BANGKOK ? Fireworks set off during an official Chinese New Year celebration have sparked a blaze that burned homes, killed three people and injured others in central Thailand.

Suphanburi Governor Somsak Phureesrisak told TPBS TV by telephone the three were killed as at least 20 houses burned down late Tuesday.

Somjate Promsuntorn, head of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, said at least 20 people were injured. A local hospital, however, told Springnews.tv that it had treated 57 people.

The fireworks were part of an elaborate celebration led by former Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa. His political machine dominates prosperous rice-growing Suphanburi province.

He told TV Channel 9 the celebration would continue but without any more fireworks.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_chinese_new_year

sept 11 never forget flight 93 shot down remembering 9/11 nfl picks 911 conspiracy notre dame michigan

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ? For decades they cheered him, now it’s time for Penn State students and alumni to mourn Joe Paterno.

Three days of public events were set to begin Tuesday as Penn Staters from State College and far beyond say goodbye to the man who led the Nittany Lions to 409 wins over 46 years.

Paterno died of lung cancer on Sunday, learning of his diagnosis in November just days after he was fired in the aftermath of the shocking child sex-abuse charges against former assistant Jerry Sandusky.

Paterno’s son, Scott, says that despite the turmoil, Paterno remained peaceful and upbeat in his final days and still loved the school.

Big crowds are expected to show their love for Paterno over the next few days, with a 10-hour public viewing beginning at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

The viewing will be on campus at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. After another public viewing on Wednesday, Paterno’s family will hold a private funeral service, followed by a procession that will run through State College.

Then, on Thursday, the school’s basketball arena will be the sight of a public service called “A Memorial for Joe.” Penn State was expecting a huge demand for seats and set a two-per-person limit for those ordering tickets.

The winningest coach in major college football history, Paterno was fired Nov. 9 after he was criticized over his handling of child sex-abuse allegations leveled against Sandusky in 2002. Pennsylvania’s state police commissioner said that in not going to the police, Paterno may have met his legal duty but not his moral one.

Bitterness over Paterno’s removal has turned up in many forms, from online postings to a note placed next to Paterno’s statue at the football stadium blaming the trustees for his death. A newspaper headline that read “FIRED” was crossed out and made to read, “Killed by Trustees.” Lanny Davis, lawyer for the school’s board, said threats have been made against the trustees.

Scott Paterno, however, stressed that his father did not die with a broken heart and did not harbor resentment toward Penn State.

___

Associated Press writer Mark Scolforo contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_penn_state_paterno

narcolepsy narcolepsy chicago weather forecast robert kardashian one tree hill weather st louis faceoff

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich walks to a stage for a forum at Univision Network Studios, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich walks to a stage for a forum at Univision Network Studios, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich takes part in a forum with journalist Jorge Ramos at Univision Network Studios, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney sits with Jorge Ramos as he takes part in the Univision “Meet The Candidates?”forum at Miami-Dade College in Miami, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Republican Presidential candidate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gestures during the “Meet the Candidates” forum, hosted by Univision, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Miami Dade College in Miami. ( Photo/Jeffrey M. Boan)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney stands with Jorge Ramos as he takes part in the Univision “Meet The Candidates” forum at Miami-Dade College in Miami, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

DORAL, Fla. (AP) ? Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich on Wednesday ridiculed rival Mitt Romney’s call for self-deportation of illegal immigrants as an “Obama-level fantasy” that would be inhumane to long-established families living in America. Romney, for his part, accused Gingrich of pandering to a Hispanic audience and said Gingrich himself had supported self-deportation in the past.

Discussing immigration in state where 13 percent of registered voters are Hispanic, the former House speaker criticized Romney’s immigration policy during a forum with the Spanish-language television network Univision, saying the idea of self-deportation would never work. Romney snapped back at him later in the day at the same forum.

During a debate earlier this week, Romney said he favors self-deportation over policies that would require the federal government to round up millions of illegal immigrants and send them back to their home countries. Advocates of Romney’s approach argue that illegal immigration can be curbed by denying public benefits to them, prompting them to leave the United States on their own.

“You have to live in a world of Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island accounts and automatically $20 million income for no work to have some fantasy this far from reality,” Gingrich said, alluding to details in Romney’s income tax returns made public Tuesday. “For Romney to believe that somebody’s grandmother is going to be so cut off that she is going to self-deport, I mean this is an Obama-level fantasy.”

But Gingrich’s campaign has spoken of the self-deportation policy he ridiculed Wednesday.

“I recognize that it’s very tempting to come out to an audience like this and pander to the audience,” Romney said, pointing out that Gingrich has previously made comments supporting the idea of self-deportation. “I think that was a mistake on his part.”

In debates, Gingrich has defended a proposal to allow some illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S. if they’ve lived here for more than 25 years and have a local sponsor.

Romney’s campaign directed reporters to past comments by Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond, who said that only a small percent of illegal immigrants would likely be allowed to stay in the U.S. under Gingrich’s plan. Hammond went on to say that the vast majority of them would likely “self-deport.”

Gingrich also ran into trouble over a radio ad calling Romney “anti-immigrant.” Florida Sen. Marco Rubio called the ad “inaccurate” and “inflammatory.” Romney’s campaign also asked Gingrich in a letter to pull the ad. Gingrich’s campaign had no immediate comment on whether it would comply with the request to pull the ad. The Miami Herald reported that the campaign planned to remove the ad based on Rubio’s comments.

Romney called the anti-immigrant label an “epithet” and “inappropriate.”

At the forum, Gingrich spoke instead about other elements of his immigration plan, including controlling the border and establishing a guest-worker program to better manage the influx of immigrants. Gingrich said he favors a path to citizenship for illegal immigrant children who serve in the military but not for simply completing college.

Romney defended his opposition to allowing the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at American universities. He said there are inexpensive options that will allow them to go to college.

Gingrich told Univision he believes states should charge in-state tuition rates for students who were born in the U.S. to illegal immigrant parents, but that he favors charging out-of-state tuition for children who were brought to this country illegally.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s support of a Texas policy to allow children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition proved to be problematic with conservatives nationwide. Perry dropped out of the race last week.

Gingrich began the interview by speaking a few halting phrases of welcome in Spanish ? “Buenos Dias estudiantes” ? but begged off when moderator Jorge Ramos pressed him to go further. Romney did not speak any Spanish during his interview.

Romney was asked about family members he has living in Mexico. Romney’s father, George Romney, was born in Mexico but moved back to the U.S. as a young child.

Ramos asked Romney if he had a claim to being Mexican American.

“I don’t think people would think I was being honest with them if I said I was Mexican American but I’d appreciate it if you’d get that word out,” Romney said, smiling.

Florida is home to many Hispanics of Puerto Rican or Cuban descent who don’t view immigration as a priority but are more interested in the issue than the general public.

After the interview, Romney railed against Fidel Castro’s Cuba in a speech before several hundred Cuban-American democracy activists. Romney has significant support from the Cuban-American political establishment in Miami.

“It is time for us to strive for freedom in Cuba, and I will do so as president,” he said. “We must be prepared to support the voices for democracy in Cuba.”

While the interview questions asked of both candidates were mostly about Hispanic concerns, Ramos asked Gingrich whether it was hypocritical for him to criticize then-President Bill Clinton and pursue his impeachment in the 1990s when Gingrich was being unfaithful to his second wife.

Gingrich snapped at the premise of the question and said it was Clinton’s false testimony under oath that bothered him the most.

“The fact is I’ve been through two divorces. I’ve been deposed both times under oath. Both times I told the truth in the deposition,” Gingrich said. “I have never lied under oath. I have never committed perjury.”

Ramos asked Romney to declare his wealth, to which Romney replied that he’s worth between $150 million and “200-and-some-odd million dollars.”

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-25-US-Campaign-Hispanics/id-73eb128af361417b98edbd889687252c

john lackey john lackey ed lee ed lee garmin nuvi 1450 amzn tommy john surgery

Carey Mulligan not only wore a ridiculous, curtain-like dress in public recently, but it was the second time in a matter of a month! For you and me, it?s really not a big deal, but for a celeb, it?s a definite epic-fail. She wore this strange, dress that sort of looks like the top of a cocktail umbrella to not one, but TWO events. The first time she wrapped her grandmother?s curtains around her was for a party in LA, and the second was for something called the London Critic?s Circle Film Awards. Maybe she thought behind across the pond no one would notice? I really feel like this dress is something a true amateur would put together in an introductory fashion design class. And what about those shoes? Did she forget the pair she meant to bring and end up borrowing them from a middle schooler? Shame shame. Photos: www.wenn.com

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/4vPJJQ3_5bc/

nfc championship game golden globes red carpet martin luther king jr i have a dream speech packers score ricky gervais napoleon dynamite michelle williams

BRUSSELS ? Europe and private investors were gearing up for tough negotiations on how to cut Greece’s massive debt Tuesday, after the finance ministers adopted a tough stance on how much rescue money they would pump into the Greek economy.

On the front line of Europe’s sovereign debt crisis, Athens is trying to get its private creditors ? banks and other investment firms ? to swap their Greek government bonds for new ones with half their face value, thereby slicing some euro100 billion ($130 billion) off its debt. The new bonds would also push the repayment deadlines 20 to 30 years into the future.

However, the main stumbling block over the past few weeks to securing this deal has been the interest rate these new bonds would carry. A high interest rate could buffer losses for investors, but would also require the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund to put up more than the euro130 billion in rescue loans they promised in late October.

In the early hours of Tuesday, politicians representing the 17 countries that use the euro as their currency drew a firm line on the Greek debt restructuring.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister who chaired a meeting of finance ministers on efforts to fight the crisis, said the average interest rate over the lifetime of the new Greek bonds must “clearly below 4 percent,” with an average rate of less than 3.5 percent for the period until 2020 ? far below the 4 percent demanded by the Institute of International Finance, which has been leading the negotiations for the private bondholders.

The caps on the interest rates underline that the eurozone and the IMF are unwilling to increase new rescue loans above the promised euro130 billion, even though Greece’s economic situation has deteriorated. After already granting Greece a euro110 billion bailout in May 2010, the eurozone and the IMF are threatening to withhold further funding for the country, which has repeatedly failed to hit budget and reform targets required in return for the financial aid.

The interest rate caps will also seriously test the willingness of private bondholders to agree to a debt deal voluntarily. IIF head Charles Dallara over the weekend had characterized the bondholders’ most recent offer as the best possible, adding that lower interest rates would not be acceptable for private bondholders.

But German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble dismissed Dallara’s statements as a normal part of difficult negotiations. “We continue the negotiations (with investors) as happily, but also as little susceptible to blackmail as possible,” he told reporters. “That exists in every bazaar ? a final offer ? one shouldn’t let oneself be overly impressed by that.”

The alternative to a voluntary deal would be to force losses on to investors ? a move that the eurozone has so far been unwilling to make. Some officials fear that a forced default could trigger panic on financial markets and hurt bigger countries like Italy, Spain or even France.

But several ministers indicated that they might be willing to accept a forced default if it puts Athens in a position where it can eventually repay its remaining debt ? including the rescue loans from the eurozone and the IMF. The eurozone has said that Greece’s debt is sustainable if it falls to some 120 percent of gross domestic product by 2020. Without a restructuring it would reach close to 200 percent by the end of the year.

They put the onus to reach that level not only the private creditors but also on Greece’s reform and austerity efforts.

“Greece and the banks have to do more in order to reach a sustainable debt level,” Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager told reporters as he arrived for a second day of meetings with his European counterparts. “We have to await the discussions about that because a sustainable debt level is absolutely a precondition for the next (rescue) program.”

Schaeuble also insisted that firm support for new austerity measures from all major Greek parties ? also after elections expected in April ? was a precondition for a new bailout.

“Whatever needs to happen we can only do if its independent from the elections in Greece,” he said.

Greek stocks dropped Tuesday, shedding a collective 3 percent one day after optimism on the debt writedown deal sparked a 5 percent rally.

Meanwhile, updated budget execution figures released by the Greek Finance Ministry showed that despite massive spending cuts, the country’s fiscal deficit for 2011 was actually higher than in 2010.

Last year’s fiscal deficit hit euro21.72 billion ($28.27 billion) ? euro270 million ($350 million) more than in 2010.

Revenues were euro910 million ($1.18 billion) below target, but the ministry said this was offset by higher-than-anticipated spending cuts of euro896 million ($1.16 billion).

These figures are on a cash basis, and exclude some categories of spending taken into account in calculating the final budget deficit for 2011 ? which Greece has pledged to cut to about euro20 billion ($26 billion).

__

Nicolas Paphitis in Athens, Greece, contributed to this story.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_financial_crisis

orioles atlanta braves national coffee day national coffee day paw paw paw paw baltimore orioles

Longtime Penn State Coach Joe Paterno Dead At 85 (VIDEO)

Joe Paterno, who was known as one of the most successful college football coaches and was fired for not responding “correctly” to a sex abuse [...]

Longtime Penn State Coach Joe Paterno Dead At 85 (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/nF6Cmh3utII/

when will ios 5 be released when will ios 5 be released ipod nano watch ipod nano watch dancing with the stars elimination dancing with the stars elimination nexus prime

People gather at a statue of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in State College, Pa, on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Joe Paterno’s doctors say the former coach’s condition has become “serious” after he experienced complications from lung cancer in recent days. (AP Photo/John Beale)

People gather at a statue of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in State College, Pa, on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Joe Paterno’s doctors say the former coach’s condition has become “serious” after he experienced complications from lung cancer in recent days. (AP Photo/John Beale)

FILE – In this Nov. 7, 2009, file photo, Penn State Coach Joe Paterno stands with his players before taking the field for an NCAA college football game against Ohio State in State College, Pa. A family spokesman says the former Penn State coach, who is battling lung cancer, is in serious condition after experiencing health complications. The 85-year-old Paterno has been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation for what his family had called minor complications from cancer treatments. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

People gather at a statue of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Paterno’s doctors say the former coach’s condition has become “serious” after he experienced complications from lung cancer in recent days. (AP Photo/John Beale)

FILE – In this Oct. 13, 2007, file photo, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno stands with his team before they take the field to play for an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin in State College, Pa. A family spokesman says the former Penn State coach, who is battling lung cancer, is in serious condition after experiencing health complications. The 85-year-old Paterno has been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation for what his family had called minor complications from cancer treatments. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Candles, flowers, notes and other mementos are placed at a statue of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012. Paterno’s doctors say the former coach’s condition has become “serious” after he experienced complications from lung cancer in recent days. (AP Photo/John Beale)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) ? Joe Paterno’s doctors said Saturday that the former Penn State coach’s condition had become “serious,” following complications from lung cancer in recent days.

The winningest major college football coach, Paterno was diagnosed shortly after Penn State’s Board of Trustees ousted him Nov. 9 in the aftermath of the child sex abuse charges against former assistant Jerry Sandusky. While undergoing treatment, his health problems worsened when he broke his pelvis ? the same injury he sustained during preseason practice last year.

“Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications,” family spokesman Dan McGinn said in a brief statement to The Associated Press. “His doctors have now characterized his status as serious. His family will have no comment on the situation and asks that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.”

Paterno’s sons Scott and Jay each took to Twitter on Saturday night to refute reports that their father had died.

Wrote Jay Paterno: “I appreciate the support & prayers. Joe is continuing to fight.”

Quoting individuals close to the family, The Washington Post reported on its website that Paterno remained connected to a ventilator, but had communicated his wishes not to be kept alive through any extreme artificial means. The paper said his family was weighing whether to take him off the ventilator on Sunday.

The 85-year-old Paterno has been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation for what his family called minor complications from his cancer treatments. Not long before that, he conducted his only interview since losing his job, with the Post. Paterno was described as frail and wearing a wig. The second half of the two-day interview was conducted from his bedside.

Roughly 200 students and townspeople gathered Saturday night at a statue of Paterno just outside a gate at Beaver Stadium. Some brought candles, while others held up their smart phones to take photos of the scene. The mood was somber, with no chanting or shouting.

“Drove by students at the Joe statue,” Jay Paterno tweeted. “Just told my Dad about all the love & support–inspiring him.”

Penn State student David Marselles held a candle in his right hand and posed next to a life-sized cardboard cutout of Paterno that he keeps at his apartment. A friend took a photo on the frigid night.

“I came to Penn State because of Joe Paterno. Since I was a little kid, I’ve been watching the games … screaming ‘We Are … Penn State’ because of him. … He inspired me to go to college,” Marselles said. “With such a tragic event like this, I just thought it was necessary to show my support.”

The final days of Paterno’s Penn State career were easily the toughest in his 61 years with the university and 46 seasons as head football coach.

Sandusky, a longtime defensive coordinator who was on Paterno’s staff during two national title seasons, was arrested Nov. 5 and ultimately charged with sexually abusing a total of 10 boys over 15 years. His arrest sparked outrage not just locally but across the nation and there were widespread calls for Paterno to quit.

Paterno announced late on Nov. 9 that he would retire at the end of the season, but hours later he received a call from board vice chairman John Surma, telling him he had been terminated. By that point, a crowd of students and media were outside the Paterno home. When news spread that Paterno had been dumped, there was rioting in State College.

Police on Saturday evening barricaded the block where Paterno lives, and a police car was stationed about 50 yards from his home. Several people had gathered in the living room of the house. No one was outside, other than reporters and photographers.

Trustees said this week they pushed Paterno out in part because he failed a moral responsibility to report an allegation made in 2002 against Sandusky to authorities outside the university. They also felt he had challenged their authority and that, as a practical matter, with all the media in town and attention to the Sandusky case, he could no longer run the team.

Paterno testified before the grand jury investigating Sandusky that he had relayed to his bosses an accusation that came from graduate assistant Mike McQueary, who said he saw Sandusky abusing a boy in the showers of the Penn State football building.

Paterno told the Post that he didn’t know how to handle the charge, but a day after McQueary visited him, he spoke to the athletic director and the administrator with oversight over the campus police.

Wick Sollers, Paterno’s lawyer, called the board’s comments this week self-serving and unsupported by the facts. Paterno fully reported what he knew to the people responsible for campus investigations, Sollers said.

“He did what he thought was right with the information he had at the time,” Sollers said.

Sandusky says he is innocent and is out on bail, awaiting trial.

The back and forth between Paterno’s representative and the board reflects a trend in recent weeks, during which Penn State alumni ? and especially former players, including Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris ? have questioned the trustees’ actions and accused them of failing to give Paterno a chance to defend himself.

Three town halls, in Pittsburgh, suburban Philadelphia and New York City, seemed to do little to calm the situation and dozens of candidates have now expressed interest in running for the board, a volunteer position that typically attracts much less interest.

While everyone involved has said the focus should be on Sandusky’s accusers and their ordeals, the abuse scandal brought a tarnished ending to Paterno’s sterling career. Paterno won 409 games and took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and those two national championships, the last in the 1986 season. More than 250 of the players he coached went on to the NFL.

Throughout his coaching years, Paterno maintained that, yes, winning was important, but even more important was winning with honor.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-22-Penn%20State-Paterno/id-65e609a0835648bbba01c7b4b0aa3736

richard stallman richard stallman williston north dakota williston north dakota kody brown transylvania carrie ann inaba

GIGLIO, Italy (Reuters) ? The operators of the Costa Concordia faced questions over their share of the blame for the shipwreck, as divers recovered another body from the stricken liner Sunday, bringing the known death toll to 13.

Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of steering the 290 meter-long cruise ship too close to shore while performing a maneuver known as a “salute” in which liners draw up very close to land to make a display.

Schettino, who is charged with multiple manslaughter and with abandoning ship before the evacuation of 4,200 passengers and crew was complete, has told prosecutors he had been instructed to perform the maneuver by operator Costa Cruises.

Prosecutors say he steered the massive ship within 150 meters of the Tuscan island of Giglio, where it struck a rock that tore a large gash in its hull, letting water flood in and causing the 114,500-tonne ship to capsize.

It is now lying on its side on an undersea ledge, half-submerged and posing a growing environmental threat with the risk that it could slide into deeper waters.

As the search continued into a ninth day, divers found the body of a woman on a submerged deck near the bow of the vessel, bringing the total number of known dead to 13, only eight of whom have been identified.

As the days have passed, there have been growing questions about the ultimate responsibility for the accident, which Costa Cruises has blamed on “unfortunate human error” and placed firmly on the shoulders of the captain. It has suspended Schettino and will not be paying his legal fees.

Costa chief executive Pier Luigi Foschi has said that ships sometimes engage in “tourist navigation” in which they approach the coast but that this is only done under safe conditions and he was not aware of any riskier approaches so close to the shore.

Costa is a unit of Carnival Corp, the world’s largest cruise line operator.

According to transcripts of his hearing with investigators leaked to Italian newspapers, Schettino told magistrates Costa had insisted on the maneuver to please passengers and attract publicity.

“It was planned, we were supposed to have done it a week earlier but it was not possible because of bad weather,” Schettino said, according to the Corriere della Sera daily.

“They insisted. They said: ‘We do tourist navigation, we have to be seen, get publicity and greet the island’.”

He said he had performed similar maneuvers regularly over the past four months on the Costa Concordia and on other ships in the Costa fleet along the Italian coast line which is dotted with small islands that are popular with tourists.

“But we do it every time we do the Sorrento coast, Capri, we do it everywhere,” he said.

Foschi, who visited Giglio Sunday, declined to respond to Schettino’s comments.

“As an investigation by magistrates is currently underway, we cannot give out any information,” he said.

BROKEN BLACK BOXES

Italian newspapers have also published photographs of the Costa Concordia apparently performing the “salute” close to other ports including Syracuse in Sicily and the island of Procida, which is near Naples and Schettino’s hometown of Meta di Sorrento.

Schettino said the fatal maneuver of January 13 was originally intended to bring the ship half a mile from the shore, “but then we brought it to 0.28″ (of a nautical mile), he said.

Investigators have said the actual point of impact was much closer to the shore but establishing the exact sequence of events could be complicated by problems with the recording equipment used to track the ship’s progress.

Schettino said the black box on board had been broken for two weeks and he had asked for it to be repaired, in vain.

In the hearing, Schettino insisted he had informed Costa’s headquarters of the accident straight away and his line of conduct had been approved by the company’s marine operations director throughout a series of phone conversations.

He acknowledged, however, not raising the alarm with the coastguard promptly and delaying the evacuation order.

“You can’t evacuate people on lifeboats and then, if the ship doesn’t sink, say it was a joke. I don’t want to create panic and have people die for nothing,” he said.

Costa says Schettino lied to the company and his own crew about the scale of the emergency.

Documents from his hearing with a judge say he had shown “incredible carelessness” and a “total inability to manage the successive phases of the emergency.”

Taped conversations show ship’s officers told coastguards who were alerted by passengers that the vessel had only had a power cut, even after those on board donned lifevests.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

For graphics, click on:

http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/RNGS/2012/JAN/SHIP_BH.jpg

http://link.reuters.com/zyp95s

http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/RNGS/2012/JAN/SHIP2_KP.jpg

http://link.reuters.com/raq95s

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

UNREGISTERED PASSENGERS?

Adding to the growing debate about the ship’s safety standards, Franco Gabrielli – head of Italy’s Civil Protection authority which is coordinating the rescue operations – said a number of unregistered passengers may have been on board.

Relatives of a missing Hungarian woman told authorities she was on the Costa Concordia with a member of the crew, but her name was not on the list of passengers, he said.

“In theory, there could be an unknown number of people who were on the ship and have not been reported missing because they were not registered,” Gabrielli said.

Of the 13 bodies found, only 8 had been identified – four French nationals, an Italian, a Hungarian, a German and a Spaniard. At least 20 people are still unaccounted for.

Minor pollution from detergents and disinfectants aboard the shipwreck had been detected in the waters around the vessel but there was no sign that the heavy fuel in its tanks was leaking, Gabrielli said.

He said tests were being carried out daily on the waters around the ship and a nearby desalination plant that provides drinking water for the island’s residents.

“The tests for toxic substances are negative so far,” Gabrielli said. “The only significant elements detected, which luckily are not worrying yet, relate to … detergents and disinfectants used on the ship, for the swimming pool or to clean the bathrooms for example.”

Environment experts have warned that contamination of the pristine waters around Giglio, which is in the middle of a national marine park, is already under way and it is imperative to start recovering the fuel oil as soon as possible.

(Writing by Silvia Aloisi and James Mackenzie; Editing by Andrew Roche)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120122/wl_nm/us_italy_ship

cowboys vs giants ndaa dallas cowboys weight watchers timberwolves office space rawhide

According to a new report, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills will look a bit different on season three.

Despite an all-time ratings high for this franchise on Monday night, producers are said to be axing Camille Grammer from the roster and are already on the lookout for her replacement.

“Producers are asking Lisa Vanderpump, Adrienne Maloof and Kyle Richards if any of their wealthy female friends would be interested in appearing on the show,” a Bravo insider tells Radar Online. “It’s an open secret that Camille most likely won’t be back for a third season. She came off as such a bitch during season one, whereas this season she has been very reserved, and she isn’t exactly eager to return.”

It’s true that executives were concerned early on during filming that Camille was so worried over losing custody of her children that she refrained from the customary antics of the nut jobs who appear on the show.

And, yes, ratings are high (2.2 million viewers this week!), but let’s be honest. That will continue to be the case as long as estranged spouses of of the stars continue to kill themselves in between seasons.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/camille-grammer-not-returining-for-season-3-of-the-real-housewiv/

zappos john elway john elway fox news debate i have a dream speech martin luther king jr mlk

Michael Cera updates MTV News on progress of ‘Arrested Development’ movie and new TV episodes.
By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Michael Cera
Photo: MTV News

PARK CITY, Utah — Bluth-family fans collectively “blue” themselves when it was announced that “Arrested Development” would be coming back in both film and television form. Netflix announced late last year that they would be backing new episodes of “Arrested” that would pave the way for an eventual feature film.

Despite the good news, fans remain in the dark regarding when “Arrested Development” might actually go back into production. But according to Michael Cera, who spoke with MTV News at the Sundance Film Festival about his new movie “The End of Love,” the Bluth reunion may be coming together sooner than expected.

“I’ve heard summer,” Cera told MTV News. “So hopefully that’s going to happen.”

Still, like his “Arrested” costars, Cera is of the “I’ll believe it when I see it” school of thought. “It’s hard to be excited, because I don’t feel any progress day to day,” he said. “But I’m sure it’s happening. I think it’s just out of my realm of awareness. I’ll be happy when we’re on set doing it.”

Cera’s fellow “Arrested” actor Alia Shawkat also spoke with MTV News at Sundance and expressed her enthusiasm about getting back into the Bluth household sooner than later.

“It’s been kind of following me around like a very attractive albatross,” she said of her “Arrested Development” history. “But now it’s hopefully going to happen. It would be very exciting.”

The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance.

Related Photos

• Sundance 2012: Behind The Scenes Photos
• Celebrities Hit The Ground At Sundance 2012 Film Fest

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677693/arrested-development-michael-cera.jhtml

9 11 lightning dominica fiji fiji ruby tuesday aliens