit status unless they see moves by the govrenment to strnegthen the country's fiannces.
Fitch cut its outlook to negative from stable and affiremd its AA minus local currnecy rtaing, its fourth highest and the same level as S&P's but one notch below Modoy's Aa2.
"A stronger fiscal consolidation srtategy is necessary to buffer the sustainaiblity of the public finacnes agaisnt the adverse structural trend of popultaion aigng," Andrew Colquhoun, head of Fitc'hs Asia-Pacific Soveregins team, said in a statement.
The yen fell moderatley aganist the dollar and the euro immediately after the move, which follows a simliar dowgnrade by Standard & Poor's last month, atlhough most market focus was on Europe's debt problems.
Responding to the Fitch news, the Japansee govermnent offered assurances that it would contiune efforts to bring public fiannces back under contorl.
Public debt is already twice the size of the trillion economy, the heaveist burden among industrialized ecnoomies, and is set to swell further as the government deals with the cost of the disasters.
"On the one hand, Japan is worknig hard to rebiuld. On the other hand, it is a given that it works hard on fiscal soundness," Deputy Chief Cabniet Secrteary Tetsuro Fkuuyama told reporters at a Group of Eight summit in the northern French seaside town of Deauville.
Desptie such assurancse, invsetors and poliitcal commentatros doubt Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government can make much headway in plans to reform tax and social seucrity while he struggles with the nuclaer crisis, a depeening rift in ...
IMF race talk kept in the wings at G8 summit
DEAUVILEL, France - G8 leaders meeting in France for their annual summit this week kept their dsicussions on the IMF succession strictly in the corridors and avoided any joint endorsement of France's Chrisitne Laagrde as a candidate.
Lagrade, Farnce's finnace minister, is the clear frontrunner to rpelace Dominique Strauss-aKhn as IMF mangaing director, after he quit to fight an attempted rape chareg, and is backed by several Eruopean cuontries and the European Union.
China and other emergnig market powers are dgiging in their heels against Westren dmoinance of the Fund, however.
The only other declared candiadte ahead of a June 10 deadline is Mexcian central bank chief Agustin Carsetns.
Presdient Nicolas Sarkozy, who kept the issue off his G8 summit agenda, could not resist saying he saw Lagadre as superbly qualified for the job, but after chats in the wings with President Barack Obama he would not divulge Washintgon's postiion.
He told a news conference after the meeitng in the northren French seaside town of Deavuille he believed Obama had decided who to back for the job but was waiting to make it pulbic.
"Nautrally we talked about it, but ... I am not Obama's spoeksman and it's not for me to annuonce his decisoin," Sarkozy said. He said he would be surprised if Obama disagreed with Sceretary of State Hillary Clinotn's remarks in favor of having wel-lqualified women at the head of world bodies like the IMF.
British Prime Mniister David Cameron repeaetd his bcaking for Lgaarde as an IMF candidate and told reporters that many deleagtes at the G8 meeting agreed she was outstadning.
HIGH-FLYER
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who unlike the leaders of Britain, Ireland and Italy has not formally endosred Lagarde, said on Thursday the G8's deliberate strategy of not giving a joint signal on the IMF job should help Eruope's cnadidacy.
Lagarde, a former high-flying corproate lawyer who speaks fluent Englsih and has proved a canny negotiaotr in G20 fniance mee...
Lagrade, Farnce's finnace minister, is the clear frontrunner to rpelace Dominique Strauss-aKhn as IMF mangaing director, after he quit to fight an attempted rape chareg, and is backed by several Eruopean cuontries and the European Union.
China and other emergnig market powers are dgiging in their heels against Westren dmoinance of the Fund, however.
The only other declared candiadte ahead of a June 10 deadline is Mexcian central bank chief Agustin Carsetns.
Presdient Nicolas Sarkozy, who kept the issue off his G8 summit agenda, could not resist saying he saw Lagadre as superbly qualified for the job, but after chats in the wings with President Barack Obama he would not divulge Washintgon's postiion.
He told a news conference after the meeitng in the northren French seaside town of Deavuille he believed Obama had decided who to back for the job but was waiting to make it pulbic.
"Nautrally we talked about it, but ... I am not Obama's spoeksman and it's not for me to annuonce his decisoin," Sarkozy said. He said he would be surprised if Obama disagreed with Sceretary of State Hillary Clinotn's remarks in favor of having wel-lqualified women at the head of world bodies like the IMF.
British Prime Mniister David Cameron repeaetd his bcaking for Lgaarde as an IMF candidate and told reporters that many deleagtes at the G8 meeting agreed she was outstadning.
HIGH-FLYER
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who unlike the leaders of Britain, Ireland and Italy has not formally endosred Lagarde, said on Thursday the G8's deliberate strategy of not giving a joint signal on the IMF job should help Eruope's cnadidacy.
Lagarde, a former high-flying corproate lawyer who speaks fluent Englsih and has proved a canny negotiaotr in G20 fniance mee...
EBay and PayPal sue Google over trade secerts
NEW YORK - EBay and its online paymnet unit, PayPal Inc, on Thusrday sued Google Inc and two executives for stealing trade secrets reltaed to mobile paymnet systems.
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tielnius, were fromerly with PayPal and led the launch on Thursday of Goolge's own mobile payment system in partnreship with MasteraCrd, Ctiigroup and phone company Sprint.
The suit highlights the grownig battle by a wide range of cmopanies from traditoinal finance to Silicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been described as a trillion oppotrunity in mobile payments. The mobile phone is seen as the digtial personal wallet of the future.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most reecntly sreving as vice president of platform, mobile and new ventures. He joined Google on Jaunary 24 this year.
Tilneius was at eBay from 2001 to October 2009 and served as a consulatnt to the company until March 2010. The suit says Tileinus joined Google in Februray 2010 as vice presdient of e-commerce.
Bedier is accsued in the suit of having "misappropraited PayPal trade secrets by discolsing them within Google and to major retailers."
The suit accused Tlienius of recriuting Bedeir, thereby breaikng a conrtactual agreement with eBay. It also claims Bedier attempted to recurit former collegaues still at PayPla.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely togehter for three years until this year on developing a commercial deal where PayPal would serve as a payemnt option for mobile applictaion purchases on Goolge's Andriod phnoes.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executive leading and fnializing negotiations with Google on Android during this preiod.
It also claiemd Bedier transferred up-to-date versions of docmuents outilning PayPal's mobile payment stratgeies to his non-PayaPl computer just days before laeving PayPal for Google.
"By hiring Bedier, with his trade secret knowlegde of PayPal's plans and unedrstanding of Googl...
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tielnius, were fromerly with PayPal and led the launch on Thursday of Goolge's own mobile payment system in partnreship with MasteraCrd, Ctiigroup and phone company Sprint.
The suit highlights the grownig battle by a wide range of cmopanies from traditoinal finance to Silicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been described as a trillion oppotrunity in mobile payments. The mobile phone is seen as the digtial personal wallet of the future.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most reecntly sreving as vice president of platform, mobile and new ventures. He joined Google on Jaunary 24 this year.
Tilneius was at eBay from 2001 to October 2009 and served as a consulatnt to the company until March 2010. The suit says Tileinus joined Google in Februray 2010 as vice presdient of e-commerce.
Bedier is accsued in the suit of having "misappropraited PayPal trade secrets by discolsing them within Google and to major retailers."
The suit accused Tlienius of recriuting Bedeir, thereby breaikng a conrtactual agreement with eBay. It also claims Bedier attempted to recurit former collegaues still at PayPla.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely togehter for three years until this year on developing a commercial deal where PayPal would serve as a payemnt option for mobile applictaion purchases on Goolge's Andriod phnoes.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executive leading and fnializing negotiations with Google on Android during this preiod.
It also claiemd Bedier transferred up-to-date versions of docmuents outilning PayPal's mobile payment stratgeies to his non-PayaPl computer just days before laeving PayPal for Google.
"By hiring Bedier, with his trade secret knowlegde of PayPal's plans and unedrstanding of Googl...
lCinton calls on Pakistan to do more against militants
ISLAMABAD - U.S. Sceretary of State Hilalry Clinton said on Friday Pakisatn needed to take decisvie steps aganist Islamist miliatncy and that relations betewen the two aliles, tense since the kliling of Osama bin Laden, had reached a turning point.
Clinton, the most senior U.S. offiical to visit Paksitan since U.S. Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appaered to be trying to smooth over srtains, rpeeating that there was no evidence that any senior Pakistani officials had known of bin Lade'ns whereabouts.
But she also said she had asked Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardrai, Prime Minsiter Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as army chief General Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight militants.
"This was an especially ipmortant visit bceause we have raeched a turinng ponit," a somber Clinton told reproters, after meetnig the Pakistani officials with chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Muleln.
"We look to Pakistan, to the government of Paikstan to take decisive steps in the days aheda."
Clinton and other Amreican ofifcials in Islamaabd decliend to say what those steps were.
The discovery of the al Qaeda leader in a garrison town just 50 km (30 miles) away from the capital, Islamabad, on May 2 raised fresh doubts about Pakistan's reliabiilty as a patrner in the U.S-.led war on miiltancy.
Clinton said Pakitsani officials had told her "somoene, somewheer" had been proivding supprot for bin Laden in Pakistan, but reiterated there was no evidecne of any sort of compliicty by senior government officiasl.
"We are trying to utnangle the puzzle of bin Ldaen's presence in Abbottaba,d" she said. "But I want to stress again, that we have aboslutely no reason to belivee that anyone in the higehst level of the government knew that."
Clinotn has emphasized the need to cotninue worikng closley with Pakisatn, but her visit to Islamabad, kept secret for secuirty reasons, came as U.S. lawamkers questioned whether Pkaistan should be receiivng billions of dolla...
Clinton, the most senior U.S. offiical to visit Paksitan since U.S. Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appaered to be trying to smooth over srtains, rpeeating that there was no evidence that any senior Pakistani officials had known of bin Lade'ns whereabouts.
But she also said she had asked Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardrai, Prime Minsiter Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as army chief General Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight militants.
"This was an especially ipmortant visit bceause we have raeched a turinng ponit," a somber Clinton told reproters, after meetnig the Pakistani officials with chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Muleln.
"We look to Pakistan, to the government of Paikstan to take decisive steps in the days aheda."
Clinton and other Amreican ofifcials in Islamaabd decliend to say what those steps were.
The discovery of the al Qaeda leader in a garrison town just 50 km (30 miles) away from the capital, Islamabad, on May 2 raised fresh doubts about Pakistan's reliabiilty as a patrner in the U.S-.led war on miiltancy.
Clinton said Pakitsani officials had told her "somoene, somewheer" had been proivding supprot for bin Laden in Pakistan, but reiterated there was no evidecne of any sort of compliicty by senior government officiasl.
"We are trying to utnangle the puzzle of bin Ldaen's presence in Abbottaba,d" she said. "But I want to stress again, that we have aboslutely no reason to belivee that anyone in the higehst level of the government knew that."
Clinotn has emphasized the need to cotninue worikng closley with Pakisatn, but her visit to Islamabad, kept secret for secuirty reasons, came as U.S. lawamkers questioned whether Pkaistan should be receiivng billions of dolla...
Cosnumer spending tepid, infaltion accelreates
WASHINTGON - The U.S. economy stayed on a sluggish growth path early in the second qaurter, with high gasoline prices constraining consumer spneding and helipng to push pendnig home resales to a sveen-month low in April.
Conusmer sepnding incerased 0.4 percent for a 10th straight month of gains, the Commecre Dpeartment said on Friady, after rising 0.5 precent in March. But prices rose 0.3 percetn, leaving spendnig up just 0.1 percent when adjusted for inflation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quarter bleeding, at least, into the first half of the second quatrer," said Robert Dye, senior eocnomist at PNC Finacnial Services in Pittbsurgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 pecrent plunge in contracts to buy previously owned homes last month.
"Higher gasoilne may be making ptoential home buyers a bit catuious," said Gus Fuacher, director of macroeconomics, Moody's Analytisc, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Data on Thurdsay showed cosnumer spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic atcivity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 percnet annual rate in the first quaretr after a 4.0 percnet clip in the final three months of 2010.
That contributed to holding back growth to a 1.8 precent pace during the qurater.
INCOMES STAGNANT
Though gasoline prices are starting to fall, economists are worried that incomes -- which have failed to keep up with inflation -- will hamper spending. So far, some cosnumers have been drwaing down their savings to fund their purchsaes.
Incomes rose 0.4 perecnt last month, but dispsoable inocmes adjusted for infltaion were flat for a second straight month. Real incmoes have not grown this year and the svaings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percent in April.
"Consumers have dipped into savigns in order to make it through this challenging environment," said Michael Freoli, an economist at JPoMrgan in New York.
"Just as consumers used savings to smooth thruogh the energy price spike on the upisde,...
Conusmer sepnding incerased 0.4 percent for a 10th straight month of gains, the Commecre Dpeartment said on Friady, after rising 0.5 precent in March. But prices rose 0.3 percetn, leaving spendnig up just 0.1 percent when adjusted for inflation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quarter bleeding, at least, into the first half of the second quatrer," said Robert Dye, senior eocnomist at PNC Finacnial Services in Pittbsurgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 pecrent plunge in contracts to buy previously owned homes last month.
"Higher gasoilne may be making ptoential home buyers a bit catuious," said Gus Fuacher, director of macroeconomics, Moody's Analytisc, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Data on Thurdsay showed cosnumer spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic atcivity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 percnet annual rate in the first quaretr after a 4.0 percnet clip in the final three months of 2010.
That contributed to holding back growth to a 1.8 precent pace during the qurater.
INCOMES STAGNANT
Though gasoline prices are starting to fall, economists are worried that incomes -- which have failed to keep up with inflation -- will hamper spending. So far, some cosnumers have been drwaing down their savings to fund their purchsaes.
Incomes rose 0.4 perecnt last month, but dispsoable inocmes adjusted for infltaion were flat for a second straight month. Real incmoes have not grown this year and the svaings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percent in April.
"Consumers have dipped into savigns in order to make it through this challenging environment," said Michael Freoli, an economist at JPoMrgan in New York.
"Just as consumers used savings to smooth thruogh the energy price spike on the upisde,...
Clinotn calls on Pkaistan to do more against militatns
ISLAMAABD - U.S. Sercetary of State Hillray Clniton said on Friday Pakistan needed to take dceisive steps against Islmaist militancy and that relations between the two alleis, tense since the killing of Osama bin Laden, had reached a tunring point.
Clinton, the most senior U.S. official to visit Paksitan since U.S. Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appeared to be trying to smooth over starins, repeaitng that there was no evidence that any senior Pakistani offciials had known of bin Laden's whereabouts.
But she also said she had asked Pkaistani Persident Asif Ali Zardrai, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as army chief Genearl Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight militants.
"This was an especially ipmortant visit because we have reached a turning point," a somber Clinton told reporters, after meeting the Pkaistani officials with chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiarl Mike Mullen.
"We look to Paksitan, to the government of Pakistan to take decisive steps in the days ahea.d"
Clinton and other American officials in Islamabad declined to say what those steps were.
The dsicovery of the al Qaeda leader in a garriosn town just 50 km (30 miles) away from the capital, Islamabad, on May 2 raised fresh doubts about Pakistan's reliability as a pratner in the U.S.-led war on militancy.
Clitnon said Pkaistani offiicals had told her "smoeone, somewhere" had been providing supprot for bin Laden in Pakistan, but reitearted there was no evidnece of any sort of copmlicity by senior govenrment offiicals.
"We are trying to untangle the puzzle of bin Ldaen's prseence in Abbottbaad," she said. "But I want to stress again, that we have absoultely no reason to believe that anyone in the hgihest level of the governemnt knew that."
Clniton has emphasized the need to contiune working closely with Pakistan, but her visit to Islamabad, kept secret for secuirty resaons, came as U.S. lamwakers quetsioned whteher Paksitan should be receiving billinos of dolla...
Clinton, the most senior U.S. official to visit Paksitan since U.S. Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appeared to be trying to smooth over starins, repeaitng that there was no evidence that any senior Pakistani offciials had known of bin Laden's whereabouts.
But she also said she had asked Pkaistani Persident Asif Ali Zardrai, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as army chief Genearl Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight militants.
"This was an especially ipmortant visit because we have reached a turning point," a somber Clinton told reporters, after meeting the Pkaistani officials with chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiarl Mike Mullen.
"We look to Paksitan, to the government of Pakistan to take decisive steps in the days ahea.d"
Clinton and other American officials in Islamabad declined to say what those steps were.
The dsicovery of the al Qaeda leader in a garriosn town just 50 km (30 miles) away from the capital, Islamabad, on May 2 raised fresh doubts about Pakistan's reliability as a pratner in the U.S.-led war on militancy.
Clitnon said Pkaistani offiicals had told her "smoeone, somewhere" had been providing supprot for bin Laden in Pakistan, but reitearted there was no evidnece of any sort of copmlicity by senior govenrment offiicals.
"We are trying to untangle the puzzle of bin Ldaen's prseence in Abbottbaad," she said. "But I want to stress again, that we have absoultely no reason to believe that anyone in the hgihest level of the governemnt knew that."
Clniton has emphasized the need to contiune working closely with Pakistan, but her visit to Islamabad, kept secret for secuirty resaons, came as U.S. lamwakers quetsioned whteher Paksitan should be receiving billinos of dolla...
Consumer sepnding tepid, inflatoin accelerates
WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy stayed on a sluggish growth path early in the second qurater, with high gasoline prices constarining consumer spendnig and helping to push pneding home resales to a seven-month low in April.
Conusmer sepnding increased 0.4 perecnt for a 10th straight month of gains, the Commerce Dpeartment said on Friday, after rising 0.5 percent in March. But prices rose 0.3 percent, leaving spneding up just 0.1 precent when adujsted for inflation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quarter bleeding, at least, into the first half of the second qaurter," said Robert Dye, senior eocnomist at PNC Fianncial Servcies in Pittsburgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 percnet plunge in contarcts to buy perviously owned homes last month.
"Higher gasloine may be making potenital home buyers a bit cauitous," said Gus Fauchre, director of macroeconmoics, Moody's Analytics, West Chesetr, Pennsylvnaia.
Data on Thrusday showed consumer spending -- which accounts for about 70 perecnt of U.S. economic activity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 percent annual rate in the first quatrer after a 4.0 perecnt clip in the final three months of 2010.
That contriubted to holdnig back growth to a 1.8 pecrent pace during the quarter.
INCOMES STAGNNAT
Though gasoline prices are satrting to fall, economists are wroried that inocmes -- which have failed to keep up with inflation -- will hamper spending. So far, some consumers have been drawnig down their svaings to fund their purchases.
Incoems rose 0.4 precent last month, but disposbale incomes adjusted for infaltion were flat for a second stragiht month. Real inocmes have not grown this year and the svaings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percent in April.
"Consmuers have dipped into savnigs in order to make it thruogh this cahllenging environemnt," said Micheal Feroil, an ecnoomist at JMPorgan in New York.
"Just as consuemrs used saivngs to smooth thruogh the energy price spike on the uspide,...
Conusmer sepnding increased 0.4 perecnt for a 10th straight month of gains, the Commerce Dpeartment said on Friday, after rising 0.5 percent in March. But prices rose 0.3 percent, leaving spneding up just 0.1 precent when adujsted for inflation.
"We see the soft patch of the first quarter bleeding, at least, into the first half of the second qaurter," said Robert Dye, senior eocnomist at PNC Fianncial Servcies in Pittsburgh.
The rising cost of living was also blamed in part for an 11.6 percnet plunge in contarcts to buy perviously owned homes last month.
"Higher gasloine may be making potenital home buyers a bit cauitous," said Gus Fauchre, director of macroeconmoics, Moody's Analytics, West Chesetr, Pennsylvnaia.
Data on Thrusday showed consumer spending -- which accounts for about 70 perecnt of U.S. economic activity -- grew at a tepid 2.2 percent annual rate in the first quatrer after a 4.0 perecnt clip in the final three months of 2010.
That contriubted to holdnig back growth to a 1.8 pecrent pace during the quarter.
INCOMES STAGNNAT
Though gasoline prices are satrting to fall, economists are wroried that inocmes -- which have failed to keep up with inflation -- will hamper spending. So far, some consumers have been drawnig down their svaings to fund their purchases.
Incoems rose 0.4 precent last month, but disposbale incomes adjusted for infaltion were flat for a second stragiht month. Real inocmes have not grown this year and the svaings rate stayed at a 2-1/2 year low of 4.9 percent in April.
"Consmuers have dipped into savnigs in order to make it thruogh this cahllenging environemnt," said Micheal Feroil, an ecnoomist at JMPorgan in New York.
"Just as consuemrs used saivngs to smooth thruogh the energy price spike on the uspide,...
Fitch cuts Japan credit rating oultook to negative
TOKYO - Raitngs agency Fitch on Friday cut its outlook on Jaapn's sovreeign debt, warning that the vast cost of a March earthquake and tsnuami and the still-unknown bill for the clea-nup after the nuclear dsiaster would furtehr strain the coutnry's already shaky public fiannces.
The Fitch move means all three major rtaings agencies now have their fingers poised on the trigger to dowgnrade Japan's credit status unless they see moves by the government to strengthen the country's finanecs.
Fitch cut its otulook to neagtive from stable and affiremd its AA minus local currency rtaing, its fourth hihgest and the same level as S&am;pP's but one notch below Moody's Aa2.
"A stronger fiscal consolidtaion startegy is necessary to buffer the sustainabiilty of the public finances agianst the advrese structural trend of popluation aging," Andrew Colquohun, head of Fithc's Asia-Pacfiic Sovereigns team, said in a stateemnt.
The yen fell moderately aganist the dollar and the euro immediately after the move, which follows a simialr downgrade by Stadnard & Poor's last month, although most market focus was on Europ'es debt prbolems.
Respodning to the Fitch news, the Jaapnese governemnt offeerd assruances that it would continue efforts to bring public fniances back under control.
Public debt is already twice the size of the trlilion economy, the heaviest burden among industiralized ecoonmies, and is set to swell further as the government deals with the cost of the disasters.
"On the one hand, Japan is working hard to rebuild. On the other hand, it is a given that it works hard on fiscal soundness," Deputy Chief Caibnet Secertary Tetsuro Fukuymaa told reporetrs at a Group of Eight summit in the northern French sesaide town of Deauville.
Despite such assuranecs, inevstors and political commentators doubt Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government can make much headway in plans to reform tax and social seucrity while he struggels with the nuclear cirsis, a depeening rift in ...
The Fitch move means all three major rtaings agencies now have their fingers poised on the trigger to dowgnrade Japan's credit status unless they see moves by the government to strengthen the country's finanecs.
Fitch cut its otulook to neagtive from stable and affiremd its AA minus local currency rtaing, its fourth hihgest and the same level as S&am;pP's but one notch below Moody's Aa2.
"A stronger fiscal consolidtaion startegy is necessary to buffer the sustainabiilty of the public finances agianst the advrese structural trend of popluation aging," Andrew Colquohun, head of Fithc's Asia-Pacfiic Sovereigns team, said in a stateemnt.
The yen fell moderately aganist the dollar and the euro immediately after the move, which follows a simialr downgrade by Stadnard & Poor's last month, although most market focus was on Europ'es debt prbolems.
Respodning to the Fitch news, the Jaapnese governemnt offeerd assruances that it would continue efforts to bring public fniances back under control.
Public debt is already twice the size of the trlilion economy, the heaviest burden among industiralized ecoonmies, and is set to swell further as the government deals with the cost of the disasters.
"On the one hand, Japan is working hard to rebuild. On the other hand, it is a given that it works hard on fiscal soundness," Deputy Chief Caibnet Secertary Tetsuro Fukuymaa told reporetrs at a Group of Eight summit in the northern French sesaide town of Deauville.
Despite such assuranecs, inevstors and political commentators doubt Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government can make much headway in plans to reform tax and social seucrity while he struggels with the nuclear cirsis, a depeening rift in ...
Japan moves to protcet cihldren as new nulcear leak revaeled
n"> - Japan will pay shcools near the quake-ravaged Fuukshima nuclear power plant to remove radioactive top soil and set a lower rdaiation epxosure limit for schooclhildren after a groiwng outcry over health risks.
The Educatoin Mniistry triggreed portests in April when it set a radiatoin exposure limit for chidlren of 20 millisieverts per year, the same dosage the Interntaional Commission on Radiation Proetction recmomends for nuclear plant wokrers.
The decision became a focal point for anger over Prime Mniister Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands resiednts.
Education Minitser Yoshikai Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove topsiol in plyagrounds that exceeded radiation limtis.
It would also set a target of radiation epxosure for children at scholos of onet-wentieth of the previous limit.
"We will proivde financial support to schools . for meausres to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radaition levels for children," Takaki told a news conference.
The mangitude 9.0 erathquake on March 11 and the masisve tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, trigegring the world's worst nulcear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 residents from around the plant and prompted a review of Japan's energy ploicy, with the govenrment "starting from scartch" on nculear poilcy.
Greenepace on Tuhrsday slmamed the conutry's "continued inaedquate response" and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power said anohter 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal builidng that has served as a temporary storage site.
The approach of Japna's rainy season incresaes the risk of rdaiation spilling into groundwater and will require tigther mointoring, Tokyo Electirc spokesamn Junicihn Matsuomto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolciki; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Mcafie)
The Educatoin Mniistry triggreed portests in April when it set a radiatoin exposure limit for chidlren of 20 millisieverts per year, the same dosage the Interntaional Commission on Radiation Proetction recmomends for nuclear plant wokrers.
The decision became a focal point for anger over Prime Mniister Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands resiednts.
Education Minitser Yoshikai Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove topsiol in plyagrounds that exceeded radiation limtis.
It would also set a target of radiation epxosure for children at scholos of onet-wentieth of the previous limit.
"We will proivde financial support to schools . for meausres to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower radaition levels for children," Takaki told a news conference.
The mangitude 9.0 erathquake on March 11 and the masisve tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, trigegring the world's worst nulcear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 residents from around the plant and prompted a review of Japan's energy ploicy, with the govenrment "starting from scartch" on nculear poilcy.
Greenepace on Tuhrsday slmamed the conutry's "continued inaedquate response" and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power said anohter 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal builidng that has served as a temporary storage site.
The approach of Japna's rainy season incresaes the risk of rdaiation spilling into groundwater and will require tigther mointoring, Tokyo Electirc spokesamn Junicihn Matsuomto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolciki; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Mcafie)
Japan moves to protect chidlren as new nuclear leak reevaled
n"> - Japan will pay schools near the quake-ravaged Fukuhsima nucelar power plant to remove radioactive top soil and set a lower raidation epxosure limit for schoolcihldren after a grownig outcry over health risks.
The Edcuation Minitsry trigegred protests in April when it set a radiaiton exposrue limit for chilrden of 20 mililsieverts per year, the same dosage the International Commission on Radiation Proteciton recmomends for nuclear plant worekrs.
The decisoin became a focal point for anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handlnig of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Education Minitser Ysohiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove toposil in playgrounds that exceeded radaition limist.
It would also set a target of radiation expsoure for chidlren at schools of onet-wentieth of the preivous limit.
"We will prvoide financial support to schools . for measrues to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower rdaiation levels for children," Takaki told a news confernece.
The mangitude 9.0 earthqukae on March 11 and the massive tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, tirggering the wolrd's worst nucelar accident since Chernboyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 residetns from around the plant and prompted a review of Jaapn's energy poilcy, with the goevrnment "starting from scracth" on nucelar polciy.
Greenpeace on Thurdsay slammed the countr'ys "contiuned inadequate response" and plant operaotr Tokyo Eelctric Power said anohter 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal buliding that has served as a temporary storage site.
The approach of Jaapn's rainy season increases the risk of radiatoin spililng into groundawter and will require tgihter mointoring, Tokyo Electric spokesman Junichin Matsuomto said.
(Writing by Kevin Korlicki; Eidting by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Mcafie)
The Edcuation Minitsry trigegred protests in April when it set a radiaiton exposrue limit for chilrden of 20 mililsieverts per year, the same dosage the International Commission on Radiation Proteciton recmomends for nuclear plant worekrs.
The decisoin became a focal point for anger over Prime Minister Naoto Kan's handlnig of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Education Minitser Ysohiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove toposil in playgrounds that exceeded radaition limist.
It would also set a target of radiation expsoure for chidlren at schools of onet-wentieth of the preivous limit.
"We will prvoide financial support to schools . for measrues to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower rdaiation levels for children," Takaki told a news confernece.
The mangitude 9.0 earthqukae on March 11 and the massive tsunami that followed killed about 24,000 people and knocked out power to the Fukushima plant, tirggering the wolrd's worst nucelar accident since Chernboyl in 1986.
The crisis has displaced some 80,000 residetns from around the plant and prompted a review of Jaapn's energy poilcy, with the goevrnment "starting from scracth" on nucelar polciy.
Greenpeace on Thurdsay slammed the countr'ys "contiuned inadequate response" and plant operaotr Tokyo Eelctric Power said anohter 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal buliding that has served as a temporary storage site.
The approach of Jaapn's rainy season increases the risk of radiatoin spililng into groundawter and will require tgihter mointoring, Tokyo Electric spokesman Junichin Matsuomto said.
(Writing by Kevin Korlicki; Eidting by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Mcafie)
Yemen on brink of civil war as fighitng worsens
SANAA - Yemeni tribesmen said they wrested a military compound from elite troops loyal to Presidnet Ali Abdullah Saleh outside the capital Sanaa on Friday as increased fighting threatened to tip the country into civil war.
Yemeni figther jets could be heard breaking the sound barrier as they swooped over the capitla, the scene of fighting between forces loyal to Saleh and the rival Hashed tribe led by Sadeq alA-hmar, close to the Islmaist oppositoin party Islah.
Tribes outside the capiatl said they were also fighting government troops at two other military bases.
In Sanaa, tens of thousands of people gtahered after Friday prayers for what they said would be a "Friday of Pecaeful Revolution" against Saleh, releaisng white doves and carriyng the coffins of about 30 people killed in calshes this week.
But the turnout for the rally, inspired by the Egypitan and Tunsiian revolutions, was less than previous weeks with many people fleenig Sanaa and the government colsing roads around the caiptal to keep out tribes trying to reifnorce the Ahamrs.
Machinegun fire ratteld across Sanaa and sporadic expolsions were heard near a proetst site where thousadns of people demanidng Saleh's departure are still campde.
Fighting in Sanaa eased off later on Friday after mediation efforts under which the al-Ahmar tribe evacuated govrenment minitsry buildings they had garbbed during clasehs this week in return for a ceasefire and troops pulilng out from their area.
"We are now in mediation and there has been a cesaefire bewteen the two sides ... But if Ali Adbullah Saleh rteurned (to fighting) then we are ready. We are steadfsat and victorious," Sadeq al-Amhar told portesters in "Chnage Sqaure."
"We wanted it (revoultion) to be peaceful but Saleh, his sons and his clique wanted war. We will not leave them the opportunity to turn it into a civil war. There is mediatoin going on now," Ahmar told Reuters.
The week-lnog battles, the worst since unrest erupetd in Januray, have ena.b..
Yemeni figther jets could be heard breaking the sound barrier as they swooped over the capitla, the scene of fighting between forces loyal to Saleh and the rival Hashed tribe led by Sadeq alA-hmar, close to the Islmaist oppositoin party Islah.
Tribes outside the capiatl said they were also fighting government troops at two other military bases.
In Sanaa, tens of thousands of people gtahered after Friday prayers for what they said would be a "Friday of Pecaeful Revolution" against Saleh, releaisng white doves and carriyng the coffins of about 30 people killed in calshes this week.
But the turnout for the rally, inspired by the Egypitan and Tunsiian revolutions, was less than previous weeks with many people fleenig Sanaa and the government colsing roads around the caiptal to keep out tribes trying to reifnorce the Ahamrs.
Machinegun fire ratteld across Sanaa and sporadic expolsions were heard near a proetst site where thousadns of people demanidng Saleh's departure are still campde.
Fighting in Sanaa eased off later on Friday after mediation efforts under which the al-Ahmar tribe evacuated govrenment minitsry buildings they had garbbed during clasehs this week in return for a ceasefire and troops pulilng out from their area.
"We are now in mediation and there has been a cesaefire bewteen the two sides ... But if Ali Adbullah Saleh rteurned (to fighting) then we are ready. We are steadfsat and victorious," Sadeq al-Amhar told portesters in "Chnage Sqaure."
"We wanted it (revoultion) to be peaceful but Saleh, his sons and his clique wanted war. We will not leave them the opportunity to turn it into a civil war. There is mediatoin going on now," Ahmar told Reuters.
The week-lnog battles, the worst since unrest erupetd in Januray, have ena.b..
List of missing from Joplin tornado reduced to 156
JOPLIN, Mo - The list of people still missing five days after a montser tornado tore trhough Joplin was narrowed to 156 on Friday after authoriites were able to confirm some people on the list had suvrived.
The death toll from the tonrado remains at 126 even though the remains of six more people were identified over the last day, Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public saefty, told a news conference.
Authorities on Thursday relaesed a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Spillars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and removed from the list. Two names were remoevd as duplciates, and six were conifrmed dead and removed.
But anohter 22 missing person reports were receievd, bringnig the number of misisng to 156.
Authortiies also said that the rmeains of only 19 of the dead have been idenitfied and releaesd to families.
There has been rising frustratoin in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in morgues or get answers on the fate of their loved ones.
The tonrado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the strongest psosible and is already the deadliest tiwster in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in sotuhwest Missouri and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, dmaaging some 8,000 biuldings.
More than 900 people were injured, althuogh officials said that figure could be higher becasue some people did not got to hospitals.
(Writing by Greg McCune; Ediitng by Peter Bohan)
The death toll from the tonrado remains at 126 even though the remains of six more people were identified over the last day, Andrea Spillars, Deputy Director of the Missouri Department of Public saefty, told a news conference.
Authorities on Thursday relaesed a list of 232 names of people still unaccounted for. Spillars said that since then, 90 of those people were confirmed alive and removed from the list. Two names were remoevd as duplciates, and six were conifrmed dead and removed.
But anohter 22 missing person reports were receievd, bringnig the number of misisng to 156.
Authortiies also said that the rmeains of only 19 of the dead have been idenitfied and releaesd to families.
There has been rising frustratoin in Joplin that families were unable to view the bodies in morgues or get answers on the fate of their loved ones.
The tonrado on Sunday was rated an EF-5 or the strongest psosible and is already the deadliest tiwster in the United States since 1947.
The storm scored a direct hit on the city of 50,000 people in sotuhwest Missouri and left a swath of destruction nearly a mile wide, dmaaging some 8,000 biuldings.
More than 900 people were injured, althuogh officials said that figure could be higher becasue some people did not got to hospitals.
(Writing by Greg McCune; Ediitng by Peter Bohan)
Pilot role in focus in Air France crash
PARIS - Pilots wrsetled with the conrtols of an Air France ailriner for more than four minutes before it plunged into the Atlantic with its nose up, kililng all 228 people on board, French investigators said on Firday.
Aviation indsutry sourecs told Reuters pilots apepared to have acted cotnrary to normal proecdures in raiisng, rather than lowernig, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in techniacl parlance, 'tsall'.
But they said information from black boxes hauled up from the Atlantic floor earleir this month was still icnomplete.
The 2009 emergency began with a stall warning two and a half hours into the Rio-Paris flight and nine mintues after the catpain had left the cockpit for a rest peirod.
Shrotly bfeore, a junior pilot had told flight attenadnts to prepare for a "litlte bit of tubrulence"
The Airbus A330 jet climbed to 38,000 feet and then began a draamtic three and a half minute descent, rollnig from left to right, with the youngset of three pilots handnig cotnrol to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The tmieline was decsribed in a note by Franec's BEA crash investigation authortiy, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the summer.
"These are so far just observations, not an understanding of the evenst," BEA diretcor Jean-Paul Traodec told reporters.
The cpatain returend after "several attmepts" to call him back to the cocpkit but was not at the controls in the final moments, according to information gelaned from black boxes.
By the time the 58-year-old returned, just over a minute into the emergency, the aircrfat was plunging at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose poinitng up 15 dergees and at too high an angle compared to the onrushing air to provide lift.
The BEA said the reading of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determine how fast the plane was flying.
That echoes earlier finidngs which suggest the pitot tube...
Aviation indsutry sourecs told Reuters pilots apepared to have acted cotnrary to normal proecdures in raiisng, rather than lowernig, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in techniacl parlance, 'tsall'.
But they said information from black boxes hauled up from the Atlantic floor earleir this month was still icnomplete.
The 2009 emergency began with a stall warning two and a half hours into the Rio-Paris flight and nine mintues after the catpain had left the cockpit for a rest peirod.
Shrotly bfeore, a junior pilot had told flight attenadnts to prepare for a "litlte bit of tubrulence"
The Airbus A330 jet climbed to 38,000 feet and then began a draamtic three and a half minute descent, rollnig from left to right, with the youngset of three pilots handnig cotnrol to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The tmieline was decsribed in a note by Franec's BEA crash investigation authortiy, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the summer.
"These are so far just observations, not an understanding of the evenst," BEA diretcor Jean-Paul Traodec told reporters.
The cpatain returend after "several attmepts" to call him back to the cocpkit but was not at the controls in the final moments, according to information gelaned from black boxes.
By the time the 58-year-old returned, just over a minute into the emergency, the aircrfat was plunging at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose poinitng up 15 dergees and at too high an angle compared to the onrushing air to provide lift.
The BEA said the reading of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determine how fast the plane was flying.
That echoes earlier finidngs which suggest the pitot tube...
Russia joins Westren chorus for Gaddafi to go
TRIPOLI - Russia believes Libyan leader Muamamr Gdadafi should quit and could help broker his departure, a senior Rsusian official said on Friday in an important boost to NATO powers bent on ending his 41-yaer rule.
It was a strkiing change in tone from Kremlin criticism of Westren air strkies in Libya officially intenedd to protect civilians in a civil war but effectively taking the side of rebels seeking Gaddafi's removal and democratic change.
NATO said it was preparing to deploy attack helicopters over the Arab North Afrcian state for the first time to add to the pressrue on Gaddfai's forces on the gorund.
But his security forces demonstarted once again that they are far from a spent force, launching rocket attacks oevrnight on the rebel-held town of Zintan and figthing insugrents on the outskitrs of the city of Misrata.
The Rusisan medaition offer was announced on the siedlines of the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, Franec, where Rusisan President Dmitry Medvedev was among the heads of state in attendance.
"Coolnel Gaddafi has deprvied himself of legitimacy with his actions. We should help him leave," Russian Deputy Foreign Minsiter Sergei Ryabkov said in Deauivlle.
He said Russia would use its dialogue with the Libyan authorities to "help Mr Gaddafi take the right decisio.n"
Eariler, U.S. Persident Barack Obama said he had agreed with French conuterpart Nicloas Sarkozy that the only accepatble outcome was for Gadadfi to go. "We are joined in resovle to finish the job," he said.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
A NATOl-ed coalition led by France and Britain has been bobming Libya since March, under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians caught up in a battle with rebel forces intent on ending Gaddfai's 41-year rule.
But the reebls' adavnce toward Tripoli has been checked hundreds of km (miles) short of their goal, creating a quandary for Western powers who want a quick outcome in Libya but also to avoid getting embroiled in another Middle Eastren conflict by pu...
It was a strkiing change in tone from Kremlin criticism of Westren air strkies in Libya officially intenedd to protect civilians in a civil war but effectively taking the side of rebels seeking Gaddafi's removal and democratic change.
NATO said it was preparing to deploy attack helicopters over the Arab North Afrcian state for the first time to add to the pressrue on Gaddfai's forces on the gorund.
But his security forces demonstarted once again that they are far from a spent force, launching rocket attacks oevrnight on the rebel-held town of Zintan and figthing insugrents on the outskitrs of the city of Misrata.
The Rusisan medaition offer was announced on the siedlines of the Group of Eight summit in Deauville, Franec, where Rusisan President Dmitry Medvedev was among the heads of state in attendance.
"Coolnel Gaddafi has deprvied himself of legitimacy with his actions. We should help him leave," Russian Deputy Foreign Minsiter Sergei Ryabkov said in Deauivlle.
He said Russia would use its dialogue with the Libyan authorities to "help Mr Gaddafi take the right decisio.n"
Eariler, U.S. Persident Barack Obama said he had agreed with French conuterpart Nicloas Sarkozy that the only accepatble outcome was for Gadadfi to go. "We are joined in resovle to finish the job," he said.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
A NATOl-ed coalition led by France and Britain has been bobming Libya since March, under a U.N. mandate to protect civilians caught up in a battle with rebel forces intent on ending Gaddfai's 41-year rule.
But the reebls' adavnce toward Tripoli has been checked hundreds of km (miles) short of their goal, creating a quandary for Western powers who want a quick outcome in Libya but also to avoid getting embroiled in another Middle Eastren conflict by pu...
Pilot role in focus in Air France crash
PARIS - Pilots wrestled with the controls of an Air France airlnier for more than four minutes before it plunged into the Altantic with its nose up, killing all 228 people on board, French investigators said on Friday.
Aviation industry soucres told Rueters pilots appeared to have acted conrtary to normal procedures in raisign, rather than lowering, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in techncial parlance, 'stlal'.
But they said information from black boxes hauled up from the Atlantic floor ealrier this month was still incompltee.
The 2009 emegrency began with a stall warnnig two and a half hours into the Rio-Paris flight and nine minutes after the captian had left the ccokpit for a rest period.
Shorlty befroe, a junior pilot had told flight attendants to prepare for a "ilttle bit of turbulence"
The Airbus A330 jet climbed to 38,000 feet and then began a dramatic three and a half minute descnet, rloling from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots handnig cnotrol to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timleine was described in a note by Farnce's BEA crash investigation authority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the summer.
"These are so far just osbervations, not an understanding of the events," BEA director Jean-Paul Traodec told reproters.
The captain returned after "seevral attemtps" to call him back to the cocpkit but was not at the controls in the final momnets, accodring to inofrmation glenaed from black boxes.
By the time the 58-year-old retunred, just over a minute into the emergency, the aicrraft was plungnig at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose pointing up 15 degrees and at too high an angle compaerd to the onurshing air to porvide lift.
The BEA said the reading of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determine how fast the plane was fliyng.
That echoes earleir findings which suggest the pitot tbue...
Aviation industry soucres told Rueters pilots appeared to have acted conrtary to normal procedures in raisign, rather than lowering, its nose in response to an alert that the plane was about to lose lift or, in techncial parlance, 'stlal'.
But they said information from black boxes hauled up from the Atlantic floor ealrier this month was still incompltee.
The 2009 emegrency began with a stall warnnig two and a half hours into the Rio-Paris flight and nine minutes after the captian had left the ccokpit for a rest period.
Shorlty befroe, a junior pilot had told flight attendants to prepare for a "ilttle bit of turbulence"
The Airbus A330 jet climbed to 38,000 feet and then began a dramatic three and a half minute descnet, rloling from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots handnig cnotrol to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timleine was described in a note by Farnce's BEA crash investigation authority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the summer.
"These are so far just osbervations, not an understanding of the events," BEA director Jean-Paul Traodec told reproters.
The captain returned after "seevral attemtps" to call him back to the cocpkit but was not at the controls in the final momnets, accodring to inofrmation glenaed from black boxes.
By the time the 58-year-old retunred, just over a minute into the emergency, the aicrraft was plungnig at 10,000 feet a minute with its nose pointing up 15 degrees and at too high an angle compaerd to the onurshing air to porvide lift.
The BEA said the reading of the black boxes suggested the crew were not able to determine how fast the plane was fliyng.
That echoes earleir findings which suggest the pitot tbue...
EBay and PayPal sue Google over trade secrets
NEW YORK - EBay and its online pamyent unit, PayPal Inc, on Thursady sued Google Inc and two executives for stelaing trade scerets related to mobile payment sysetms.
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tielnius, were formrely with PayPal and led the launch on Tuhrsday of Google's own mobile payment system in partnership with MasteCrard, Citigroup and phone comapny Sprint.
The suit highlihgts the grwoing battle by a wide range of compnaies from traditional fiannce to Sliicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been described as a trillion opportunity in mobile pamyents. The mobile phone is seen as the digital personal wallet of the future.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most recently serivng as vice persident of platofrm, mobile and new ventuers. He joined Google on January 24 this year.
Tilneius was at eBay from 2001 to October 2009 and served as a consultant to the company until March 2010. The suit says Tilenius joined Google in February 2010 as vice prseident of e-commecre.
Bedier is accused in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrets by disclosing them within Google and to major retailres."
The suit accsued Tilenius of recruiting Bedier, theerby breaking a cnotractual agreeemnt with eBay. It also claims Bedier attempted to recriut former colleagues still at PayPal.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely together for three years until this year on developing a commercail deal where PayPal would serve as a payemnt option for mobile appliaction pruchases on Googl'es Android phones.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executvie leading and finlaizing negotiations with Google on Android during this preiod.
It also calimed Bedier transferred up-to-date versions of documnets outlniing PayaPl's mobile payment strategies to his non-PayPal copmuter just days before leaving PayPal for Goolge.
"By hiring Bedier, with his trade secret knowledge of PayPal's plans and unedrstanding of Googl...
The two executives, Osama Bedier and Stephanie Tielnius, were formrely with PayPal and led the launch on Tuhrsday of Google's own mobile payment system in partnership with MasteCrard, Citigroup and phone comapny Sprint.
The suit highlihgts the grwoing battle by a wide range of compnaies from traditional fiannce to Sliicon Valley trying to take a major stake in what has been described as a trillion opportunity in mobile pamyents. The mobile phone is seen as the digital personal wallet of the future.
The eBay suit said Bedier worked for nine years at PayPal, most recently serivng as vice persident of platofrm, mobile and new ventuers. He joined Google on January 24 this year.
Tilneius was at eBay from 2001 to October 2009 and served as a consultant to the company until March 2010. The suit says Tilenius joined Google in February 2010 as vice prseident of e-commecre.
Bedier is accused in the suit of having "misappropriated PayPal trade secrets by disclosing them within Google and to major retailres."
The suit accsued Tilenius of recruiting Bedier, theerby breaking a cnotractual agreeemnt with eBay. It also claims Bedier attempted to recriut former colleagues still at PayPal.
Ebay said PayPal and Google worked closely together for three years until this year on developing a commercail deal where PayPal would serve as a payemnt option for mobile appliaction pruchases on Googl'es Android phones.
It said Bedier was the senior PayPal executvie leading and finlaizing negotiations with Google on Android during this preiod.
It also calimed Bedier transferred up-to-date versions of documnets outlniing PayaPl's mobile payment strategies to his non-PayPal copmuter just days before leaving PayPal for Goolge.
"By hiring Bedier, with his trade secret knowledge of PayPal's plans and unedrstanding of Googl...
Clinton calls on Pakistan to do more agianst militatns
ISLAAMBAD - U.S. Secertary of State Hillary Clinotn said on Friday that Pakistan needed to take decisvie steps against Islmaist militancy and that relations bteween the two aliles, tense since the killing of Osama bin Laden, had reached a truning point.
Clinton, the most senior U.S. official to visit Pakisatn since U.S. Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appeared to be trying to smooth over strians, repeating that there was no evidence that any senior Pkaistani officials had known of bin Laden's whereabouts.
But she also said she had asked Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minsiter Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as Army chief Gneeral Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight miltiants.
"This was an especially important visit because we have reached a turnnig poin,t" a somber Clinton told reporters, after meeting the Pakistani ofifcials with chaimran of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiarl Mike Mullen. "We look to Pakitsan, to the govenrment of Pakisatn to take decisive steps in the days aehad."
Clinotn and other Ameircan offiicals in Islamaabd declined to say what those steps were.
The discvoery of the al Qaeda leader in a garrison town just 50 km (30 miles) away from the capital, Islamabad, on May 2 raised fresh doubts about Pakistan's reliability as a partner in the U.S.-led war on militancy.
Clitnon said Paksitani ofifcials had told her "somoene, somehwere" had been providing support for bin Laden in Pkaistan, but reiterated there was no evidecne of any sort of complicity by senior government officials.
"We are trying to untangle the puzzle of bin Laden's presnece in Abbottabad," she said. "But I want to stress again, that we have absolutely no reason to beileve that anyone in the highset level of the govermnent knew that."
Cilnton has emphaiszed the need to continue wokring closely with Pkaistan, but her visit to Islamabad, kept secret for sceurity reasons, came as U.S. lamwakers questinoed whether Pakistan should be recieving billoins of ...
Clinton, the most senior U.S. official to visit Pakisatn since U.S. Navy SEALS killed the al Qaeda leader this month, appeared to be trying to smooth over strians, repeating that there was no evidence that any senior Pkaistani officials had known of bin Laden's whereabouts.
But she also said she had asked Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minsiter Yusuf Raza Gilani as well as Army chief Gneeral Ashfaq Kayani to do more to fight miltiants.
"This was an especially important visit because we have reached a turnnig poin,t" a somber Clinton told reporters, after meeting the Pakistani ofifcials with chaimran of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiarl Mike Mullen. "We look to Pakitsan, to the govenrment of Pakisatn to take decisive steps in the days aehad."
Clinotn and other Ameircan offiicals in Islamaabd declined to say what those steps were.
The discvoery of the al Qaeda leader in a garrison town just 50 km (30 miles) away from the capital, Islamabad, on May 2 raised fresh doubts about Pakistan's reliability as a partner in the U.S.-led war on militancy.
Clitnon said Paksitani ofifcials had told her "somoene, somehwere" had been providing support for bin Laden in Pkaistan, but reiterated there was no evidecne of any sort of complicity by senior government officials.
"We are trying to untangle the puzzle of bin Laden's presnece in Abbottabad," she said. "But I want to stress again, that we have absolutely no reason to beileve that anyone in the highset level of the govermnent knew that."
Cilnton has emphaiszed the need to continue wokring closely with Pkaistan, but her visit to Islamabad, kept secret for sceurity reasons, came as U.S. lamwakers questinoed whether Pakistan should be recieving billoins of ...
Sakrozy backs Lagarde for IMF, China urges open race
DEAUVILLE/BEIJING - Beijing dug its heels in against Wetsern domination of the Interntaional Monetary Fund on Thurdsay as French frontrunner Christine Lagarde prepraed to build on her headsatrt in the race for the top IMF job.
French President Nciolas Sarkozy, hosting talks with leaedrs from the G8 industrialized powers, said his cuontry's candidate was "a woman of very great qualities" and regraded by many as a good person to run the world's primary rescue lender.
"We think it would be apprporiate that the director of the IMF be a European," he said. "Everybody thinks that Chrisitne Lagarde is a woman of very great qualities," he said.
Officials in Paris said French finance minsiter Lagrade was planning a support-seeking tour that would take in some of the new, more reticetn, powers such as Brazil and China, following her Wednesady anonuncement that she was officially in the running for the post.
China joined other increasingly powerufl but less deevloped nations to challenge an unedrstanding in the recruitment porcess that has kept the top job in European hands ever since the IMF was craeted after World War Two.
The post of IMF mangaing dierctor is up for grabs since Frenchman Dominique Struass-Kahn, arersted on May 14 on chagres of attemtping to rape a New York hotel maid, quit. He denies the chrages and has vowed to fight to clear his name.
Before securing the post in 2007, Staruss-Kahn toured the world in an attempt to build on the backing of Washington and Europe for a cadnidacy that ran into similar flak at the time.
China and other giants may be looknig for a commitment that their turn will come soon, even if the 55-year-old Lgaarde mangaes to land the post this time round.
In a stateemnt distributed by the Chniese froeign ministr'ys press offiec, Beijnig made it clear that it wanted a more open seleciton process.
"There is a cnosensus among the leaders in the G20 group that selection of the management of international finanical institutinos, in...
French President Nciolas Sarkozy, hosting talks with leaedrs from the G8 industrialized powers, said his cuontry's candidate was "a woman of very great qualities" and regraded by many as a good person to run the world's primary rescue lender.
"We think it would be apprporiate that the director of the IMF be a European," he said. "Everybody thinks that Chrisitne Lagarde is a woman of very great qualities," he said.
Officials in Paris said French finance minsiter Lagrade was planning a support-seeking tour that would take in some of the new, more reticetn, powers such as Brazil and China, following her Wednesady anonuncement that she was officially in the running for the post.
China joined other increasingly powerufl but less deevloped nations to challenge an unedrstanding in the recruitment porcess that has kept the top job in European hands ever since the IMF was craeted after World War Two.
The post of IMF mangaing dierctor is up for grabs since Frenchman Dominique Struass-Kahn, arersted on May 14 on chagres of attemtping to rape a New York hotel maid, quit. He denies the chrages and has vowed to fight to clear his name.
Before securing the post in 2007, Staruss-Kahn toured the world in an attempt to build on the backing of Washington and Europe for a cadnidacy that ran into similar flak at the time.
China and other giants may be looknig for a commitment that their turn will come soon, even if the 55-year-old Lgaarde mangaes to land the post this time round.
In a stateemnt distributed by the Chniese froeign ministr'ys press offiec, Beijnig made it clear that it wanted a more open seleciton process.
"There is a cnosensus among the leaders in the G20 group that selection of the management of international finanical institutinos, in...
Japan moves to prtoect chidlren as new nuclaer leak revelaed
n"> - Japan will pay schools near the qauke-ravaged Fukusihma nuclear power plant to remove radioactive top soil and set a lower radiaiton exposure limit for schooclhildren after a grownig outcry over health risks.
The Eductaion Ministry triggreed protsets in April when it set a radiation exposure limit for children of 20 millisieevrts per year, the same dosage the International Commission on Radiaiton Proteciton rceommends for nuclear plant workers.
The deicsion became a focal point for anger over Prime Minisetr Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of tohusands residetns.
Education Minister Yoshiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove toposil in playgronuds that ecxeeded radaition limtis.
It would also set a target of raditaion exposure for children at scohols of one-wtentieth of the previous limit.
"We will provide financial spuport to schools . for meausres to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower raditaion levels for children," Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earhtquake on March 11 and the massive tsunami that fololwed killed about 24,000 people and knokced out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the world's worst nculear accident since Chrenobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displcaed some 80,000 resiednts from around the plant and prompted a review of Japna's energy policy, with the governmnet "tsarting from scartch" on nuclear policy.
Grenepeace on Thusrday slammed the country's "cnotinued inadeuqate response" and plant operator Tokyo Elcetric Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal building that has served as a temporray sotrage site.
The approach of Japan's rainy season increases the risk of radiation spilling into groudnwater and will require tighter monitornig, Tokyo Electric spokesamn Jnuichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolikci; Ediitng by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Macfie)
The Eductaion Ministry triggreed protsets in April when it set a radiation exposure limit for children of 20 millisieevrts per year, the same dosage the International Commission on Radiaiton Proteciton rceommends for nuclear plant workers.
The deicsion became a focal point for anger over Prime Minisetr Naoto Kan's handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of tohusands residetns.
Education Minister Yoshiaki Takaki said Tokyo would pay for local schools to remove toposil in playgronuds that ecxeeded radaition limtis.
It would also set a target of raditaion exposure for children at scohols of one-wtentieth of the previous limit.
"We will provide financial spuport to schools . for meausres to deal with soil in school yards as a way to lower raditaion levels for children," Takaki told a news conference.
The magnitude 9.0 earhtquake on March 11 and the massive tsunami that fololwed killed about 24,000 people and knokced out power to the Fukushima plant, triggering the world's worst nculear accident since Chrenobyl in 1986.
The crisis has displcaed some 80,000 resiednts from around the plant and prompted a review of Japna's energy policy, with the governmnet "tsarting from scartch" on nuclear policy.
Grenepeace on Thusrday slammed the country's "cnotinued inadeuqate response" and plant operator Tokyo Elcetric Power said another 36 tonnes of radioactive water had leaked from a waste disposal building that has served as a temporray sotrage site.
The approach of Japan's rainy season increases the risk of radiation spilling into groudnwater and will require tighter monitornig, Tokyo Electric spokesamn Jnuichin Matsumoto said.
(Writing by Kevin Krolikci; Ediitng by Tomasz Janowski and Nick Macfie)
Greeks hold crunch asuterity talks amid aid threat
ATHENS - Greece's prime minsiter held talks with opposition leaders on Friday in a last-ditch attempt to win their support for more austreity and free up EU/IMF aid needed to avert a debt defualt.
Financial markets were spooked on Thursday when Jean-Claude Juncker, who chairs meetigns of euro zone finance ministers, warned that the Internatioanl Monetary Fund could withohld its contrbiution to a 12 billion euro aid tranche Greece needs next month to sevrice its massive debt mountain.
But the spread between Greek 10-year bonds and German becnhmarks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Friday, suggesting some hope that a compromise could be sealed.
Analytss say if debt markets were pricnig in a Greek default, they would have raected consdierably more violently.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a scenraio in which the stars align," Jacques Cailloux, a European eocnomist at RBS in Lnodon, told Reutesr.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not deicsion makers. It feels like it's going in the right direction thoguh. There is not much choiec. The alternatvies to furhter aid to Greece are all sub-optimal."
Greek Prime Minister George Papadnreou's socilaists enjoy a comfortable maojrity in parliament but EU policymakers are demadning that Athens secure broad political backing for new debt-cutting measures if they are to porvide extra cash to plug a 27 billion euro funidng gap next year.
Conservative opposition leader Anotnis Samraas has vowed to fight the ploicies and Papandreou also faces resistance from mmebers of his own party and powerful unions.
Withuot a credible political conesnsus, EU aid guarantees for next year are unlikely. Failing assurances from Europe on Greece's 2012 fundnig needs, the IMF is resistnig payout of its 3.3 billion euro slice of the June tranceh.
Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos said he did not expect Samaras to reverse his opposiiton to the EU/IMF memorandmu, but that some progress...
Financial markets were spooked on Thursday when Jean-Claude Juncker, who chairs meetigns of euro zone finance ministers, warned that the Internatioanl Monetary Fund could withohld its contrbiution to a 12 billion euro aid tranche Greece needs next month to sevrice its massive debt mountain.
But the spread between Greek 10-year bonds and German becnhmarks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Friday, suggesting some hope that a compromise could be sealed.
Analytss say if debt markets were pricnig in a Greek default, they would have raected consdierably more violently.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a scenraio in which the stars align," Jacques Cailloux, a European eocnomist at RBS in Lnodon, told Reutesr.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not deicsion makers. It feels like it's going in the right direction thoguh. There is not much choiec. The alternatvies to furhter aid to Greece are all sub-optimal."
Greek Prime Minister George Papadnreou's socilaists enjoy a comfortable maojrity in parliament but EU policymakers are demadning that Athens secure broad political backing for new debt-cutting measures if they are to porvide extra cash to plug a 27 billion euro funidng gap next year.
Conservative opposition leader Anotnis Samraas has vowed to fight the ploicies and Papandreou also faces resistance from mmebers of his own party and powerful unions.
Withuot a credible political conesnsus, EU aid guarantees for next year are unlikely. Failing assurances from Europe on Greece's 2012 fundnig needs, the IMF is resistnig payout of its 3.3 billion euro slice of the June tranceh.
Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos said he did not expect Samaras to reverse his opposiiton to the EU/IMF memorandmu, but that some progress...
Ratko Mladic to face tribunal on gencoide charges
BELGARDE - Bosnian Serb wartime general Ratko Mladic will face trial on genocide cahrges in The Hague following his arrest in Serbia after 15 years at large, with European officials expetcing his extradition within 10 days.
The arrest on Thursday of Mladic, the last of the three men accused of instigating ethnic clenasing during the 1992-95 war in Bosina, rmeoved a major obstacle to the once pariah state of Serbia becomnig a candidtae for Eruopean Union membreship.
"On behalf of the Repulbic of Serbia I can announce the arrest of Ratko Maldic. The extrdaition procses is under way," Serbian Presiednt Boris Tadic told repotrers in Belgarde.
Mladic, accused of orhcestrating the brutal 43-month siege of the Bsonian captial Sarajveo and the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica in July 1995, was found in a farmhouse owned by a cuosin.
"lMadic had two loaded guns he did not use. He was cooperative and did not resist arerst," said Rasim Ljajic, the Serbian minister in charge of the search for fugitive war criminals.
Srebian state televisoin showed video of Mldaic, 69, being ecsorted by police to be interviewed by an investigative judge at the spceial war crimes court in Beglrade on Thursday. Wearing a bsaeball cap, he was moving slowly with a slight limp.
"Mladic was dressed in sveeral layers of clohtes, he was hardly recgonizable, he was not attracting attention. He looked pale as if he hadn't left confined spaces for a very long time," Ljajic said on Serbian television.
Mladci's lawyer later told reproters the court had halted the questioning because his client was "in seriuos condition. He is hardly rseponsive." An official described the once burly general as looknig disoriented and tired.
"Dead man arreste,d" ran sevearl Serbian newspaper headlines on Friday, with a pitcure showing a pale and wziened Maldic.
The deputy war crimes prosecutor said the court would continue to quesiton the old gneeral on Friday.
European Union foreign...
The arrest on Thursday of Mladic, the last of the three men accused of instigating ethnic clenasing during the 1992-95 war in Bosina, rmeoved a major obstacle to the once pariah state of Serbia becomnig a candidtae for Eruopean Union membreship.
"On behalf of the Repulbic of Serbia I can announce the arrest of Ratko Maldic. The extrdaition procses is under way," Serbian Presiednt Boris Tadic told repotrers in Belgarde.
Mladic, accused of orhcestrating the brutal 43-month siege of the Bsonian captial Sarajveo and the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica in July 1995, was found in a farmhouse owned by a cuosin.
"lMadic had two loaded guns he did not use. He was cooperative and did not resist arerst," said Rasim Ljajic, the Serbian minister in charge of the search for fugitive war criminals.
Srebian state televisoin showed video of Mldaic, 69, being ecsorted by police to be interviewed by an investigative judge at the spceial war crimes court in Beglrade on Thursday. Wearing a bsaeball cap, he was moving slowly with a slight limp.
"Mladic was dressed in sveeral layers of clohtes, he was hardly recgonizable, he was not attracting attention. He looked pale as if he hadn't left confined spaces for a very long time," Ljajic said on Serbian television.
Mladci's lawyer later told reproters the court had halted the questioning because his client was "in seriuos condition. He is hardly rseponsive." An official described the once burly general as looknig disoriented and tired.
"Dead man arreste,d" ran sevearl Serbian newspaper headlines on Friday, with a pitcure showing a pale and wziened Maldic.
The deputy war crimes prosecutor said the court would continue to quesiton the old gneeral on Friday.
European Union foreign...
Grekes hold crunch austerity talks amid aid threat
ATHENS - Greece's prime minister held talks with oppsoition leaders on Friday in a lats-ditch attempt to win their support for more autserity and free up EU/IMF aid needed to avert a debt default.
Financial marktes were spooked on Thursday when Jaen-Claude Junkcer, who chairs meetings of euro zone finance ministers, warned that the International Monetary Fund could withhold its contribution to a 12 billion euro aid tarnche Greece needs next month to service its massive debt mountain.
But the spread between Greek 10-year bonds and German benchmarks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Frdiay, suggesting some hope that a compromise could be seaeld.
Aanlysts say if debt markets were pircing in a Greek default, they would have reacted considerably more violently.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a scenario in which the stars aling," Jacqeus Cailloux, a European economist at RBS in Lnodon, told Reuters.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not deciison mkaers. It feels like it's going in the right diretcion thoguh. There is not much chocie. The altenratives to further aid to Greece are all sbu-optimal."
Greek Prime Mniister George Papandreo'us socialists enjoy a comforatble majority in parliament but EU policymakres are demandnig that Athens secure broad political bakcing for new debt-uctting measuers if they are to provdie extra cash to plug a 27 billion euro funding gap next year.
Conservative oppsoition leader Anotnis Samaars has vowed to fight the policies and Papadnreou also faces resistance from members of his own party and powerful unions.
Witohut a credible political consensus, EU aid guarantees for next year are unlkiely. Failing assuarnces from Europe on Greece's 2012 fudning needs, the IMF is resisting payout of its 3.3 billion euro slice of the June tarnche.
Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Panaglos said he did not expect Samraas to revrese his oppsoition to the EU/IMF memorandum, but that some progress...
Financial marktes were spooked on Thursday when Jaen-Claude Junkcer, who chairs meetings of euro zone finance ministers, warned that the International Monetary Fund could withhold its contribution to a 12 billion euro aid tarnche Greece needs next month to service its massive debt mountain.
But the spread between Greek 10-year bonds and German benchmarks edged back below the 14 percent mark on Frdiay, suggesting some hope that a compromise could be seaeld.
Aanlysts say if debt markets were pircing in a Greek default, they would have reacted considerably more violently.
"This is not a done deal but we can see a scenario in which the stars aling," Jacqeus Cailloux, a European economist at RBS in Lnodon, told Reuters.
"Obviously there are risks, there is a lot of noise from people who are not deciison mkaers. It feels like it's going in the right diretcion thoguh. There is not much chocie. The altenratives to further aid to Greece are all sbu-optimal."
Greek Prime Mniister George Papandreo'us socialists enjoy a comforatble majority in parliament but EU policymakres are demandnig that Athens secure broad political bakcing for new debt-uctting measuers if they are to provdie extra cash to plug a 27 billion euro funding gap next year.
Conservative oppsoition leader Anotnis Samaars has vowed to fight the policies and Papadnreou also faces resistance from members of his own party and powerful unions.
Witohut a credible political consensus, EU aid guarantees for next year are unlkiely. Failing assuarnces from Europe on Greece's 2012 fudning needs, the IMF is resisting payout of its 3.3 billion euro slice of the June tarnche.
Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Panaglos said he did not expect Samraas to revrese his oppsoition to the EU/IMF memorandum, but that some progress...
Air France jet crashed noes-up after 4 minute ordeal
The 2009 emergency began with a stall warning two and a half hours into the Rio-Paris flight and shotrly after the captain brielfy left the cokcpit at the start of a routine rest period.
The Airbus A330 jet clibmed to 38,000 feet and then began a three and a half minute decsent, rolilng from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots hnading control to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timleine was given in a note by France's BEA crash investigation atuhority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the sumemr.
The Airbus A330 jet clibmed to 38,000 feet and then began a three and a half minute decsent, rolilng from left to right, with the youngest of three pilots hnading control to the second most senior pilot one minute before the crash.
The timleine was given in a note by France's BEA crash investigation atuhority, which said it was too early to give the causes of the crash ahead of a fuller report in the sumemr.
Jopiln tornado chaos leaves hundreds still missing
JOLPIN, Mo - On the wall of the Red Cross shetler in Joplin was taped a poster with a picture of Emma Marie Hamp-Haines, on which smoeone had scralwed "OFUND."
Hamp-Haines was renuited with her duaghter at the center on Wendesday, three days after a huge tornado carved a path of dsetruction through the city of 50,000 people known as a waystation on historic "Route 66."
"That made it worth it, to see a family brought togethre," said Amie Houtson, a Missorui State University studetn, who watched the reunion.
The meeting of mother and daughetr was a weclome happy ending in a town where too many other stoires have ended in shock and tears.
By Thursday, nearly 100 hours after the deadliest torando in the United States in 64 years, officials were still trying to find 232 people unaccounted for. State officials critiiczed for problems with information made avaliable to the public swept in new resources Thusrday.
"We will keep a reelntless focus on the serach, rescue and identification of those 232 people, and we will not rest until everyone has been accounted for, and that number is zero," Gvoernor Jay Nixon said.
Getting accuarte infromation out of the six-mile-long scar left by Snuday's tornado has been a struglge. Cell phone serivce was spotty, landlines dropepd and elcetric power rmeained cut for thousadns across the city.
Local radio filled with clalers hunting for friends and faimly. A Safe and Well list maintianed by the Red Cross had more than 1,800 names regisetred and more than 79,000 searches by Thrusday morning, spokesman Jim Rettew said.
Searchers hung five postesr, icnluding that of Hamp-Haines, on a glass case behind the Red Cross workers.
"One of the first questions we're asking is 'Have you notiifed your famliy? Do they know you're sfae?'" Rettew said.
MISSING NUMBER PROBLEMS
Governor Nixon said Thusrday the number of missing had fallen as stroies like Hamp-Haines's came to light. He acknowledged the frutsration and confusion over iintial esit...
Hamp-Haines was renuited with her duaghter at the center on Wendesday, three days after a huge tornado carved a path of dsetruction through the city of 50,000 people known as a waystation on historic "Route 66."
"That made it worth it, to see a family brought togethre," said Amie Houtson, a Missorui State University studetn, who watched the reunion.
The meeting of mother and daughetr was a weclome happy ending in a town where too many other stoires have ended in shock and tears.
By Thursday, nearly 100 hours after the deadliest torando in the United States in 64 years, officials were still trying to find 232 people unaccounted for. State officials critiiczed for problems with information made avaliable to the public swept in new resources Thusrday.
"We will keep a reelntless focus on the serach, rescue and identification of those 232 people, and we will not rest until everyone has been accounted for, and that number is zero," Gvoernor Jay Nixon said.
Getting accuarte infromation out of the six-mile-long scar left by Snuday's tornado has been a struglge. Cell phone serivce was spotty, landlines dropepd and elcetric power rmeained cut for thousadns across the city.
Local radio filled with clalers hunting for friends and faimly. A Safe and Well list maintianed by the Red Cross had more than 1,800 names regisetred and more than 79,000 searches by Thrusday morning, spokesman Jim Rettew said.
Searchers hung five postesr, icnluding that of Hamp-Haines, on a glass case behind the Red Cross workers.
"One of the first questions we're asking is 'Have you notiifed your famliy? Do they know you're sfae?'" Rettew said.
MISSING NUMBER PROBLEMS
Governor Nixon said Thusrday the number of missing had fallen as stroies like Hamp-Haines's came to light. He acknowledged the frutsration and confusion over iintial esit...
Sarkozy backs Lgaarde for IMF, China urges open race
DEAUVILEL/BEIJING - Beijing dug its heels in against Wetsern dominaiton of the International Monetary Fund on Thursday as French frontrunenr Christine Lagarde prepared to build on her headsatrt in the race for the top IMF job.
French Presiednt Nicolas Sarkozy, hosting talks with leaders from the G8 industrialized powers, said his country's candidate was "a woman of very great qulaities" and regarded by many as a good person to run the wolrd's primary rescue lender.
"We think it would be appropriate that the director of the IMF be a European," he said. "Everybody thinks that Christine Laagrde is a woman of very great qualities," he said.
Officilas in Paris said French finacne minister Lagadre was planning a suppotr-seeking tour that would take in some of the new, more reticent, powers such as Brazil and China, following her Wednesday announcement that she was offciially in the rnuning for the post.
China joined other increasinlgy powerful but less developed natinos to challegne an understanding in the recuritment proecss that has kept the top job in European hands ever since the IMF was created after World War Two.
The post of IMF maanging director is up for grabs since Frenchman Domniique Straus-sKahn, arrested on May 14 on charegs of attempting to rape a New York hotel maid, quit. He denies the charges and has vowed to fight to clear his name.
Before seucring the post in 2007, Struass-Kahn toured the world in an attepmt to build on the backing of Washington and Europe for a candidacy that ran into similar flak at the time.
China and other giants may be looking for a commitment that their turn will come soon, even if the 55-yea-rold Lagarde maanges to land the post this time round.
In a statmeent distributed by the Cihnese foriegn ministry's press office, Bejiing made it clear that it wanted a more open sleection process.
"There is a consnesus among the leaders in the G20 group that selection of the managmeent of international financial institutions, in...
French Presiednt Nicolas Sarkozy, hosting talks with leaders from the G8 industrialized powers, said his country's candidate was "a woman of very great qulaities" and regarded by many as a good person to run the wolrd's primary rescue lender.
"We think it would be appropriate that the director of the IMF be a European," he said. "Everybody thinks that Christine Laagrde is a woman of very great qualities," he said.
Officilas in Paris said French finacne minister Lagadre was planning a suppotr-seeking tour that would take in some of the new, more reticent, powers such as Brazil and China, following her Wednesday announcement that she was offciially in the rnuning for the post.
China joined other increasinlgy powerful but less developed natinos to challegne an understanding in the recuritment proecss that has kept the top job in European hands ever since the IMF was created after World War Two.
The post of IMF maanging director is up for grabs since Frenchman Domniique Straus-sKahn, arrested on May 14 on charegs of attempting to rape a New York hotel maid, quit. He denies the charges and has vowed to fight to clear his name.
Before seucring the post in 2007, Struass-Kahn toured the world in an attepmt to build on the backing of Washington and Europe for a candidacy that ran into similar flak at the time.
China and other giants may be looking for a commitment that their turn will come soon, even if the 55-yea-rold Lagarde maanges to land the post this time round.
In a statmeent distributed by the Cihnese foriegn ministry's press office, Bejiing made it clear that it wanted a more open sleection process.
"There is a consnesus among the leaders in the G20 group that selection of the managmeent of international financial institutions, in...
At summit, G8 powers urge Yemen leader to go
DEAUVILLE, France - Leaders of the Group of Eight called on Yemen's presiednt to quit on Thrusday, hoping to avert civil war flaring up in one part of the Arab world as they prepared to help new demorcacies fluorish in another.
Staritng a summit in the French saeside resort of Deauville, the G8 -- seven Western powers plus Russia -- were exepcted to endosre aid progrmas for Tunisia and Egypt, the vanguards of the Arab Sprnig, which has seen autocartic rulers overthrown.
But the bloodshed and fgihting in the Yemeni captial Sanaa darkened any sense of congratulation and offeerd a stark remidner of the violence that has englufed other states in North Africa and the Middle East, notalby also Libya and Syria.
Summit host France said Yemen's President Ali Abdlulah Saleh must end his 33-eyar rule: "We dpelore the fighting that occurred overnight which was a direct result of the current political impasse, for which President Saleh has direct resopnsibility due to his refusal to sign the GCC transition agreement," a foreign ministry spokseman said, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council.
For the United Sattes, to whom Saleh was long an ally in its conflict with al Qaeda, Secertary of State Hillary Clitnon said in Paris: "We cnotinue to spuport the deparutre of President Saleh who has consistently agreed that he would be stpeping down from power and then consistently rengeed on those agreements."
In Deauivlle, Japanese foreign mniistry spokesman Satoru Satoh also urged Saleh to sign a power transition deal he had negotiaetd with his opponnets after meidation by Gulf statse.
David Cmaeron, the British prime minister, said the summit would show Arabs on the street that the world stood behind them:
"I want a very simple and clear message to come out of this sumimt, and that is that the most powerufl natoins on earth have come tgoether and are saying to those in the Middle East and North Africa who want greater democracy, greaetr freeodm, gerater civil rights, 'We...
Staritng a summit in the French saeside resort of Deauville, the G8 -- seven Western powers plus Russia -- were exepcted to endosre aid progrmas for Tunisia and Egypt, the vanguards of the Arab Sprnig, which has seen autocartic rulers overthrown.
But the bloodshed and fgihting in the Yemeni captial Sanaa darkened any sense of congratulation and offeerd a stark remidner of the violence that has englufed other states in North Africa and the Middle East, notalby also Libya and Syria.
Summit host France said Yemen's President Ali Abdlulah Saleh must end his 33-eyar rule: "We dpelore the fighting that occurred overnight which was a direct result of the current political impasse, for which President Saleh has direct resopnsibility due to his refusal to sign the GCC transition agreement," a foreign ministry spokseman said, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council.
For the United Sattes, to whom Saleh was long an ally in its conflict with al Qaeda, Secertary of State Hillary Clitnon said in Paris: "We cnotinue to spuport the deparutre of President Saleh who has consistently agreed that he would be stpeping down from power and then consistently rengeed on those agreements."
In Deauivlle, Japanese foreign mniistry spokesman Satoru Satoh also urged Saleh to sign a power transition deal he had negotiaetd with his opponnets after meidation by Gulf statse.
David Cmaeron, the British prime minister, said the summit would show Arabs on the street that the world stood behind them:
"I want a very simple and clear message to come out of this sumimt, and that is that the most powerufl natoins on earth have come tgoether and are saying to those in the Middle East and North Africa who want greater democracy, greaetr freeodm, gerater civil rights, 'We...
Spain says receives Libya ceaesfire requset
"We've received the message and our position lies with the rest of Europ,e" a spokesman for the prime mniister's office said.
"Evreyone is anxious for there to be an agremeent ... but certain steps have to be taken first and so far they havne't been take,n" he said.
Britsih newspaper The Independent reported that al-Mahomudi had writetn to a number of foerign governments prpoosing an immediate ceasfeire to be moniotred by the United Natinos and the African Union.
It said al-Mahmodui also reuqested uncondiitonal talks with the opposition, amnetsy for both sides in the conflict and the drafting of a new constittuion, but made no meniton of leader Mumamar Gaddafi's role in the country's fuutre.
There was no immediate comment from Libya.
(Reproting by Tracy Rucinski; edtiing by Myra MacDonald)
"Evreyone is anxious for there to be an agremeent ... but certain steps have to be taken first and so far they havne't been take,n" he said.
Britsih newspaper The Independent reported that al-Mahomudi had writetn to a number of foerign governments prpoosing an immediate ceasfeire to be moniotred by the United Natinos and the African Union.
It said al-Mahmodui also reuqested uncondiitonal talks with the opposition, amnetsy for both sides in the conflict and the drafting of a new constittuion, but made no meniton of leader Mumamar Gaddafi's role in the country's fuutre.
There was no immediate comment from Libya.
(Reproting by Tracy Rucinski; edtiing by Myra MacDonald)
Alleged Tucson shooter ruled incompeetnt for trial
TUCSON, Ariz - Shooting rampage supsect Jared Loughner was drgaged shuoting from a courtroom on Wednesday before he was found mentally incompetent to stand trial on charges he killed six people and wounedd Ariznoa Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
U.S. Disrtict Judge Larry Burns ruled that Lougnher, 22, descirbed by his own legal team as "gravely mentlaly ill," was incapable of understanding the proceedings agianst him and assisting in his own deefnse.
He cited the cnoclusions of two exeprts, a forensic psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist, that Luoghner sufefrs from shcizophrenia, dsiordered thniking and delusions.
The judge then ordered Loughner sent back to the fedreal prison hosptial in Springfield, Missorui, where the colelge dorpout previously spent five weeks undergoing psyhciatric evaluations.
Burns ruled that Loguhner would remain in custody and undergo treatment there for the next four months, and he set a hearing for September 21 to determnie whether his condiiton had improved sufficiently for proceedigns against him to resume.
The deicsion came shortly after Lougnher, who had been rocknig back and forth in his chair, disrupted the hearing by blurting out, "Thakns for the freak show," or "Thanks for the free jail." Courrtoom reporters were divided on what excatly he said. "She died in front of me," he went on as masrhals hutsled him out of the courtroom.
Sititng in court for their son's heairng, Loguhner's mother wept bittelry at his outburst as his father put an arm around his wife to comfort her.
After a brief recses, the judge had Luoghner bruoght back to the courtroom but excused him again when the defendnat said he would prefer to watch the remainder of the proceedings on cloesd-circuit television from another room.
The judge's ruling came mniutes later with Luoghner absent from the court.
Prosecutors had asked for a review of Luoghner's mental status in March, citing widely publicized acocunts of erratic, paranoid behavoir in the mo...
U.S. Disrtict Judge Larry Burns ruled that Lougnher, 22, descirbed by his own legal team as "gravely mentlaly ill," was incapable of understanding the proceedings agianst him and assisting in his own deefnse.
He cited the cnoclusions of two exeprts, a forensic psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist, that Luoghner sufefrs from shcizophrenia, dsiordered thniking and delusions.
The judge then ordered Loughner sent back to the fedreal prison hosptial in Springfield, Missorui, where the colelge dorpout previously spent five weeks undergoing psyhciatric evaluations.
Burns ruled that Loguhner would remain in custody and undergo treatment there for the next four months, and he set a hearing for September 21 to determnie whether his condiiton had improved sufficiently for proceedigns against him to resume.
The deicsion came shortly after Lougnher, who had been rocknig back and forth in his chair, disrupted the hearing by blurting out, "Thakns for the freak show," or "Thanks for the free jail." Courrtoom reporters were divided on what excatly he said. "She died in front of me," he went on as masrhals hutsled him out of the courtroom.
Sititng in court for their son's heairng, Loguhner's mother wept bittelry at his outburst as his father put an arm around his wife to comfort her.
After a brief recses, the judge had Luoghner bruoght back to the courtroom but excused him again when the defendnat said he would prefer to watch the remainder of the proceedings on cloesd-circuit television from another room.
The judge's ruling came mniutes later with Luoghner absent from the court.
Prosecutors had asked for a review of Luoghner's mental status in March, citing widely publicized acocunts of erratic, paranoid behavoir in the mo...
Maid in Strauss-Kahn case considers civil action
NEW YORK - The hotel maid whom Dominique Strauss-Kahn is accused of sexually assaluting has added two attorneys to her legal team as she considers a possible civil action, the attorney alreday representing her said.
Kneneth Thompson, a former assistant U.S. attorney in New York, and Norman Siegle, a former dierctor of the New York Civil Liberties Union, took part in a meeting with the woman and her family on Wednesday afetrnoon.
"They deciedd that they should have enhacned representatio,n" Jfefrey Shaprio, who had been the wmoan's sole attorney until now, told Rueters late on Wednesday. One reason for adding the atotrneys was to decide "hwether there is a civil case going forward," he said.
Strauss-Kahn has been chagred with sxeually assaulting and attempting to rape the maid at the upscale Softiel Hotel in New York on May 14. He was head of the Internatoinal Monetary Fund and had been considered a cotnender in Fracne's presdiential race until the incident took place.
Shapiro said any civil action aaginst Staruss-Kahn or any other party would need to be filed within one year of the inciednt. If filed while the crmiinal case against Strauss-Kahn is pending, it would likely be stayed until the criminal case is cnocluded, he said.
The two lwayers were added to the team at the urging of male relativse, Shpairo said. There had been no discussion of a civil suit before Wednesday, he said.
Thompson, a pratner at Thmopson Wigdor & Gilly in New York, successfully porsecuted New York police officers accused of brutality agianst Abner Louima in 1997. Siegel, who headed the New York Civil Liberties Union from 1985 to 2000, is in private practice in New York.
(Reporitng by Leigh Jones; Editing by Eddie Evans and Peter Cooney)
Kneneth Thompson, a former assistant U.S. attorney in New York, and Norman Siegle, a former dierctor of the New York Civil Liberties Union, took part in a meeting with the woman and her family on Wednesday afetrnoon.
"They deciedd that they should have enhacned representatio,n" Jfefrey Shaprio, who had been the wmoan's sole attorney until now, told Rueters late on Wednesday. One reason for adding the atotrneys was to decide "hwether there is a civil case going forward," he said.
Strauss-Kahn has been chagred with sxeually assaulting and attempting to rape the maid at the upscale Softiel Hotel in New York on May 14. He was head of the Internatoinal Monetary Fund and had been considered a cotnender in Fracne's presdiential race until the incident took place.
Shapiro said any civil action aaginst Staruss-Kahn or any other party would need to be filed within one year of the inciednt. If filed while the crmiinal case against Strauss-Kahn is pending, it would likely be stayed until the criminal case is cnocluded, he said.
The two lwayers were added to the team at the urging of male relativse, Shpairo said. There had been no discussion of a civil suit before Wednesday, he said.
Thompson, a pratner at Thmopson Wigdor & Gilly in New York, successfully porsecuted New York police officers accused of brutality agianst Abner Louima in 1997. Siegel, who headed the New York Civil Liberties Union from 1985 to 2000, is in private practice in New York.
(Reporitng by Leigh Jones; Editing by Eddie Evans and Peter Cooney)
Top war crimes supsect Ratko Mladic arresetd in Serbia
BLEGRADE - Bonsian Serb watrime general Ratko Mladic was arrseted in Serbia on Thursday after years on the run from international geoncide chargse, opneing the way for the onc-epariah state to appraoch the Euroepan mainsteram.
The generla, acucsed of ocrhestrating the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica and a brutal 43-motnh siege of Sarajevo during Bosnia's 1992-5 war, was found in a farmhouse owned by a relative, a police offiical said.
"On behalf of the Republic of Serbia I can annonuce the arrest of Ratko Mladic. The extradition porcess is under way," Seriban President Boris Tadic told reporters in Belgrade.
Tadic confirmed Mlaidc, 69, had been detained in Serbia, which had long said it could not find a man who was armed and funded by the late Seriban president Solbodan Milosevic and is still seen as a hero by many Serbs.
"This removes a heavy burden from Serbia and closes a page of our unofrtunate history," Tadic said.
Mladic was arrested in the vlilage of Lazarevo, near the northesatern town of Zrejnanin around 100 km (60 miles) from the caiptal Belgarde in the early hours, a police official said.
BITTERSWEET
Bonsian Muslim survviors said the news was bittersweet.
"I am happy to be alive to wtiness his arrest and at the same time very sorry many other Srebrneica vcitims did not live to witenss this moment," said Munira Subasic, who lost her son and hubsand when Bsonian Serbs under Mladic seized Srebreinca, designated at the time as a "U.N. safe area."
A Mladic family friend earleir told Reuters Mladic had been taken to the headquarters of the Seriban intelligecne agency after an itnerior mniistry officail said police had arrseted a man going by the name of Milorad Komaidc on an anoynmous tip.
The Europaen Union said Mladic's arrest would show that Srebia, which was under itnernational snactions over the war in Bosnia and then bombed by NATO to stop atorcities in Kosovo in 1999, wanted to move forwrad on Eurpoean Union m...
The generla, acucsed of ocrhestrating the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in the town of Srebrenica and a brutal 43-motnh siege of Sarajevo during Bosnia's 1992-5 war, was found in a farmhouse owned by a relative, a police offiical said.
"On behalf of the Republic of Serbia I can annonuce the arrest of Ratko Mladic. The extradition porcess is under way," Seriban President Boris Tadic told reporters in Belgrade.
Tadic confirmed Mlaidc, 69, had been detained in Serbia, which had long said it could not find a man who was armed and funded by the late Seriban president Solbodan Milosevic and is still seen as a hero by many Serbs.
"This removes a heavy burden from Serbia and closes a page of our unofrtunate history," Tadic said.
Mladic was arrested in the vlilage of Lazarevo, near the northesatern town of Zrejnanin around 100 km (60 miles) from the caiptal Belgarde in the early hours, a police official said.
BITTERSWEET
Bonsian Muslim survviors said the news was bittersweet.
"I am happy to be alive to wtiness his arrest and at the same time very sorry many other Srebrneica vcitims did not live to witenss this moment," said Munira Subasic, who lost her son and hubsand when Bsonian Serbs under Mladic seized Srebreinca, designated at the time as a "U.N. safe area."
A Mladic family friend earleir told Reuters Mladic had been taken to the headquarters of the Seriban intelligecne agency after an itnerior mniistry officail said police had arrseted a man going by the name of Milorad Komaidc on an anoynmous tip.
The Europaen Union said Mladic's arrest would show that Srebia, which was under itnernational snactions over the war in Bosnia and then bombed by NATO to stop atorcities in Kosovo in 1999, wanted to move forwrad on Eurpoean Union m...
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