EU leaders seek growth as Greece crisis looms

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti speak together prior to a meeting at the European Council in Brussels ahead of the European Union leaders summit, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. European leaders were trying Monday to come up with ways to boost economic growth and jobs, which are being squeezed by their own governments' steep budget cuts across the continent. (AP Photo/Philippe Wojazer, pool) FRANCE MAGS OUT

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti speak together prior to a meeting at the European Council in Brussels ahead of the European Union leaders summit, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. European leaders were trying Monday to come up with ways to boost economic growth and jobs, which are being squeezed by their own governments' steep budget cuts across the continent. (AP Photo/Philippe Wojazer, pool) FRANCE MAGS OUT

British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, speaks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. European leaders will try to come up with ways to boost growth despite steep budget cuts across the continent when they meet in Brussels on Monday. The 27 heads of state and government will get a taste of the popular frustration with austerity and high unemployment as they try to get to the summit in a city paralyzed by strikes. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, center, and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti speak together prior to a meeting at the European Council in Brussels ahead of the European Union leaders summit, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. European leaders were trying Monday to come up with ways to boost economic growth and jobs, which are being squeezed by their own governments' steep budget cuts across the continent. (AP Photo/Philippe Wojazer, pool) FRANCE MAGS OUT

Belgium's Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, left, speaks with Czech Republic's Prime Minister Petr Necas during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. European leaders will try to come up with ways to boost growth despite steep budget cuts across the continent when they meet in Brussels on Monday. The 27 heads of state and government will get a taste of the popular frustration with austerity and high unemployment as they try to get to the summit in a city paralyzed by strikes. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

British Prime Minister David Cameron, left, walks by German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. European leaders will try to come up with ways to boost growth despite steep budget cuts across the continent when they meet in Brussels on Monday. The 27 heads of state and government will get a taste of the popular frustration with austerity and high unemployment as they try to get to the summit in a city paralyzed by strikes. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

BRUSSELS (AP) ? With another recession looming, European leaders on Monday met in Brussels to discuss ways to stimulate growth and create badly needed jobs, even as they drew up tighter spending limits to avoid a repeat of the crippling debt crisis.

Europe's debt crisis has put the continent and its leaders in an almost impossible situation. While they have to slash their deficits to reassure investors reluctant to lend to them, the debt crisis has also hammered the so-called "real economy," sending unemployment soaring. Many think that only government spending can restart growth.

While the 27 EU leaders meeting in Brussels will focus on walking the fine line between reining in spending and stimulating growth, the elephant in room is Greece.

Greece and its bondholders have come closer to a deal to significantly reduce the country's debt and pave the way for it to receive a much-needed euro130 billion ($170 billion) bailout.

Negotiators for Greece's private creditors said Saturday that a debt-reduction deal could become final within the next week. If the agreement works as planned, it could help Greece avoid a catastrophic default, which would be a blow to Europe's already weak financial system.

But European officials are afraid that even that deal may not be enough to fix Greece's finances, with some blaming Athens for dithering in its austerity promises.

German officials over the weekend proposed that Athens temporarily cede control over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts.

The idea proved immediately controversial ? both the European Commission and the Greek government refuted it ? to the point that German Chancellor Angela Merkel pulled back on the idea when she arrived in Brussels.

She said Europe had to support Greece in implementing promised austerity and reform measures, "but all that will only work if Greece and all other states discuss this together."

Luxembourg Prime Minister, and head of the group of eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters as he entered the summit that Greece couldn't be singled out.

"I'm strongly against the idea of imposing the debt commissioner only to Greece, that's just not acceptable" neither for Greece nor the rest of Europe, Juncker said.

The negotiations in Greece are crucial because it is clear that Athens will never be able to pay off all of its debts, especially as austerity measures take their toll on its anemic economy. Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, cautioned against punishing Greece too severely.

"Greece needs an economic relaunch today and not in 2016," he told reporters on the sidelines of the summit. "So why not put together a stimulus package today instead of discussing another time a reduction in spending in a country that's in an economic depression?

He said that there are European funds for that kind of stimulus, but unlocking them has always posed a challenge.

The European Commission has proposed to summit leaders that euro82 billion in existing development funds be redirected toward countries in dire need of help to fix their labor markets.

Greece is not alone in facing slow growth and high unemployment. In Spain, for example, unemployment has soared to nearly 23 percent and closed in on 50 percent for those under age 25, leaving more than 5 million people ? or almost one out of every four ? out of work as the country slides toward recession.

Even countries in the so-called European "core" ? which are generally better off ? are suffering. The French government was forced Monday to revise down its growth forecast for the year from 1 percent to just 0.5 percent.

In fact, many now fear that Europe is on the verge of another recession, and leaders gathering Brussels said that spurring growth would be the focus of their talks Monday.

A draft of the summit conclusions, obtained by The Associated Press, proposes reducing barriers to do business across the EU's 27 states and giving better training to young people, who are particularly hard-hit by unemployment.

But it does not contain any new financial stimulus to boost growth, even though turning around Europe's economy would likely require more stimulus from governments, which are currently under pressure to cut ? rather than increase ? spending.

"We have to have balanced budgets and at the same time focus on growth and jobs," said Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt of Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of European Council. "It is possible to both at the same time and it is important to understand that these are two sides of the same coin."

The 27 heads of state and government got a taste of the popular frustration with austerity and high unemployment on their way to Monday's summit in a city paralyzed by strikes. Leaders had to fly into the military airport of Beauvechain 20 miles (30 kilometers) outside of Brussels after the city's main airport was shutdown by a 24-hour strike.

Belgium's three main unions joined forces in the walkout to protest national budgetary measures that have in part been imposed on the country by the EU. If the country hadn't met cost-cutting targets, financial sanctions would have been imposed.

Monday's strike has been mirrored in many other member states. Overall, 23 million people are jobless across the EU, 10 percent of the active population.

"Europe has to offer jobs, social protection and perspective for the future. Otherwise it risks losing the support of its citizens," said the strike manifesto of the ACV union.

___

Associated Press writers Don Melvin, Robert Wielaard and Raf Casert contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-30-EU-Europe-Financial-Crisis/id-2e0a24c13814470eab68c2bc10ad5e64

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Addicts' cravings have different roots in men and women

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
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Contact: Bill Hathaway
william.hathaway@yale.edu
203-432-1322
Yale University

When it comes to addiction, sex matters.

A new brain imaging study by Yale School of Medicine researchers suggests stress robustly activates areas of the brain associated with craving in cocaine-dependent women, while drug cues activate similar brain regions in cocaine-dependent men. The study, expected to be published online Jan. 31 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, suggests men and women with cocaine dependence might benefit more from different treatment options.

"There are differences in treatment outcomes for people with addictions who experience stress-induced drug cravings and those whose cravings are induced by drug cues," said Marc Potenza, professor of psychiatry, child study, and neurobiology and first author of the study. "It is important to understand the biologic mechanisms that underlie these cravings."

The researchers conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging scans of 30 cocaine-dependent individuals and 36 control subjects who were recreational drinkers. While undergoing brain scans, researchers then presented subjects with personalized cues (situations or events) the participants had indicated were personally stressful and other cues involving cocaine or alcohol.

As expected, cocaine-dependent individuals showed greater activation in broad regions of the brain linked to addiction and motivation than the control subjects. Patterns of activation between the groups, however, differed markedly in men and women when presented with stress or drug cues.

Potenza said the findings suggest that women with cocaine dependence might benefit from stress-reduction therapies that specifically target these cravings. Men, on the other hand, might derive more benefit from elements of cognitive behavioral therapy or 12-step programs based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.

###

The senior author of the paper is Rajita Sinha of Yale. Other Yale authors are Kwang-ik Adam Hong, Cheryl M. Lacadie, Robert K. Fulbright, and Keri L. Tuit.

The study was supported by the Yale Stress Center, Women's Health Research at Yale, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and grants from the National Institutes of Health and its Office of Research on Women's Health.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Bill Hathaway
william.hathaway@yale.edu
203-432-1322
Yale University

When it comes to addiction, sex matters.

A new brain imaging study by Yale School of Medicine researchers suggests stress robustly activates areas of the brain associated with craving in cocaine-dependent women, while drug cues activate similar brain regions in cocaine-dependent men. The study, expected to be published online Jan. 31 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, suggests men and women with cocaine dependence might benefit more from different treatment options.

"There are differences in treatment outcomes for people with addictions who experience stress-induced drug cravings and those whose cravings are induced by drug cues," said Marc Potenza, professor of psychiatry, child study, and neurobiology and first author of the study. "It is important to understand the biologic mechanisms that underlie these cravings."

The researchers conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging scans of 30 cocaine-dependent individuals and 36 control subjects who were recreational drinkers. While undergoing brain scans, researchers then presented subjects with personalized cues (situations or events) the participants had indicated were personally stressful and other cues involving cocaine or alcohol.

As expected, cocaine-dependent individuals showed greater activation in broad regions of the brain linked to addiction and motivation than the control subjects. Patterns of activation between the groups, however, differed markedly in men and women when presented with stress or drug cues.

Potenza said the findings suggest that women with cocaine dependence might benefit from stress-reduction therapies that specifically target these cravings. Men, on the other hand, might derive more benefit from elements of cognitive behavioral therapy or 12-step programs based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.

###

The senior author of the paper is Rajita Sinha of Yale. Other Yale authors are Kwang-ik Adam Hong, Cheryl M. Lacadie, Robert K. Fulbright, and Keri L. Tuit.

The study was supported by the Yale Stress Center, Women's Health Research at Yale, the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and grants from the National Institutes of Health and its Office of Research on Women's Health.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/yu-ach013012.php

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Was the Little Ice Age triggered by massive volcanic eruptions?

ScienceDaily (Jan. 30, 2012) ? A new international study may answer contentious questions about the onset and persistence of Earth's Little Ice Age, a period of widespread cooling that lasted for hundreds of years until the late 19th century.

The study, led by the University of Colorado Boulder with co-authors at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and other organizations, suggests that an unusual, 50-year-long episode of four massive tropical volcanic eruptions triggered the Little Ice Age between 1275 and 1300 A.D. The persistence of cold summers following the eruptions is best explained by a subsequent expansion of sea ice and a related weakening of Atlantic currents, according to computer simulations conducted for the study.

The study, which used analyses of patterns of dead vegetation, ice and sediment core data, and powerful computer climate models, provides new evidence in a longstanding scientific debate over the onset of the Little Ice Age. Scientists have theorized that the Little Ice Age was caused by decreased summer solar radiation, erupting volcanoes that cooled the planet by ejecting sulfates and other aerosol particles that reflected sunlight back into space, or a combination of the two.

"This is the first time anyone has clearly identified the specific onset of the cold times marking the start of the Little Ice Age," says lead author Gifford Miller of the University of Colorado Boulder. "We also have provided an understandable climate feedback system that explains how this cold period could be sustained for a long period of time. If the climate system is hit again and again by cold conditions over a relatively short period -- in this case, from volcanic eruptions -- there appears to be a cumulative cooling effect."

"Our simulations showed that the volcanic eruptions may have had a profound cooling effect," says NCAR scientist Bette Otto-Bliesner, a co-author of the study. "The eruptions could have triggered a chain reaction, affecting sea ice and ocean currents in a way that lowered temperatures for centuries."

The study appears this week in Geophysical Research Letters. The research team includes co-authors from the University of Iceland, the University of California Irvine, and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. The study was funded in part by the National Science Foundation, NCAR's sponsor, and the Icelandic Science Foundation.

Far-flung regions of ice

Scientific estimates regarding the onset of the Little Ice Age range from the 13th century to the 16th century, but there is little consensus, Miller says. Although the cooling temperatures may have affected places as far away as South America and China, they were particularly evident in northern Europe. Advancing glaciers in mountain valleys destroyed towns, and paintings from the period depict people ice-skating on the Thames River in London and canals in the Netherlands, places that were ice-free before and after the Little Ice Age.

"The dominant way scientists have defined the Little Ice Age is by the expansion of big valley glaciers in the Alps and in Norway," says Miller, a fellow at CU's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. "But the time in which European glaciers advanced far enough to demolish villages would have been long after the onset of the cold period."

Miller and his colleagues radiocarbon-dated roughly 150 samples of dead plant material with roots intact, collected from beneath receding margins of ice caps on Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. They found a large cluster of "kill dates" between 1275 and 1300 A.D., indicating the plants had been frozen and engulfed by ice during a relatively sudden event.

The team saw a second spike in plant kill dates at about 1450 A.D., indicating the quick onset of a second major cooling event.

To broaden the study, the researchers analyzed sediment cores from a glacial lake linked to the 367-square-mile Langj?kullice cap in the central highlands of Iceland that reaches nearly a mile high. The annual layers in the cores -- which can be reliably dated by using tephra deposits from known historic volcanic eruptions on Iceland going back more than 1,000 years -- suddenly became thicker in the late 13th century and again in the 15th century due to increased erosion caused by the expansion of the ice cap as the climate cooled.

"That showed us the signal we got from Baffin Island was not just a local signal, it was a North Atlantic signal," Miller says. "This gave us a great deal more confidence that there was a major perturbation to the Northern Hemisphere climate near the end of the 13th century."

The team used the Community Climate System Model, which was developed by scientists at NCAR and the Department of Energy with colleagues at other organizations, to test the effects of volcanic cooling on Arctic sea ice extent and mass. The model, which simulated various sea ice conditions from about 1150 to 1700 A.D., showed several large, closely spaced eruptions could have cooled the Northern Hemisphere enough to trigger the expansion of Arctic sea ice.

The model showed that sustained cooling from volcanoes would have sent some of the expanding Arctic sea ice down along the eastern coast of Greenland until it eventually melted in the North Atlantic. Since sea ice contains almost no salt, when it melted the surface water became less dense, preventing it from mixing with deeper North Atlantic water. This weakened heat transport back to the Arctic and created a self-sustaining feedback on the sea ice long after the effects of the volcanic aerosols subsided, according to the simulations.

The researchers set solar radiation at a constant level in the climate models. The simulations indicated that the Little Ice Age likely would have occurred without decreased summer solar radiation at the time, Miller says.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by National Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Gifford H Miller, John R. Southon, Chance Anderson, Helgi Bj?rnsson, Thorvaldur Thordarson, Aslaug Geirsdottir, Yafang Zhong, Darren J Larsen, Bette L Otto-Bliesner, Marika M Holland, David Anthony Bailey, Kurt A. Refsnider, Scott J. Lehman. Abrupt onset of the Little Ice Age triggered by volcanism and sustained by sea-ice/ocean feedbacks. Geophysical Research Letters, 2012; DOI: 10.1029/2011GL050168

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/QjE3-Hw937c/120130131509.htm

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Motorola announces RAZR Developer Edition with unlocked bootloader for Europe, US variant on the way

Promises. You can either let technicalities get in your way of fulfilling them, or you can just find a way to keep them. Motorola, it seems, wants to do the latter. Sorta. In a new blog post, the outfit announced the Motorola RAZR Developer Edition, a fully unlockable version of the handset destined for European shores. The announcement didn't come with a release date, but pointed towards a (currently non-functional) pre-order page for the CM7 hungry. Don't fret, America -- Motorola's thinking of you as well, mentioning that a similar developer device will be available in the United States through MOTODEV, the firm's developer network. Ready to furiously refresh the pre-order page until it goes live? Check out the links below.

[Thanks, Michael]

Motorola announces RAZR Developer Edition with unlocked bootloader for Europe, US variant on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/29/motorola-announces-razr-developer-edition-with-unlocked-bootload/

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Iraq's Sunni-backed bloc to end parliament boycott (Reuters)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) ? Iraq's Sunni-backed Iraqiya political bloc said Sunday it would end a boycott of parliament, easing the worst political crisis in Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's power-sharing government in a year.

The decision by Iraqiya clears the way for talks among fractious Shi'ite, Kurdish and Sunni blocs, but deep disputes over power-sharing remain unresolved, keeping alive the risk that Iraq could fall back into widespread sectarian violence.

The crisis erupted days after the last U.S. troops left Iraq in December, when Maliki's government sought the arrest of Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi and moved to sideline one of his Sunni deputies who branded Maliki a dictator.

The political blocs are planning a national conference to try to ease the turmoil.

"As a goodwill gesture, Iraqiya announces its return to parliament meetings to create a healthy atmosphere to help the national conference, and to ... defuse the political crisis," Iraqiya spokeswoman Maysoon al-Damluji told a news conference.

Damluji's announcement followed a meeting of Iraqiya's top officials including bloc leader Iyad Allawi, Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, Finance Minister Rafie al-Esawi and Saleh al-Mutlaq, the deputy prime minister Maliki had tried to oust.

She said the leaders would meet again to decide whether Iraqiya ministers would return to cabinet meetings.

Iraqiya's return to parliament could shore up Maliki's position for now, but the Sunni-backed bloc is deeply divided over whether to stay in the fragile power-sharing arrangement.

Maliki says his initiative against Hashemi was judicial and not political, but his moves against two key Iraqiya figures have compounded fears among Iraqi Sunnis that he wants to consolidate Shi'ite control and his own power.

Hashemi remains in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region where his immediate arrest is unlikely.

BIDEN CALLS

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has spoken to Allawi and Nujaifi by phone over the past days to discuss "the importance of resolving outstanding issues through the political process," Biden's office said.

Saleem al-Jubouri, an Iraqiya leader, said the bloc had come under international pressure to end the boycott, which he said had forced other countries to recognize the crisis in Iraq.

"The problem still exists and it could blow up again at any minute," Jubouri said.

A senior Iraqiya Sunni leader who asked not to be named said ending the boycott was the only way to keep the bloc together.

"Many factions within Iraqiya would split off if the leaders

insisted on going into opposition or continuing the boycott," the official said.

Since the U.S. invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, the Shi'ite majority has ascended, leaving Sunni Muslims feeling sidelined from power. Kurdish political blocs have more often reached political deals with Shi'ite parties.

The power-sharing agreement took almost a year to cobble together and has struggled to work when considering key laws such as a national hydrocarbons bill.

The political turmoil has been accompanied by a string of attacks on Shi'ite targets that have stirred worries Iraq could slide back in the kind of sectarian slaughter that killed tens of thousands of Iraqis a few years after the invasion.

(Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Jim Loney and Alessandra Rizzo)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120129/wl_nm/us_iraq_politics

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Good day, bad day: January 27, 2012 (The Week)

New York ? Eli Manning wins the affection of married women, while the U.N. gets hit by the delivery of 35 pounds of narcotics ? and more winners and losers of today's news cycle

GOOD DAY FOR:

Eli Manning
A survey finds that married women would rather have an affair with the New York Giants quarterback than New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. [Opposing Views]

Bouncing back
Freestyle snowmobiler Colten Moore breathes a sigh of relief after surviving a 120-foot fall from his snowmobile during the Winter X Games. Moore still went on to win the gold metal. [Huffington Post]

SEE ALSO: The haute coffee-holder

?

Stressed travelers
The San Francisco International Airport opens a yoga room for fliers who need a moment of zen. [TIME]

BAD DAY FOR:

Diplomatic immunity
The UN receives an unexpected (and presumably unintentional) delivery of 35.5 pounds of cocaine wrapped in a fake diplomatic sack. [NPR]

SEE ALSO: Good day, bad day: January 23, 2012

?

Separating church and school?
A 16-year-old Rhode Island high school student gets death threats after successfully suing her school to take down the poster of a prayer that had hung in the cafeteria since 1963. [New York Times]

Eating your words
East Haven, Conn., Mayor Joseph Maturo receives hundreds of tacos from immigration activists who were incensed after Maturo responded to a question about what he would do to help the Latino community by saying, "I might have tacos when I go home." [The Daily What]

SEE ALSO: Good day, bad day: January 25, 2012

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Ky. to review how to restore bridge struck by boat (AP)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ? Kentucky's governor said Friday there will be an immediate review of ways to restore an aging traffic bridge in the western part of the state after a five-story-high cargo boat carrying space rocket parts for NASA and the Air Force slammed into it, leaving a 300-foot-wide gap in the structure.

Gov. Steve Beshear promised speedy work to replace the damaged bridge at US 68 and Kentucky 80 that was struck Thursday night. The 1930's-era bridge already was in the process of being replaced and preconstruction work began months ago, state transportation officials said.

The two-lane bridge, which connects Trigg and Marshall counties at the western entrance to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, handles about 2,800 vehicles daily. Drivers now face a detour of dozens of miles while it is out.

Coast Guard officials also closed a portion of the river on either side of the bridge, formerly known as Eggner's Ferrry Bridge, until it's determined to be safe for travel.

The Delta Mariner was traveling on the Tennessee River on its typical route from Decatur, Ala., to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida when it was unable to pass under shorter spans of the bridge and collided with the structure. No injuries were reported on the bridge or boat. On Friday, the ship was covered in twisted steel and chunks of asphalt from the bridge.

"We were very fortunate that no one was on the span at that time," Beshear said Friday.

Meanwhile, Coast Guard officials investigating the accident declined to comment Friday evening on a possible cause of the crash. A report will be issued but the investigation has not finished, said Lt. Ron Easley of the agency's Louisville office.

Sam Sacco, a spokesman for the ship's owner and operator, Foss Maritime of Seattle, said the Coast Guard inspected the vessel and interviewed crew members. Sacco said the boat was not severely damaged, and some of the crew remained on board Friday to ensure the cargo is safe.

Transportation Cabinet spokesman Keith Todd told The Paducah Sun he believes most of the navigational lights were functioning on the bridge at the time of the impact.

The 312-foot, 8,400-ton Delta Mariner hauls rocket parts for the Delta and Atlas systems to launch stations in Florida and California, according to a statement from United Launch Alliance, which builds the rocket parts in Alabama. The cargo was not damaged in the collision with the bridge, the company said.

The rockets are used by the Air Force, NASA and private companies to send satellites into space, said Jessica Rye, a spokeswoman with United Launch Alliance.

The ship's typical route to Florida takes it along the Tennessee and Ohio Rivers, then onto the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and on to Florida's east coast, Sacco said.

Sacco said he didn't believe that the Delta Mariner has had any major incidents before the collision. In 2001, the ship was stuck in a sandbar on the Tennessee River during a trip to Decatur, but was later freed by a river tug after about an hour.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_us/us_ky_bridge_collapse

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Bucs hire Rutgers' Greg Schiano as new coach

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2010 file photo, Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano listens to a question during a news conference in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2010 file photo, Rutgers football head coach Greg Schiano listens to a question during a news conference in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, File)

FILE - In this Nov. 25, 2006 file photo, Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano leads his team onto the field before a football game against Syracuse in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2009 file photo, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano reacts to play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans, file)

FILE - In this Sept. 11, 2008 file photo, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano shouts to his players during an NCAA college football game against North Carolina in Piscataway, N.J. A person familiar with the negotiations says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in talks with Schiano to become the team's next coach. The 46-year-old Schiano has been with the Scarlet Knights for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstock to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. (AP Photo/Mel Evans,file)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? The Buccaneers are counting on Greg Schiano to lead them back to respectability and transform Tampa Bay into consistent winners ? much in the same way he made Rutgers matter again.

The 45-year-old former Scarlet Knights coach was hired Thursday, more than three weeks after the Bucs fired Raheem Morris following a 4-12 finish.

The team scheduled a press conference for Friday to introduce Schiano, who inherits a team that allowed the most points in the NFL this season.

"Coach Schiano is a bright, meticulous teacher who knows how to get the most out of his players," general manager Mark Dominik said. "He built and ran a pro-style program at Rutgers, and he's a defensive-minded coach whose teams have always been characterized by toughness and a physical style of play."

Schiano was at Rutgers for 11 seasons, taking them from college football laughingstocks to a program that has had winning records in six of the last seven years. He was an assistant coach in the NFL with Chicago from 1996-98.

The Scarlet Knights appointed offensive line coach Kyle Flood as interim head coach while the school searches for Schiano's replacement.

The Bucs fired Morris on Jan. 2 after Tampa Bay lost 10 straight to end the season, most of them by double-digit margins. The collapse following a promising 4-2 start came only a year after the NFL's youngest team went 10-6 and narrowly missed the playoffs.

The Glazer family that owns the team interviewed at least 10 candidates for the opening, including Oregon's Chip Kelly, who was offered the position before turning it down earlier this week.

The Bucs also talked to former NFL head coaches Mike Sherman, Brad Childress and Marty Schottenheimer; Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski; Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray; Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer; Green Bay quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, who accepted the head coaching opening with the Miami Dolphins.

An 11th known candidate, ex-Dallas Cowboys coach and current Houston defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, canceled a scheduled interview with the Bucs that would have taken place while the Texans were in the playoffs.

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said the club was thrilled to entrust the team's rebuilding project to Schiano.

"During our thorough search, we met with numerous impressive candidates, but coach Schiano surely distinguished himself," Glazer said. "From his leadership skills to his considerable track record, he is, simply put, the right man for the job."

It's not the first exhaustive search the Glazers have conducted for a coach.

The Bucs pursued Steve Spurrier before hiring Tony Dungy in 1996, then tried to lure Bill Parcells and Steve Mariucci to Tampa Bay before trading two first-round draft picks, as well as a pair of second-rounders and $8 million cash to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the opportunity to negotiate a contract with Jon Gruden after the 2001 season.

Gruden led the Bucs to their only Super Bowl title the following season, but Tampa Bay hasn't won a playoff game since. The Glazers fired him three weeks after the Bucs lost the final four games of 2008 to miss the playoffs, and promoted Morris as his successor.

Tampa Bay went 17-31 under Morris, who served as his own defensive coordinator. The Bucs allowed a franchise-record 494 points in 2011, including 31 of more in seven of the last eight games.

In addition to fixing a defense that's been rebuilt over the past two drafts, getting young quarterback Josh Freeman back on track will be a priority this offseason.

Freeman threw for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, his second year in the league and his first as a full-time starter. The 24-year-old passed for 16 TDs vs. 22 interceptions this season.

The timing of the move could put Rutgers in a bind with national signing day less than a week away. This is a pivotal time in the recruiting process, with coaches locking up commitments from high school prospects who make those agreements official by signing national letters of intent starting Wednesday.

Schiano's contract with Rutgers runs through 2016 and pays him around $2.35 million per year.

He played linebacker at Bucknell, but never in the NFL. His first big break in coaching came at Penn State, where Joe Paterno hired him to coach defensive backs in 1991. He was at Penn State through 1995, before being hired by the Bears.

Because of his success at Rutgers, there had often been speculation for years about Schiano possibly replacing Paterno when the Hall of Famer was done coaching. But when Penn State was looking for a replacement after firing Paterno amid a child sex-abuse scandal involving one of his former longtime assistants, the school hired Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

Schiano has been courted by several other colleges during his time at Rutgers, most notably Miami in 2006 and Michigan in 2007.

"I've had several opportunities over the years and none of them felt right," Schiano told The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., as he left Rutgers' football facility Thursday night "This time, this one felt right."

Schiano's first four seasons at Rutgers produced losing seasons, but the program he took over was practically at rock bottom in major college football. Before he was hired, the Scarlet Knights played in only one bowl game in their history.

Schiano brought structure and discipline to a program that sorely lacked both on every level. Not only has Rutgers become a consistent winner in the Big East, but the Scarlet Knights have regularly been among the top teams in the country when it comes to graduating players. He also encouraged the school to secure funding for multimillion dollar upgrades to Rutgers' facilities, including a major stadium renovation.

In 2005, Rutgers went 7-5 and the next season the Scarlet Knights were 11-2. They played in six bowls under Schiano, winning five, including a victory over Iowa state in the Pinstripe Bowl to cap a 9-4 season in 2011.

___

AP College Football Writer Ralph Russo in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-26-FBN-Buccaneers-Schiano/id-f0ab2a3c45ed4f12ab9c5bbe005d55b8

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3 Million People Are Paying for Spotify Now [Spotify]

We like Spotify as more than friends, but man, it's been doing nothing but losing money for a while now. So it's pretty good—and really surprising—news that it's now got three million people paying for its service. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/diTAhFA2BEc/3-million-people-are-paying-for-spotify-now

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Crude price rises on promise of low interest rates

NEW YORK (AP) ? Benchmark oil prices rose Wednesday afternoon, briefly topping $100 per barrel, after the Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates at record lows for a year longer than expected.

The Fed's plan allows consumers and business to continue to borrow money cheaply in the U.S., which should help boost the economy of the world's largest oil consumer. The central bank, which has kept its benchmark interest rate near zero for three years, said it doesn't plan to raise the rate before late 2014.

"They're telling investors 'Hey, there's a lot of uncertainty in this world, but the one thing you can count on is that we're going to keep interest rates low,'" PFG Best analyst Phil Flynn said. That kind of promise should spark more expansion among American businesses "and that will hopefully encourage more energy demand."

Benchmark crude on Wednesday rose by 45 cents to finish at $99.40 per barrel in New York. At one point it was as high as $100.40. Brent crude fell 22 cents to end at $110.21 per barrel in London.

Major stock indices also rose in afternoon trading following the Fed statement.

Earlier in the day, the Energy Department said the nation's crude supplies increased by 3.6 million barrels last week, far more than analysts expected. Demand for oil dropped by about 4 percent. Gasoline demand was down as well, with the four-week average 6.4 percent below year-ago levels.

Supplies of gasoline and distillates, which include diesel fuel, dropped as refineries slowed operations in the face of slack demand.

Meanwhile, Iran ratcheted up tensions in the Persian Gulf with threats to halt oil sales to Europe.

Iran, the world's third-largest oil exporter, has been engaged in a lengthy dustup with Western nations over its secretive nuclear program, which may be developing a nuclear bomb. The European Union recently announced plans to embargo Iranian oil this summer. Iran now threatens to cut oil off to Europe sooner than that. EU nations account for about 18 percent of Iran's oil sales, and Iranian lawmakers think stopping oil sales to Europe would hurt those nations more than it would Iran.

Natural gas prices continued to rebound from recent 10-year lows, rising 17 cents, or nearly 7 percent, to finish at $2.73 per 1,000 cubic feet on Wednesday. Prices are being pushed up by forecasts for cooler winter temperatures across much of the country, closer to average for this time of year. The mild winter thus far has slowed demand for natural gas to heat homes.

Gasoline pump prices in the U.S. were flat on Wednesday at a national average of $3.38 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. That's about the same as a week ago, 15 cents higher than a month ago and 27 cents more than a year ago.

In other energy trading heating oil was virtually unchanged at $3.02 a gallon and gasoline futures rose by 3 cents to end at $2.83 a gallon.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-25-Oil%20Prices/id-5a7c5c1bdb8b4b28a982821d6f81ee70

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Video: Moxley family on killer: ?He should stay in jail?

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46129253#46129253

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Video: Which vision will America choose?

Despite mild flu season, don't skip shots

So far this year, there have been far fewer flu reports, including the fever, coughing, aches and pains that usually make winter so miserable. But that doesn't mean people should be complacent about getting their flu shots, experts say.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/46122369#46122369

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Women Feel Pain More Intensely Than Men

News | Health

Future research is needed to find out the exact causes of pain perception differences, and which ones would be best to target for more effective pain control

By Rachael Rettner and MyHealthNewsDaily ?| January 23, 2012?|

When a woman falls ill, her pain may be more intense than a man's, a new study suggests.

Across a number of different diseases, including diabetes, arthritis and certain respiratory infections, women in the study reported feeling more pain than men, the researchers said.

The study is one of the largest to examine sex differences in human pain perception. The results are in line with earlier findings, and reveal that sex differences in pain sensitivity may be present in many more diseases than previously thought.

Because pain is subjective, the researchers can't know for sure whether women, in fact, experience more pain than men. A number of factors, including a person's mood and whether they take pain medication, likely influence how much pain they say they're in.

"Whatever the reason, I think it's important to be aware of this pain discrepancy between men and women and look into it further," said study researcher Linda Liu, a doctoral student in Stanford University Biomedical Informatics program.

Future studies, in both people and animals, should analyze their results to see whether sex differences in pain may be present, Liu said. Many studies in animals do not include females, or fail to report the sex of animals used, Liu said.

The study was published online Jan. 12 in the Journal of Pain.

Sex differences

Most human studies examining gender differences in reported pain have compared the number of women with the number of men with a given condition who say they are in pain. But most haven't looked at how intense the pain is, and many have not included enough people to be able to detect differences between the sexes in pain perception, the researchers said.

The new study included information from more than 11,000 patients whose pain scores were recorded in electronic medical records at Stanford Hospital and Clinics between 2007 and 2010. Patients were asked to rate their pain on a scale of zero (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

In all, the researchers assessed sex differences in reported pain for more than 250 diseases and conditions.

For almost every diagnosis, women reported higher average pain scores than men. Women's scores were, on average, 20 percent higher than men's scores, according to the study.

Women with lower back pain, and knee and leg strain consistently reported higher scores than men. Women also reported feeling more pain in the neck (for conditions such as torticollis, in which the neck muscles twist or spasm) and sinuses (during sinus infections) than did men, a result not found by previous research.

Pain perception

It could be that women assign different numbers to the level of pain they perceive compared with men, said Roger B. Fillingim, a pain researcher at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, who was not involved with the new study.

But the study was large, and the findings are backed up by previous work, Fillingim said.

"I think the most [simple] explanation is that women are indeed experiencing higher levels of pain than men," Fillingim said.

The reason for this is not known, Fillingim said. Past research suggests a number of factors contribute to perceptions of pain level, including hormones, genetics and psychological factors, which may vary between men and women, Fillingim said. It's also possible the pain systems work differently in men and women, or women experience more severe forms of disease than men, he said.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=375eefafa006b0fe61ece860fbd287d6

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Error-strewn Serena out of Australian Open

Serena Williams, of the United States, yells in frustration during her fourth round match against Russia's Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Serena Williams, of the United States, yells in frustration during her fourth round match against Russia's Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/John Donegan)

Serena Williams of the US bounces her racket during her fourth round match against Russia's Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Serena Williams of the US reacts as she plays Russia's Ekaterina Makarova in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Sarah Ivey)

Serena Williams of the US walks off the court after her fourth round loss to Russia's Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Sarah Ivey)

Serena Williams of the US walks off the court after her fourth round loss to Russia's Ekaterina Makarova at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Sarah Ivey)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ? It wasn't just Serena Williams' serve that was missing Monday at the Australian Open. It was her aura, too.

Ekaterina Makarova, the lowest-ranked player left in the draw at No. 56, didn't seem the least bit frightened of the error-ridden opponent across the net.

The Russian won 6-2, 6-3 ? equaling the biggest Grand Slam defeat of Williams' 17-year career ? and will face Maria Sharapova in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.

Sharapova rallied past Sabine Lisicki 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 before men's defending champion Novak Djokovic fended off a resurgent Lleyton Hewitt in a dramatic last match of the day, winning 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

With Hewitt's loss, Australia's chances of celebrating a home singles winner were over. American hopes had already evaporated with the defeat of five-time champion Williams ? her first in Melbourne since 2008 and earliest since 2006.

"I can't even describe how I served, to be honest," said Williams, who finished with seven double-faults and a first-serve percentage of just over 50. "My lefty serve is actually better than that. Maybe I should have started serving lefty."

Williams also threw in 37 unforced errors, but Makarova played her part, boldly going for the lines and holding steady in a tight service game while leading 4-3 in the second set. Playing Williams in Beijing in 2009, Makarova said she had been "afraid" of the American in a 6-3, 6-2 loss.

Not this time.

"I really thought that I could beat her," Makarova said. "Maybe in my head that helped me."

Williams tried not to blame her left ankle injury from a tuneup tournament in Brisbane two weeks ago. But she didn't move well and seemed to have particular difficulty running to her left. She said if it hadn't been a Grand Slam, she wouldn't have played at all.

"Usually I play myself into the tournament," Williams said. "But I don't have a huge problem with an injury. So this is a completely different situation. Usually it's easier for me to play myself in because I'm usually physically OK."

At 30, Williams' body is breaking down more often and, unlike earlier in her career, a lack of matches leaves her susceptible to upsets.

After squandering the fifth game of the second set with four double-faults, Williams threw up her arms in disbelief and yelled, "Oh, my God." Her mother, Oracene Price, who doesn't usually betray any emotion, shook her head in the stands.

Williams got away with a shanked smash in her third-round win. On Monday, she sent an overhead way beyond the baseline when a winner would have given her two break-back points in the second set.

"Every ball that came, I just hit it as far out as I could," Williams said.

Before the match, 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova said Williams was the best player in the world ? "just a matter of whether she can bring it."

Williams couldn't bring it against Makarova, nor against Sam Stosur in the U.S. Open final in September, when she also only won five games. The only other time she has lost by so much in a Grand Slam match was against Sharapova in the 2004 Wimbledon final.

Williams will now return to the practice court in preparation for the United States' Fed Cup match against Belarus on Feb. 4-5.

Sharapova can look forward to a quarterfinal against Makarova after overcoming her own problems in her fourth-round match. Sharapova hit eight double-faults and made 47 unforced errors but, unlike Williams, found a way to win against the 14th-seeded Lisicki.

"I fought to the end and sometimes that's what gets you through," said the Russian, who lost six games in a row after taking a 3-0 lead in the first set.

Djokovic had won 23 straight sets at Melbourne Park before he suddenly wobbled against Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion who has slipped to No. 181 in the rankings after a series of injuries.

Hewitt, a wild-card entry in his 16th straight Australian Open, rallied from 3-0 down in the third set in front of a raucous home crowd to force a fourth set, but Djokovic gathered his composure.

"I think for two sets and 3-0 I was playing really well and suddenly I stopped moving," Djokovic said. "He was not making a lot of unforced errors. I made a lot of unforced errors in the third set."

Next up for Djokovic is fifth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain, who had a surprisingly easy 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 win over Richard Gasquet.

No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 3 Roger Federer are back in action Tuesday, hoping to set up a semifinal. Federer plays former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro while Nadal faces Tomas Berdych.

On the women's side, defending champion Kim Clijsters will test her injured ankle against top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, and third-seeded Victoria Azarenka plays eighth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska.

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova opened Monday's play with a 6-2, 7-6 (2) win over former top-ranked Ana Ivanovic. She'll next play Sara Errani of Italy, who beat 2010 semifinalist Zheng Jie 6-2, 6-1.

Two-time finalist Andy Murray advanced when Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan retired after 49 minutes with a left hip injury while trailing 6-1, 6-1, 1-0. After knocking out the first player from Kazakhstan to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam, Murray's next opponent will be another history-maker.

Kei Nishikori beat sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to become the first Japanese man to reach the quarterfinals of the Australian Open since the Open era began in 1968.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-23-TEN-Australian-Open/id-9cc8d684fab14e51a5a036ca2d472b79

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Boehner: State of Union speech may be 'pathetic'

WASHINGTON (AP) ? House Speaker John Boehner doesn't sound like he's going to have a fun time listening to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night.

Obama is expected to outline an economic blueprint built around manufacturing, energy and education, and officials have said he'll propose fresh ideas to try to get the wealthy to pay more in taxes.

Boehner says it sounds to him like "the same old policies" of more spending, taxes and regulations that have hurt the economy.

The Ohio Republicans tells "Fox News Sunday" that if that's what Obama is going to talk about, then "I think it's pathetic."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-22-State%20of%20the%20Union-Boehner/id-491bdc4104164a94a903d375391bce83

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President Obama Will Be Hanging Out on Google+ Next Week [Video]

Well, we said it was going to happen, but we didn't think it would be so soon. Less than two weeks after the White House joined Google+, President Obama will go live in a Google+ Hangout to answer your questions. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Cp9CYFEBmA0/president-obama-will-be-hanging-out-on-google%252B-next-week

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Pulse Jumped From 1 Million To 11 Million Downloads In 2011; Now Seeing Download Every 2 Seconds

In November, Amazon began shipping its new Kindle. At the time, even though reactions were varied, though Amazon hoped for the best, as some projected it would sell as many as 5 million by the end of 2011. Though the indications are that it didn't get there. However, the media hype and early Kindle sales have still been a boon for a young startup that you're probably by now familiar with: Pulse.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/AtVjCLJC2YU/

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Spice Girls Getting Back Together for London Olympics?

The Spice Girls might be reuniting for their biggest performance yet! The hit '90s band is rumored to be in talks to get back together for a musical appearance at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

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Swagger, insecurity feed China crackdown: dissident (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? China's broad crackdown on dissent that has seen activists get lengthy jail terms and human rights lawyers disappear stems from a mix of arrogance and insecurity in Beijing, the most recently exiled Chinese dissident said on Wednesday.

"Behind the pride and conceit of the Chinese government there's a great sense of crisis and vulnerability," said Yu Jie, one of China's most prominent Christian dissidents, who ran afoul of Beijing for critical writing and for his close ties to writer Liu Xiaobo, the 2010 Nobel Peace laureate.

In his first public appearance after he arrived in the United States with his family last week, Yu described a near-death experience at the hands of police torturers, quoting one as saying "We'll pound you to death to avenge this (Liu's Nobel)."

Liu was convicted in 2009 on charges of inciting subversion and sentenced to 11 years in jail. His jailing and the secretive house arrest of his wife Liu Xia have become the focus of an international outcry over China's punishment of dissent.

Picked up by state security officers in Beijing the day before Liu's award ceremony in Oslo, Yu said he was taken to a secret location, beaten, stripped and kicked by plainclothes officials who threatened to post his naked pictures online.

Yu told a news conference that his captors burned his face with cigarettes, kicked and slapped him repeatedly. He was taken to the hospital for life-saving emergency treatment. When Yu tried to tell a doctor he'd been beaten, a security official threatened to "pull out all of the tubes from your body and let you die."

"If the order comes from above, we can dig a pit to bury you alive in half an hour, and no one on earth would know," Yu quoted one of his police interrogators as saying.

REPRESSION WORSENING, US ENVOY SAYS

Human rights groups have recorded worsening conditions for dissidents, lawyers and outspoken writers in China since the 2010 Nobel Prize decision infuriated China, if not earlier.

U.S. ambassador Gary Locke said in a televised interview this week that the human rights situation had deteriorated since before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"The human rights climate has always ebbed and flowed in China up and down, but we seem to be in a down period and it's getting worse," Locke told U.S. talk show host Charlie Rose on Monday.

"There's a significant crackdown and repression going on within China," he said in remarks that drew a swift denial from China's foreign ministry.

Chinese officials were not immediately available to comment on Yu's torture allegations. Last week Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said he knew nothing about Yu.

Locke attributed the crackdown to the Chinese leadership's fears that a movement like the Arab Spring could happen in China. Other analysts say China's Communist Party is tightening controls over society ahead of a leadership handover late this year from President Hu Jintao to Vice President Xi Jinping.

Asked how he explained the ongoing crackdown, Yu again quoted the security official who oversaw his mistreatment in 2010, saying it represented official arrogance and sense of impunity fueled by China's economic success.

"He said: 'The Chinese government has lots of money and we are going to do whatever we want to do,'" Yu told a news conference in Washington.

Yu, 38, said he enjoyed relative freedom to write until he was "totally blocked" when China's current leadership team of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao came to power a decade ago.

Yu published a scathing book about Wen that was cited by police as one of his crimes and says he plans to put out "Hu Jintao: Cold-Blooded Tyrant" in 2012.

The soft-spoken and bookish-looking writer said the political transition in China will not make any difference.

"Whether it's Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao or their future successors Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, they are all representatives or surrogates of this elite interest group. They are not going to initiate political reform," said Yu.

(Editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120118/wl_nm/us_china_usa_dissident

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