Sarkozy calls for courage, calm in face of crisis (AP)

AMBOISE, France ? French President Nicolas Sarkozy says France must have the courage and calmness to make difficult decisions to overcome the financial crisis, in his first public appearance since the country's credit rating was downgraded.

But Sarkozy avoided any mention Sunday of the loss of France's prized AAA rating in a Standard & Poor's review two days earlier.

Instead he issued a rallying call, saying that a united France committed to reform would make it through.

France chooses a new president this spring, and Sarkozy was already behind in the polls before the downgrade.

The loss of the AAA rating was a severe blow to France's self-image and is expected to hurt Sarkozy's standing even further.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120115/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_france_financial_crisis

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UK court OKs extradition over Iran missile claims (AP)

LONDON ? Britain's High Court said Friday a retired businessman who allegedly plotted to sell missile components to Iran should be extradited to the United States.

U.S. authorities say Christopher Tappin offered in 2006 to sell specialized batteries for Hawk missiles for $25,000, not knowing that his contacts were undercover U.S. agents, not Iranians. Two other men have been jailed in Texas over the plot.

A judge ruled last year that 64-year-old Tappin should be extradited. He claims he was entrapped by FBI agents and challenged the decision.

But on Friday two judges upheld the earlier ruling.

Tappin said he is disappointed and will "consider all my options and do what I can to bring an end to this nightmare."

He faces up to 35 years in jail if convicted in the U.S.

Tappin's case is the latest to expose trans-Atlantic tensions over the exchange of criminal suspects.

Lawyers complain that under "fast track" extradition procedures introduced after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. is not required to offer substantial proof of an allegation when seeking to extradite a suspect from Britain.

But in October, a judge-led review in the U.K. found that extradition agreements between the United States and Britain are fair and unbiased.

Tappin's lawyer, Karen Todner, said she plans to apply for her client's case to be heard by Britain's Supreme Court.

"Yet again this one-sided treaty is set to destroy a British citizen's life," she said. "We would urge the government to take urgent action to review this treaty and stop these horrendous extraditions.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120113/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_us_iran

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Keen On?. Ed Schmit: Can AT&T Really Innovate?

One of the most interesting events at CES earlier this week was the AT&T Developer Summit which not only featured a guest appearance a fist pumping/back slapping Steve Ballmer, but also a really impressive hackathon for over 150 young developers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/pSZPllqvOh8/

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Battles among Ants Resemble Human Warfare (preview)

Feature Articles | More Science See Inside

Battles among ants can be startlingly similar to human military operations

By Mark W. Moffett ?| January 8, 2012?|

Marauder ants from one colony attack a member of a rival marauder colony, slowly tearing it limb from limb. Image: Illustration by John Dawson

In Brief

• Some kinds of ants live in tight-knit colonies containing thousands or millions of individuals that go to war with other colonies over resources such as territory or food.
• The diverse tactics these insects use in combat can be remarkably similar to human war strategies, varying according to what is at stake.
• The ants? capacity for warfare is enhanced by their unbreakable allegiance to their colony.

The raging combatants form a blur on all sides. the scale of the violence is almost incomprehensible, the battle stretching beyond my field of view. Tens of thousands sweep ahead with a suicidal single-mindedness. Utterly devoted to duty, the fighters never retreat from a confrontation?even in the face of certain death. The engagements are brief and brutal. Suddenly, three foot soldiers grab an enemy and hold it in place until one of the bigger warriors advances and cleaves the captive?s body, leaving it smashed and oozing.

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Mississippi Attorney General challenges Barbour pardons (Reuters)

STARKVILLE, Miss (Reuters) ? Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood was seeking a court injunction on Wednesday to block some of the more than 200 pardons granted by former governor Haley Barbour to people convicted of crimes including murder, rape and armed robbery, his spokeswoman said.

Barbour, a conservative Republican, outraged some in Mississippi by granting pardons to more than 200 people during his final days in office.

The pardons included four convicted murderers who had been allowed to work at the governor's mansion doing odd jobs because of good prison behavior.

Hood, the only Democrat holding a statewide office in Mississippi, was seeking the injunction in Hinds County Court, his spokeswoman said.

(Reporting by Robbie Ward; Writing by Greg McCune; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120111/us_nm/us_pardons_mississippi_injunction

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Suspect charged in Texas shooting in which 2 middle school students were wounded

EDINBURG, Texas - A competitive target shooter was charged Friday in a shooting last month in which two teens were severely wounded during basketball tryouts behind their South Texas middle school.

Dustin Wesley Cook, 36, was arraigned on a charge of second-degree felony aggravated assault in the Dec. 12 shooting behind Harwell Middle School in Edinburg. He was only charged in the shooting of 14-year-old Edson Amaro. Investigators haven't been able to test the bullet that wounded 13-year-old Nicholas Tijerina because it's lodged near his spine.

Cook's attorney, Michael Guerra, said that once the details of what happened come out they will show his client "didn't have any criminal responsibility, whatsoever." He said Cook is a parent and has been praying for the two boys and their families.

But Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino called the shootings "reckless" during a news conference after Cook's arraignment hearing, because he said Cook told investigators that he knew the school was behind the targets he was aiming at.

"He admitted knowing that there was a school was in the trajectory," Trevino said.

Edson and Nicholas were among about 50 students trying out for the team on an outdoor court behind the school when they were shot. Edson lost a kidney and shortly before Christmas, Nicholas' doctor said the boy was unable to move his legs, at least for the time being.

Authorities said after the shooting that they had detained three armed men from adjacent ranchland. Two of the men, one of them Cook, had been practicing target shooting nearly a mile from the school and were released. The third man, an illegal immigrant with an assault rifle, according to authorities, was kept in custody on charges of misdemeanor trespass and poaching.

Source: http://www.startribune.com/nation/136810628.html

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Former Brazil great Ronaldo has dengue fever

Associated Press Sports

updated 11:28 a.m. ET Jan. 4, 2012

SAO PAULO (AP) -Former Brazil striker Ronaldo says he has dengue fever.

Ronaldo wrote Wednesday on Twitter that he was discharged from a hospital the night before and is recuperating. He apparently contracted the mosquito-borne disease while vacationing at a northeastern Brazil beach town.

Ronaldo thanked fans on Twitter for the well wishes he has received. He wrote he is now treating the disease, resting and looking to get better soon.

Dengue can cause fever, headache and pain in muscles and joints. It's potentially fatal and there's no vaccine or specific treatment.

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

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More newsPaul Ellis / AFP - Getty Images

Howard scores for Everton

??Tim Howard became the fourth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League when the American put in a wind-blown clearance from about 100 yards during Everton's 2-1 loss to Bolton on Wednesday night.

Man U routed

??Manchester United lost its second straight Premier League game, a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle on Wednesday night that left Manchester City with a three-point lead.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45871572/ns/sports-soccer/

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