DirecTV sides with Time Warner over CBS fee dispute

(Reuters) - In an unusual show of solidarity between rivals, satellite TV provider DirecTV issued a statement on Saturday applauding Time Warner Cable's decision to drop CBS programming from its lineup in the nation's two largest markets after the two failed to reach an agreement over fees.

The blackout on Friday by Time Warner of CBS, the No. 1-rated U.S. broadcast network, followed weeks of protracted and acrimonious negotiations between the two companies.

CBS retaliated on Friday by suspending videos of full episodes of its programming on CBS.com for customers with Internet access provided by Time Warner Cable in the affected markets, a move that affects DirecTV customers.

"DirecTV has certainly had its share of these battles, so we applaud Time Warner Cable for fighting back against exorbitant programming cost increases," the company said in a statement.

"We are also appalled to learn that CBS is now punishing DIRECTV customers, who may happen to have Time Warner as their Internet provider, by denying them access to CBS content online," the company said, saying the efforts of content companies to extract "outrageous fees" from distributors may have reached "a new low."

DirecTV had its own blackout last summer in which 20 million customers lost access to Viacom channels such as MTV and Nickelodeon for 10 days.

CBS is home to such hits as "The Big Bang Theory" and "NCIS" and is seen by an estimated 3.5 million customers in the affected markets, which include New York, Los Angeles and Dallas.

A source familiar with the CBS negotiating strategy told Reuters on Friday the company had offered to extend current terms and keep negotiating in the coming days, adding that no new talks between the sides are scheduled.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/directv-sides-time-warner-over-cbs-fee-dispute-195443481.html

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Washington County sheriff indicted

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ala. (WALA) - United States Attorney Kenyen R. Brown of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Washington County Sheriff Richard Stephen Stringer, Sr., 67, of Deer Park, Alabama, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of conspiracy and theft of government money.

The indictment alleges that Stringer conspired with others to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits for one of his employees.

According to the charges, Stringer arranged to have the wages of one of his employees be paid to the employee?s wife instead of to the employee, thereby reducing the income reported to the Social Security Administration in his name, allowing the employee to obtain and retain benefits to which he was not entitled.

Stringer was charged with conspiracy and aiding and abetting the theft of government money. Conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Theft of government money carries up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Costello is handling the prosecution on behalf of the United States.

Source: http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/alabama/washington-county-sheriff-indicted-on-conspiracy-theft-of-government-money-charges

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Korea to join India in Formula One exile - reports

Jul.30 (GMM) - It has been reported that Austria, Russia and New Jersey are to be added to the current 19-race schedule.

The Korean Grand Prix looks set to join India in Formula One exile, as Bernie Ecclestone trims the 2014 calendar to a maximum of 20 races.

But the latter of those events, slated to be the second American race on the 2014 calendar amid the Manhattan skyline, now appears unlikely.

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda said a few days ago that New Jersey "didn't happen this year because of a lack of money".

"As far as I know," the F1 legend told Austrian broadcaster ORF, "it's already gone from the calendar".

And amid reports Ecclestone will drop the Indian Grand Prix over a tax issue, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport claims the other race unlikely to survive beyond 2013 is Korea.

"Apparently," said correspondent Tobias Gruner, "the organisers have run out of money.

"Ecclestone is well known for having little patience if his fees are not paid."

The AFP news agency also reports that Korea is in doubt, saying the organiser "has lost money since it first hosted formula one in 2010, and local authorities are unwilling to cover losses".

Source: http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/korea-to-join-india-in-formula-one-exile-reports/

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Impaired boaters target of weekend crackdown on Lake Washington

Law enforcement agencies will take to the water this weekend looking for impaired boaters during the annual Seafair activities on Lake Washington.

The?Washington State Patrol, along with city, county and federal agencies, will participate in the?Impaired Boating Emphasis from Friday through Sunday during the hydroplane races and airshow.?During last year?s emphasis patrols,?officers made a total of 61 arrests for boating under the influence (BUI); and 70 arrests in 2011.

According to the State Patrol, boating under the influence is similar to DUI:?the legal limit is .08 or under the influence and/or affected by drugs.? In addition, new BUI laws that went into effect on Sunday include:

? BUI?changed from a misdemeanor to?a gross misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to 364 days in jail;

? Law enforcement is now able to require operators suspected of BUI to take a breath or blood test;

? Law enforcement now has the authority to issue citations to vessel operators during the investigation of collisions/accidents they did not witness, thus holding negligent and reckless boaters more accountable.

Source: http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/07/impaired-boaters-target-of-weekend-crackdown-on-lake-washington/

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Muzik: These ?Smart? Headphones Come With Unlimited Platform Potential

Of all the things that I figured would go "smart" one day, I hadn't expected that headphones would be next. But here we are and here are Muzik's first set of "smart" headphones.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GkjDYjOH9O8/muzik-these-smart-headphones-come-with-unlimited-pla-948217552

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Who is winning the Tulsa World All-World football contest right now

Union running back Justin Silmon is leading all running backs in the All-World contest.

Fans of high school football players competing in the Tulsa World's annual All-World contest only have 15 days left to vote. Each year, we open up our player ranking to the public for them to pick the fan's choice. Remember, voting is still open until 5 p.m. Aug 12. Go to tulsaworld.com/allworld to vote. Please help get the word out about your players by sharing the contest through Facebook and Twitter. If the contest ended today, these would be the winners. Running Back
1. Justin Silmon, Union
2. Justin Flewellen, Lincoln Christian
3. Trey Sneed, Kiefer
4. Tyler Gibson, Mannford
5. Brett Tye, Jenks
6. Kejuante Austin, Memorial
7. Warren Walker, East Central
8. Lawrence Evitt, Wagoner
9. Devon Thomas, Broken Arrow
10. Jace Sanchez, Rejoice Christian
Quarterback
1. Cody Hale, Sand Springs
2. Sam Gottsch, Sapulpa
3. Cameron Gilbert, Summit Christian
4. Daniel Moniz, Claremore Sequoyah
5. Zane McElroy, Collinsville
6. Keats Calhoon, Victory Christian
7. J.R. Singleton, Fort Gibson
8. Coleman Key, Broken Arrow
9. Tre'von Cherry, East Central
10. D?Angelo Brewer, Central

Linebacker
1. Coleby Evans, Union
2. Trent Taber, Jenks
3. Alec Roberts, Sand Springs
4. Hayden Hillenburg, Metro Christian
5. Jantzen Burd, Owasso
6. Lane Hassenplug, Berryhill
7. Tristan Butcher, Coweta
8. Gyasi Akem, Broken Arrow
9. Alex Bradley, Broken Arrow
10. Hunter Harrison, Catoosa

Defensive Lineman
1. James Eaton, Holland Hall
2. Jonathan Willis, B.T. Washington
3. Jeremy Smith, Berryhill
4. JoJo Ogundare, Union
5. Marquise Overton, Jenks
6. Tramal Ivy, Muskogee
7. Wyatt Pennington, Catoosa
8. Jordan Brailford, B.T. Washington
9. Matthew Dreyer, Bixby
10. James Willis, Owasso

Offensive Lineman
1. Zachary Zarecki, Broken Arrow
2. Bewley Wales, Metro Christian
3. Chandler Miller, Bixby
4. Stewart White, Jenks
5. Tyler Base, Oologah
6. David Seagle, Cascia Hall
7. Conner Wood, Owasso
8. Jake Slayton, Bishop Kelley
9. Jake Jones, Verdigris
10. Keaton Baggs, Broken Arrow

Receiver
1. Carson Meier, Union
2. Danny Burke, Metro Christian
3. Bishop Louie, McLain
4. Slade Nordic, Bartlesville
5. T.J. Johnson, Collinsville
6. John Cole Neph, Owasso
7. Ben Johnson, Sapulpa
8. Jeffery Mead, Union
9. MikeQuan Deane, Memorial
10. Nigel Carter, McLain

Defensive Back
1. Cory Mondier, Sapulpa
2. Reece Lambert, Cascia Hall
3. Dylan Harding, Jenks
4. Damian Howard, Broken Arrow
5. Josh Kinzer, Owasso
6. Tre Betts, Sand Springs
7. Myles Tease, B.T. Washington
8. Steven Parker, Jenks
9. Tyler Lindsey, Owasso
10. Jalen Smith, Memorial

Kicker
1. Jared Vincent, Claremore
2. Danny Donley, Jenks
3. Derek Reeves, Cleveland
4. Austin Butler, Union
5. Tyler Myles, Cleveland
6. Cameron Mortazavi, Sapulpa
7. Daniel Mielnik, Fort Gibson
8. Miguel Rosendo, Cascia Hall
9. Justin Dunn, Berryhill
10. Josiah Siddiki, Bishop Kelley

High School Football

All-state rosters

East quarterback Andrew Hearon is sacked by the West's Patrick Diaz during the All State football game last year.

All-World: Kickers/Punters Rankings

All-Metro first-team 2012 selection as he made 11-of-12 field goals, with a long of 43. Also converted 39-of-45 extra points.

Source: http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Who_is_winning_the_Tulsa_World_All_World_football_contest/20130729_227_0_Fansof997399?rss_lnk=227

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US says Israeli-Palestinian talks to start Monday

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will resume long-stalled direct peace talks on Monday following six months of frenetic shuttle diplomacy by Secretary of State John Kerry.

The State Department announced Sunday that the two sides had accepted invitations from Kerry to come to Washington "to formally resume direct final status negotiations." In a statement, department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the initial meetings would begin Monday evening and continue Tuesday.

She said Kerry had called both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday and said they agreed that the talks would "serve as an opportunity to develop a procedural work plan for how the parties can proceed with the negotiations in the coming months."

"Both leaders have demonstrated a willingness to make difficult decisions that have been instrumental in getting to this point," Kerry said in the statement. "We are grateful for their leadership."

Kerry had announced on July 19 in Amman, Jordan, that negotiators from the two sides would be coming to Washington in a "week or so" after having agreed on a basis for resuming negotiations after a five-year break. However, he warned that the agreement was still being formalized.

Sunday's carefully worded statement offered no details of the framework for the resumption of the talks that broke down five years ago, although both sides' positions are well known.

The statement was released shortly after the Israeli Cabinet agreed to release 104 long-term Palestinian prisoners convicted of deadly attacks, meeting a longstanding Palestinian demand.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-07-28-US-US-Mideast/id-1b46f4e92d674b93816c53d6f64966b1

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Syria says army retakes Homs district from rebels

By Dominic Evans

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian troops drove insurgents from a central district of Homs on Monday, tightening their siege on remaining rebel bastions in the city, which links Damascus to the Mediterranean heartland of President Bashar al-Assad's Alawite sect.

The military's gains in Khalidiya district follow a counter-offensive by Assad's forces, which have pushed back rebels around the Syrian capital and retaken several towns and villages near the border with Lebanon in the last few weeks.

"As of this morning the armed forces, in collaboration with the National Defense Force, took full control of Khalidiya," an army officer said, referring to the NDF militia which has fought in the offensive, along with Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

The officer was speaking to Syrian television in a live broadcast from Khalidiya.

Shattered, deserted ruins and weeds sprouting a meter (yard) high in the rubble-filled streets around him showed the scale of the destruction and neglect in a city which was once an industrial powerhouse in Syria.

Also badly damaged in the Khalidiya fighting was the distinctive black and white stone mosque housing the shrine of early Islamic military leader Khalid ibn al-Walid.

Some activists disputed the capture of Khalidiya district, saying heavy clashes continued on Monday morning, but conceded that army had control of almost the entire neighborhood.

The army's progress in Khalidiya comes a month after it launched an offensive in Homs city, building on its capture of the border towns of Qusair and Tel Kalakh, which were both used to bring rebel arms and fighters into Syria from Lebanon.

ALEPPO CLASHES

At least 100,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict, which started with peaceful protests against Assad's rule in March 2011 but gradually descended into civil war after a military crackdown on the demonstrations.

Nearly two million refugees have fled the sectarian-tinged struggle between mainly Sunni Muslim rebels and Assad's Alawite supporters, whose minority sect is a branch of Shi'ite Islam.

Regional Sunni powers Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey have backed the rebels, while Shi'ite Iran and Hezbollah have given military support to the Syrian authorities.

At the United Nations in New York, Paulo Pinheiro, who chairs a U.N. commission of inquiry on rights abuses in Syria, said countries which armed either side in the conflict were simply helping prolong the suffering.

Civilians "come under such sustained and unlawful attacks" that the international community should be shocked into action, Pinheiro told the U.N. General Assembly.

"Those who supply arms to the various warring parties are not creating the ground for victory but rather the illusion for victory," Pinheiro said. "This is a dangerous and irresponsible illusion as it allows the war to unfurl endlessly before us."

Assad has sent reinforcements to the northern city of Aleppo, much of which has been in rebel hands for a year.

A coalition of Islamist rebels announced a campaign dubbed "Amputation of the Infidels" against Assad's forces in Aleppo's western districts of Lairamun, Dahr Abed Rebbo and Zahraa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an overnight attack by the Islamists had killed eight members of the armed forces. Another five defected, according to the British-based monitoring group which has a network of sources in Syria.

In the town of Tal Hasel, southeast of Aleppo, Kurdish fighters clashed with Islamists from the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, the Observatory said. A Kurdish commander was killed, as well as three Nusra fighters.

Kurdish and Nusra fighters have also been battling further east, near the Ras al-Ain border crossing with Turkey.

(Additional reporting by Michele Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Alistair Lyon and Angus MacSwan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-says-army-retakes-homs-district-rebels-173511036.html

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Jennifer Aniston ?In No Rush? To Get Married

Jennifer Aniston “In No Rush” To Get Married

Jennifer Aniston has finally opened up about the rumors of her wedding plans with fiance Justin Theroux. Aniston explained they “already feel married” and that they haven’t set a date. Is Justin dragging his heels? Jennifer Aniston touched on all the reports during a press conference for her film “We’re the Millers”. She said, “We ...

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Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/07/jennifer-aniston-in-no-rush-to-get-married/

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MLB Alumni New York Yankees Gary Sanchez Autographed Baseball

Product Description & Features

?Item provided by Major League Alumni Marketing, a division of Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.
?This product is officially licensed and authenticated by Major League Baseball and comes with an individually numbered; tamper evident hologram

Source: http://feeds.mlbshopfeeds.com/~r/rss/mlb/en_us/yankees/newarrivals/~3/NOPcqgSI850/entry.point

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Why This Apple Lover Sold His iPad (AAPL)

I'm lucky that my job lets me test out a bunch of different kinds of gadgets for free. At any given moment, I have at least one device running every major computing platform within arm's reach.

But whenever I want to spend my hard-earned cash on a new gizmo, it almost always comes from Apple. I have an iPhone 5, Apple TV, and a MacBook Air. I still think Apple makes the best stuff (they won't forever though, trust me), and that's why it gets my money.

I used to have an iPad (the third-generation model with the super-sharp Retina display), but I sold it last week.?I got a cool $400 for it, just $100 less than what I paid for it on launch day in March 2012. (Say whatever you want about Apple, but its products hold their value very well.)

Something changed this year though. For months, my iPad remained on my nightstand, untouched. The battery was dead, not from overuse, but from weeks of neglect while it was in sleep mode, which barely sips power. I didn't feel a need to recharge it.

It was a strange twist in my computing habits. When I first got my iPad, I found myself using it more than my MacBook. I would come home from work and use my iPad to catch up on news and Twitter. At night, I'd use it to stream Netflix in bed. I really only used my MacBook if I needed to do some work from home. It was essentially just a word processor to me.

So, what happened??

I started using my iPad less and less this year mostly because I started working a lot more when away from the office. For writers, an iPad isn't an ideal device to get things done, even with one of those cool keyboard accessories. I still need a full-fledged PC to do my job well, as I suspect people in many other professions do.

So I found myself spending much more time on my MacBook, and I realized I could still do a lot of things on it that I could do on my iPad, and then some. I could still catch up on the news, keep up with Twitter, and plow through my exhaustive Gmail inbox. Since the MacBook Air is so thin and light, it was just as easy for me to use on the couch or in bed like I used to with my iPad. It was like rediscovering an old beloved toy.

Before long, I only had two devices in my daily rotation: My iPhone (for checking email and Tweets when away from the computer and playing games or listening to podcasts on the subway), and my MacBook (for work and just about everything else). I realized my iPad was better off in someone else's hands and that someone else's $400 was better off in my checking account.

Yes, iPads and other tablets appear to be cannibalizing the traditional PC market. PC makers like HP, Dell, and to an extent, Apple, have all blamed the popularity of smartphones and tablets for the decline in PC sales. However, in most cases, if you need to get work done, an iPad or other tablet really doesn't cut it. They're great devices for browsing the web, light emailing, and playing games, but still don't offer the full suite of productivity a regular PC does.

That's a problem Microsoft is trying to solve with Windows 8 and devices like the Surface Pro, a tablet that can double as a regular laptop thanks to a handy snap-on keyboard accessory. Unfortunately, most Windows 8 devices don't do a great job at being both things. There are still far too many compromises in weight, thickness, battery life, and apps that manufacturers have to deal with when making these hybrid PCs. As a result, most Windows 8 hybrids are pretty mediocre right now.

Until someone figures out the perfect hybrid device, I don't see a need to carry around three different computing form factors. And iPhone and MacBook Air is the perfect combination for me.?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-i-sold-my-ipad-2013-7

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Judge questions train driver over crash in Spain

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain (AP) ? The driver of a Spanish train that derailed at high speed was being questioned by a judge on Sunday as officials tried to determine if he was responsible for the accident, which killed 79 people.

Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, 52, has been held by police on suspicion of negligent homicide. He has not been formally charged by a magistrate or made any official statements.

However, minutes after the crash Garzon said that he had been going fast and couldn't brake, a local resident who rushed to the scene of the accident said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

The resident, Evaristo Iglesias, said he and another person accompanied the blood-soaked Garzon to flat ground where other injured people were being laid out, waiting for emergency services to arrive.

"He told us that he wanted to die," Iglesias told Antena 3 television. "He said he had needed to brake but couldn't," Iglesias said. He added that Garzon said "he had been going fast."

The train carrying 218 passenger in eight cars hurtled far over the 80-kph (50-mph) speed limit into a high-risk curve on Wednesday, tumbling off the tracks and slamming into a concrete wall, with some of the cars catching fire. The Spanish rail agency has said the brakes should have been applied four kilometers (2.5 miles) before the train hit the curve.

On Sunday, Garzon was moved from the police station in the northwestern Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela, near where the accident occurred, to its courthouse just as the deadline of his 72 hours of detention was to expire.

Luis Alaez, the investigative judge, was to question the driver in private and was not expected to comment about it afterward. The judge also was to have access to the information contained in the train's "black box," which is similar to those found on aircraft, officials said.

Investigators must determine if Garzon failed to apply the brakes or whether it was a technical failure.

Previously Garzon had exercised his right to remain silent when police tried to interview him, officials said. Spain's state-run train company has described him as an experience driver who knew the route well.

In its report about the accident, Antena 3 television showed a photograph of Iglesias in a pink shirt and cap helping to carry the driver after the train accident. The station also aired television footage of Iglesias working beside the wrecked train to help other survivors.

In the interview, Iglesias recalled Garzon's words, "'I don't want to see this, I want to die,' that's what he said repeatedly," said Iglesias. "'I had to brake down to 80 and couldn't,'" Iglesias quoted the driver as saying.

On Sunday, the death toll from the train derailment rose to 79 when an injured passenger died at University Hospital in Santiago de Compostela, officials said. She was identified as American Myrta Fariza of Houston, her family said in a statement. Fariza's friends and family had created a Facebook page while she was hospitalized titled "Hope for Myrta," where they collected donations and communicated.

Officials said 70 people injured in the train accident remained hospitalized on Sunday, 22 in critical condition.

Iglesias was among survivors and witnesses who began to give evidence to police on Sunday.

Meanwhile, authorities said forensic experts have identified the last three bodies among the 79 dead.

Victims have been reported from France, Algeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, France, Italy, Mexico and the United States, but officials have not publicly identified each victim or his or her nationality.

Mourning continued throughout Spain, with Sunday church services being held in remembrance of the dead. A large funeral mass is planned for Monday afternoon in Santiago de Compostela, and the prime minister and royal family are expected to attend.

The crash has cast a pall over the town, a Catholic pilgrimage site. Santiago officials had been preparing for the religious feast of St. James of Compostela, Spain's patron saint, but canceled it after the crash and turned a local sporting arena into a morgue.

___

Heckle contributed from Madrid, and AP correspondent Ramit Plushnick-Masti contributed from Houston.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-questions-train-driver-over-crash-spain-175812900.html

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Can coal power help eradicate poverty from India?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/can-coal-power-help-eradicate-poverty-india

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Israeli and Palestinian negotiators invited to talks in Washington, D.C.

Ronen Zvulun / Reuters

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem July 28, 2013. Netanyahu on Sunday urged divided rightists in his cabinet to approve the release of 104 Arab prisoners in order to restart peace talk with the Palestinians.

By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

Talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators ??stalled for three years ??are set to resume in Washington, D.C., this week, the State Department said in a news release on Sunday.

Teams of negotiators from the two countries have accepted invitations to ?resume direct final status negotiations," according to the release.

According to a senior U.S. official, the meeting will take place over two days beginning Monday evening before an iftar dinner,??a meal that breaks the day of fasting during Ramadan. Those meetings will tentatively lay a groundwork for further negotiations in the coming months, according to the release.

All meetings will take place at the State Department, the official said.

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Yitzhak Molcho will travel to the U.S. to represent Israel, while Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat and Mohammad Shtayyeh will represent the Palestinians.

"Both leaders have demonstrated a willingness to make difficult decisions that have been instrumental in getting to this point.? We are grateful for their leadership," Secretary of State John Kerry said in the statement.?

News of the meetings came shortly after the Israel?s cabinet approved the release of 104 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, whose freedom knocked aside a barrier for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to come to the negotiating table.??

"This moment is not easy for me, is not easy for the cabinet ministers, and is not easy especially for the bereaved families, whose feelings I understand," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, referring to families who have lost members in militant attacks, according to Reuters.

"But there are moments in which tough decisions must be made for the good of the nation and this is one of those moments," Netanyahu said.

While in Amman, Jordan on July 19, Kerry told reporters that the two countries had begun to lay the groundwork to resume talks after months of intense shuttle diplomacy by America?s newly appointed chief diplomat.

"The representatives of two proud people today have decided that the difficult road ahead is worth traveling," Kerry said at the time.

On again, off again negotiations have taken place over the last two decades. U.S. sponsored talked broke down in late 2010 over a disputed Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories it captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

But the 13-7 vote, with two abstentions, by the Israeli government, to release the prisoners cleared the way for peace talks to resume.

Netanyahu said on his Facebook page that the inmates would be freed only after talks began and would be released in groups based on the progress of the talks. Following the vote, hundreds of Israelis took to the streets to protest, including family members who lost loved ones killed by Palestinian militants.

Palestinians have long demanded the release of the prisoners who have been jailed in Israel since before 1993, when both countries signed an interim peace treaty known as the Oslo Accords.

Erekat commend Israel for setting in motion the steps to release the prisoners, but added that the move was well overdue.?

``We call on Israel to seize the opportunity ... to put an end to decades of occupation and exile and to start a new stage of justice, freedom and peace for Israel, Palestine and the rest of the region,'' he said, according to Reuters.?

The release of the prisoners gives Netanyahu flexibility to negotiate around other Palestinian demands, like stopping the expansion of Jewish settlements and the guarantee that talks over borders will be based on boundaries drawn before the 1967 Middle East war, when Israel took the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.

Israeli officials have insisted that the country be able to keep East Jerusalem and several settlement blocs as part of any peace deal.

Negotiations would likely take months to complete, and no more details about the framework of a possible deal have been released.

NBC's Andrea Mitchell Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article.

Related:

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663309/s/2f44014d/sc/20/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A70C280C197372710Eisraeli0Eand0Epalestinian0Enegotiators0Einvited0Eto0Etalks0Ein0Ewashington0Edc0Dlite/story01.htm

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Pay-day games will fade away in college football

Associated Press

NEW YORK ? College football?s Davids will get fewer chances to knock off the Goliaths in the coming years.

Part of the fallout of the sweeping changes coming to college sports will be a decrease in so-called guarantee games in football, where a power conference school pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to have a team from a lesser league play at its stadium.

The result will be far fewer opportunities for embarrassing blowouts (Oklahoma State 84, Savannah State 0) and startling upsets (Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32). Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said it would be good for college football and that he is ?not very sympathetic? to the potential loss of revenue to the schools on the receiving end of the checks.

The commissioners of the lower-revenue conferences say losing the pay days won?t kill their leagues, and giving players from smaller schools a chance to compete on the big stage has value.

Mid-American Conference teams will play 13 games against Big Ten teams this season, plus four against the SEC and two each against the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference, and many of them fall into the category of guarantee games.

The shift to nine-game conference schedules, along with an increased emphasis on strength of schedule for the coming College Football Playoff, all but guarantee fewer opportunities for the other five conferences (MAC, Sun Belt, Mountain West, American Athletic and Conference USA) in FBS to play the top five.

Add in the need for the power conferences to beef up their schedules to create made-for-TV matchups to justify the millions they are getting in media rights deals, plus a possible reconfiguration of Division I, and it leads to speculation that the big five will be playing exclusively among themselves at some point.

Scott shot down that idea and MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher doesn?t sound overly concerned about his teams not getting more than a few shots per season to knock off top programs.

Steinbrecher said it?s more likely for the big five to trim FCS teams ? the old Division I-AA ? from their schedules than the other FBS leagues. The Big Ten has said it would like eliminate all FCS games soon. And if schools from the big five are getting tired of cutting those big checks for home games, Steinbrecher has another solution.

?We?d gladly give up the guarantee game and start a home-and-home,? he said.

Patty Viverito runs FCS Missouri Valley Conference football as senior associate commissioner. MVC teams such as Northern Iowa and North Dakota State frequently play Big Ten teams. Losing that revenue will be a challenge, she said.

?But at this juncture there seems to be plenty of willing hosts,? she said. ?We haven?t had too much difficulty in finding alternate opponents.?

She added: ?We think that those games have been good for the game of college football. I think I would like to have a more considerate approach to the good of the game be part of the conversation.?

Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander said it?s hard to predict what not having FBS games and the money that comes with them would do to his members.

?There are some that rely on the revenue to improve facilities and fund their programs,? he said. ?But it?s not like the sky would fall and wouldn?t be able to play anymore.?

Source: http://jacksonville.com/sports/college/2013-07-26/story/pay-day-games-will-fade-away-college-football

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MLB Alumni New York Yankees Gary Sanchez Autographed Inscribed "Go Yankees" Baseball

Product Description & Features

?Official MLB baseball autographed by Gary Sanchez of the New York Yankees.
?Item provided by Major League Alumni Marketing, a division of Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.
?This product is officially licensed and authenticated by Major League Baseball and comes with an individually numbered; tamper evident hologram

Source: http://feeds.mlbshopfeeds.com/~r/rss/mlb/en_us/yankees/newarrivals/~3/hdDB98-k_SM/entry.point

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MediaTek confirms true octa-core processor in the works

Earlier this month there was a whisp of octa-core colored smoke coming from MediaTek. Today it's more of a roaring camp fire, with the chip-maker going official -- fully announcing its new octa-core processor ambitions. The firm stops short of giving us the actual nitty-gritty specifications that many of you will be waiting for, instead taking the chance to remind us that Arm-based chips will be true eight-cores-at-once processing, and none of this big.LITTLE dallying. The word is these will float around the 2GHz mark on arrival, which last we heard was pegged for November. We're not suggesting the timing of this announcement was planned, but it looks, for now, like 8 is the current lucky number.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

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Via: Phone Arena

Source: MediaTek

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/_Fj-0kKyiAs/

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Mali due to vote for president

28 July 2013 Last updated at 00:02 ET

Polls are due to open across Mali for a presidential election aimed at reuniting the country after months of political turmoil.

Security will be tight, with many areas still recovering after a northern rebellion and coup that resulted in foreign military intervention.

There are 27 candidates and if no outright winner emerges, the voting goes to a second round on 11 August.

However, some analysts have questioned whether Mali is ready for the election.

Continue reading the main story

Mali crisis timeline

• October 2011: Ethnic Tuaregs launch new rebellion after returning with weapons from Libya, where they had fought for Gaddafi
• March 2012: Military officers depose President Amadou Toumani Toure over handling of rebellion
• April 2012: Tuareg and Islamist fighters seize control of northern Mali, declare independence
• June 2012: Islamist groups capture towns of Timbuktu, Kidal and Gao from Tuaregs, start to destroy Muslim shrines that offend their puritan views
• January 2013: Islamist fighters advance south, raising fears they could march on capital. Interim President Dioncounda Traore asks France for help. France intervenes, along with neighbouring countries. Northern towns recaptured
• April 2013: France and Chad begin to withdraw
• July 2013: State of emergency lifted. Mali troops re-enter Kidal. Deployment of a UN peace force to incorporate the West African force on the ground. Nationwide elections due

Hundreds of thousands of people in the north were displaced by fighting. The majority of them will not be able to vote.

Islamist militants in the north have also warned Muslims not to take part and have threatened to attack polling stations.

There are also concerns about the fairness of the electoral process in the northern town of Kidal, which is still occupied by Tuareg rebels.

Tuareg gunmen were suspected of abducting electoral officials in the northern Tessalit area last week as they handed out voter identification cards. The officials were later released.

French troops are still deployed in the area with Chadian forces as part of the UN stabilisation force, Minusma.

Despite the problems, Louis Michel, head of the EU's election observer mission, said he was "positively surprised" by preparations for the vote and that the conditions were acceptable.

The US ambassador to Bamako, Mary Beth Leonard, said the fragility of Mali's interim government had to end.

"A month ago, there were a lot of doubts (over the election). But it has come together," she said.

Voting is due to start at 08:00 GMT at 21,000 polling stations across the country.

Candidates include three former prime ministers, a former finance minister and one woman.

The frontrunners include Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, prime minister from 1994 to 2000, who founded his own party, the Rally for Mali (RPM), in 2001.

At his final rally in the capital Bamako on Friday, Mr Keita - known as IBK - appealed for a calm election day and vowed to ensure that "no-one will make fun of Mali again".

His biggest rival is seen as Soumaila Cisse, who founded his own party, the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD), in 2003.

Mr Cisse has called for the junta that seized power in 2012 to be cleared from the political scene.

Observers say Soumana Sacko, another former prime minister, can expect a good showing if there is no clear winner.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23480493

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Legendary brands: Why are consumers still fascinated by the Titanic?

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Brands do not necessarily need to present a clear, well-defined image in order to appeal to consumers, according to a new study. Consider the case of the Titanic.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/consumer_behavior/~3/DIHq_cH_tpo/130726131258.htm

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Radio, TV personality David 'Kidd' Kraddick dies

David "Kidd" Kraddick, the high-octane radio and TV host of the "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" show heard on dozens of U.S. radio stations, has died at a charity golf event near New Orleans, a publicist said. Kraddick was 53.

The Texas-based radio and television personality, whose program is syndicated by YEA Networks, died at his Kidd's Kids charity function in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna on Saturday, said publicist Ladd Biro in releasing a network statement.

"He died doing what he loved," said Biro, of the public relations firm Champion Management, speaking with AP by phone early Sunday. He said he had no further details on the death.

The "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" show is heard on more than 75 Top 40 and Hot AC radio stations and is a leader among most-listened-to contemporary morning programs, Biro said. The radio program also is transmitted globally on American Forces Radio Network while the show's cast is also seen weeknights on the nationally syndicated TV show "Dish Nation," he added.

"All of us with YEA Networks and the "Kidd Kraddick in the Morning" crew are heartbroken over the loss of our dear friend and leader," the network statement said. "Kidd devoted his life to making people smile every morning, and for 21 years his foundation has been dedicated to bringing joy to thousands of chronically and terminally ill children."

"He died doing what he loved, and his final day was spent selflessly focused on those special children that meant the world to him," it added.

The Dallas Morning News reported Kraddick had been a staple in the Dallas market since 1984, starting in a late-night debut. The newspaper said he moved into morning show work by the early 1990s in that market and his show began to gain wider acclaim and entered into syndication by 2001 as he gained a following in cities nationwide.

Kraddick would have turned 54 on Aug. 22, according to Biro.

The network statement said the cause of death would be released "at the appropriate time."

Many fans, celebrities included, tweeted condolences and talked about the death on social media sites. One Texas radio station where he was a mainstay ran photographs on its website of Kraddick at the microphone.

Word of Kraddick's passing spread quickly via social media.

"RIP Kidd Kraddick. You were an amazing man and a friend. You are already missed," Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted.

"Oh Man, I just heard Kidd Kraddick died! He's my childhood dj. What a sad day. His poor family. He was always nice 2 me from the beginning," singer Kelly Clarkson tweeted.

Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, only recently announced as the headline act of a planned first-ever Kidd's Kids charity concert in Dallas next month, wrote: "The sad sad news about Kidd Kraddick is shocking. He will be missed greatly."

Richie Tomblin, described as the head golf professional at the Timberlane Country Club in Gretna on its website, told AP that Kraddick wasn't looking well when he saw him getting ready for Saturday's charity event.

"He came out and he borrowed my golf clubs and went out to the driving range," Tomblin told AP when contacted by phone. "It's kind of a freaky situation. He came out. He practiced a little bit. He hit the ball at the first tee and wasn't feeling good and after that I didn't see him."

Tomblin said the hundreds of amateur golfers taking part went ahead with the event Saturday. He added he only found out afterward that Kraddick had died and he was still shaken about it.

"I'm still trying to figure it out. I really don't know what happened. Everyone keeps texting me asking, 'What's going on?' I really don't know," said Tomblin.

He added he was reluctant to even touch the set of clubs Kraddick had borrowed Saturday for his practice swings.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/radio-tv-personality-david-kidd-kraddick-dies-063257312.html

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