TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) -- Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer who was the only person ever convicted in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, died at home in Tripoli Sunday, nearly three years after he was released from a Scottish prison to the outrage of the relatives of the attack's 270 victims. He was 60....
» View full story

CHICAGO (AP) -- The United States and NATO leaders are insisting the Afghanistan fighting coalition will remain whole despite France's plans to yank combat troops out early, but leaders weary of plummeting public support for the war are using an alliance summit Sunday to show they want to move quickly away from the front lines....
» View full story

CHICAGO (AP) -- Protesters gathering in Chicago for the NATO summit geared up Sunday for the largest demonstration of the weekend, as thousands are expected to march from a downtown park to the lakeside convention center where President Barack Obama and other world leaders were meeting....
» View full story

SANT'AGOSTINO DI FERRARA, Italy (AP) -- A strong earthquake shook northeast Italy early Sunday, killing four people, tearing off chunks of church facades and sending panicked residents into the streets. Aftershocks wreaked more havoc in the region, including knocking down a clock tower and injuring a firefighter....
» View full story

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) -- Confronting an economic crisis that threatens them all, President Barack Obama and leaders of other world powers on Saturday declared that their governments must both spark growth and cut the debt that has crippled the European continent and put investors worldwide on edge....
» View full story

NEW YORK (AP) -- A blind Chinese legal activist who escaped house arrest, endured a nearly monthlong diplomatic tussle and a hurried daylong flight paused ever so briefly upon his arrival in New York City before taking up a familiar fight....
» View full story

HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down state laws restricting corporate campaign spending....
» View full story

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The western United States and eastern Asia will be treated this weekend to a rare solar spectacle when the moon slides across the sun, creating a "ring of fire."...
» View full story

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- For Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, it was quite a week - from birthday, to IPO, to I DO....
» View full story

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kristen Wiig got a musical sendoff on the season finale of "Saturday Night Live" as the popular and versatile cast member made her exit after seven years....
» View full story

Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi dies at home in Tripoli, nearly three years after he was controversially freed from a Scottish prison.
» View full story

A magnitude-6.0 earthquake in northern Italy kills at least six people, causing "significant damage" to the region's cultural heritage.
» View full story

Thousands of Chelsea fans are cheering on the squad during a parade to celebrate the Champions League victory.
» View full story

Nato leaders are set to hold a summit dominated by Afghanistan, as the alliance prepares to hand over security duties to Afghans by the end of 2014.
» View full story

Shelling by Syrian forces kills at least 16 people, according to the British-based group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
» View full story

Sudan releases four foreigners detained last month near in the disputed area near the border with South Sudan, officials say.
» View full story

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ends a hectic week by getting married to long -time girlfriend Priscilla Chan in a surprise ceremony at his home.
» View full story

A bomb that killed a girl outside a school in southern Italy was probably planted by a single person rather than the mafia, a prosecutor says.
» View full story

Voters in Serbia have a choice between a reformist and a nationalist as they vote for a president, months after winning EU candidate status.
» View full story

Sri Lanka's President Rajapaksa has signed papers to free his political rival General Sarath Fonseka from prison - three years after the civil war ended.
» View full story

Son says Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, freed from Scottish prison after his conviction for bombing of Pan Am 103, has died
» View full story

Sociologists examine the rise in "solo dwelling," in which more than 32 million Americans live the single life
» View full story

A visit to a Gulf of Mexico oil drilling platform reveals a blistering, cramped worksite of 12-hour shifts   Video
» View full story

6.0-mag. earthquake topples buildings and terrifies residents near Bologna
» View full story

Cell phones and WiFi are banned in a 13,000-sq. mile swath of Appalachia so that giant radio telescopes can operate properly
» View full story

48 Hours Live to Tell: Shot five times at point-blank range, a St. Louis police officer relives deadly attack   Watch now
» View full story

First tropical storm of season approx. 90 miles S.E. of Charleston, S.C.
» View full story

Self-taught lawyer at center of recent U.S.-China tussle arrives at Newark airport with family
» View full story

18 arrests on Saturday as demonstrators clash with police near site of world leaders' summit
» View full story

Government cuts access to website after Twitter refuses to remove material considered blasphemous
» View full story

Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi, the Libyan intelligence officer convicted in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland in 1988, has died in Libya. He was 60.
» View full story

The road map out of the war in Afghanistan is expected to be drawn up by U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders when they gather Sunday at the NATO summit in Chicago.
» View full story

Fierce clashes between government troops and al-Qaeda fighters Sunday morning in Yemen left 21 people dead, two local security officials told CNN.
» View full story

A strong earthquake struck early Sunday in northern Italy, killing at least seven people and knocking down a church bell in the region, authorities said.
» View full story

The Pakistani government has blocked the social networking site Twitter because of material it deemed an affront to Islam, a government official told CNN on Sunday.
» View full story

Days after his company made its stock market debut, Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg married his longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan.
» View full story

A large swath of coastal South Carolina is under a tropical storm watch due to Alberto, the first named tropical storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.
» View full story

Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese human rights activist who ignited a diplomatic frenzy when he escaped house arrest last month, says he is at a Beijing airport about to board a flight for New York.
» View full story

Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another won the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, keeping its hopes for the coveted Triple Crown alive.
» View full story

Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another won the 137th running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, keeping its hopes for the coveted Triple Crown alive.
» View full story

Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, convicted of the 1988 bombing of a PanAm flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people, has died of cancer in Libya, according to his family.

VIDEO: Family of Lockerbie Bombing Victim Weighs in on Megrahi's Death

Full Coverage: Lockerbie Bombing

Roadside Bomb Explodes Near UN Observer Team in Syria

» View full story

President Obama arrives in Chicago to collaborate with allies at NATO summit to discuss Afghanistan war

Chicago Man Charged in NATO Summit Molotov Cocktail Plot

Thousands of Protesters Prepare for March Outside NATO Summit

Chicago's Wall of Security Penetrated By President Obama

» View full story

Scientists call ship one of the most well-preserved, as gin, wine bottles and muskets are found near the wreck
» View full story

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg marries girlfriend of nine years in a surprise ceremony

Facebook's Overnight Millionaires Begin Lavish Spending Spree

» View full story

CTV.ca

Lockerbie victims' families: Relief, anger CNN International By Ashley Hayes, CNN (CNN) -- Relief expressed Sunday at the death of Pan Am 103 bomber Abdelbeset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi by relatives of some of his 270 victims was tempered by still-smoldering anger at his release from prison more than two years ago. Lockerbie bomber dies more than two years after releaseCNN Lockerbie convict dies, closing dark chapter for LibyaChristian Science Monitor Lockerbie: David Cameron criticises al-Megrahi releaseBBC News Reuters -AFP -The Press Association all 1,409 news articles »

» View full story

Sydney Morning Herald

6.0 earthquake in Italy kills 6, injures dozens Los Angeles Times ROME ? An earthquake early Sunday in north-central Italy killed six people, injured dozens and sent parts of historic castles, clock towers and churches tumbling down. Italian authorities said the earthquake in the area of Modena and Ferrara in the ... 6.0-magnitude earthquake strikes near Bologna, Italy; at least 5 deadmsnbc.com Quake Kills at Least 4 in Northern ItalyTIME Four people die in Italy quakeThe Press Association Houston Chronicle -euronews all 1,274 news articles »

» View full story

The Associated Press

NATO chief sees financial aid for Afghan forces The Associated Press By MICHELE SALCEDO, AP ? 1 minute ago WASHINGTON (AP) ? NATO's secretary-general says he's optimistic that the international community will continue to finance the Afghan security forces. "This summit is not a pledging conference, but nevertheless a ... NATO chief says France still set to back Afghanistan missionXinhua NATO's Fogh Rasmussen optimistic for continued internat'l funding for Afghan ...Washington Post NATO chief vows 'no rush to the exits' in AfghanistanAFP Financial Times all 509 news articles »

» View full story

Voice of America

Syrian Opposition Reports Clashes in Capital Voice of America Syrian security work at the site of an explosion in Deir Al-Zor, in this handout released by Syria's national news agency SANA, May 19, 2012. Syrian security work at the site of an explosion in Deir Al-Zor, in this handout released by Syria's national ... Bomb explodes near UN observers' chief in SyriaThe Associated Press Syria: Hama shelling 'kills 16'BBC News Syria: Damascus clashes prompt claims of high-level assassinationsThe Guardian The Australian all 971 news articles »

» View full story

The Guardian

Pakistan Blocks Twitter Over 'Blasphemy' TIME By AP / ZARAR KHAN Sunday, May 20, 2012 (ISLAMABAD) ? Pakistan blocked the social networking website Twitter on Sunday because it refused to remove tweets considered offensive to Islam, said one of the country's top telecommunications officials. Pakistan Blocks Twitter Over Cartoon ContestNew York Times Pakistan blocks Twitter access over 'blasphemous content'msnbc.com Pakistan blocks Twitter amid blasphemy fearsThe Guardian Los Angeles Times -Tehran Times -CNN International all 499 news articles »

» View full story

The Guardian

Italian bomb attack 'not mafia' Financial Times By Guy Dinmore in Rome A bomb attack outside a school in southern Italy that killed a 16-year-old girl and wounded about a dozen other students was probably the isolated act of an individual and not the mafia, according to investigators who have found ... Single suspect blamed for Brindisi bombBBC News Italy bombing revives memories of dark eraTehran Times Two arrested for fatal school bombHerald Sun Sydney Morning Herald all 1,369 news articles »

» View full story

The Guardian

G8 piles pressure on Iran; vows 'timely' supplies to oil mkts Hindustan Times PTI Piling up pressure on Iran, the leaders of the world's eight most powerful economies have asked it to swiftly address all outstanding issues related to its nuclear programme and vowed to ensure that crude markets are "fully and timely" supplied ... Iran finance minister: 'Rest assured' record oil prices over nuclear sanctionsCNN G8, raising pressure on Iran, puts oil stocks on standbyReuters Russia Tells G-8 Mideast Should Be Treated as Chess GameBloomberg Jerusalem Post -CBS News all 714 news articles »

» View full story

Voice of America

Serbians Vote in Presidential Runoff Voice of America A man casts his ballot at a polling station during the elections in Belgrade, Serbia, May 20, 2012. A man casts his ballot at a polling station during the elections in Belgrade, Serbia, May 20, 2012. Serbians are voting in a presidential runoff ... Serbia votes for a new presidentTimes of India Serbs Vote in Presidential Runoff ElectionNew York Times Serbia holds presidential voteColumbus Ledger-Enquirer Reuters -Reuters Canada -Washington Post all 531 news articles »

» View full story

Sydney Morning Herald

Tamil Tiger crusher Sarath Fonseka to be released from jail The Australian SARATH Fonseka, Sri Lanka's jailed former army chief, is set to be released from prison today, 30 months after he was jailed on a corruption charge after challenging the president in elections. The Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered ... Sri Lanka set to free jailed generalFinancial Times President releases rival generalSydney Morning Herald Sri Lankan president orders release of Sarath FonsekaThe Guardian Colombo Page -Reuters -BBC News all 822 news articles »

» View full story

His brother confirms reports that sole person convicted of 1988 plane bombing that killed 270 people has died at home in Libya

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the former Libyan intelligence officer convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people, has died, his brother has said.

Abdelbaset's brother, Abdelnasser al-Megrahi, confirmed reports that he had died aged 60 after a long battle with cancer. Abdelnasser, who was at the house in Tripoli where his dead brother lay on Sunday, told the Guardian: "I don't want to talk right now, I am very upset, I don't really feel like talking. He's dead, that's it, what more do you have to know?"

In an interview with the Guardian earlier this year, Abdelnasser said that his brother, who had moved to the secret address from his large home in Tripoli, was innocent. "He really is ill, he is too ill to even change the channel on the TV, he is lying down all day."

The Scottish government and East Renfrewshire council are investigating the claims of Megrahi's death. The Foreign Office is awaiting their confirmation. Megrahi was the only man convicted of the bombing, which killed 270 people, including 11 on the ground, when Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over Lockerbie four days before Christmas in 1988.

There was no immediate reaction from the Libyan government.

Abdulkarim Morajea, spokesman for the Democratic Libya Gathering, a party with the secularist National Forces Alliance, said he hoped elections due on 19 June would produce a government that will fully investigate Lockerbie. "He [Megrahi] is just another page in how Libya is governed, a chapter in our history. But it is not a chapter that is closed, 270 people died there (at Lockerbie). If we have a proper government, I hope it will be investigated."

Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison in 2001, but was released on compassionate grounds by the Scottish government in August 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time, doctors estimated he had around three months to live.

Megrahi's release prompted accusations that it had been linked to UK attempts to forge new trade deals with Libya, then still led by Muammar Gaddafi, and prompted outrage in the US, home to most of the victims on board the flight, after he returned to Tripoli to a hero's welcome.

Carole Johnson, 68, from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, mother of Beth Ann Johnson, a 21-year-old American student on the plane, said at the news of Megrahi's death: "This is three years too late. While I'm happy that he is dead, long ago I left it in the hands of God. I know exactly where he is, and I know it is quite hot. I'm sure he and Gaddafi are reunited again.

"When a parent loses a child there is never closure. You find a way of coping, but to say closure indicates you are closing the door on what has happened, but it is never over. It is the closure of a chapter in the book, a long overdue chapter."

Frank Duggan, president of Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, said: "He was an unrepentant murderer and now I hope he will finally see justice."

But Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the bombing, said the reported death was a "very sad event".

Swire, a member of the Justice for Megrahi group, believes there is evidence yet to be released that will prove Megrahi's innocence.

"I met him last time face-to-face in Tripoli in December last year, when he was very sick and in a lot of pain.

"But he still wanted to talk to me about how information which he and his defence team have accumulated could be passed to me after his death.

"And I think that's a fairly amazing thing for a man who knows he's dying to do."

Swire added: "Right up to the end he was determined ? for his family's sake, he knew it was too late for him ? how the verdict against him should be overturned.

"And also he wanted that for the sake of those relatives who had come to the conclusion after studying the evidence that he wasn't guilty, and I think that's going to happen."

David Ben-Ayreah, a spokesman for the victims of Lockerbie families, said: "I was told seven days ago by very good sources in Tripoli that he was slipping in and out of quite deep comas, that the secondary tumours had affected his abdomen and lower chest, and that he had had three blood transfusions.

"His death is to be deeply regretted. As someone who attended the trial I have never taken the view that Megrahi was guilty. Megrahi is the 271st victim of Lockerbie."

In August 2009, Kenny MacAskill , the Scottish justice secretary, said Megrahi was going home to die after release from Greenock prison, amid suggestions he had about three months to live.

He acted on the basis of a medical report provided to him by Andrew Fraser, the director of health and care at the Scottish Prison Service.

His report described the three-month prognosis as "reasonable", but stated that no one "would be willing to say" if Megrahi would live longer.

Scottish ministers have always insisted that their decision was made in good faith, on compassionate grounds alone and followed the due process of Scottish law.

After his return to Libya, Megrahi rarely appeared in public. His family had on several occasions said that he was near death, in what was seen as an attempt to justify his release.

Prior to Megrahi's death, reports suggested his prostate cancer had spread to his neck. Others said he had been kept alive with cancer drugs unavailable in the UK.

Megrahi lost an appeal against conviction in 2002 but was given a new chance in 2007 when the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC) referred his case back to senior judges for a second time.

Following a Ģ1.1m, three-year investigation into the case, the commission said there were grounds where it believed a miscarriage of justice may have occurred.

The appeal in full got under way in April 2009, almost two years on from the SCCRC's referral, but was dropped by Megrahi two days before he was released.

The decision to withdraw from the court process removed one possible obstacle to his returning to Libya by another mechanism, under a prisoner transfer agreement, although it was on compassionate grounds that he was ultimately released.

The Justice for Megrahi campaign group has called for an independent inquiry to look again at the conviction.

The SCCRC's report, which raised questions about identification evidence that led to Megrahi's conviction, has not been made public, but the Scottish government has pledged to bring about a change in the law to allow the paperwork to be published.

» View full story

US president to discuss with Karzai and Nato allies a timetable for Afghan forces to take over combat duties from US

Barack Obama is to use the Nato summit to press the Afghan leader Hamid Karzai to engage with greater urgency with the Taliban about a political settlement in Afghanistan.

The US president flew to Chicago on Saturday night after 24 hours of negotiations with the leaders of the G8, dominated by the eurozone crisis but which also included talks on issues including Afghanistan.

With US allies pressing for a speedy exit from a war their countries have become weary of, Obama is to discuss with Karzai and Nato allies a timetable that will see Afghan forces taking over combat duties from the US and its allies by the middle of next year.

Almost all international forces are scheduled to be out by the end of 2014 after completion of the Afghanistan elections. Karzai will not be standing in that election.

The Obama administration had hoped Chicago would be the venue for a major announcement of a political settlement with the Taliban. But these hopes crumbled when the Taliban walked away from reconciliation talks in March.

Instead, Obama is having to focus on trying to keep the international force together until the end of 2014, with some countries already preparing to leave early, in particular France, which has said it will remove combat troops by the end of this year.

After the pullout in two years time, a Nato force will be left behind, in part to help with training.

No figure has yet been announced but US commanders in Kabul have spoken of around 15,000-20,000 personnel.

Announcements about contributions from Nato countries towards the $4.1bn needed to finance that force for 10 years are to be made at the Nato summit.

The Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari is also in Chicago, but no bilateral meeting with Obama has yet been announced.

The US and Pakistan are engaged in negotiations about re-opening a supply route to Afghanistan which was closed after the killing of Pakistan troops in a US air strike.

Rhodes said that though no bilateral meeting is planned, Obama and Zardari would be together during a Nato session on Afghanistan and the two would have a chance to chat then.

"On the supply lines, we believe that this is going to be resolved. There have been positive steps, statements made by the Pakistanis, and we're currently negotiating the opening of the supply lines with them; we expect that to take some time. So there is still work to be done through those negotiations," Rhodes said. "We're not anticipating necessarily closing out those negotiations this weekend."

He continued: "A lot of it is happening, frankly, at the working level between our governments. We'll obviously keep you updated, but it's our sense that both sides want to get it done, it will get done. But right now, we're in a process of negotiation about how exactly that's going to happen."

Rhodes said Obama had not been briefed about the arrest of three activists alleged to have been planning to throw molotov cocktails at Obama's campaign headquarters in Chicago as well as the home of Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel.

"We're very confident in the ability of Chicago, together with the United States government, to have a very successful event over the course of the next two days.

"If these more serious allegations are true, then I think it was effective work in making sure that they couldn't pose any additional threat to public security," Rhodes said.

» View full story

Justice secretary says Greece has to 'face up to reality' while Ed Balls warns of catastrophe if Germany doesn't 'change course'

Greece will face a disastrous future in which it will default on its debts and may be forced to leave the euro if it votes for "cranky extremists" in next month's general election, Ken Clarke has warned.

In one of the starkest warnings by a British cabinet minister of the dangers posed by the Greek crisis, the justice secretary also said Britain was "heavily exposed" to banks in the eurozone.

Earlier Ed Balls warned of a "catastrophe" for Britain and the eurozone unless Germany allowed a relaxation of the tough austerity programme.

"Somebody has got to persuade Germany that this is a catastrophe for Britain, Europe and the world and that Germany has got to change course," the shadow chancellor said on Sky News's Murnaghan programme.

On the same programme, Clarke dismissed as "ludicrous" any suggestions ? which he attributed to Balls ? that growth measures should be funded by more borrowing. Greece would have to abide by the terms of its bailout programme agreed with other eurozone leaders, Clarke said.

"The Greek voters have really got to face up to reality. It is very, very difficult for them, they are having a terrible time, these are hardships inflicted on them by the irresponsibility of their old politicians. But they cannot just vote for saying: 'Could people just carry on giving us some money so we do not have to change anything.'"

Clarke warned: "If they get a hopeless lot of cranky extremists elected at the next election then they will default on their debt and everybody says they will leave the euro ? actually that's quite likely but it doesn't necessarily follow, but they'll default on their debt."

The justice secretary did not define what he meant by "cranky extremists". Alexis Tsipras, leader of the radical left Syriza party, is demanding a renegotiation of Greece's bailout package but remains committed to Greek membership of the euro.

Clarke said a Greek default would have serious consequences, including in Britain. "The problem then is for the Greeks that will be disastrous, they will encounter real poverty I think. No one knows exactly what will happen in the rest of Europe but the banking system is in tatters, it's weak in very many places. We don't know what the knock-on effects could be, they could be very serious and of course people will start barking at the door of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Spain; and here in Britain our banks are heavily exposed to some of these countries.

"It is the unknown that everybody fears and once the markets fear the unknown you get into terrible turmoil."

Clarke, who is the most pro-European Tory in the cabinet, dismissed the views of eurosceptic Conservatives who say Britain should not be supporting the eurozone bailout through the IMF. He said: "Britain has got to be part of the international effort and we've also supported the IMF. It is utterly ludicrous that the British do not take part, and the Japanese and Chinese and these other major economic powers, in actually using the IMF for what we've always said it's for, which is supporting these things."

Balls said a disorderly Greek exit from the euro would cause huge damage to the world economy. But he said the eurozone bailout for Greece and the wider deficit reduction measures across Europe, including in Britain, were choking off growth and turning recession into depression in Greece.

"It ended up with Merkel, Sarkozy and Cameron ? this Camerkozy economics ? all agreeing austerity would work," Balls said. "They tried to persuade Germany, they failed and thought, well, for a quiet life we'll go along with it.

"I think David Cameron was always a believer ? Somebody has got to persuade Germany that this is a catastrophe for Britain, Europe and the world and that Germany has got to change course. The problem is, the German people went into the eurozone 10 years ago on the clear promise that they weren't going to bail out Italy and the central bank wasn't going to play this role. Both things have got to change."

» View full story

? Six senior figures in Assad regime killed, rebel army says
? Activist group says officials were poisoned, at least one dead
? State media says claims 'categorically baseless"

Read the latest summary

5.01pm: Here's a summary of the main developments today:

? The Free Syrian Army has claimed that it killed six high-ranking officials within the Assad regime, including the president's brother-in-law and intelligence chief, Asif Shawkat, in Damascus last night. The other alleged victims included the interior minister, Mohammad Shaar, the defence minister, Dawood Rajha and Hassan Turkmani, the vice president's deputy.

? State media described the allegations as "categorically baseless" and three of those reportedly killed were quoted in a Sana article attempting to refute the claims. Shaar denied the rebel claims at a press conference, while Turkmani was interviewed by state-run Syrian TV in his office, saying the claims were "blatant lies." But nothing was heard from Shawkat.

? A spokeswoman for the Revolutionary Council for Damascus said that the method of attack was poisoning and that it was unclear how many were injured or dead but at least one or two figures on the list were believed to have been killed. She suggested it could be significant that others on the list reportedly killed had not appeared on TV/in public as the government might be trying to manage the news of their deaths or wait for them to recover from injuries inflicted.

? A bomb exploded 150 metres from a convoy carrying the UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous and Major General Robert Mood, the head of the observers' mission. The blast in Douma, in Damascus suburbs, blew off the front of a parked vehicle but causing no casualties. There were also reports that people came under fire while UN observers were visiting al-Rastan, 180km north of Homs.

? At least 15 people were killed by security forces shelling Souran, in Hama, according to opposition activists. One group, the Syrian Revolution General Commission said more than 21 were injured and over 50 wounded. It said 31 people have been killed by security forces across the country today. The Local Coordination Committees put the total killed at 28.

? Four explosive devices planted by "armed terrorist groups" were discovered in Idlib, in north-west Syria, according to state media.

? Lebanese soldiers shot dead two members of an alliance against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in northern Lebanon on Sunday, security sources said, in the latest incident to raise fears Syria's turmoil was spilling over the border into its neighbour. Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahid, a Sunni Muslim cleric, and Khaled Miraib, both members of the Lebanon-based 14 March political alliance, were shot in their car as they sped through a Lebanese army checkpoint without stopping, the sources said. Residents of the northern region of Akkar blocked off roads to protest against the deaths. The main coastal highway north of Tripoli had also been blocked by enraged residents.

4.34pm: Here's a version with English subtitles of the Free Syrian Army video in which it claims to have killed six high-ranking officials of the Assad regime (thanks to benad361 below the line for the link).

The man in the video says:

I announce the following operation has been executed by the special operations company of the al-Sahabah battalions. This company carried out a covert miltiary operation. They spent two months keeping the memberrs of Syria's so-called "crisis cell" under surveillance.

One of the company's heroes then carried out a covert military operation within the area. He then killed them in a certain manner - for now we will refrain from disclosing the details.

A spokeswoman for the Revolutionary Leadership Council for Damascus told the Guardian the method of killing was poisoning (see 1.15pm update).

4.18pm: An opposition supporter claims UN observers have fled Rastan, 180km north of Homs, after the security forces opened fire.

UN observers flee destroyed Rastan town youtube.com/watch?v=F_lrbo? due to gunfire from Assad forces youtube.com/watch?v=G1MRMj? #Homs #Syria

? Free Syrian (@HamaEcho) May 20, 2012

3.55pm: Four explosive devices planted by "armed terrorist groups" have been discovered in Idlib, in north-west Syria, state media reports. From Sana:

Military engineering units on Sunday dismantled four explosive devices planted by armed terrorist groups on Ariha-Idleb road at Nahlia crossroad in Jabal al-Zawiya area.

[A] Sana reporter quoted an official source in the province as saying that the explosive devices weigh 30 and 60 kilos and they were prepared to target civilians and law enforcement members.

The source added that two of the explosive devices blew up near the aforementioned place when a microbus passed, but no one was hurt ...

In Deir-Ezzor city, the competent authorities stormed into a terrorists' den in al-Ardha neighborhood where they found different sorts of weapons.

Meanwhile, the Local Coordination Committees activist group claims 28 people have been killed by the security forces so far today, including 19 in Hama, where heavy shelling has been reported in Souran.

3.24pm: Elsewhere in Syria today, the Local Coordination Committees reports that 15 people have been killed by the security forces bombing Souran, in Hama (the LCC's reports cannot be independently verified). It also reports:

Shelling in al-Qusayr, Homs

Aleppo University: Clashes between demonstrators and security forces in the Faculty of Electricity, and a tear gas grenade was thrown at demonstrators

Damascus Suburbs: Hamoria: Two explosions were heard with heavy gunfire in conjunction with military reinforcements entering the city.

Idlib: Jisr al-Shoghour: Intermittent bombing from army's checkpoints in Badama village near al-Najia, and on the surrounding agricultural lands.

2.41pm: Opposition activists have set up a spoof "martyr's" Facebook page (see left) for Asif Shawkat, the head of intellgence and brother-in-law of Bashar al-Asssad. It is called "We are all Asif Shawkat". Probably the best known example of such a page was the "We are all Khaled Said" page in Egypt, dedicated to the man whose death at the hands of police helped inspire the demonstrations that brought down Hosni Mubarak. Shawkat is one of six senior officials the Free Syrian Army claims to have killed in an operation last night, although state media has described the reports as "categorically baseless".

1.35pm: More from Reuters on the explosion in Douma, in Damascus suburbs, today near a convoy carrying the head of the UN observers:

Major General Robert Mood's car was stopped at an army checkpoint when the bomb detonated in an nearby alleyway and the convoy left, the Reuters journalist said, adding that there were no reports of casualties.

1.33pm: A newsflash from Reuters: Roadside bomb explodes in Syria 150 metres from UN convoy carrying chief major general Robert Mood - Reuters witness.

A convoy of UN truce observers came under bomb attack in Khan Sheikhun, a town in Idlib province, on Tuesday.

There was also a bomb explosion in the vicinity of a convoy of UN observers travelling from Damascus to Deraa, under Syrian army escort, earlier this month.

1.15pm: Lena, from the Revolutionary Council for Damascus told guardian.co.uk that they are still trying to establish the facts of who was killed/injured as a result of a Free Syrian Army operation in the capital last night but she said she suspects at least one or two on the list were killed and the state's claims that they are all alive should be treated with caution. She said the figures in question were poisoned but that she could not give more information.

We have confirmation from the Free Syrian Army, from the battalion itself that an operation took place yesterday. It was carried out and it just went well but we still have no confirmation of those who were hurt or those who died because of it. So now we are still waiting for the news to see who really died and who really didn't but we have confirmation that something happened ....

Asked about the denials by state media of the deaths and reports that two of those on the list of those purportedly killed had given interview to Syria TV, Lena said:

We still have other four figures who did not appear so far and perhaps they may not appear. Some of them might be recovering from what happened last night. We were told that they were poisoned but we do not know who died last night, as I told you, so maybe the regime is taking some time now to try to solve what is happening, trying to cover up for what happened. Maybe they're waiting for those who are still recovering and they will appear on TV after they are well. But we think that at least one or two figures died yesterday.

The following quotes do not appear on the audio recording as there was a problem. Asked the significance of some or all of these people being killed, Lena said:

This would mean that the situation would be very different because these people stand behind Assad and support him. If one of them or two or three of them die it would make a huge difference but we believe security forces would carry out more brutal violence against the people ...We are a bit afraid ...We are waiting for more violence to happen here ...But the more violence there is we know that the end is growing nearer for us.

We know that when Hafez al-Assad died the regime waited fro a few days to confirm the news of the death. We know that maybe they are holding the information of these deaths so they can organise the news ...In the next few days we will know for sure.

12.45pm: One of those the Free Syrian Army claims to have killed, Asif Shawkat, head of Syrian intelligence, is also Bashar al-Assad's brother-in-law.

Writing about Shawkat in 2010, after Assad made changes within the security and intelligence agencies, Rick Francona, wrote on Middle East Perspectives:

The most interesting move here is the promotion of Asif Shawkat to lieutenant general and the news that he may be the next minister of defence. Shawkat owes virtually all of his good fortune to the fact that he is married to Bushra Hafiz al-Asad. If he becomes the minister of defense, al-Asad will have an absolutely loyal and trustworthy ally in that key position. While almost all of the senior officers in key positions are from the 'Alawite minority of the Latakia region, Shawkat is one better, he's family.

Shawkat, now 60-years-old, has been the chief of Syrian Military Intelligence since early 2005, shortly after the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri in Beirut. Most Middle East observers (including me) believe there was a Syrian hand in the murder. We also believe Shawkat was involved in the planning, if not the execution.

Another of those reportedly killed, defence minister, Dawood Rajha, was cited in an opposition proposal last year as a credible regime figure to lead a transition process, the Wall Street Journal reported.

12.20pm: This video is said to show gunfire in Kfar Souseh, in the Syrian capital last night.

Videos have also been posted purporting to illustrate the sound of gunfire in Mezze, in Damascus, and Tadamon, also in the capital.

12.01pm: This is what the Local Coordination Committees activist group says about the reports that six high-ranking officials in the Assad regime were killed by rebel fighters:

A number of leaders from the al-Sahabeh battalion confirmed, in a telephone interview with the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, the validity of the news about an operation that targeted the regime's crisis management cell during its meeting at the conference palace. The battalion indicated that additional details would be forthcoming, and could be broadcast live by Commander Khaled Al-Habous. The LCC has not confirmed this news with any other source.

It reported intense gunfire in the capital overnight.

Here are some of its updates from last night (they cannot be independently verified by the Guardian):

Intense gunfire is heard in Baghdad and Abaseen streets.

Kfar Souseh: Violent clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the regime's army at Al-Luwan Bridge in the southern highway and arrival of huge reinforcements to the region.

Kfar Souseh: Clashes are growing more fierce, as are the sounds of gunfire. There are reports of wounded among the Free Syrian Army and dead among the regime's army.

Wadi Al-Mashar'ee: Powerful explosions were reported in the sky in the area.

Powerful explosions shake the region of Shaalan and reports of intense gunfire from Abu Rumaneh and Malki regions.

11.43am: Welcome to Middle East Live. Heavy clashes were reported in Damascus overnight and in a video message (Arabic), the Free Syrian Army claimed to have killed six key figures in the Assad regime.

The six men killed are reportedly:

1) Asif Shawkat (Head of Syrian intelligence)
2) Mohammad Shaar (interior minister)
3) Dawood Rajha (defence minister)
4) Hassan Turkmani (vice president's deputy)
5) Hisham Bikhtyar
6) Mohammad Saeed Bkheytan

This picture of the six men has been posted online..

However, the claims have been denied by state media and activist Rami Jarrah, who blogs/tweets under the name Alexander Page, later tweeted:

Hassan Turkmani and Mohammad Shaar were just on phone call with #Syria statetv asking for apology from any channels claiming they were dead

? Alexander Page (@AlexanderPageSY) May 20, 2012

The state news agency Sana reported:

Assistant Vice-President General Hasan Turkmani said in a statement "The news reported by al-Jazeera is completely baseless and reflects full media bankruptcy".

Gen Turkmani added ''My colleagues and I are safe and sound and serving our duties assuredly. These false news go unheeded by the Syrian people because they already know that they are blatant lies.''

For his part, Minister of Interior Lieutenant General Mohammad al-Shaar said "the news reported by al-Jazeera is groundless", asserting "We are used to hearing such news led by the lies and allegation campaign."

''I am speaking from my office at the Interior Ministry?All my colleagues are performing their duties. It is regrettable that we became accustomed to such laughable news by bankrupt channels since the onset of the crisis in Syria that encourage shedding more Syrian blood,'' Minister al-Shaar added ...

Minister of Defense General Dawood Rajha said that the news broadcast by al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya on the assassination of political and security officials are lies and reflect the bankruptcy and failure of the armed groups and those who are supporting them with funds, weapons and media.

» View full story

Public and Commercial Services union and Unite to deepen alliance amid growing concern over austerity measures

Trade union opposition to the government's austerity programme will be stepped up this week as two of Britain's most powerful private and public sector unions prepare to deepen their alliance, while the Trades Union Congress will confirm that a massive protest march will be held in London on 20 October.

The Public and Commercial Services union, the largest civil service union in the UK, has been the subject of merger speculation with its much bigger counterpart, Unite, which has a predominantly private sector membership base and is the largest overall union in Britain with 1.5 million members. PCS delegates will vote on a motion at the union's annual conference this week to "explore" how to further develop a co-operation agreement with Unite, although a merger will not be on the agenda.

Mark Serwotka, the PCS general secretary, said: "We want to get closer and closer to Unite, with the test being does it make it make for more effective trade unionism. And if it does, that's when the question of a formal merger will arise."

Serwotka said the trade union movement had to combat government spending cuts by combining public and private sector members. The majority of Unite's members are private sector employees, including branches at major companies from British Airways to Unilever, Vauxhall and Rolls-Royce. PCS has members at a range of government departments including the DVLA and UK Border Agency.

"We have got to look at the future of the labour movement and being more effective in fighting against government cuts. Closer co-operation with public and private sector unions will create the ability to fight back more effectively," Serwotka said.

Noting that a co-operation agreement with Unite has produced "excellent results so far", the PCS motion states that "the further development of relations between the two unions should be explored". If delegates back the motion, PCS and Unite members will co-operate more closely at companies such as Fujitsu and Cap Gemini, firms which carry out public sector work and have PCS and Unite representation.

The two unions are also working on a fourth national walkout in the protest against public sector pension reforms. A date of 28 June has been mooted but it is now thought that a one-day strike earlier in June or in early July is more likely.

The government claimed the latest one-day strike, on 10 May, saw 150,000 state employees take part, although it was augmented by a police protest featuring more than 30,000 officers and surprise action by prison officers.

Meanwhile, the TUC ? which represents 58 unions with a total of more than six million members ? is to confirm a successor to the "March for the Alternative" that was attended by up to 500,000 people on 26 March last year.

The protest will end with a rally in Hyde Park, London. The TUC said the march would reflect a "clear shift" against austerity in public opinion across Europe, after the French election result, Greece's political struggles and confirmation that Britain has entered a double-dip recession.

"There is a sense in the trade union movement that the argument is turning quite strongly against the government's economic strategy," it said. "The march last year was about cuts to services and the impact of government policies. This will be a much broader critique of government and the fact that their policies are holding back growth, increasing unemployment and going against the grain of where things are moving internationally."

» View full story

Yukiya Amano will hold talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator in attempt to reach breakthrough on inspections

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog will arrive in Tehran on Monday morning for a day of negotiations with the Iranian government on its co-operation with the agency, at the start of a week that is likely to be critical to an international effort to defuse tensions in the Gulf.

Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), will hold talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, and senior officials from the country's nuclear programme, with the aim of reaching a breakthrough agreement on inspections of sites and access to scientists suspected of having been involved in work on nuclear weapons.

Two days later, Jalili will meet the EU foreign policy chief, Lady Ashton, and senior diplomats from six world powers ? the US, UK, France, Russia, China and Germany ? in Baghdad to discuss other confidence-building measures, including limits on Iranian uranium enrichment.

The degree of progress at both meetings is likely to have an important bearing on the level of tension surrounding Iran's nuclear programme, the likelihood of an Israeli military strike against Iranian nuclear sites, and global oil prices.

Amano's trip to Tehran is the first by an IAEA director general since his predecessor, Mohamed ElBaradei, visited in 2009. If the Japanese diplomat succeeds in securing an agreement on the IAEA investigation into alleged Iranian work on nuclear weapons, it would vindicate his tough approach to Tehran in the face of criticism that he is too closely aligned with the west.

"The focus of the visit will be on the issue of a framework. We hope the two sides can reach an agreement and draw up a new framework to answer [IAEA] questions and clear up ambiguities," the Iranian foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, told local media at the weekend.

The Iranian government has insisted on establishing such a framework before allowing IAEA inspectors to visit sensitive sites such as the Parchin military base, where the agency wants to investigate intelligence reports that Iranian technicians tested high-explosive components of a nuclear warhead.

Iran has denied ever having conducted development work on nuclear weapons.

The independent Institute for Science and International Security in Washington published satellite photos this month showing recent activity that could be an attempt to clean up the Parchin site.

The IAEA chief inspector, Herman Nackaerts, who will be accompanying Amano to Tehran, has been reluctant to enter into any agreement with Iran that would tie the hands of his inspectors in conducting their investigation. Amano's decision to fly to Tehran to try to seal an agreement suggests he believes a compromise can be found.

Diplomats who have followed the long history of negotiations with Tehran since its uranium enrichment and heavy water programmes were first revealed in 2002 point out that a previous agreement on a IAEA "work plan" to investigate allegations of weapons work fell apart in 2008 before inspectors could interview key nuclear scientists.

An IAEA agreement in Tehran could have a positive impact on the Baghdad talks on Wednesday. The negotiations between Jalili, Ashton and the six-nation group will seek to build on a similar meeting in Istanbul last month, where Jalili agreed in principle to negotiate over Iran's nuclear programme.

Western diplomats hope the Baghdad talks will make progress towards a confidence-building deal by which Iran would stop making 20% enriched uranium, a more concentrated material than the fuel used in modern power stations, which is closer to the level of purity needed for making weapons.

In return, the west would provide fuel for a medical research reactor in Tehran and provide advice and equipment to improve safety standards at that reactor and at a nuclear power station at Bushehr, on the Gulf coast.

Western officials said Tehran appeared to be keen to strike a bargain as it was faced with broad and damaging sanctions, including an EU oil embargo, the threat of Israeli military action and the substantial weakening of its only significant ally in the region, the Assad regime in Damascus.

"These negotiations could, if the parties have a real and serious will [for them to succeed], and on condition that realism reigns, open the road to a compromise which would permit on one hand the alleviation of the concerns of the west, while on the other hand bring Iran the assurances it needs on the pursuit of nuclear activities and uranium enrichment on its soil for completely civil purposes," the Iranian ambassador to Paris, Ali Ahani, wrote in Le Monde on Friday, in what appeared part of a public relations offensive before the Baghdad talks.

» View full story

Chinese activist touches down at Newark a month after escape from house arrest and vows to continue fight for human rights

The blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has arrived to begin a new life in the United States while vowing to keep fighting against injustice in his homeland.

The moment was the final leg of a dramatic, month-long escape from house arrest in rural China that ended with him speaking to a throng of press in front New York University where he will become an academic.

"We should link our arms and continue to fight for the goodness in the world and continue to fight injustice ? I hope everybody works for me to promote justice and fairness in China," Chen said through an interpreter.

Chen's speech attracted a small crowd of onlookers who cheered him and a few cars honked their horns. "Nothing is impossible as long as you put your heart to it. As we say in Chinese there is no small affair as long as you put your heart to it," he said.

His flight, United Airlines UA88, had departed for Newark almost two hours late from Beijing international airport as a thunderstorm rolled in ? a suitably tempestuous climax to one of the most remarkable chapters of courage and injustice in recent Chinese history.

After beatings, imprisonment, injury, embassy refuge and diplomatic wrangling between the two superpowers Chen's departure has stirred a mixture of relief and dismay among activists in China, who are glad Chen is safe but worried that their cause could lose one of its most influential advocates.

New York University in Greenwich Village has said he will study as a fellow at its school of law. "For the past seven years I have never had a day's rest so I have come here for a bit of recuperation in body and in spirit," Chen said.

In April Chen escaped 19 months of extrajudicial house arrest in his rural home in Shandong province. He and his family had been beaten and harassed as Dongshigu village in Linyi was turned into a virtual prison manned by plainclothes guards and filled with security cameras.

This followed more than four years in prison on charges ? denied by his lawyers ? that he roused a crowd to disrupt traffic and damage property.

Earlier still he had been abducted from the streets of Beijing by Linyi officials when he tried to expose their illegal use of forced abortions and sterilisations to meet family planning goals.

Chen escaped in the night, stumbled across farm fields and met a supporter who drove him to Beijing, where he sought the protection of US diplomats.

After bilateral talks the two governments thrashed out a deal for him to stay in China with greater protection against the Linyi thugs. But this arrangement collapsed within hours as Chen heard that his lawyer, brother and nephew had been beaten while he was left alone in the Beijing hospital where he was being treated for colitis and a broken foot sustained during his escape.

The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, who was visiting Beijing, intervened and helped to arrange permission for Chen, his wife and daughters to travel to the US to study.

His lawyer Liu Weiguo said it was unlikely he would be allowed to return any time soon. "The chance for him to come back is small. I fear the Chinese government won't allow him to come back. This kind of thing has precedents." Chen is said to be unhappy about leaving relatives behind in a village controlled by Linyi's notoriously violent local authorities. But Liu said he did not blame Chen.

"We should look at this from his perspective. He's mentally and physically exhausted now and has been tormented for so many years. For the Chinese rights movement he has done more than enough. We can't ask him to do any more. Now he needs time to rest."

The prominent human rights lawyer Teng Biao said he was happy for Chen and his family. "His safety and freedom are the priority. Whether this is a good thing for the rights movement is secondary now."

Nicholas Bequelin of Human Rights Watch said Chen's departure was no cause for celebration as his family remained under pressure and there may be less incentive for the central government to investigate wrongdoing by the local authorities.

More importantly, Bequelin said, it raised questions about the wider environment for activists. "This is a reflection that there is no room for human rights defenders in China. We don't know if this will turn into a temporary stay or exile, but in either case it begs the questions why someone like Chen Guangcheng cannot freely operate in China. What is it that stops the authorities from tolerating or even embracing someone like Chen?"

The situation remains grim for those left behind. Dongshigu, where Chen's mother and other relatives remain, is still under lockdown. His brother has described being beaten for three days after the activist escaped and his nephew Chen Kegui is to be tried for attempted murder after fighting off intruders with a knife.

Independent lawyers have been denied permission to represent him. Several say they have been beaten, intimidated and told not to speak to foreign media.

» View full story

Senior police officer will leave after London 2012 Olympics, Scotland Yard has announced

Sue Akers, who has been leading Scotland's Yard investigation into phone hacking, is to retire after the Olympics, the Metropolitan police has confirmed.

The Met deputy assistant commissioner has been on the force for 36 years. She is in charge of the three linked inquiries into phone hacking, illicit payments and computer hacking, and has been leading inquiries into the potential involvement of intelligence services in relation to detainees held abroad.

Deputy commissioner Craig Mackey said Akers's extensive detective experience would be missed but her decision to step down would not be allowed to affect the progress of the investigations.

Akers, who joined the Met in 1976, took control of Operation Weeting ? the force's second inquiry into the phone-hacking scandal ? in January 2011. Operations Elveden, which is focusing on inappropriate payments to police, and Tuleta, which is looking at allegations of computer hacking, run alongside.

The fresh investigation came after detectives were handed a new dossier of evidence hinting that suspicious activities at the News of the World went beyond "rogue reporter" Clive Goodman.

The now-defunct tabloid's royal editor was jailed along with private investigator Glenn Mulcaire in 2007 after they admitted intercepting messages.

Mackey said: "Considerable resources have been dedicated to investigating phone-hacking and related offences, and the officers on these operations will continue to follow all evidence of suspected criminality.

"The importance of the continuity of leadership will of course be taken into account when the future command structure for Operations Weeting, Elveden and Tuleta is considered."

Akers told the former Met commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson she had planned to retire after the Olympics even before the new phone-hacking investigation was launched, according to the Independent on Sunday. She is believed to be the longest-serving woman in the Met.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Deputy Assistant Commissioner [DAC] Sue Akers is due to retire later this year after 36 years' service with the MPS.

"The DAC signalled her intention to retire this autumn when she took charge of investigations into phone-hacking and related corruption and computer crime."

Akers, the former borough commander of Barnet, was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2007.

» View full story

Shadow ministers urge leader to put pressure on Cameron by promising EU membership poll if Labour win general election

Ed Miliband is being urged by a growing number of shadow cabinet members and senior allies to promise a dramatic in-out referendum on Britain's future membership of the European Union if Labour wins the next general election.

Several figures in the party are pushing the Labour leader to make the pledge well before the next European elections in 2014 to outmanoeuvre David Cameron, who is under heavy pressure to commit the Tory party to a national vote on the issue. The Observer has been told that, after discussions with shadow cabinet members, Miliband is leaving the door open to a referendum ? although he is keen to stress that the short-term focus and discussion must be on how to end the current euro crisis.

Allies of the Labour leader say pressure on him to make what would be a historic, high-risk pledge will increase following the appointment of Jon Cruddas, the MP for Dagenham and Rainham, as Labour's policy chief.

Cruddas, a long-time opponent of the euro but otherwise pro-EU, is strongly in favour of an in-out referendum as a means of ending divisive arguments on Europe once and for all. Before his appointment, Cruddas told the People's Pledge campaign for a referendum that the issue was one of "democracy", and said a referendum pledge should be made "immediately, or as quickly as we can". Cruddas is understood to think that such a move would help define Miliband's leadership as bold and distinct from the New Labour years of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

A ComRes opinion poll for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror showed how Europe is emerging as an issue that could be pivotal at the next election. The poll showed that 26% of Tories now say they will consider voting for the anti-EU Ukip compared to 11% of Labour supporters and 14% of Liberal Democrats. It also showed the extent of anti-EU hostility Labour would need to overcome if a referendum were held now, with 46% of voters saying they would vote to leave the EU compared with 30% who would vote to stay in.

If Labour did commit to a referendum, the party leadership would campaign vigorously in favour of a vote to stay in ? a stance that would be supported by most Labour members.

A referendum would, however, leave the Tories divided, with the party leadership certain to campaign for a vote to remain in the EU, while many MPs and grassroots Conservatives would want to leave. One shadow cabinet member said: "We should have the confidence to say we think we can win this and get on with it. There are issues of timing, about when we make the decision and when one would be held. But it certainly is no longer heresy to talk about it."

A spokesman for Miliband did not deny that the option was being considered, stressing merely that "our position is that we don't think this is what Europe needs at the moment".

Last week, in a sign that the Labour party is gradually preparing the ground for a referendum pledge, shadow chancellor Ed Balls said there could be a case in future, for calling a national vote when the current euro crisis was over and the shape of the new Europe was known. This followed similar comments from former cabinet minister and European commissioner Lord Mandelson.

On Thursday Peter Hain, a former Europe minister who stepped down from the shadow cabinet last week but who remains loyal to Miliband, said on BBC1's Question Time that he believed the British people would deserve a say when the time was right. "I think the way things are going people in Britain probably want to make up their minds about whether to stay in Europe or not," he said. "I don't think we should be frightened about giving people a vote."

Sources said that Hain would never have spoken out on the EU issue had he felt such remarks would have been unhelpful to Miliband, or significantly out of kilter with the Labour leader's own views.

Miliband is said to be genuinely undecided and cautious ? not least because of the possibility that the country could vote to leave the EU. He is also being advised by some that the move could be seen as crudely opportunistic at a time of crisis in the EU.

Others say that it could put off Liberal Democrats who might otherwise come over to Labour.

Labour enthusiasts for a referendum stress, however, that it would not in any way amount to a watering down of Labour's commitment to the EU. On the contrary, it would be an opportunity to argue the positive case for membership during a national campaign ? one that would also help the party build alliances with pro-EU elements of the business community.

While a minority of Labour MPs might want to leave the EU, highlighting divisions within Labour, they say a referendum would cause far deeper splits in the Tory party.

The People's Pledge, which draws support from all political parties, has announced it will hold more local referendums in three Greater Manchester constituencies, Withington, Cheadle and Hazel Grove, asking people if they want a national vote.

The seats, one in Manchester and two in Stockport, are all represented by Liberal Democrat MPs: John Leech, Mark Hunter and Andrew Stunnell, respectively. This follows its local referendum in Thurrock last month where 89.9% of people who voted backed a referendum.

Ian McKenzie, director of the People's Pledge, said: "The people of Thurrock set the pace last month by voting in huge numbers for a referendum. Voters in Manchester Withington, Cheadle and Hazel Grove now have the chance to quicken that pace towards a national referendum for the rest of us."

» View full story

Author of The God Delusion says providing free Bibles to state schools is justified by its impact on the English language

It sounds like one of the most unlikely alliances of recent years. Richard Dawkins, arch-atheist and scourge of the praying classes, has announced support for education secretary Michael Gove's plan to send free King James Bibles to every state school.

The proposal aims to help pupils learn about the Bible's impact "on our history, language, literature and democracy" and will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the authorised version's publication, Gove said earlier this year. Church leaders have approved, but the plan has fallen foul of most non-believers. An online Guardian poll showed an 82% opposition, while the National Secular Society said the Ģ375,000 proposal wasted money and favoured Christianity in multi-faith state schools. Nevertheless, several rich Tory party donors agreed to back the plan and the first Bibles were sent out last week, to the derision of secularists ? with the exception of their most prominent and pugnacious recruit: Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion and critic of all things clerical.

As Dawkins reveals in today's Observer, support for the Bible plan is justified on the grounds of literary merit and he lists a range of biblical phrases which any cultivated English speaker will instantly recognise. These include "salt of the Earth", "through a glass darkly", and "no peace for the wicked". Dawkins states: "A native speaker of English who has not read a word of the King James Bible is verging on the barbarian."

Rapprochement would seem to be in the air ? until Dawkins's thesis is studied more closely. While Gove believes the Bible is a guide to morality, Dawkins is sure it is not. "I have heard the cynically misanthropic opinion that without the Bible as a moral compass people would show no restraint against murder, theft and mayhem. The surest way to disabuse yourself of this pernicious falsehood is to read the Bible itself," he says.

In fact, its pages are riddled with the advocacy of murder, slavery and theft. Hence his support for Gove's plan: opening the Bible is the surest way to put young minds off its contents. From this perspective, the Dawkins-Gove alliance looks dead before it started.

» View full story

CHICAGO -- The United States and NATO leaders insisted Sunday that the Afghanistan fighting coalition will remain whole despite France's plans to yank combat troops out early.
» View full story

The former Libyan intelligence officer convicted of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people has died, his son told NBC News on Sunday. He was 59.
» View full story

Members of the Afghan army are forging secret alliances with the Taliban, threatening to undermine the ability of Afghan authorities to maintain control just as NATO troops prepare to hand over power to the country's security forces, Britain's Sunday Times reported.
» View full story

A strong earthquake rocked a large swathe of northern Italy early on Sunday, killing at least five people, injuring dozens and seriously damaging historic churches, bell towers and a medieval castle.
» View full story

LONDON - The sweatsuit comes off and the business hat goes on when it comes to many of those participating in the Olympic torch relay.
» View full story

A war-weary U.S. faces off with wary NATO allies in Chicago about money and support for Afghanistan after U.S. combat troops withdraw in 2014.

» View full story

An explosion at a school in Italy Saturday killed a teenage girl and injured several others, according to reports and officials.
» View full story

Leaders of the world?s richest countries banded together to press Germany to back more pro-growth policies to halt the deepening debt crisis in Europe, as President Obama for the first time gained widespread support for that strategy.

» View full story

Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, arriving in the U.S. Saturday, told NBC News he trusts the Chinese central government and hopes people will help him promote justice.
» View full story

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated explosives in an Afghan district close to the border with Pakistan, killing at least 10 people including children, officials said on Saturday.
» View full story

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is urging Israeli leaders to relinquish the idea of a unified Jerusalem if they truly want peace.
» View full story

An Israeli military court has convicted a Palestinian protest leader of urging youths to throw rocks at Israeli soldiers, in a case that has drawn controversy because it is based on the confession of a 15-year-old interrogated without a lawyer.
» View full story

Thomas Vinterberg is aware his new movie, "The Hunt," may touch a raw nerve. Several, in fact.
» View full story

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday urged Israeli leaders to relinquish the idea of a unified Jerusalem if they truly want peace, contending in a pair of interviews that years of government neglect have kept the Jewish and Arab sectors irreparably divided.
» View full story

A Wisconsin marathon has been halted because of heat.
» View full story

A prison spokeswoman says Israel's jailed former president has been freed for a few hours to attend his son's wedding.
» View full story

Police say five people were killed when a small sports plane crashed in Bosnia's northwest.
» View full story

The former Libyan intelligence officer who was the only person ever convicted in the 1988 Lockerbie, Scotland, bombing has died, according to reports. He was 59.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Many Egyptians believe Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister to be corrupt. Yet Ahmed Shafiq, who is running for president in Egypt's historic elections this month, has climbed to second in opinion polls. Experts say his growing popularity highlights many Egyptians' desires for stability, which, as NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports, is something they believe the retired Air Force general can provide.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

World leaders are gathered in Chicago for a two-day NATO summit starting Sunday morning. This is the third time the U.S. has hosted a NATO summit since the alliance was formed, and the first time it's being held in a city other than Washington, D.C. As NPR's Jackie Northam reports, the agenda will center on a theme: Afghanistan.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

When Egyptians go to the polls on May 23, many will be looking to celebrate the end of military rule that began some 50 years ago. Observers warn that it won't be easy to send a deeply entrenched military back to its barracks, and they point to Turkey's experience as an example. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Istanbul.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

The White House is urging war-weary NATO leaders to dig deeper into their pockets to share the commitment to get Afghanistan's forces to stand up on their own so U.S. and NATO forces can pull out in 2014. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Ben Rhodes, White House spokesperson on national security issues.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Host Rachel Martin takes a moment to remember William Henderson Foote, a black federal agent in Mississippi in the late 1800s. He was honored this week by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Julie McCarthy in Islamabad and Quil Lawrence in Kabul about the situation on the ground in that region of Afghanistan.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Last fall, President Abe Lincoln lost his sword. The copper blade went missing from atop Lincoln's burial site in Illinois. Authorities eventually recovered it, but in two pieces. Now, as Rachel Otwell reports, the artifact has been replaced.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

When a bookmobile broke down last winter in rural Vermont, patrons, especially preschoolers, really missed it. Then a donor, who heard an NPR story about the rolling library's demise, came up with over $100,000 for a replacement. The town can't believe its good fortune. Vermont Public Radio's Charlotte Albright reports.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

If life is a ballgame, then NPR's Mike Pesca is the guy in the stands, carrying his own stat-sheet and searching out empirical evidence. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Pesca about what the numbers have to say about injuries.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

CHICAGO (Reuters) - NATO leaders gathered in Chicago on Sunday to chart a path out of Afghanistan as war-weary Western nations seek to fend off dissent in their alliance and ensure Afghanistan can hold a still-potent Taliban at bay when foreign troops withdraw.
» View full story

SANT' AGOSTINO, Italy (Reuters) - A strong earthquake in northern Italy killed five people, injured dozens and damaged historic buildings including a famed mediaeval castle early on Sunday, waking terrified citizens and sending thousands running into the streets.
» View full story

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng arrived in the United States on Saturday and declared "equality and justice have no boundaries" after China let him leave a Beijing hospital to quell a sensitive diplomatic rift between the two countries.
» View full story

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. banking reforms could not have prevented JPMorgan Chase & Co's trading losses, and those involved in the activities that went awry should be held accountable, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said in an interview aired on Sunday.
» View full story

DOUMA, Syria (Reuters) - A roadside bomb exploded on Sunday about 150 meters (yards) from a United Nations convoy carrying the head of a Syria ceasefire monitoring mission and a senior U.N. official in the town of Douma, a Reuters witness said.
» View full story

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The chiefs of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd are used to running the show at their global tech empires, but they will be in for a different experience when they arrive at a San Francisco federal courthouse on Monday.
» View full story

VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear supervisor flies to Tehran on Sunday looking for a deal to inspect suspected weapons sites - a potential breakthrough that Iran may hope could persuade the West to start lifting sanctions and deflect threats of war.
» View full story

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - The former Libyan intelligence officer convicted of the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland that killed 270 people has died, his brother said on Sunday.
» View full story

SANAA (Reuters) - A U.S. military instructor helping train Yemeni coastguards was shot and seriously wounded in an attack by unidentified assailants in the Red Sea city of Hudaida on Sunday, a Yemeni security source said.
» View full story

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan on Sunday blocked access to Twitter in response to "blasphemous" material posted by users on the microblogging and social networking website, a senior government official said.
» View full story

A senior Russian diplomat, in contrasting North Korea and Iran, once said to me: ?The North Koreans are like neighborhood children with matches. The Iranians are who we really need to worry about.?

» View full story

Every weekend, Longform shares a collection of great stories from its archive with Slate. For daily picks of new and classic nonfiction, check out Longform or follow @longform on Twitter. Have an iPad? Download Longform?s brand-new app to read all of the latest in-depth stories from dozens of magazines, including Slate.

You probably slept through it, but there's a chance the commencement speech at your graduation was actually great. Over on Longform, we put together a collection of a dozen our favorites this week. Below are five from that list?some long, some short, some funny, some cheesy?delivered over the last 25 years.

Congratulations! Now good luck paying off your loans.

Note: On Monday, May 14, the Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes died. In 1983 he gave what is by all accounts a brilliant commencement address at Harvard, but we can't find the transcript. If you have it, let me know by tweeting @jodyavirgan.

» View full story

» View full story

?Parent Traps: Don?t monitor your kids? Web surfing,? by Katie Roiphe. Seeking guidance on the right amount of internet exposure for her almost nine-year-old, Roiphe consults Microsoft researcher and academic dana boyd: ?a fast-talking Dr. Seuss hipster with a visionary vibe.? boyd (the lower-case is intentional) posits that millennial kids enjoy far less freedom to wander around in physical space; they should at least be allowed to find their way online. 

» View full story

A lab report released Thursday showed that Trayvon Martin was shot from close range, probably with the gun pressed against his chest. The new information may bolster George Zimmerman's argument that the two men were locked in combat, and Zimmerman shot the unarmed teenager to protect his own life. How easy is it to kill a man in a fistfight?

» View full story

The grade-A dynamite evidence in the John Edwards trial, Exhibit 128, was a letter from the reclusive heiress Rachel ?Bunny? Mellon, dated April 21, 2007, and addressed to Edwards? body man/consigliere/sycophant Andrew Young. Mellon was incensed at a Politico scoop about her candidate billing a pricey haircut to his campaign.

» View full story

MEXICO CITY, Mexico?According to the most recent polls, 45-year-old Enrique Peña Nieto, the presidential candidate of Mexico's Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), is poised to win the election on July 1. Peña Nieto's political career began in the state of Mexico, working for the governor. In 2005, when he was 38, he won the governorship himself. Today, representing a party that has been out of power for 12 years after ruling Mexico with an iron hand for seven decades, Peña Nieto is far ahead of his two closest opponents. The challenges he would face if elected are daunting: 50,000 Mexicans have been killed in President Felipe Calderon's war against drug lords in the past five years. Peña Nieto took time out from his campaign last week to talk to Lally Weymouth. Excerpts:

What will you do about violence if you become president?

» View full story

Outstanding student loans now top $1 trillion, more than the nation?s credit-card debt. ProPublica has  rounded up some of the best explanatory and investigative journalism on student debt.  Anyone can contribute by tweeting a link to a story and just including the hashtag #MuckReads or by sending an email to MuckReads@ProPublica.org.

» View full story

Economic chaos and mass unemployment are bad news. But to the curious traveler, they are an opportunity for a bargain. So it?s only natural for a cost-conscious American reading headlines about economic catastrophe in Spain and Greece to wonder: Is there a cheap vacation there for me?

» View full story

On Thursday, the USA Network, touting itself as ?the No. 1 network on cable for six years running,? joined the growing pool of cable channels hawking their goods to advertisers in mid-May. (Many cable networks unveil their plans in March or April?and this year Hulu, Yahoo, and other digital types joined their ranks.) The USA Network joined the pool with a kind of cannonball dive, in fact. The network arranged for fans to cause a fuss outside of Lincoln Center?s Alice Tully Hull as actors and advertisers streamed into the week?s final upfront, and it encouraged the audience to pregame the presentation, serving up cocktails before the show.

» View full story

Richard Corliss counts down the 10 greatest films made since the year 2000
» View full story

Chen Guangcheng's New Home: A Soviet-Style Complex in Greenwich Village
» View full story

Solar Eclipse in the U.S.: In the Sky, Look for a Ring of Fire
» View full story

As Greek politicians tried in vain to form a coalition government this week, the Olympic torch made its way across the country -- reminding Greeks of better times.
» View full story

G-8 Summit: Is China the New Power?
» View full story

Lawless: A Crime Drama That's Remorseless--and Often Lifeless
» View full story

More Amputations for Student Battling Flesh-Eating Bacteria
» View full story

These once-mighty symbols of international leadership appear almost paralyzed before the tides of economic, financial and political change
» View full story

We're Finally Paying Our Bills On Time: Can We Stick With It?
» View full story

Mitt Romney Takes On GOP Cultural Warfare
» View full story

An Israeli military court has convicted a Palestinian protest leader of urging youths to throw rocks at Israeli soldiers, in a case that has drawn controversy because it is based on the confession of a 15-year-old interrogated without a lawyer.
» View full story

NATO's secretary-general says he's optimistic that the international community will continue to finance the Afghan security forces.

» View full story

The United States and NATO leaders are insisting the Afghanistan fighting coalition will remain whole despite France's plans to yank combat troops out early, but leaders weary of plummeting public support for the war are using an alliance summit Sunday to show they want to move quickly away from the front lines.

» View full story

"The Avengers" continues to muscle out everything else Hollywood throws at it, easily sinking naval rival "Battleship" and other new releases.

» View full story

Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi, the only person convicted over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing which killed 270 people, died on Sunday, almost three years after being freed from jail on compassionate grounds.

» View full story

Tropical Storm Alberto weakened slightly off the South Carolina coast on Sunday, a day after becoming an early first storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.

» View full story

Lawyers for Iraq's fugitive Sunni vice president charged with running death squads quit the case on Sunday in protest after judges rejected their request for evidence for his defense.

» View full story

A powerful earthquake shook Italy's industrial and densely populated northeast early Sunday, killing at least six people, felling homes and factories and reducing historic buildings to rubble.

» View full story

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday urged Israeli leaders to relinquish the idea of a unified Jerusalem if they truly want peace, contending in a pair of interviews that years of government neglect have kept the Jewish and Arab sectors irreparably divided.

» View full story

A Wisconsin marathon has been halted because of heat.
» View full story

HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia are backing Montana in its fight to prevent the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision from being used to strike down state laws restricting corporate campaign spending....
» View full story

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- For Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, it was quite a week - from birthday, to IPO, to I DO....
» View full story

ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Pakistan blocked the social networking website Twitter on Sunday because it refused to remove tweets considered offensive to Islam, said one of the country's top telecommunications officials....
» View full story

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans and Democrats aren't budging when it comes to their already hardened positions on spending cuts versus tax increases to deal with the nation's debt....
» View full story

NEW YORK (AP) -- The metaphor is an easy one, overused and perhaps even a bit overwrought. We are forging forward into a digital frontier, leaving convention behind, traveling without guides into an uncharted virtual land where progress and profits are forever around the next bend....
» View full story

NEW YORK (AP) -- Authorities in China have approved Google Inc.'s bid to buy phone maker Motorola Mobility, clearing the way for the $12.5 billion deal to close early next week....
» View full story

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) -- Confronting an economic crisis that threatens them all, President Barack Obama and leaders of other world powers on Saturday declared that their governments must both spark growth and cut the debt that has crippled the European continent and put investors worldwide on edge....
» View full story

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Are Republican lawmakers deliberately stalling the economic recovery to hurt President Barack Obama's re-election chances? Some top Democrats say yes, pointing to GOP stances on the debt limit and other issues that they claim are causing unnecessary economic anxiety and retarding growth....
» View full story

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "The Avengers" continues to muscle out everything else Hollywood throws at it, easily sinking naval rival "Battleship" and other new releases....
» View full story

DETROIT (AP) -- Chrysler is recalling nearly 87,000 Jeep Wranglers in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere due to a risk of fires....
» View full story

US President Obama wraps up a G8 summit saying that leaders agree economies must focus on jobs and growth to boost recovery.
» View full story

Former UK chancellor Ken Clarke says Europe's banking system is "in tatters" and warns the UK is "heavily exposed" to potential problems.
» View full story

Facebook shares end a volatile first day of trading at $38.23, barely above the company's initial pricing, having initially jumped more than 10%.
» View full story

European markets suffer a nervous session with investors unsettled by a downgrade for Spanish banks and the political crisis in Greece.
» View full story

Shares in internet giant Yahoo rise 5% on reports that it is close to selling its valuable stake in Alibaba Group, the Chinese e-commerce company.
» View full story

JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon will appear before a Senate committee to explain the bank's $2bn trading loss on a failed hedging strategy.
» View full story

Spanish energy giant Repsol cancels a contract to provide gas to Argentina, in a continuing row after Buenos Aries nationalised one of its subsidiaries.
» View full story

Chinese property prices continued to fall during April after the government kept policies in place to curb speculation.
» View full story

Spain's Repsol oil company says a first attempt to find oil off Cuba's northern coast has been unsuccessful.
» View full story

The EU Commission and European Central Bank are making contingency plans for a possible Greek exit from the euro, an EU commissioner says.
» View full story

MoneyWatch Week Ahead: The Facebook IPO is over, putting the spotlight back on more important issues, like Europe and the U.S. housing market
» View full story

The news that the Facebook founder changed his status to "married" raises an issue that even people not worth $20 billion should think about: Whether you need a pre-marital agreement before tying the knot
» View full story

With over 900 million users, Facebook is already a business success story. And, as Rebecca Jarvis reports, it's also a launching pad for tech start-ups trying to cash-in on its success.
» View full story

Since January, over 3,000 apps have launched on Facebook, and every app gives Facebook a sense for what makes each user tick
» View full story

After the hoopla surrounding the Facebook IPO, it was great to get back to financial basics with listeners
» View full story

Retirement planning may mean deferring gratification or making tough decisions. Don't blame the messenger.
» View full story

Even though the Facebook IPO underwehelmed Wall Street, there's still plenty of potential for the company and its stock. Jeff Glor and Rebecca Jarvis speak with tech journalist David Kirkpatrick about Facebook's prospects.
» View full story

The hype that led up to the Facebook IPO fizzled as the stock ended the trading day relatively flat. Elaine Quijano reports.
» View full story

It's estimated that Facebook's introduction to the stock market made one thousand of its employees millionaires. John Blackstone reports.
» View full story

Investors poured billions of dollars into Facebook's IPO, but the price of the brand-new stock barely moved, reports Anthony Mason.
» View full story

Rajat Gupta was once a board member at Goldman Sachs and managing director of consulting giant McKinsey & Co. Now, he's the biggest target yet in the government's sprawling insider trading crackdown.
» View full story

Facebook is finally public, but that won't solve Greece's problems.
» View full story

A day after his social media company went public, Facebook co-founder and chief executive married his longtime girlfriend Patricia Chan.
» View full story

Facebook's stock market debut is finally here -- and investors jumped on the breathlessly hyped IPO, sending shares up almost 11% at the start of trade.
» View full story

Facebook's IPO has minted at least a half-dozen new billionaires, including Mark Zuckerberg.
» View full story

» View full story

General Motors will not advertise during this year's Super Bowl game, the automaker said Friday.
» View full story

The next deadline facing Congress to save the U.S. Postal Service is Aug. 1. That's when the agency won't have enough money to make a $5.5 billion payment to a retirement fund mandated by law.
» View full story

» View full story

My first ride in Google's self-driving car was, all at the same time, thrilling, fascinating and a little disappointing.
» View full story

New Fame Game: Leveraging Status to Invest in Hot Deals
» View full story

Thanks to 'Idol', a hit single and a slew of endorsement deals, JLo earned $52 million in the last 12 months and ranks as America?s most powerful celebrity.
» View full story

It might sound a little strange claiming that a company which has just launched a huge IPO has in some way failed. Yet looking around at the the weekend's details of Facebook's float on Friday it's difficult not to come away with the feeling that something has gone wrong. From the
» View full story

Salma Hayek has turned into quite the entrepreneur. The former Oscar nominee for "Frida," acts and produces, raises money indie films. She brought "Ugly Betty" to TV.  She's already made one film with buddy Penelope Cruz called "Banditas," a low budget feature that went straight to video. But Hayek is undaunted. She told me last night at the Vanity Fair party that she's got a new script for her and Cruz to costar in. Cruz, of course, is now an Oscar winner,and always ready for new challenges.
» View full story

According to a recent Bloomberg story Saudi Arabia displaced Russia as the world's largest oil producer, producing just about three thousand barrels a day more in March of 2012:

Saudi Arabia boosted crude production close to a 31-year high in March, overtaking Russia as the world?s largest oil producer for the first time in six years, according to the Joint Organization Data Initiative (JODI).
» View full story

 

Mark Zuckerberg married longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan on Saturday, a day after taking Facebook public. The wedding was reportedly a surprise to most of the 100 guests, who were told they were going to a surprise graduation party for Chan; she graduated from University of California, San Francisco last week. The couple, have been dating for nine years, met while attending Harvard.
» View full story

Mary Richardson Kennedy, estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., took her own life, leaving behind the sour scent of senseless loss. You and I, as well as her well-heeled Bedford neighbors inconvenienced by helicopters, reporters, and notoriety, are once again reminded of the lesson tragedies like this teach: depression
» View full story

Pity the poor person who decided to skip Priscilla Chan's med school graduation party. They missed out on the social media world's wedding of the year.
» View full story

Granted, it was 20 years ago, but I ran a Syndicate group at an emerging growth investment-banking boutique and had previously worked in a Capital Markets group at a large investment bank.  Syndicate/Capital Markets is responsible for managing an IPO.  Many wonder why, after all the hype, Facebook really did nothing in trading on Friday.  Perhaps my antecdotes will shed some light?
» View full story

I'm never all that enamoured of decisions taken by politicians: no doubt this is some form of character flaw. But this decision that the UK Government seems to be taking about shale gas seems more foolish than most. For they've decided that it isn't really going to be a solution to the country's energy problems therefore it probably shouldn't go ahead.

But The Independent on Sunday has learned that industry experts made clear at a meeting attended by senior ministers, including David Cameron and Ed Davey, the Lib Dem energy secretary, that the UK's reserves were smaller than first thought and could be uneconomical to extract.
» View full story

 

Globe and Mail

Facebook Flops: Look Out Below! Barron's By ANDREW BARY | MORE ARTICLES BY AUTHOR The most anticipated tech IPO of all time fell flat on Friday, finishing up just 0.6%. If underwriters don't support the stock, Facebook could fall below its offering price. After all the hype and anticipation, ... Facebook stock debut closes near flatGreat Falls Tribune After flat debut Facebook awaits market verdictOutcome Magazine Facebook IPO: Top 5 Reason For Smaller-Than-Expected First-Day PopMobile & Apps Las Vegas Sun -Los Angeles Times -Moneycontrol.com all 13,913 news articles »

» View full story

Telegraph.co.uk

Weaker euro zone nations need more support from core: UK Economic Times LONDON: The euro zone can protect its currency if its stronger countries provide more support for the weaker to help them deal with their problems, British finance minister George Osborne said in a newspaper on Sunday. The future of Europe's 17-country ... The euro is ripe for creative destructionThe Guardian Greeks fearful as euro exit loomsHindustan Times Speculate on Euro? Not a Great IdeaABC News CNBC.com -Bloomberg all 2,497 news articles »

» View full story

USA TODAY

World leaders meet at Camp David USA TODAY British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, President Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy walk down a path at Camp David, Md. Obama held a weekend summit with leaders of the Group of Eight industrial ... Camp David: G-8 Platitudes Don't Solve AnythingForbes At Summit, a Struggle for Consensus on Economic WoesWall Street Journal G8 urges Germany to back Obama growth callSydney Morning Herald BusinessWeek -Reuters -Bloomberg all 3,598 news articles »

» View full story

AFP

Facebook stock limps into Monday AFP By Glenn Chapman (AFP) ? 1 hour ago SAN FRANCISCO ? Facebook resumes trading on Wall Street on Monday with shares being closely watched to see how well they stand on their own after stumbling out of the gate in a historic but lackluster debut. Facebook: How (NOT) to Price and Trade an IPO. Thoughts from a Capital Markets ...Forbes Facebook Gold Rush: Fanfare vs. RealitiesNew York Times Market to watch Facebook's statusNEWS.com.au News24 -Wall Street Journal all 749 news articles »

» View full story

CTV.ca

US banking laws unable to stop JPMorgan loss: Republican Boehner Chicago Tribune WASHINGTON (Reuters) - US banking reforms could not have prevented JPMorgan Chase & Co's trading losses, and those involved in the activities that went awry should be held accountable, US House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said in an ... Discord at Key JPMorgan Unit Is Faulted in LossNew York Times JP Morgan Struggles to Unwind Huge BetsWall Street Journal COLUMN-JPMorgan's whale in a fishpond: John KempReuters Washington Post -Forbes -TheStreet.com all 1,815 news articles »

» View full story

Globe and Mail

Gold rises but falls short of $US1600 Sydney Morning Herald Gold rose more than 1 per cent on Friday, on track for its largest two-day gain since October, boosted by investors' consolidation of positions ahead of the weekend and a stronger euro. The second day of gains helped bolster confidence, which had been ... Gold Rises for Second Day as Dollar WeakensDaily Disruption PRECIOUS METALS: Comex Gold Rebounds To End Wild Week Up 0.5%Wall Street Journal Gold jumps, heads for biggest 2-day gain since OctoberReuters Forbes -MarketWatch -UPI.com all 104 news articles »

» View full story

Bloomberg

Even $3 Trillion Can't Buy China Love or Good PR Bloomberg China's $3.3 trillion of currency reserves are a nice thing to have when you want to polish your image. Even if money can't buy you love, it sure can buy lots of positive buzz. The most-populous nation has been throwing tens of billions of dollars at ... Why China's economy may be heading for a hard landingChristian Science Monitor Beijing cracks down on illegal foreignersTelegraph.co.uk Deleveraging ChinaWall Street Journal msnbc.com -Bradenton Herald all 46 news articles »

» View full story

Los Angeles Times

SJ unemployment rate drops sharply Stockton Record By Reed Fujii San Joaquin County's job market brightened in April as the annual spring surge of farm hiring helped push the unemployment rate down sharply to 15.4 percent from 16.7 percent in March and the April 2011 estimate of 17 percent, ... TN's jobless rate falls for ninth straight monthGreenville News Florida unemployment falls, but so does labor forceSun-Sentinel Butte unemployment rate dropped dramatically in AprilEnterprise-Record Patch.com -Pleasanton Weekly all 1,138 news articles »

» View full story

AFP

China's Wen makes growth 'economic priority' AFP BEIJING ? Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao vowed proactive policies to make growth a bigger priority, as the world's second largest economy showed signs of weakness, state press said on Sunday. Wen made the comments during a visit to central China's Wuhan ... China's Wen Pledges Decisive Action on EconomyWall Street Journal Premier Wen Says China Will Focus on Growth, Xinhua ReportsBloomberg Premier Wen: China to Focus More on GrowthBusinessWeek Washington Post -Reuters India -Taipei Times all 81 news articles »

» View full story

AFP

Crude down, hits biggest 3-wk loss since Aug '11 Reuters | NEW YORK (Reuters) - Crude oil futures fell more than 1 percent on Friday, down for the sixth straight session, as worsening problems in Greece and Spain raised worries of contagion in the euro zone. Oil futures fell on the drumbeat from global stock ... Oil, Hogs Fall; Gold, Natural Gas Rise: Commodities at CloseBloomberg Oil Falls to Six-Month Low on EuropeBusinessWeek Crude Skids for Sixth Straight DayWall Street Journal MarketWatch -ABC News all 726 news articles »

» View full story

From music making to motor manufacturing, UK plc badly needs an active industry policy

As G8 leaders stress the need for growth, it is timely to ask where the jobs of the future will come from and what Britain will do for a living. Part of the answer is right beneath our noses: making things. This is not nostalgia or wishful thinking, but a view of our economy firmly rooted in the future.

In a new Policy Network pamphlet I argue it is time to reject the "declinism" that often colours discussion about manufacturing and resolve to get behind making things. Yes, we make less than we used to, but we still make more than we think. Last week's news about new investment at GM's Ellesmere Port plant is the latest positive announcements on the UK car industry.

But more making things won't happen by itself. It requires government to support it and to pay as much attention to the supply chain ? the ecosystem of manufacturing ? as to eye-catching inward investment announcements. The effect would be good for jobs and exports but, crucially, the benefits would be social and political too.

The loss of making things in recent decades has eroded confidence and triggered political disaffection in some parts of the country. Politicians often make the mistake of thinking the answer to such alienation is to talk about politics differently, or to pursue political reform that will "reconnect". But political disaffection links to economic disaffection, to the sense that too many people have felt written out of our national story.

The task for politics is to shape an economic future in which every part of the country can participate. Making things should be a big part of that. A modern view of this should go well beyond physical products to include music and the creative industries, where Britain is a world leader. These are what Andy Heath, chairman of UK music, calls "the weightless industries".

Why, in the digital age, should our definition of making things only be about what you can see and touch when Britain is so good at things you can't see or touch? Music, computer games, TV formats ? these are making things too. Here are five ideas that could help Britain on that path.

First, equip people to do the jobs needed and boost the image of making things. Too many young people leave school without the skills and qualifications to succeed. Raising school standards to give young people opportunity should be a national passion, especially in areas that have felt left out of our national story. And why should an engineering degree be less valued than a law or accountancy degree? We need to wage a twin battle on standards and challenge the assumption that making things is old-fashioned or smokestack.

Second, remain an open society. Sending out signals that we don't want the brightest students in the world or the highest value workers to come here is a huge mistake. Britain is a creative innovative society because it is an open society. If we cut off the brightest students and high value foreign workers from coming here we will only penalise our economy.

Third, government must play a role. An active industry policy requires the capacity to deliver it. That means a culture change in Whitehall. Departments ought to be thinking about the health of UK plc in everything they do. At the moment the system is not geared to this and changing it requires sustained leadership from the top. Instead of talking about abolishing the Department of Business, our ambition should be for it to become a powerful department of the micro-economy.

Fourth, we have to sort the finance for industry. The dialogue between government and the banks about business lending has become a dialogue of the deaf. If the banking structure won't make available the finance needed for Britain to invest, new entrants and players are needed. A government-backed British investment bank, geared to infrastructure and longterm industrial investment, could make a difference. Such banks exist and operate elsewhere.

Finally, we have to believe this can be done and take more pride in what we already make today. Making things is not only part of our past. It's part of our future too.

? Follow Comment is free on Twitter @commentisfree

» View full story

Michael Cohrs says unfolding eurozone crisis means banks must keep bolstering their strength

Britain's banks are strong enough to withstand any Greek exit from the eurozone but need to keep bolstering their financial strength in the face of the escalating crisis, according to a member of a Bank of England regulatory body.

Michael Cohrs, who is on the committee monitoring financial risks, said the eurozone crisis was unfolding on "an hour by hour" basis and it was difficult to predict where the contagion would end if Greece left the single currency.

In his first interview since joining the Bank's financial policy committee , Cohrs stressed that UK banks were prepared for the Greece crisis but said the committee was on "alert stations". Events unfolding in the eurozone were the reason why the FPC after its quarterly policy meetings had been urging banks to raise more capital.

"British banks are ready for Greece," Cohrs said. "They have thought about their direct exposures to Greece and they have marked them to appropriate levels, their liquidity is strong and they have enough capital to withstand shocks from Greece. If it goes further it's not clear, and that is why we have been encouraging them to raise more capital because nobody knows where it will stop or it won't stop."

A senior banker at Deutsche Bank durinThe Bank of England: Michael Cohrs says UK banks are ready for a Greek exit from the eurozone.g the 2008 crisis, Cohrs said the FPC had met within the last week to discuss, among other matters, the eurozone which the Bank's governor, Sir Mervyn King, said last week was "tearing itself apart".

An American resident in the UK for 25 years with dual nationality, Cohrs said scenarios being tested fell short of a break up of the euro area. In December the FPC issued a demand for banks to raise fresh capital and in March to step up their efforts to "ensure resilience in the fact of prospective risks".

"I really want to hammer home this point, it was why were urging British financial institution to prepare themselves and strengthen their capital," he said.

Cohrs is an external member of the FPC which is a key tool in the regulatory framework being designed by the coalition government to tear up the Financial Services Authority and hand more powers to the Bank. Its job is to seek out and eradicate systemic risks in the financial system ? tackling the criticism of the previous regulatory regime during the 2008 crisis. Cohrs also sits on the court of the Bank of England, akin to a board of directors.

He said the eurozone crisis was unfolding "hour by hour, day by day at this point and I think it will be [like this] until 17 June" when Greeks go to the polls again.

He was at the helm of the UK arm of Deutsche Bank when Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008 and sees the eurozone situation as different. For a start it is not unfolding in the 72 hours it took for the Wall Street firm to collapse in September 2008. "This is not as complex as Lehman Brothers in the sense that Lehman happened quite quickly. Greece has been unfolding before us for a long time and all of the bright minds have been thinking about this," he said.

Financial products related to Greece are now pricing in a default and financial institutions have written down the value of their holdings, which gives him some comfort. "There is some reason to believe this will not be like Lehman, but if you think back to all the events after Lehman there were so many we didn't expect that there could be a couple of surprises here".

Within days of Lehman collapsing, HBOS was rescued by Lloyds and America had to take action to help major financial institutions.

"Every time we hope that things are getting better something happens on the continent that makes us realise that we simply have to continue to be at alert stations," said Cohrs.

» View full story

After inconclusive discussions, leaders issue communique saying 'the right measures are not the same for each of us'

Angela Merkel has declined to shift position on fresh measures to stimulate demand in the euro area, including the idea of eurobonds, leaving other EU countries hoping she will adopt a more conciliatory mood when the EU heads of government meet on Wednesday for the next round of discussions.

Barack Obama left the German chancellor in no doubt that he would like to see her adopt a less confrontational stance towards the Greek government, during a heated two-hour discussion at the G8 summit at Camp David, outside Washington.

Obama, facing a presidential election in November, cannot afford US jobless numbers to rise this autumn, a serious possibility if there is no return of confidence in Europe. He is said to understand the necessity for the Greeks to undertake spending cuts, but stressed the same austerity approach across Europe would simply lead to recession.

Following the discussion on Saturday, the G8 issued a communique that tried to reference all positions, including the right of the G8 to discuss the state of the European economy.

The communique pointedly asserted that "the right measures are not the same for each of us", and committed the G8 to "take all necessary steps" to strengthen their economies. It said they wanted to keep Greece in the eurozone and vowed to work to promote growth in Europe, although behind the scenes distinct differences remained over what kinds of stimulus policies to pursue.

"Our imperative," the leaders said in their statement, "is to promote growth and jobs." The next test will come when the markets reopen and give their response to what have been inconclusive discussions.

British officials said it was absurd that at one point Merkel seemed to want to remove most references to the eurozone crisis from the communique.

David Cameron tried to act as conciliator between the positions of the Germans, French and Italians. He said he understood the desire of Mario Monti, the Italian prime minister, to see more structural reform to boost competitiveness. He said he could acknowledge the emphasis on growth advanced by Franįois Hollande, the French president, with his proposal for Project Bonds, a form of capital investment. He also agreed with Merkel that the peripheral countries such as Greece need to take decisive action to address deficits.

Cameron is keen to see Germany and the European Central Bank do more to accept the mutualisation of euro sovereign debt through eurobonds, but recognises that this would require the German taxpayer to carry a heavier burden at a time when Merkel is already being trounced in the polls by voters angry at the extent to which Germany is taking on the bulk of the cost of the euro crisis. Merkel faces elections herself next year.

It is understood that Cameron regarded the quality of the discussion as one of the best he had heard from European leaders for more than a year, even if it produced little tangible in the short term.

» View full story

Rather than help enhance democracy and reduce corruption, following western advice on privatisation does the exact opposite

I wonder if David Cameron spent any time in eastern Europe in the 1990s.

Judging from his recent remarks about the Arab spring and international aid, the British prime minister seems to believe that having a more "open" and "free", ie privately owned, economy is the key to both economic development and a successful transition from one-party rule.

The evidence from the former communist countries gives lie to that neoliberal viewpoint. In a recent study entitled Mass Privatisation, State Capacity, and Economic Growth in Post-Communist Countries, published in American Sociological Review, sociologists from the universities of Cambridge and Harvard claim to have established a "direct link" between the mass privatisation programmes followed by around half the countries of the region ? enthusiastically urged upon them by western economists and western financial institutions ? and the "economic failure and corruption that followed". The more closely the countries followed western advice, and the more they privatised, the worse things became.

The study is at sharp variance with the dominant neoliberal narrative, which portrays the ex-communist states as thriving after they sold off their industries and "liberalised" their economies after the end of one-party rule. Its findings won't though come as too much of a surprise to the citizens of the countries concerned, who suffered enormous hardship as their economies were made more "open".

The level of economic output crashed throughout the region (the average fall in GDP in was nearly 30% in the early 1990s) as eastern Europe suffered a slump far worse than the Great Depression experienced by the US and the UK 60 years earlier, but which the Hollywood film industry or western writers have up to now shown little interest in covering. Millions of workers lost their jobs as state-owned enterprises were privatised. The price of basic essentials rocketed as price controls were lifted and utilities were taken over by the private sector. Governments lost valuable revenue from publicly owned enterprises and state bankruptcy ensued. "We argue that a post-socialist country's choice to rapidly privatise its enterprise holdings immediately reduced that state's financial capacity, due to high budgetary dependence on the earnings of state-owned firms," say the authors of the Cambridge/Harvard report.

Having wreaked such havoc in eastern Europe in the 1990s, the west's neoliberal elite now have the Arab world in their sights. "Western development banks are now lining up to re-enter Egypt or in the case of the EBRD [European Bank of Reconstruction and Development], to enter Egypt and other north African countries in a highly ambitious extension of its founding mandate that saw it focusing purely on the central and eastern European states since its founding in 1991," reports the organisation Bankwatch, which monitors the work of European lending organisations.

Although it does concede that privatisation may have been pushed through too quickly in the past, the EBRD is still singing from the same "free market" hymn sheet of 20 years ago. "The most pressing economic problem for many of the Arab spring countries and the region is that it has been unable to develop a private sector that is independent, competitive and integrated with global markets," writes the bank's president, Thomas Mirow.

"The state is the dominating force in the economy," Mirow complains, adding: "We will be working hard to remedy that, just as we have done in the former communist world." Last month, the EBRD president visited Tunisia, the country that kickstarted the "Arab spring", and declared: "We are aware of the needs of countries in transition and we can offer our expertise and our 'know-how' to Tunisia." Watch out Tunisia, is all I can say.

The neoliberal belief ? pushed by both the EBRD and David Cameron ? that reducing levels of state ownership in the economy is an essential part of democratic reform and that "free markets" and "free societies" go together is as flawed as the view that "structural adjustment" helps economic development. Chile, under Augusto Pinochet, saw its economy "liberalised", to the approval of Milton Friedman and the Chicago School, yet political freedoms there were greatly curtailed.

By contrast, Norway, criticised by the World Trade Organisation in 2004 for its high level of state-ownership in the economy, is a model democracy, as well as having one of the highest standards of living in the world. Rather than helping to enhance democracy and reduce corruption, privatisation does the opposite. It allows a small group of people to become enormously wealthy and powerful ? just think of the emergence of the oligarchs in Russia in the 1990s ? while making the majority poorer. As an economy is "liberalised", political power is effectively transferred from the ballot box to the wallet ? does anyone think that in Britain in the current neoliberal era, our main political parties are more amenable to public opinion than they were in period 1945-79, when a large section of the economy was in public ownership?

It is of course good news that Burma and several Arab countries are moving away from systems where one party kept a monopoly on power. But let's not be fooled into thinking that moving towards an "open" economy which is "integrated with global markets" is part of the democratisation process, or that large scale privatisation will mean anything but hardship for ordinary people.

? Follow Comment is free on Twitter @commentisfree

» View full story

Justice secretary says Greece has to 'face up to reality' while Ed Balls warns of catastrophe if Germany doesn't 'change course'

Greece will face a disastrous future in which it will default on its debts and may be forced to leave the euro if it votes for "cranky extremists" in next month's general election, Ken Clarke has warned.

In one of the starkest warnings by a British cabinet minister of the dangers posed by the Greek crisis, the justice secretary also said Britain was "heavily exposed" to banks in the eurozone.

Earlier Ed Balls warned of a "catastrophe" for Britain and the eurozone unless Germany allowed a relaxation of the tough austerity programme.

"Somebody has got to persuade Germany that this is a catastrophe for Britain, Europe and the world and that Germany has got to change course," the shadow chancellor said on Sky News's Murnaghan programme.

On the same programme, Clarke dismissed as "ludicrous" any suggestions ? which he attributed to Balls ? that growth measures should be funded by more borrowing. Greece would have to abide by the terms of its bailout programme agreed with other eurozone leaders, Clarke said.

"The Greek voters have really got to face up to reality. It is very, very difficult for them, they are having a terrible time, these are hardships inflicted on them by the irresponsibility of their old politicians. But they cannot just vote for saying: 'Could people just carry on giving us some money so we do not have to change anything.'"

Clarke warned: "If they get a hopeless lot of cranky extremists elected at the next election then they will default on their debt and everybody says they will leave the euro ? actually that's quite likely but it doesn't necessarily follow, but they'll default on their debt."

The justice secretary did not define what he meant by "cranky extremists". Alexis Tsipras, leader of the radical left Syriza party, is demanding a renegotiation of Greece's bailout package but remains committed to Greek membership of the euro.

Clarke said a Greek default would have serious consequences, including in Britain. "The problem then is for the Greeks that will be disastrous, they will encounter real poverty I think. No one knows exactly what will happen in the rest of Europe but the banking system is in tatters, it's weak in very many places. We don't know what the knock-on effects could be, they could be very serious and of course people will start barking at the door of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Spain; and here in Britain our banks are heavily exposed to some of these countries.

"It is the unknown that everybody fears and once the markets fear the unknown you get into terrible turmoil."

Clarke, who is the most pro-European Tory in the cabinet, dismissed the views of eurosceptic Conservatives who say Britain should not be supporting the eurozone bailout through the IMF. He said: "Britain has got to be part of the international effort and we've also supported the IMF. It is utterly ludicrous that the British do not take part, and the Japanese and Chinese and these other major economic powers, in actually using the IMF for what we've always said it's for, which is supporting these things."

Balls said a disorderly Greek exit from the euro would cause huge damage to the world economy. But he said the eurozone bailout for Greece and the wider deficit reduction measures across Europe, including in Britain, were choking off growth and turning recession into depression in Greece.

"It ended up with Merkel, Sarkozy and Cameron ? this Camerkozy economics ? all agreeing austerity would work," Balls said. "They tried to persuade Germany, they failed and thought, well, for a quiet life we'll go along with it.

"I think David Cameron was always a believer ? Somebody has got to persuade Germany that this is a catastrophe for Britain, Europe and the world and that Germany has got to change course. The problem is, the German people went into the eurozone 10 years ago on the clear promise that they weren't going to bail out Italy and the central bank wasn't going to play this role. Both things have got to change."

» View full story

The realistic options for the euro are that it breaks up or staggers on in a zombie-like condition

The spectre of Lehman Brothers looms large in the world's financial markets. Memories of the chaotic days of September 2008 came flooding back as Alistair Darling appeared on TV amid reports of capital flight and bank runs.

Forget the idea that Europe's policymakers are better prepared this time than they were back then. Take with a pinch of salt the idea that they have a big enough war chest to cope with the consequences of a Greek exit from the single currency. The much-vaunted firewall is a Maginot line.

Events have moved quickly since the French and Greek elections a fortnight ago. Greek departure from the eurozone is now pretty much priced in by the markets, with the focus of attention on how bad the collateral damage will be. Expect the worst. Last week, pressure was mounting on Spain and its troubled banks. The idea that the European leaders who have been like rabbits in the headlight for the past two years can mastermind a clean break for Greece is utterly fanciful. The crisis will be messy, painful, prolonged and probably terminal.

Even now, there is a failure or an unwillingness to grasp a basic truth about the single currency: it doesn't work. Monetary unions only succeed if there is economic flexibility, financial solidarity and cultural homogeneity. If those three factors are in place, as they are in the United States, there is a chance that a common interest rate and a single currency can encourage economic convergence, up to a point. Europe's problem is that it has none of these things. Countries such as Greece cannot become German overnight. The European Union lacks the resources to help poorer nations adjust. Most crucially of all, the crisis has exposed the fact there is no sense of common purpose beyond a desire to ensure the "project" continues.

The survival plan, such as it is, involves countries embarking on a long process of structural reform to make them more competitive, a fiscal pact to ensure that governments live within their means, and perhaps a bit of extra pan-European infrastructure spending to satisfy voter demands to soften the impact of austerity.

There is little prospect of this blueprint working. Take Ireland, one of the three countries subject to harsh bailout terms. Does it have a competitiveness problem? As Dhaval Joshi of BCA Research notes, Ireland accounts for 0.3% of global GDP yet accounts for 3% of world trade in services and 6% of trade in pharmaceuticals. Ireland ranks third in the world for foreign direct investment, on which the return is 17%, compared with 6% in Germany. "As a trading economy in key sectors, Ireland is punching 10 or 20 times above its weight. This is hardly a sign of an economy that needs to become more competitive," Joshi says.

Nor would the proposed fiscal pact, on which Ireland votes in a referendum later this month, have prevented the crisis that has reduced GDP by 15% and prompted a fresh exodus of the young and talented. Ireland, like Spain, had healthy public finances in the years before the crisis broke. The problem in both countries was not too much public debt but too much private debt. The reason there was too much private debt was that borrowing was too cheap in economies that were growing fast and at risk of overheating. And the reason borrowing was too cheap was that Ireland and Spain had given up the right to set their own interest rates and were subject to the one-size-fits-all dictates of monetary union.

To their immense credit, this fundamental flaw was recognised by Gordon Brown and Ed Balls, which was why they resisted the siren voices of those who pressed hard for Britain to join the single currency. All the UK's worst economic tendencies ? speculation, housing bubbles, the live-now-pay-later mentality ? would have been amplified by euro membership and the result would have been an even bigger crash than the one suffered between 2007 and 2009, a bigger budget deficit and an austerity programme imposed not by David Cameron but by Angela Merkel.

It was not fashionable to voice these fears a decade or so ago, when the euro was seen as exciting and cutting-edge. The irony is that monetary union was really the last gasp of the mid-20th-century vision of economics: top down, bureaucratic and based on the notion of western economic hegemony.

Despite this monetary chaos, there are still some in Brussels or Frankfurt who argue that the euro has been a success and will go from strength to strength. They sound suspiciously like the members of the politburo who in the 1980s said the Soviet Union was working and would last for ever. The undoubted political commitment to the euro means that there are now calls for a fast-track approach to full political union, but this means repeating the top-down approach used for monetary union and ? at a time when the markets are talking about a Greek exit within weeks or months ? would take years to finesse.

Instead, the realistic options for the euro are that it breaks up or staggers on in a zombie-like condition, with low growth, high unemployment, growing public disenchantment and widely divergent views in Europe's capitals about what needs to be done. As a company, the euro would have gone bust by now. It had a duff business plan, which has been poorly executed. The experiment survived in the benign conditions of the early 2000s but only the core business, Germany, has been able to cope with the much tougher climate of the past five years. There is boardroom squabbling, the workforce is in open revolt and there are no new product lines.

The euro, in short, is ripe for what Joseph Schumpeter called creative destruction. Capitalism, according to Schumpeter, was the story of constant, normally gut-wrenching change, in which innovation put established firms out of business and made whole sectors obsolete. Anybody working in the music industry, publishing or newspapers in the past decade understands what Schumpeter was talking about.

Does Schumpeterian theory apply to the eurozone? In a way, it does. The centre of gravity in the global economy has moved from Europe, which looks old-fashioned and lumbering in a world of rapid innovation and loose networks. Tweaking the flawed model in the way Franįois Hollande is suggesting will not do the trick. The only real solution is to rip up the blueprint and start again with the small group of countries that could hack it together. Making the eurozone work is like finding a long-term business model for HMV or Thomas Cook. Like them, monetary union is the past, not the future, an analogue construct in a digital world.

» View full story

Mary Beith, who died last weekend aged 73, was responsible for one of the most memorable newspaper front pages in the history of popular journalism.

She was the undercover reporter who took pictures of dogs being forced to inhale cigarette smoke, resulting in an iconic 1975 People splash: "The smoking beagles."

The animals were being used in an experiment to test a new (allegedly) "safe" cigarette.

The story behind the story was a classic example of investigative journalism - a mixture of determination, chutzpah, good luck and comedy.

Beith, then working for The People in Manchester, was asked by its investigations supremo, Laurie Manifold, to see if she could obtain a job in an ICI animal-testing laboratory.

She chose the Macclesfield lab for the simple reason that it was close to her home and, in spite of lacking insurance cards, managed to land the job.

Part of her work involved trussing the dogs into fabric slings, essentially straitjackets.

"Their heads were restrained by locking boards in place like medieval stocks," she later wrote.

"The dogs were then lifted on to trolleys to the smoking platforms and the masks, valves and tubes were fixed to their faces."

Some of the 48 beagles used in the experiment were expected to smoke as many as 30 cigarettes in a day.

Beith was equipped with a spy-style camera and snapped a number of shots of the chain-smoking beagles. But when she took the film back to the office the dark room staff laughed at her efforts.

One told her: "The next time you take pics of those beagles, Mary, please be sure to take your finger off the lens!"

"It was a very small camera," she told me in an a couple of years ago.

So the following day she went back to the lab and got the shot that you can see above, the one that shocked People readers.

In all, Beith spent seven days at the lab in the summer of 1974. But, she said, "the paper then sat on the story for around six months."

It caused a sensation when it was finally published in 1975 and Beith won an award as campaigning journalist of the year.

Though this was her best-known exposé by far, Beith carried out many other investigations, including the abuse of the elderly in psychiatric institutions. Her daughter, Alison, remembered her mother dressing in a nurse's uniform for that assignment. She was also sent on several assignments to Northern Ireland.

Mary Beith was born in 1938 in London. Her father, Freddie, spent some years as a journalist before he became a civil servant.

She went to boarding school in Surrey and was briefly a teacher before taking a journalism course and initially working for the Bournemouth Times. While there she met and married a Bournemouth Echo reporter, Roger Scott. They later had three children.

After moving to Macclesfield, she took a reporting job with The People at its Manchester office.

In the late 1970s, following the break-up of her marriage, she moved to Glasgow and joined the Sunday Mail.

She then moved to the Highlands and began freelancing, mainly for The Scotsman, and much of her work was concentrated on archaeology and botany.

She eventually settled in Sutherland, at the mouth of the Kyle of Tongue, and in 1989 started to write a fortnightly column for the West Highland Free Press, mainly on the history of Gaelic medicine.

It led to he writing a book Healing Threads, Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands. She became immersed in Gaelic education and also wrote a couple of children's books. One, The Magic Apple Tree, was published in Gaelic.

In view of the smoking beagles story it was perhaps, ironic that she was an habitual smoker throughout her life. Diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer, she managed to outlive the doctors' original prognosis.

She is survived by her children - Alison, Andrew and Fiona - and eight grandchildren.

Mary Beith, journalist. Born 22 May 1938, in London. Died 13 May 2012, in Sutherland, Scotland

Sources: The Scotsman/The Herald/Personal communications Hat tip: allmedia Scotland

» View full story

The meeting at Camp David wrapped up on Saturday, but it was not all hard work for the leaders. There was time for birthday cake, and the leaders watched the Bayern Munich v Chelsea final together

» View full story

An unlikely partnership between Medway's Citizens Advice and payday lender Wonga aims to discover more about consumer borrowing

A Citizens Advice bureau is joining forces with the payday lender Wonga to research the finances and borrowing experiences of consumers.

The controversial and high-profile lender is providing technological support and paying for Citizens Advice employees in the Medway area of Kent to be trained by a professional research company to question between 6,000 and 10,000 people about their employment, income status and debts.

The partnership will seem strange to those who have followed the debate about the dubious business methods of some payday lenders and the extremely high charges on their loans. Wonga has been criticised for charging interest rates of 4,214% APR.

Dan McDonald, chief executive of the Medway bureau, said his organisation had formed a relationship with Wonga after the Observer published an article about a client's problems in repaying a loan. The relationship had helped advisers deal with clients' problems more effectively and both organisations hoped the research would be influential in forming government strategy on lending in the UK.

"In 2010, 12,000 clients came to see us with an average unsecured debt of Ģ18,000. Last year the average debt of the 36,000 clients coming in to see us was Ģ43,000. Over the next 18 months, things are going to get worse: this will give us a clear picture of what is going on," he said.

Henry Raine, head of regulatory and public affairs for Wonga, said he anticipated that some of those being surveyed would have problems with Wonga loans, but he added: "At least this will give us a chance to help sort their problems out."

A survey by Which? found that almost two-thirds of people who took out expensive payday loans have used the money to pay household bills or buy essentials such as food, nappies and petrol. But while payday lenders say the loans help people ease through tricky points of the month, the research indicates many become trapped in a spiral of debt because they cannot afford to repay their loans by the agreed date, and so incur exorbitant penalty charges.

? Have you had problems repaying any kind of credit or debt? Please tell us about your experience ? email jill.insley@guardian.co.uk

» View full story

Women often try to use self-deprecating humour to get their colleagues on-side but it raises few laughs

Humour is a staple part of any boardroom discussion, as viewers of the BBC's The Apprentice will know. But research reveals that, while men benefit from the use of well-judged banter, the brand of humour used by leading businesswomen often leads to awkward silences and could be undermining their careers.

The claim is made by linguistics expert Dr Judith Baxter, who undertook an 18-month study into the speech patterns of men and women at meetings in seven big companies, including two in the FTSE 100. An analysis of the 600,000 words used during 14 meetings, seven led by a woman and seven by a man, found sharp differences between the use of humour by men and women in the boardroom ? and how the jokes are received. Baxter discovered that the majority of male humour (80%) in business meetings takes the form of flippant, off-the-cuff witticisms or banter. About 90% of it receives an instant, positive response, usually as laughter.

Yet most female humour during the course of a meeting is self-deprecatory (70%) and more often than not (at least 80%) is received in silence, according to Baxter. Perhaps because of the poor reception accorded to women who used humour, men were also three times more likely to use jokes to lighten the mood in meetings they were leading.

Baxter, who is due to carry out further experiments on sex differences for a programme to be aired on BBC2 in September, said she believed the culture of male-dominated boardrooms was a challenge to women. She said: "My research has shown that male managers use humour to demonstrate and display their leadership of a team. Their male subordinates will also use 'display' humour to impress a male boss, because it shows they are on the same wavelength. It is part of leadership 'tribe' behaviour which women find hard to join. When women managers use humour it can misfire. This is partly because it is less culturally acceptable for women to use humour and partly because women haven't traditionally been part of the leadership tribe. It is not that women are less funny: they tend to use humour differently. They are more comfortable with using humour in pairs with a friend and less as a means to manage people. When they do, their humour can appear arch, contrived, defensive or occasionally, just mean.

"One type of humour women leaders do use more than men is self-deprecating humour? Women would rather laugh at themselves on the whole than laugh at others because it is the safe option.

"What should senior women do about it? They should learn to develop the running gag or light, teasing banter with male and female colleagues at appropriate moments such as the beginning and ends of meetings, passing in the corridor, or while making a cup of tea."

Hilary Devey, one of the business leaders on the BBC programme Dragons' Den, who made her name in the haulage industry, said she recognised some of Baxter's findings in her own career but believed humour based around self-deprecation could be a powerful tool. "The humour that I first encountered in the haulage sector was earthy and often confrontational, but by either giving as good as I got, or indulging in self-deprecation, it actually made people take me more seriously: breaking the tension before actually getting down to the real matters in hand. I once read that the British use the word 'sorry' in conversation in over 30 different ways that have absolutely nothing to do with apologising, and so too with self-deprecation: all is not quite what it seems."

Devey added: "Don't get me wrong, some people put themselves down all the time, and this goes beyond humour ? they are just racked with self-doubt and probably need to pull themselves together and stop being so needy. However, for most British people, the key weapon in their arsenal of wit is that of self-deprecation: it is unexpected, punctures pomposity, shows humanity, and can often give you the upper hand as a result."

Lynne Parker, who organises the Funny Women awards, runs workshops for women in business to give them confidence to use humour in their working day. She said: "The qualities men are supposed to have, we cannot. We are supposed to be submissive. Women are often frightened to use humour and can come across as austere and humourless. I am not expecting women to go into boardrooms to tell one-liners but it is all about timing, knowing when it is appropriate. Good comedians are very cognisant of their environment ? it is about everyday life and what is going on about them. And whether you are a man or woman you should be aware of that in the boardroom."

Baxter, author of the study, added: "I am not saying somehow women are deficient. But culturally there are fewer role models out there for funny women too. There are a few, obviously ? Ruby Wax, Sarah Millican is a new one that has popped up, and French and Saunders, for example ? but if you compare that to male comedians there are hundreds more people can think of."

» View full story

The banking giant's $2 billion loss has many lawmakers and economists wondering what happened to the 2010 financial overhaul, which was supposed to prevent risky hedging. Many are also looking back further ? to a Depression-era law, repealed in 1999, that separated commercial and investment bank activities.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Facebook's culture and the nature of its business will inevitably change after it goes public. Its finances will be much more open to scrutiny. NPR's Steve Henn tells host Scott Simon that because founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg owns so much of Facebook's stock, he will continue to have significant autonomy from Wall Street's demands.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Early investors like investment banks and venture capitalists already own shares of Facebook. Some are even starting to sell. Now small investors get their chance to buy with Friday's IPO. NPR's Sonari Glinton checks in with a few of them on the first day of trading.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

With an initial market capitalization of more than $100 billion, Facebook could have a distorting effect on some mutual funds, at least in the short term.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

An oil boom in the American heartland has created an oil glut in the middle of the country. Now, a pipeline that has been pumping crude oil from Texas to the Midwest will reverse its flow, reducing the bottleneck ? and potentially creating winners and losers at the pump.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

With 7 billion people expected to live in urban centers by 2050, the stakes are enormous for building them right. There are many things to think about ? traffic, trash, water, connectivity and more. Whether you're a new mega city being built in Saudi Arabia or old Liverpool trying to rejuvenate yourself, you face a lot of the same issues. Hundreds of mayors, private sector actors, think tanks and citizens groups convened in Paris this week to share ideas.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Robert Siegel talks to Monica Langley of the Wall Street Journal about her piece, "Inside J.P. Morgan's Blunder." She investigated what went on behind the scenes as the bank faced billions of dollars in losses through failed investments.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

Investors snapped up Facebook shares on a much hyped and tumultuous first day of trading. Mark Zuckerberg got it all started by ringing the opening bell for Nasdaq. Then a glitch delayed trading by half an hour. The IPO put Facebook's market value at over $100 billion ? more than McDonald's or Amazon.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

A TED Talk challenging conventional wisdom that rich entrepreneurs are the number one job creators is now available for public viewing, after TED organizers originally kept the video private because it was too "explicitly partisan."

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

JPMorgan Chase says it lost billions of dollars trading "synthetic derivatives." Do these complex Wall Street transactions ever do anything to help average people? To answer that question, we consider the case of an imaginary company, Chickens LLC, that is looking to grow.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

» View full story

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Normally a big decline would set up Wall Street for a technical rebound. But that may not be the case this week, even after the market posted its worst weekly loss for the year and the S&P fell for six straight sessions.


» View full story

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The chiefs of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd are used to running the show at their global tech empires, but they will be in for a different experience when they arrive at a San Francisco federal courthouse on Monday.


» View full story

BERLIN (Reuters) - A record-breaking pay deal will give millions of German workers their biggest rise in wages in two decades, boost consumption in Europe's biggest economy and help towards adjusting the regional imbalances that have caused severe tensions within the euro zone, analysts said on Sunday.


» View full story

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. banking reforms could not have prevented JPMorgan Chase & Co's trading losses, and those involved in the activities that went awry should be held accountable, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said in an interview aired on Sunday.


» View full story

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro zone can protect its currency if its stronger countries provide more support for the weaker to help them deal with their problems, British finance minister George Osborne said in a newspaper on Sunday.


» View full story

(Reuters) - Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wed longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan on Saturday, announcing the nuptials through a status update on the social networking site.


» View full story

BEIJING (Reuters) - Thirty of China's biggest state-owned businesses have signed contracts worth about 350 billion yuan ($55.3 billion) with the southwestern municipality Chongqing, Chinese media reported on Sunday, in a sign of Beijing's determination to bolster confidence in the city formerly run by ousted leader Bo Xilai.


» View full story

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's premier called for additional efforts to support growth on Sunday, signaling Beijing's willingness to take action after a recent series of economic indicators suggested that the world's second-biggest economy will slow further in the second quarter.


» View full story

(Reuters) - Google said on Saturday that Chinese authorities have approved its $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility Holdings, the last regulatory hurdle to a deal that would allow the world's No. 1 Internet search engine to develop its own line of smart phones.


» View full story

(Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp said on Saturday it had negotiated new contracts with two smaller unions at its Fort Worth, Texas plant, even as a strike by the larger machinists union stretched into a fifth week.


» View full story

» View full story

» View full story

How to Profit from the World's Sweet Tooth

» View full story

Can the social-networking top dog conquer the world?

» View full story

Verizon wants a world of sharers. That's a threat and an opportunity for Apple.

» View full story

The tech giant's in a rut. Check out a few reasons that's not likely to last.

» View full story

» View full story

The footwear maker is fined $40 million for false advertising of its toning shoes.

» View full story

» View full story

Rumor has it, iPhones are about to get bigger.

» View full story

World leaders have gathered this weekend for the G-8 summit. Here’s a portion of my recent interview with Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group and author of “Every Nation for Itself: Winners and Losers in a G-Zero World.” Read more: G-8 or G-Zero? Why the West No Longer Sets the Global Agenda
» View full story

Hey! Where is everyone? I headed to Nasdaq headquarters in Times Square, ground zero of the biggest high tech stock offering ever, where Facebook would be welcomed into the arms of the investing public. And all I found was a bunch of CNBC cameras. One block south, the corners at the intersection of the world were [...]
» View full story

WASHINGTON? Unemployment rates fell in two-thirds of U.S. states last month, evidence that modest economic growth is boosting hiring in most areas of the country. And in many states, unemployment has fallen well below the national average, which was 8.1 percent last month. Rates were lower than 7 percent in 22 states in April. That [...]
» View full story

Social media has unnerved businesses and given consumers unprecedented power by letting them take complaints straight to the internet, where they can be read by anyone before a business can even see and respond. But this brave new world of social media can also benefit your business. It lets you see what customers think about [...]
» View full story

It?s tough to tell when an internet phenomenon reaches actual meme status. But, in the case of the ?creepy finance guy,? I think we can finally call it. This week saw yet another jaw-dropping tale of Wall Street prattishness, this time in the form of a post-date survey. Yep, a finance dude went on a [...]
» View full story

Facebook’s public debut — the largest tech IPO in history — performed below expectations Friday, jumping 13% to hit $43 just minutes after trading began, only to retreat quickly to the initial offering price of $38. At that point, the IPO underwriters, including the largest banks on Wall Street, stepped in and waged a buying-battle to support [...]
» View full story

BEIJING  ? China‘s government on Friday rejected a U.S. antidumping ruling against its makers of solar power equipment and Chinese manufacturers warned possible higher tariffs might hurt efforts to promote clean energy. The conflict has worsened U.S.-Chinese trade tensions. The two governments have pledged to cooperate in developing renewable energy but accuse each other of [...]
» View full story

Do you have thousands of messages in your inbox, and receive hundreds more every day? Welcome to the club. Instead of being overwhelmed by email, take these steps to regain control: Turn off the spigot. Unsubscribe to irrelevant e-newsletters and turn off Facebook or Twitter notifications. Consider whether colleagues are copying you on too many emails. [...]
» View full story

alue My Stuff removes apprehension by letting clients submit details about an objet d'art electronically. They buy credits in increments of one, three or 10, with each credit good for a single appraisal. Then they submit photos and any details they know about the item, and wait 48 hours for an appraisal that typically includes the value of the piece, its provenance and details about how certain traits or flaws affect its worth for better or worse.
» View full story

Their slogan is ?ideas worth spreading.? But the folks at TED ? the Technology Entertainment and Design nonprofit behind the TED Talks, beloved by geeks and others interested in novel new ideas ? evidently think that some ideas are better left unspread. At least when the ideas in question challenge the conventional wisdom that rich [...]
» View full story

The failure of Americans Elect to nominate a candidate for president speaks to the enormous difficulties of running an independent bid for president. http://digg.com/news/story/americans_elect_and_the_death_of_the_third_party_movement
» View full story

 

Employees at Dublin?s Facebook European headquarters stand to gain six-figure windfalls after the company went public on Friday. http://digg.com/news/business/400_irish_facebook_staff_set_for_windfall_as_stocks_go_public_video
» View full story

 

According to a report, Apple gets hugely preferential leases just to open its stores in certain cities and locations. Why is anyone surprised? Read this blog post by Chris Matyszczyk on Technically Incorrect.
» View full story

A fourth senior Mexican officer is detained as part of an investigation into links between the army and drug trafficking cartels.
» View full story

Flame retardants illuminate everything that?s wrong with our money-driven politics. http://digg.com/news/politics/are_you_safe_on_that_sofa
» View full story

 

E-mails, eBooks. and e-cigarettes. Now e-bikes? According to a recent press release from Audi, the automobile makers will be displaying the prototype for a new bicycle that?s part traditional cycle, part digital machine ? the Audi e-bike Wörthersee. ?The Audi e-bike Wörthersee puts in its first major appearance at this year?s Wörthersee Tour, the 31st meet for Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda fans; trial biker Julien Dupont and downhill specialist Petra Bernhard will demonstrate their stunts and streetbike skills.?
» View full story

Meet the petite piglets of Pennywell Farm. They might be mini porkers but this collection of micro pigs sure are mighty cute. http://digg.com/news/offbeat/bet_they_like_p_i_g_tips_the_pocket_piglet_who_can_fit_inside_a_teacup
» View full story

 

Who plans a wedding the day after taking their $100 billion company public? The same guy who wears hoodies in board meetings. Thankfully, he wore a suit to the wedding. http://digg.com/news/business/busy_weekend_for_zuckerberg_as_he_gets_married_after_ipo
» View full story

 

Augmented reality, which bridges the divide between virtual and physical worlds, has crossed into a new frontier: print media. Penguin Books recently unveiled a surprising partnership with Zappar App, an augmented reality entertainment channel, to bring four novels from the English Library to... http://digg.com/news/story/2_d_books_are_over_augmented_reality_breathes_new_life_into_the_classics
» View full story

 

You know what they say about a rising tide lifting all the boats. Well, the same goes for a waning tide. As Facebook stock dips lower and lower in early trading, other new tech stocks are also taking a beating. http://digg.com/news/story/amid_unexpected_facebook_slump_other_tech_stocks_sink
» View full story

 

Furled by 46 members.
» View full story

Furled by 42 members.
» View full story

Furled by 41 members.
» View full story

Furled by 40 members.
» View full story

Furled by 38 members.
» View full story

Furled by 36 members.
» View full story

Furled by 21 members.
» View full story

Furled by 21 members.
» View full story

Furled by 20 members.
» View full story

Furled by 17 members.
» View full story

<p>My son is engaged to be married and we need to find the perfect song to dance to at his wedding.<br /> <br /> I have created this interactive lens in hopes that you can help us, and in turn help others, find the <b>best mother-son...
» View full story

<p>Whether you like classic style, fashion chic or funky function, there IS a perfect laptop bag for you. These are the laptop bags I've tested as well as links to some other laptop cases, sleeves, briefcases and totes that I like.</p>» View full story

 

Welcome to Twitterapps! - I have 275 Twitter applications at the moment

Twitter applications can be called by different names. They are sometimes called as "twitter tools", "twitter add-ons" and the likes. But whatever the name they...
» View full story

<p>
The only HDTV guide you'll need, updated for 2012: all of the "need to know" information about LCD, LED, Plasma & 3D TV technology that should be understood before making that final decision...presented in an easily digestible...
» View full story

<p><b>Lowering your blood sugar</b> is important to avoid pre-diabetes, diabetes, insulin resistance and overweight issues. <b>Lowering your blood sugar naturally</b> keeps your health vital and strong.<br /> <br...
» View full story

Jon Stewart invites a lot of authors, moviestars and other folks to pitch their books and movies on <em>The Daily Show with Jon Stewart</em>. But do you think you could find a simple list of them and links to Amazon on the Internet? No. Well,...
» View full story

"I don't trust books. They're all fact, no heart." says Stephen Colbert. Now, while this may be true, Stephen has a lot of authors on his show who have written books that I want to read. So here's a list from the current season (2012).

You...
» View full story

<p style="text-align: justify; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 20px; padding-right: 20px; font-size: 16px">Having a football themed party? Then football Cakes and Cupcakes are just what you need. They are great for birth...
» View full story

Vote for your favorite series here, add it to the top list, or simply find good anime to watch. You can even grab the whole thing as an RSS feed or a widget for your blog. Most popular <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://game-preorders.com/anime.php">anime</a>...
» View full story

An internet phenomenon or a meme is an image, video, phrase or simply an idea that spreads from one person to another seemingly for no logical reason at all. When people see a meme, no matter how silly it usually is, they find it amusing for one reas...
» View full story

In this episode of Jerseylicious, Anthony learns all about buying and selling quality wigs.

In this episode of Jerseylicious, Anthony learns all about buying and selling quality wigs.
» View full story

Astronautical engineer and author Dr. Robert Zubrin talks about the cost of an astronaut's life.

Astronautical engineer and author Dr. Robert Zubrin talks about the cost of an astronaut's life.
» View full story

Uncover what Harley Quinn has in store for players in the upcoming Rocksteady Studios developed Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition with the latest trailer for the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment published video game.

Uncover what Harley Quinn has in store for players in the upcoming Rocksteady Studios developed Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition with the latest trailer for the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment published video game.
» View full story

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Revenge is a dish best served cold.
» View full story

Ever since he took on Wisconsin's teachers unions and denied them collective bargaining rights, Republican Gov. Scott Walker has been Public Enemy No. 1 for public-sector unions all over the country. Walker faces a recall election on June 5th and may well be chased out of the governor's mansion after just one year in office. But us Walker the heartless budget-cutter his opponents claim?

Ever since he took on Wisconsin's teachers unions and denied them collective bargaining rights, Republican Gov. Scott Walker has been Public Enemy No. 1 for public-sector unions all over the country. Walker faces a recall election on June 5th and may well be chased out of the governor's mansion after just one year in office. But us Walker the heartless budget-cutter his opponents claim?
» View full story

In this episode of Jerseylicious, Alexa talks to Jon about her boyfriend's impending marriage proposal.

In this episode of Jerseylicious, Alexa talks to Jon about her boyfriend's impending marriage proposal.
» View full story

In this episode of Jerseylicious, Jon, Alexa and Briella enjoy a pedicure together.

In this episode of Jerseylicious, Jon, Alexa and Briella enjoy a pedicure together.
» View full story

In this short video Sheila Brown demonstrates a yoga exercise that can help improve your posture, mobility, and strength.

In this short video Sheila Brown demonstrates a yoga exercise that can help improve your posture, mobility, and strength.
» View full story

In this video Sheila Brown demonstrates a yoga exercise that can help improve your posture, mobility, and strength.

In this video Sheila Brown demonstrates a yoga exercise that can help improve your posture, mobility, and strength.
» View full story

"In the past four years, two and a half million people have left the Democratic and Republican parties," explains Linda Killian, author of the new book The Swing Vote: The Untapped Power of Independents. Not only are these voters sick of the two dominant parties, Killian believes they are increasingly determining electoral outcomes.

"In the past four years, two and a half million people have left the Democratic and Republican parties," explains Linda Killian, author of the new book The Swing Vote: The Untapped Power of Independents. Not only are these voters sick of the two dominant parties, Killian believes they are increasingly determining electoral outcomes.
» View full story

I love simple, clean lines, so these geometric felt bookmarks from Jessica at How About Orange are right up my alley. From the photos on her site, it looks like all you need to make your own is stiffened felt, a craft knife, and a plan, so I might have to give it a try!

More:

• How-To: Origami Cat Bookmark @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Popsicle Stick Avengers Bookmarks @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Bowtie Paperclip Bookmarks @Craftzine.com blog

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Fiber Art | Digg this!
» View full story

Becky Stern has a cool new video tutorial up over on Adafruit, using nifty sewable LED sequins, which lay flat on your project surface.

If you don't want components sticking up from the surface of your project, and you don't mind using a soldering iron, you might try making these: LED sequins.

More:

• How-To: LED Embroidery @Craftzine.com blog
• LED Shoe Clips Make Your Toes Twinkle @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: LED Robot Embroidery @Craftzine.com blog
• Free Fireflies LED Embroidery Pattern @Craftzine.com blog

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Embroidery | Digg this!
» View full story

I firmly believe that Saturday afternoons are at their best when paired with cookies. If you feel the same way, add a little extra deliciousness to your weekend by heading over to Scrumdillydilly to check out Jessica's recipe for peanut butter cake mix cookies!

More:

• Recipe: Cookies and Cream Bark @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Granny Square Cookies @Craftzine.com blog
• Recipe: Chocolate Thin Mint Ice Cream @Craftzine.com blog

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Recipes | Digg this!
» View full story

Free People offer a dip-dyed tee-shirt as an extra splash of color. I really dig the speckled effect the left-over dye creates.

More:

• Ombre Scalloped Shorts
• How-To: Make an Ombre Shirt
• Dip-Dyed Ribbon

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Fashion | Digg this!
» View full story

Mmm strawberries dipped in Greek yogurt and frozen?! Yes, please. These would make sure a sweet snack! Everything in Transit posted this, and I really can't wait to make this delicious and easy treat.

More:

• Succulent Cupcakes
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Meringue Tips and Tricks

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Food | Digg this!
» View full story

A Needle Runs Through it: Unique handcrafted bags for knitting, crochet, make up, baby items and more.

Meet your clothing and crafty Bazaar Bizarre vendors. Good luck tomorrow!

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Maker Faire | Digg this!
» View full story

My one girlie weakness is painting my fingernails every week. I admitted on Instagram a couple of weeks ago that I think the array of colors is what really does me in. Even with all the colors available, it would still be fun to mix up a color that's completely your own. This quick tutorial from Delighted Momma shows you how to do just that. I was skeptical at first, but seeing it in action makes me really want to give it a try!

More:

• Cross-Stitch Manicure @Craftzine.com blog
• Project: Perfect Manicure with Stamped Nails @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Gold Leaf Manicure @Craftzine.com blog

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Fashion | Digg this!
» View full story

Yesterday, I had the chance to see crafty pal Luke Haynes' quilt show, The American Context: A New Look at Quilts, at the Eli Alexander Gallery right here in NYC.

I'd seen photos of his quilts before, but in person, the beauty, the attention to detail, and the sheer scale of his projects is really quite staggering. To give you a taste of level of skill we're talking about, here are a few photos from the gallery. Since Luke gave me the tour himself, I even got to take a peek at the backs of some of the quilts!

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Arts & Design | Digg this!
» View full story

As a fan of both friendship bracelets and letterpress cards, I'm swooning over this offering from Printerette Press. [via Poppytalk]

More:

• How-To: Blinged-Out Friendship Bracelets @Craftzine.com blog
• Woven Summer Bracelets @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Felt Friendship Bracelet @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Wrapped Bracelets @Craftzine.com blog

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Design | Digg this!
» View full story

Want to give your collection of sewing scissors an upgrade, but find yourself feeling a bit intimidated by all of the choices? Check out this Cultivating a Scissor Arsenal post from Gertie at Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing! She explains the what-shape-and-why for her favorite sewing scissors, and the comments are filled with even more tips from her readers.

[Via Colette Patterns]

More:

• Sewing Kit Essentials: Scissors @Craftzine.com blog
• Ask CRAFT: Rotary Cutters @Craftzine.com blog
• How-To: Mini Pincushion for Embroidery Scissors @Craftzine.com blog

Read the Full Story » | More on CRAFT » | Comments » | Read more articles in Sewing | Digg this!
» View full story

Learn from our expert how to add the wine and tomatoes for making lasagna in this free Italian food recipe video on making lasagna and Caesar salad.
» View full story

Learn about posture with expert advice on seated massage therapy in this free massage video.
» View full story

Learn how to form boogers for boogers and blood on a stick for Halloween party food in this free Halloween recipe video.
» View full story

When selecting the right hair color, try adding dimensions of color to create a new and interesting look. Find the right hair color with tips from a professional hairstylist in this free video on hair care.
» View full story

How to select the paints for making hand painted nail art; get professional tips and advice on painting your own fingernail art in this free instructional video.
» View full story

The forward back bachata dance steps start with the left foot forward and then moves backwards. Learn how to do the forward back dance steps in bachata dancing with tips from a professional dance instructor in this free dance lesson video.
» View full story

Learn how a quick sketch differs from a detailed sketch in charcoal drawing in this free online video art lesson.
» View full story

When oil painting a portrait, soften the edges of the corneas by creating a few radial strokes with the paint brush. Learn more about softening the eyes from a professional artist in this free painting video.
» View full story

African dancing requires more than a simple knowledge of the movements but also stamina to perform them. Learn tips on how to increase stamina and perform all these dance moves without fading at the end of the dance from an experienced African dance expert in this free video.
» View full story

Learn how to photograph infants in this free video lesson on child photography.
» View full story

Most of us think we know when to use commas and when to leave them out. Still, be it all those years without grammar lessons or an initial misunderstanding about this all-important piece of punctuation, so many of us get it wrong from time to time ... do you?

» View full story

Most of us know that a house must have a well-insulated building envelope to be structurally sound. But we may not know how important this shell really is. These are 10 types of insulation that can protect your home.

» View full story

Not all world records involve a stopwatch. See these people cover themselves in bugs, get extreme on unicycles and create huge geysers using breath mints and soda ? all for a chance at getting into the history books.

» View full story

Sometimes, there are things we do as part of a tradition without really considering where the practices may have started. What are some the common traditions we take part in today that may have surprising origins?

» View full story

Like the phasers used by Kirk and Spock, stun guns fall into the category of non-lethal weaponry. They can incapacitate without causing permanent damage.

» View full story

  If you use a sander that requires  a rectangle piece of sand paper, this may save you some time while sanding and make use of an old hacksaw blade. I have been using this contraption at work for the last 15 years and never gave it a second thought. Seems to me this would be helpful to fellow woodw...
By: ea422

Continue Reading »
» View full story

Hey! It's me again. This my instructable on how to make a supper easy hair bow, you can use an sewing mackine or by hand. You can customise this to your ideal size, style etc. First collect your equipment: -Some fabric (I used some scrap material from an old chambray shirt, so it's pretty lightweigh...
By: alix-cool

Continue Reading »
» View full story

Supplies: 1 newspaper 1 beer bottle Fold your newspaper in half A little tip: use you're hands.. Fold your newspaper in half again Don't loose focus, concentrate on folding the paper, not the bottle! Now repeat that previous step DO NOT READ THE PAPER! Fold your newspaper in half.. again...
By: Frederoover

Continue Reading »
» View full story

I had an old skateboard deck that I repainted and I needed a reading lamp for my bedroom, enter the Skate Lamp. This is the second and improved version, now with pilot holes and wood glue! Materials Materials: Skateboard deck (without the trucks) Fluorescent lamp (dimensions: 18" W x 3 1/4" H)  L...
By: BadGuyLabs

Continue Reading »
» View full story

.Forgotten savingsThe Hay Slow Cooker (hooikist) was invented in the Netherlands around 1900 and especially popular during the Second World War, when heating fuel was scarce. Nowadays it is forgotten, which is a pity as it can save up to 80% on cooking fuel costs. The Hay Slow Cooker is ideal in tem...
By: kadewei

Continue Reading »
» View full story

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Attribute to Confucius (~500 BC).  Still true 2500 years later. When I was 7 or 8 years old on a miserable cold gray day in February my parents dropped my brother and sisters off  at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Colum...
By: pobriant

Continue Reading »
» View full story

Soon after you buy a video baby monitor you find yourself struggling to get the best camera view. I figured, that the best view is from above the center of the crib. Pole, which is holding the canopy turned out to be the best support for the camera mount. Since camera only has a keyhole mount, I wen...
By: Doctor Jazz

Continue Reading »
» View full story

It's a fact of life that practically everyone on the planet loves peanut butter cups.  As a result, I have been looking recipes that create the perfect peanut butter cups.  Many recipes that I have seen use a ton of powdered sugar, or graham cracker crumbs, none of which I believe would go into maki...
By: fozzy13

Continue Reading »
» View full story

Make your own fresh whipped cream to serve along side your homemade pie or dessert. It is quick and easy. Begin mixing cream Pour heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. If you don't have a stand mixer, a hand mixer will work as well. The whisk attachment to a kitchenAid Mixer is...
By: Forkable

Continue Reading »
» View full story

My hubby is a BIG Harry Potter Fan.  Once, when we went to Colorado Springs, our son took us to a sandwich, soda place called “Squeak’s” and introduced us to their version of Butter Beer.  I have been trying to create our own version ever since.  If you goggle “Butter Beer” you will find that we are...
By: craftknowitall

Continue Reading »
» View full story

Last month, I asked readers to give me their thoughts on what school reform truly looks like, so I could begin a conversation on the topic that was to take place at the Educon 2.1 conference in Philadelphia. Both online and in person, I heard a range of thoughtful perspectives - and students were always at the center of it.

» View full story

This weekend, I’ll be moderating a discussion at the second annual EduCon conference in which we tackle the question, “What does school reform look like?” It’s such a big topic that no discussion panel could ever capture the full scope of it. So in the spirit of the conversational nature of the EduCon conference, let’s start talking about it now.

» View full story

A group of students from Massachusetts will make the journey to DC to take part in President-elect Obama?s inauguration ceremony. And they?ll be more than mere spectators, as they?re going to use Web 2.0 tools to teach students back home about the experience.

» View full story

A drama unfolded on the messaging service Twitter last week after a bipolar woman posted a note that she intended as a joke, but was perceived by some people as a threat against her child. Soon, police were at her doorstep. The incident raises some tough questions about what role Internet users should play in policing each other’s behavior, and the special role of teachers in protecting the welfare of children.

» View full story

This week, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced a $7 million grant to invest in the expansion in broadband access in libraries across seven states. While $7 million may sound like chump change from a foundation that routinely spends hundreds of millions at a time on public heath philanthropy, it serves as an important reminder of the continuing role that libraries play in bridging the digital divide.

» View full story

Last week, a jury in California convicted Lori Drew on misdemeanor charges related to the Megan Meier suicide case. Though public sentiment wanted to see her convicted specifically on Drew cyberbullying Meier into committing suicide, in the end she was found guilty of violating MySpace?s terms of service. Was justice served?

» View full story

Julie Amero, the substitute teacher subjected to a judicial roller coaster ride over whether she intentionally exposed a group of students to inappropriate computer images, ended her legal limbo by agreeing to a plea deal this Friday. It?s the end of a long road for Amero, but was justice served?

» View full story

It seems you can barely turn on the TV without hearing stories about the rash of piracy incidents that’s been taking place off the coast of Somalia. While it’s tempting to crack wise with references to parrots and peg legs, modern-day piracy is no laughing matter. And now there’s a Google Map mashup you can use in the classroom to help your students understand how serious this is.

» View full story

The longest presidential campaign in history is over. We now know Barack Obama will become president, but what will he accomplish in the realm of education technology policy? What do you want him to accomplish?

» View full story

The longest presidential election in history is almost over, and now it’s time to vote. As well all know, sometimes things go wrong at the polling stations. And now the Web 2.0 community is pulling together so we can all document it.

» View full story

This course introduces programming languages and techniques used by physical scientists: FORTRAN, C, C++, MATLAB®, and Mathematica. Emphasis is placed on program design, algorithm development and verification, and comparative advantages and disadvantages of different languages.



» View full story

Diversity begets creativity—in this seminar we tap the amazing power of swarm creativity on the Web by studying and working together as Collaborative Innovation Networks (COINs). As interdisciplinary teams of MIT management, SCAD design, University of Cologne informatics, and Aalto University software engineering students we will explore how to discover latest trends on the Web, and how to make them succeed in online social networks. We study a wide range of methods for predictive analytics (coolhunting) and online social marketing (coolfarming), mostly based on social network analysis and the emerging science of collaboration. Students will also learn to use our own unique MIT-developed Condor tool for Web mining, social network analysis, and trend prediction.



» View full story

This course is an introduction to three of the major genres of traditional Chinese literature—poetry, fiction and drama, with a focus on vernacular fiction. We will read translations of a number of the "masterworks" of Chinese literature. We will also examine the intertextuality between these genres — how poetry blends into narrative, how fiction becomes drama, and drama inspires fiction. Through reading these selected works of traditional Chinese literature, we will examine some of the major features of traditional Chinese society: religious and philosophical beliefs, the imperial system and dynastic change, gender relations, notions of class and ethnicity, family, romance and sexuality. All works are read in translation; no language background is necessary.



» View full story

This seminar provides an overview of the field of international relations. Each week, a different approach to explaining international relations will be examined. By surveying major concepts and theories in the field, the seminar will also assist graduate students in preparing for the comprehensive examination and further study in the department's more specialized offerings in international relations.



» View full story

15.015 Macro and International Economics focuses on the policy and economic environment of firms. This subject divided in three parts. The first part of the course is a study of the closed economy and how monetary and fiscal policy interacts with employment, GNP, inflation, and interest rates. Next, the course provides an examination of national economic strategies for development and growth and recent financial and currency crises in emerging markets. Finally, the course addresses the problems faced by transition economies and the role of institutions both as the engine of growth, and as the constraints for policy.



» View full story

Fundamentals of Biology focuses on the basic principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and recombinant DNA. These principles are necessary to understanding the basic mechanisms of life and anchor the biological knowledge that is required to understand many of the challenges in everyday life, from human health and disease to loss of biodiversity and environmental quality.



» View full story

Each term, the class selects a new set of professional journal articles on bioengineering topics of current research interest. Some papers are chosen because of particular content, others are selected because they illustrate important points of methodology. Each week, one student leads the discussion, evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, and importance of each paper. Subject may be repeated for credit a maximum of four terms. Letter grade given in the last term applies to all accumulated units of 16.459.



» View full story

This course is a survey of the scientific study of human nature, including how the mind works, and how the brain supports the mind. Topics include the mental and neural bases of perception, emotion, learning, memory, cognition, child development, personality, psychopathology, and social interaction. Students will consider how such knowledge relates to debates about nature and nurture, free will, consciousness, human differences, self, and society.



» View full story

Calculus Revisited is a series of videos and related resources that covers the materials normally found in freshman- and sophomore-level introductory mathematics courses. Complex Variables, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra is the third course in the series, consisting of 20 Videos, 3 Study Guides, and a set of Supplementary Notes. Students should have mastered the first two courses in the series (Single Variable Calculus and Multivariable Calculus) before taking this course. The series was first released in 1972, but equally valuable today for students who are learning these topics for the first time.



» View full story

The electron microprobe provides a complete micrometer-scale quantitative chemical analysis of inorganic solids. The method is nondestructive and utilizes characteristic X-rays excited by an electron beam incident on a flat surface of the sample. This course provides an introduction to the theory of X-ray microanalysis through wavelength and energy dispersive spectrometry (WDS and EDS), ZAF matrix correction procedures and scanning electron imaging with back-scattered electron (BSE), secondary electron (SE), X-ray using WDS or EDS (elemental mapping), and cathodoluminescence (CL). Lab sessions involve hands-on use of the JEOL JXA-8200 Superprobe.



» View full story

Anything that moves makes noise. And your personal computer is an assemblage of whirring, spinning, vibrating parts. Depending on your particular machine, this can amount to a comforting white noise, or an irritating background drone.

» View full story