Casey Anthony reports for probation

Casey Anthony has reported to the Florida Department of Corrections, officials confirmed Wednesday night, beginning a one-year probation term stemming from her 2010 check-fraud convictions.

In a statement, corrections officials said that Anthony reported for probation sometime Wednesday evening. No other details were immediately released by the department.

The announcement comes a day after an appeal court delivered an order stating that Anthony did not serve her one year of probation in jail while awaiting trial in her daughter's death.

Anthony, recently acquitted of major charges in the death of her daughter, 2-year-old Caylee Marie, was ordered to report to corrections officials by noon Friday.

Though officials confirmed that Anthony reported for probation Wednesday evening, no details of the circumstances of that report or the status of her probation were released.

However, her lead attorney told Fox News that she plans to serve her probation somewhere in Florida, and will not be required to be employed. She will take classes online, attorney Jose Baez said.

"She told the officer she understands the conditions of her probation and she was told the date for her next appearance," Baez told the 24-hour news network.

Department of Corrections officials plan to make a statement regarding Anthony's probation status at 11 a.m. Thursday at the department's office in Tallahassee.

Questions about Anthony's probation arose after her acquittal. It wasn't immediately clear whether Anthony should serve probation for her check-fraud convictions upon her release from jail.

DOC officials initially stated Anthony had served the one-year probation in the Orange County Jail. That, however, was not the intent of the judge who imposed the sentence, Stan Strickland.

Anthony's defense team argued she'd served probation while in jail and could not be made to serve again. However, Orange-Osceola Chief Judge Belvin Perry and the appeal court were not convinced.

9/11 phone hacking report to be probed

Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday promised 9/11 families a preliminary criminal investigation into a report of possible phone hacking involving the Rupert Murdoch media empire.

Following a meeting at the Justice Department that lasted more than an hour, the family members and their lawyer said they were pleased that the attorney general made the commitment for a preliminary probe into whether the Sept. 11 victims or their families were the targets of phone hacking by journalists at Murdoch's now-shuttered News of the World.

The lawyer for the families, Norman Siegel, said that the attorney general had used the words "very disturbing" to describe the possibility that phones of 9/11 victims and their family members might have been hacked.

Siegel said he and the families recommended that the Justice Department get the cell phone numbers of 9/11 victims and family members, then have the phone company search their records to find out whether someone engaged in hacking.

The families also recommended that the scope of the investigation be expanded to computers. The families also recommended a review of newspaper, TV and radio stories about 9/11 victims and their families to determine whether personal information in the stories only could have come from someone engaged in hacking.

Hurricane Irene batters smaller islands of Bahamas

A large and powerful Hurricane Irene roared across the Bahamas archipelago on Wednesday, knocking down trees and destroying homes on a path that officials said posed the greatest threat to the country's smaller, less-populated islands.

There were no immediate reports of major injuries or deaths but property damage appeared likely to be extensive. Acklins and Crooked islands, in the southern part of the chain, got hit particularly hard, with an estimated 90 percent of the homes in two settlements severely damaged or destroyed, said Capt. Stephen Russell, director of the country's National Emergency Management Agency.

Russell said he was getting "disturbing reports" from the two islands, each of which has a population of several hundred, but that he was not yet able to get a full assessment.

Authorities were also expecting major damage on the islands of Rum Cay, Eleuthera and Cat Island, which were all expected to have full and extended exposure to Hurricane Irene's 120 mph (193 kph) winds.

"That can be devastating for some of those islands," Russell said.

Forecasters said Nassau, on New Providence, would see tropical storm force winds no greater than 65 mph (104 kph) because the storm track had shifted and it was not getting the direct hit that many had feared. The island is the most populated, with more than 200,000 people, and is a major tourist destination.

This storm was only the third since 1866 that had crossed the entire length of the island chain and Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said the country was bracing for extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure. But he predicted few casualties overall.

iPhone 5 coming to Sprint, report says

Wireless carrier Sprint Nextel will start selling the forthcoming iPhone 5 in mid-October, .

This will be the first time the wildly successful Apple smartphone will be available to Sprint, the nation's No. 3 carrier.

The iPhone launched in 2007 with an exclusive partnership with AT&T. Verizon Wireless began to sell a version of the iPhone 4 earlier this year.

The iPhone 5 is expected to operate on all three networks.

The lineup addition would close a huge hole in Sprint's offerings -- mostly phones running Google's Android operating system.

Details on the iPhone 5's features are scant, but it's widely expected to be a dual-mode phone, allowing it to access the different network technologies with just one piece of hardware.

Currently, Apple builds two different models of the iPhone 4. One supports CDMA, for Verizon, and another that supports GSM, for AT&T.

Toyota drops price on many of its newly redesigned 2012 Camrys

Toyota aims to strengthen its redesigned best-selling Camry sedan, which is all new for 2012, by setting base prices on all but the most basic version below the prices of the 2011 models it replaces.

Executives of the Japanese automaker unveiled the new Camry on Thursday with presentations in Hollywood, Detroit, New York and Georgetown, Ky., where President Akio Toyoda drove the first one off the assembly line that has produced about 9 million Camrys since opening in 1987.

There are five trim levels of the 2012 model. The base prices, including delivery charges, range from $22,715 for the Camry L to $26,660 for the Camry hybrid. The trim levels which Toyota expects to account for a majority of sales -- the LE and SC -- are priced $200 and $965 lower, respectively, than the models they replace.

"The launch of the new Camry is very important to our company," said President Toyoda. "This car has become a symbol of Toyota's success over the years."

The Camry has been the best selling car in the U.S. for 13 of the last 14 years. Not even the company's record number of safety recalls in late 2009 and early 2010 knocked it from that perch. But the NIssan Altima, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata have narrowed the gap in the first seven months of 2011, with Camry sales leading Altima by about 21,000 cars.

Camry accounted for 14.3% of all midsize cars sold in the U.S. this year through July, but that is down from 17.2% in 2010 and 20.1% in 2009.

This is the seventh generation of the Camry, which Toyota launched in 1983 to compete with the Honda Accord.

The 2012 model will be the first Toyota vehicle to offer the company's new Entune multimedia system designed to enable hands-free use of cell phones and voice-activated access to a limited number of apps that help drivers find restaurants or listen to a variety of music beyond what is available on AM or FM radio.

Toyota officials said pricing for Entune will be announced later.

The new Camry, except for the hybrid, will go on sale Oct. 3. The hybrid will be for sale in early November.

Doc: No clue before surgery man had penile cancer

Doctors called to testify in the civil trial of a Kentucky urologist who amputated part of a man's penis without consulting him differed Tuesday on whether it was necessary to remove the cancerous portion immediately upon making the discovery on the operating table.

"I couldn't identify any emergency situation that dictated an amputation," Dr. David Benson, a 25-year urologist called as a witness for the plaintiffs, said on the second day of the trial in Shelby County Circuit Court.

Phillip and Deborah Seaton of Waddy are seeking undisclosed damages from Dr. John Patterson of Frankfort for not consulting them before the 2007 amputation.

Benson said that when Patterson found a cancerous lesion on Seaton's penis during routine circumcision surgery, he should have taken a biopsy and discussed options with the family before taking further action.

He said removing a man's penis is the "most psychologically debilitating" procedure and patients need to be evaluated to see if they can cope.

But Dr. David Paulson, the former head of Duke Medical Center's urology program, testified for the defense that Patterson had followed the proper standard of care in a life-threatening situation.

Paulson said it would have been medically risky for Patterson to interrupt the surgery to consult Seaton's wife, citing Phillip Seaton's sleep apnea as a concern.

On Monday, Patterson testified the cancer prevented him from inserting a catheter into Seaton's urethra, heightening the possibility of kidney damage from urinary retention.

Paulson said the cancer found during surgery had likely been there for 18 to 24 months.

"It's just so characteristic you can't miss it," said Paulson.

Patterson said he removed less than an inch of Seaton's penis. The rest of the penis was amputated by another doctor later, said Patterson's lawyer, Clay Robinson.

Patterson, called to the stand Tuesday by his attorney, said there had been no indication before surgery that Seaton was afflicted with deadly penile cancer.

Effectively repeating his testimony from Monday, the doctor said what began as routine surgery to relieve inflammation changed dramatically when he cut away the foreskin and found a diseased organ that wasn't recognizable as a penis.

Seaton, 64, and his wife, Deborah, are seeking unspecified damages for "loss of service, love and affection."

Kim Kardashian Sex Tape Site's Traffic Spikes During Her Wedding Weekend

Kim Kardashian made a reported $18 million from deals associated with her wedding to basketball player Kris Humphries.

And that's not including the cut she gets from the massive increase in visits to the site that sells her sex tape with ex-boyfriend Ray J.

Over 2 million people visited the site that sells the video, "Kim Kardashian Superstar," over the weekend of her nuptials, according to TMZ. A rep said the site usually gets about 300,000 visitors a month.

Kardashian initially fought to keep the sex video from going public, but ended up settling with its distributor, Vivid, for an undisclosed sum that reportedly included a cut of future sales.

Which means the Kardashian-Humphries family could see their net worth rise with the sales increase of her sex tape with her ex boyfriend that was spurred by her wedding to somebody else.

Only in Hollywood.

Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner expecting 3rd child

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s family is growing.

Representatives for the actors say the couple are expecting their third child. A statement released Monday says the actors are “thrilled” to have another baby on the way.

The couple has two daughters, 5-year-old Violet and 2-year-old Seraphina Elizabeth Rose Affleck.

Affleck and Garner, both 39, were married in 2005.

Garner, who rose to fame after starring in the television series “Alias,” later starred in “Juno” and “13 Going on 30.”

Affleck recently wrote, directed and starred in the thriller “The Town.”

AP

Pataki 2012? Former Governor Weighing Presidential Bid

ALBANY -- As he contemplates tossing his hat into the already crowded presidential race, former Gov. George Pataki and his allies are hoping his socially moderate views could separate him from the current Republican primary field.

Pataki spokesman David Catalfamo confirmed the three-term governor is "strongly considering" a run for the White House in 2012, though he declined to say when the Garrison, Putnam County, resident would announce his intentions.

Several state GOP leaders said there could be room for a moderate candidate in the mostly conservative field, which features about a dozen Republican candidates including Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

"It's a big field right now, and he would probably be one of the few moderates jumping into the race," said Rockland County GOP Chairman Vincent Reda, who serves as vice chairman of the state Republican Party. "It's a wide-open field, and there's room for moderates."

Pataki, who served as governor from 1994 to 2006, leans conservative on fiscal issues, but is socially moderate. The former governor is pro-choice and pushed a gay-rights bill during his tenure.

While the GOP nomination is up for the taking, the 66-year-old Pataki faces an uphill battle, even in his home state.

A Siena College poll released last week found he boasts a 51 percent approval rating among New Yorkers, but just 11 percent of Republicans prefer him to run against President Barack Obama. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is also said to be considering a run in 2012, led with 24 percent, with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney pulling in 18 percent, according to the poll.

Pataki is well known in New York, but would have to considerably boost his name recognition across the country if he's serious about a presidential run, said Monroe County GOP Chairman Bill Reilich, an Assemblyman from the town of Greece.

"Certainly, the governor is known in our state and just beyond our borders somewhat, but his national recognition is not as high," Reilich said. "So I think it would be added work and added effort to play catch-up at this point."

When asked where he sees Pataki fitting into the GOP race, Reilich said: "I don't know if he does."

Pataki has already laid the groundwork for a run by visiting Iowa and New Hampshire, a pair of key states who host early primaries, as part of his role as chairman of No American Debt, a political action committee.

The group has also aired advertisements featuring Pataki in both states, and he has granted numerous local and national interviews to push its anti-spending message.

Without a clear frontrunner, Pataki still has time to make a serious run, said John McLaughlin, a Republican pollster and consultant based in Rockland County.

"With George Pataki, here's a guy who was mayor of Peekskill and figured out how to become governor of New York," McLaughlin said. "So I wouldn't underestimate him if he enters the presidential race."

Pataki was the mayor of the small city in Westchester County in the early 1980s.

While Pataki has reached out to some Republicans to gauge support, he hasn't yet contacted the state Conservative Party, said chairman Michael Long.

"If he decides to really get into the race, I'm assuming that he will give me a buzz and let me know he's going to do that," Long said. "I'm sure he's thinking about it, but thinking about it and doing it are two different things."

This isn't the first time Pataki has weighed delving into Washington politics. Pataki had considered a 2008 presidential run after his time in the governor's office wound down, and was mentioned as a potential challenger to Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand last year before deciding against it.

Earthquake in US: Quake sends US East Coast scrambling like 9/11

WASHINGTON: Thousands of people across the US East Coast raced frantically into the streets Tuesday as an earthquake sent shock waves of the kind last seen almost exactly a decade ago on September 11.

The US eastern seaboard has few larger earthquakes. Many workers were bewildered -- and feared the worst -- as their desks swayed violently and their ceilings and walls shook.

In a region days away from commemorating the trauma of the September 11, 2001 attacks, many immediately suspected terrorism as they raced down stairways to parks and street corners.

Kacie Marano, who works at a think-tank two blocks away from the White House, said that she worried that the earthquake could be something more sinister as the alarms went off and her books fell on the floor.

"Initially, I wasn't sure it was an earthquake," she said as she waited in a downtown park. "When we're so close to the White House, you always have to think whether it's an earthquake or something else."

Kassandra Meholick, who works several blocks from the US Congress, said: "I thought for sure the Capitol was bombed."

Many people in parks asked one another where they were on September 11, 2001. But unlike 10 years ago, the mood was more festive as people learned that there was little major damage.

Several bars in Washington smelled a business opportunity and declared earthquake happy hours for residents who did not want to brave the commuter crowds -- or who were suddenly given the afternoon off.

"We have a lot of people who got half the day off and we've been busy all day," said Lauren Smith, a bartender at The Ugly Mug bar on Capitol Hill which was offering drink specials.

Many major institutions from schools to the Smithsonian museums closed for the day, some in hopes of easing pressure on commuters. Mass-transit systems around Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia reported major delays, though trains ran closer to schedule in the New York area.

Julia Allman, an intern at an office in central Washington, was outside when the earthquake struck and suddenly saw people rushing out.

"I was thinking it could be a burglary," she said.

In New York, office worker Juan Ramos had another explanation.

"I saw my cup of coffee shaking, but I thought nothing of it. I had just donated blood so I thought I had not recovered my equilibrium," he said.

At magnitude 5.8, the earthquake was the largest with an epicenter in Virginia in more than 100 years.

"Just last week I was joking to someone about how we never get earthquakes here," said Kareem Webb, who works at a Washington law firm. "At first I thought it was trees falling or something. It was a sudden shock."

His colleague Johnnie Hill, standing in the park, kept trying to reach his wife but the connections were shaky or he was sent straight to voice mail.

"It scared the hell out of me," Hill said. "And now the phone service is all clogged up."

In Washington, a highly international city, several residents said they had felt earthquakes elsewhere. Millie Riley, an editor for children's publications, said she once felt a tremor in Indonesia.

Riley said she was preparing a vegetable and salmon sandwich for herself on Tuesday when the walls started shaking.

"I work in a building next to an excavation, so I thought there might be a tragedy," she said.

Office workers were not the only ones affected. At a school for children with special needs in the Washington suburb of Rockville, about 20 staff and families were quickly evacuated.

Several young children were visibly shaken after the three-story building was rocked by the quake, with parents and staff trying to reassure them.

Residents were warned to be on alert for aftershocks. And even barring more tremors, the East Coast is already under another threat -- Hurricane Irene is forecast to hit later this week.

Martin Luther King memorial unveiled on National Mall

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Martin Luther King Jr stood 30 feet tall on the National Mall as a memorial to him was unveiled on Monday morning -- the first memorial on the Mall not dedicated to a war, president or white man.

Fifteen years after a Congressional Joint Resolution in 1996 to establish a memorial in Washington, D.C. to honor King, the four-acre site on the Tidal Basin between the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials opened to the public for the first time.

"From a geometrical standpoint it's on a direct line between the Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial," said Bill Line, spokesman for the National Park Service. "The brains and essence of our country (Thomas Jefferson), and Abe Lincoln, the greater uniter."

Visitors will walk through two massive white granite halves of the "Mountain of Despair" to reach the "Stone of Hope," from which the sculpture of King emerges.

The winning design from an international contest was inspired by the line from King's "I Have a Dream" speech, "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."

Behind King's sculpture, on either side of the mountain, is a 450-foot-long wall inscribed with 14 quotations from the famous orator's speeches, sermons, and writings.

King faces Jefferson wearing clothes that fade into the granite above his feet. His arms are folded, with one hand holding his rolled-up Dream speech, according to sculptor Master Lei Yixin, who is a Chinese citizen.

"Dr. King's vision is still living, in our minds; we still miss him, we still need him," said Yixin through a translator, calling the sculpture the most important of his life, technically and emotionally. "I am trying to present Dr. King as ready to step out ... this is King's spirit, to judge people from their character, not race, color or background."

Yixin and a team carved and assembled the stone and mountain from 159 blocks of Atlantic Green granite and Kenoran Sage granite from North America, as well as granite from Asia.

The memorial will be presented to President Barack Obama and dedicated in a celebration on Sunday August 28, marking the anniversary of the Dream speech delivered from the steps of the nearby Lincoln Memorial 48 years ago.

King, the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize and the leader of the American Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s, led a peaceful march on Washington in 1963. A crowd of 250,000 heard his DREAM speech at the march, five years before his assassination in Memphis in 1968.

A joint venture team broke ground on the site nearly five years ago, and the "Build the Dream" Campaign of the National Memorial Project Foundation, headed by President and CEO Harry Johnson, has raised $112 of the $120 million needed.

The team consists of ROMA Design Group, the winner of the competition to design the memorial; architectural and engineering firm McKissack & McKissack; Turner Construction Company; Tompkins Builders, Inc. and the Gilford Corporation.

"Dr. King championed a movement that draws from the deep well of America's potential for opportunity," said Johnson, a lawyer and former president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Kingbelonged to the fraternity.

The chief executive of architecture firm McKissack & McKissack, Deryl McKissack, said that her great-great grandfather was a slave who learned the building trade from his overseer.

"Dr. King changed people's minds, and now an African American woman can own a company and be a part of these projects -- I just feel great everyday when I wake up."

The expression of King's sculpture was created from a collage of images that covered all four walls of Yixin's studio. King's mouth is a grim line, his brow is furrowed and his gaze intense as he looks off into the distance.

One visitor to the new memorial said she believes King would be pleased if he could see how far the United States has come since the 1960s.

"He would be ecstatic because President Obama is in the White House and that is a huge step," said Nydria Humphries, who hung on the fence outside before the memorial opened to the the public. She wore a T-shirt with an eagle and the stripes of the American flag.

"That's all MLK stood for," said Humphries, who is currently looking for work. "If we can just learn to live together, then we all can have a better life."

Gaddafi son reported arrested by rebels is free

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son and one-time heir apparent, who was reported arrested by rebels on Sunday when they advanced on the capital Tripoli, is free. Seif al-Islam turned up early on Tuesday morning at the Rixos hotel, where about 30 foreign journalists are staying in Tripoli under the close watch of regime minders. He then took reporters in a convoy of black, armoured SUVs on a drive through parts of the city under the regime's control. Associated Press reporters were among the journalists who saw him and went on the tour. He told the reporters: "We are going to hit the hottest spots in Tripoli." They then drove around streets full of armed Gadhafi backers, controlled by roadblocks. They visited several sites where Gadhafi supporters were gathered. The convoy

ended up outside his father's Bab al-Aziziya compound and military barracks, where at least a hundred men were waiting in lines for guns being distributed to volunteers to defend the regime. They also toured the Gadhafi stronghold neighbourhood Bu Slim. Rebels appear to have taken control of large parts of the capital since they entered on Sunday night and Gaddafi's grip on power seemed to be slipping fast. But it was known that the area around the Rixos hotel and nearby Bab al-Aziziya were still under the regime's control.

Strauss-Kahn lawyers say sex charges to be dropped

Prosecutors are moving to drop sex assault charges against Former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, pictured July 1.

Their statement came after informed sources told AFP that prosecutors had filed a motion asking the judge to dismiss the charges made by a hotel maid, 32-year-old African immigrant Nafissatou Diallo.

Strauss-Kahn's legal team said the former French politician was "grateful" the New York prosecution team had concluded "that this case cannot proceed further."

"We have maintained from the beginning of this case that our client is innocent, said lawyers William Taylor and Benjamin Brafman.

The announcement came after the now-famous New York housekeeper and her legal team met with prosecutor Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance amid a media frenzy here, with them arriving at court before hundreds of journalists and onlookers.

Diallo's lawyer Kenneth Thompson said after the meeting a dismissal meant Vance had "denied the right of a woman to get justice in a rape case."

Vance, he said, has "turned his back" on forensic, medical and other physical evidence in the case against Strauss-Kahn.

"If the Manhattan District Attorney, who is elected to protect our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our wives and our loved ones, is not going to stand up for them when they're raped or sexually assaulted, then who will?" Thompson asked.

Wearing black trousers and a beige jacket, Diallo, who says Strauss-Kahn forced her into oral sex and tried to rape her, had arrived for the meeting protected by several bodyguards in front of hundreds of journalists and onlookers.

The now-famous chamber maid, accompanied by Thompson, arrived at the courthouse after being summoned to a meeting with Vance's team, who already have made clear that they have grave concerns about her veracity and her reliability as a witness.

Thompson told AFP earlier he still hoped "the DA will stand by Diallo," but it had appeared increasingly likely that prosecutors will use a court hearing on Tuesday to ask that the judge formally dismiss charges.

If that happens, Strauss-Kahn will be free to return to France, where his May 14 arrest in New York and brief imprisonment before being freed on bail, caused a political uproar.

The case has captivated international attention after Diallo accused the IMF chief of forcing her into oral sex when she went to clean his luxury hotel room three months ago.

Not only did Strauss-Kahn have to resign as head of the IMF after his arrest, but he had to abandon what was widely expected to be a successful challenge against President Nicolas Sarkozy in upcoming elections.

Syrian forces open fire during UN visit

Syrian forces shot dead three people in Homs during a visit by a UN humanitarian team this morning (NZT), activists said, and the United Nations said the death toll from President Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on protests had reached 2,200.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said security forces and loyalist gunmen known as "shabbiha" opened fire after hundreds of people took to the streets of Homs to greet the UN team, which has been granted access to assess humanitarian needs after five months of protests and repression.

Video footage broadcast on Al Jazeera television showed a crowd of people thronging a car and chanting "The people want the overthrow of the regime" and holding signs saying "SOS" and "We will never give up until we get our freedom".

UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters in New York that "a protest situation developed" in Homs during the team's visit "and the mission was advised to leave for security reasons."

"The mission did not come under fire," he added.

Assad stepped up his military campaign to crush dissent during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which started on August 1, sending the army into large cities including Hama, Deir al-Zor and Latakia.

The escalating bloodshed led Arab states to break months of silence and call for an end to the violence, while the United States and Europe have expanded their sanctions against Syria and called on Assad to step down.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was concerned that Assad had not kept a promise he made last week to end military and police operations against demonstrators.

"It's troubling that he has not kept his words," Ban told reporters. "I sincerely hope that he heeds ... all (the) international community's appeals and calls."

Death Toll Over 2,200

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay accused Syrian soldiers and security forces of using excessive force, including heavy artillery, to crush peaceful protests.

"As of today, over 2,200 people have been killed since mass protests began in mid-March, with more than 350 people reportedly killed across Syria since the beginning of Ramadan," Pillay told the UN Human Rights Council.

At an urgent session of the council on Monday, a draft resolution presented by 25 members, including Arab nations, called for an international commission of inquiry into alleged crimes against humanity.

Assad, speaking to Syrian television on Sunday, said Syria would not bow to external pressure, which he said could only affect "a president made in the United States and a subservient people who get their orders from outside".

"As for the threat of a military action ... any action against Syria will have greater consequences (on those who carry it out), greater than they can tolerate," he said.

Syria, which borders Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and Jordan, has regional influence because of its alliance with Iran and its role in Lebanon, despite ending a 29-year military presence there in 2005. It also has influence in Iraq and supports militant groups Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah.

No country has proposed the kind of action against Syria which NATO forces have carried out in support of Libyan rebels seeking to topple Muammar Gaddafi. But Gaddafi's apparent collapse in Libya will give fresh heart to Assad's opponents.

"As for the security situation (it) has become more militant in the recent weeks," Assad said. "We are capable of dealing with it ... I am not worried."

Assad also said he expected a parliamentary election to be held in February after a series of reforms that would let political groups other than his Baath party take part.

The opposition has dismissed Assad's promised political reforms and many opposition figures have rejected his call for a national dialogue, saying there can be no discussion while security forces continue to kill protesters.

The Syrian Observatory said "shabbiha" gunmen who were celebrating after Assad's television appearance opened fire in Masyaf, west of Hama, killing two people and wounding four. They also attacked shops belonging to Assad opponents, it said.

Syria has expelled most independent media since the unrest began, making it difficult to verify events on the ground

Seeking to unify their fragmented movement, opposition figures have gathered in Turkey to nominate a broad-based council to support the uprising.

Similar initiatives in the past have failed to produce a robust umbrella group to unite the opposition, fragmented by 41 years of autocratic rule by Assad and his father.

Assad's government has blamed armed groups for the violence and has said more than 500 soldiers and police have been killed since the unrest erupted in March.

State news agency SANA said 17 members of Syria's security forces were buried on Saturday and Sunday, some of them killed by gunmen in Homs and the southern province of Deraa.



Source Reuter

Toll in Indiana fair stage collapse rises to six

NDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The death toll from the collapse of an outdoor concert stage in heavy wind just before a show at the Indiana State Fair last week rose to six on Friday with the death of a Ball State University senior.

Jennifer Haskell of Muncie, who had attended the fair with a friend who was also killed, died on Friday, the same day her friend Alina BigJohny, 23, was buried in Fort Wayne.

More than 40 people were injured in the stage collapse on Saturday night when a blast of wind whipped through the grandstand area just minutes before the country duo Sugarland was set to begin performing.

"After a long, courageous battle, Jenny Haskell died at 8:15 this morning from her injuries sustained from the tragedy at the State Fair," Haskell's parents said in a statement released by Ball State University officials.

Haskell, 22, was majoring in exercise science and was active on the campus landscaping crew.

Governor Mitch Daniels has asked the Indiana Inspector General to assign several staffers to the State Fair Commission to assist in the fact finding and documentation procurement aspect of an investigation into the incident.

The fair commission has hired Thornton Tomasetti, a New York engineering company, to coordinate and conduct the structural portion of the investigation. The Washington D.C.-based firm of Witt Associates will do an analysis of the fair's preparedness and response to the event.

Angry Birds : Free Android Games

Angry Birds. Use the unique powers of the Angry Birds to destroy the greedy pigs’ fortresses!The survival of the Angry Birds is at stake. Dish out revenge on the greedy pigs who stole their eggs. Use the unique powers of each bird to destroy the pigs’ fortresses. Angry Birds features challenging physics-based gameplay and hours of replay value. Each of the 240 levels requires logic, skill, and force to solve.

Strong Your Android Phone with Free Android Apps

Want to turn your Android phone into a stronger and more helpful device? Free Android Apps can help you. I will offer you a list of the most popular free android apps run the whole gamut, showing the range and the power of free Android apps in general. Surely, you wouldn’t want to miss that opportunity? The following are the most popular Android Apps available for free.

Google Sky Map

Probably not the most useful on this list, but it’s definitely one of the most interesting. The Google Sky Map is exactly that: a planetarium right inside your Android phone. What’s more? No need to say more than it’s a Google program!

Backgrounds

Do you want to keep your phone looking new and fresh every so often? Get Backgrounds, one of the most popular free Android apps that has more than 10,000 wallpapers for free. With this app, your phone will never look drab again.

Facebook

I really shouldn’t have to say a single word about this app. I do feel it’s necessary to say that it’s the *Official Facebook App for Android*. Enough said!

Compass

In a way, it would be very surprising if a run-of-the-mill compass app was on this list. Well, it’s not and this Android app is far more than a mere tool to tell you which way is north. To name a few of the features this app brings to the table will be enough to sell most on the idea that it’s a practical, handy app to have on their Android phone. Essentially this is a half compass, half GPS Android app. It tells you the direction, but it also tells you the speed at which you’re traveling, the exact coordinates of your location and more things that can be used for fun or to potential save your life if you’re trapped somewhere.

Barcode Scanner

Perhaps one of the most ingenious free Android apps on this list, this barcode scanner app lets you access prices, reviews, and other related files by scanning the barcodes on various items in stores and elsewhere. Most importantly for Android phone users, it will easily decode the QR Codes attached to Android apps that you find all over many of the Android websites online. Just download this free app, click the icon and take a quick snapshot of an app’s QR Code. Next thing you know, you’ll be at the Android Market again, but this time at that app’s info and download page!

Handcent SMS

Do you want to send SMS and MMS messages through your Android phone? Don’t get what I’m asking? More simply: do you next? If you do, you need to get Handcent SMS for Android. Basically, it takes your phone to entirely new level and texting dimension. Trust me, when you’ve used this app for a while, you’ll wonder how you lived without it for so long!

Ringdroid

Perhaps one of the most hands-on free Android apps, Ringdroid allows you to edit various audio files so you can create your own ringtones and alarms. Tired of editing songs to create your own ringtone? Well, they’ve thought of that too! You can create ringtones for your Android phone from scratch as well (using the Ringdroid app on your phone).

Places Directory

This Android app does exactly what it sounds like. It allows you to find the nearest gas station, shopping mall, shoe store, movie theater, or even a great place for a burger. It is simple to use yet very efficient and effective: a must-have Android application!

Astro File Manger

You wouldn’t know it from this app’s name, but Astro File Manager is among the top most popular free Android apps. It is a task manager and among Android’s best one at that. You will be able to manage files, read and open .zip files. send files, backup applications and much more with this amazing app.

Shazam

Everyone loves music, well most of us love it. I’m guessing if you haven’t heard of Shazam and what it does by now, you’re probably part of the minority. If that’s the case, this app will nearly instantly identify songs playing, even in noisy environments. That’s the core of Shazam, but luckily for all of us, it’s spawned into much more than that! You’ll just have to download it (for free) to see all of the possibilities!

These apps are awesome, don’t you think so? Using these apps on your Android phone at once, enjoy the fun they bring to you

Capped Mortgage Rates ?

Sometimes, in fact every time you need to spend some time on finding the best mortgage rates. When you start your search for a new home, but the best thing you can do is to find the best loans on the market that gives you the best rates.

Capped Mortgage Self-Certification

The self-certification loans "peace capital" cycles. The lender (s) usually calculate the premiums or unstable balance outstanding on the mortgage. Whether and when the borrower is behind on mortgage payments, the lender to adjust payments according to the strength of the borrower to Chargeback.

Cape Town loans available capital that fits daily, monthly or annually, established in the agreement. Those who opt for self-certification mortgage should understand how lenders to estimate the capital and mortgage.

For example, at times a lender may adjust the annual interest mortgages based on current calculations, the borrower pays the principal and mortgage interest on the mortgage balance. If these calculations are balanced, for example, conflicts of interest is generally paid, then the capital, the lender will be updated. The lender can reduce mortgage payments to the capital at this time.

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber kissing photos from St. Lucia

It appears that fans of Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber may have something new for which to be thankful in 2011. According to reports from Billboard, TMZ, INF Daily and nearly every other gossip rag in the world, Disney gal Gomez, 18, and bang-swept singer Bieber, 16, locked lips during a Caribbean retreat in St. Lucia. This has Selena Gomez-Justin Bieber dating rumors ablaze once more – and it has some rather disturbed Justin Bieber fans feeling downright homicidal.

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber played it coy

Narcissistic celebrities – Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber included – no doubt love at least some aspects of the game with paparazzi. Teasing the media with retorts of “We’re just friends” come with the territory. As Selena Gomez told people a few weeks ago, “We just like to hang out… (the paparazzi) shouldn’t be stopping us from going out to dinner and things like that.”

Similarly, Justin Bieber has downplayed the “Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber dating” thing, telling Billboard that while he considers Gomez “an amazing person,” he is simply “having fun being a teenager.” The Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber kissing photos seem to suggest something more, even though representatives of The Bieb claim the St. Lucia pics of Gomez and Bieber together in swimsuits, sometimes kissing, sometimes tail grabbing, are bogus.

Which leads to the Selena Gomez death threats

Because some teen girls simply can’t bear to let Justin Bieber go, TMZ reports that Selena Gomez has received death threat tweets:

– roses are red, violets are blue, @selenagomez if you’ll break @justinbieber’s heart I’m gonna kill you :3
– @selenagomez I’ll kill you I swear on GOD!!!!
– @selenagomez If you are the Girlfriend of Justin I will Kill you I HATE YOU :@ !!!
– @selenagomez w–re cancer w–re..like i’mm kill myself cuz i saw you and Justin kissing well thankyou Selena thankyou now i’m killing myself

– @selenagomez stay away from Justin pedophile, r—d wait i’m gonna kill ya in the night underneath your smelly bed

Hopefully, the Twitter users who originated these Selena Gomez death threats will be discovered by law enforcement so that they can seek psychiatric help.

Motorola Charm Android Phone

The Motorola CHARM for T-Mobile is great for on-the-go social networking thanks to the enhanced MOTOBLUR functionality–the only service that continuously syncs and merges all your friends, e-mails, contacts, messages, and Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Skype feeds and happenings.

You’ll enjoy a complete Web experience from the 2.8-inch touch-enabled display, which offers pinch and zoom capabilities .Adobe Flash Lite enables rich media content such as banners and videos. Navigation is enhanced with another Motorola innovation–the BACTRACK rear navigation pad, which simulates a PC experience and makes scrolling and surfing effortless. With the rear BACKTRACK touch pad, you can flick through photos or Web pages for your friends without your fingers obscuring the home screen. Motorola Charm Android Phone

Key Features:
Fast 3G connectivity via T-Mobile’s HSDPA / UMTS network.
Powered by the Android 2.1 operating system, with deep integration of Google services and access to Thousands of apps to customize your phone via the Android Market.
Innovative MOTOBLUR widget-based overlay to Android automatically delivers Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, and corporate and personal e-mail updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications.
Update Facebook, MySpace and Twitter at once instead of opening individual apps as well as MOTOBLUR with your uploaded photos to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa, and Photobucket.
Customize your home screen with your favorite widgets and short cuts.
The enhanced MOTOBLUR syncs contacts, posts, messages, photos, and much more into easy-to-manage streams
3-megapixel camera / camcorder with up to 8x digital zoom, multi-shot capabilities, multiple shooting modes, and 24 fps video capture rate.
Kodak Perfect Touch technology for better, Brighter Pictures
CrystalTalk PLUS for enhanced audio and call quality with a second microphone for Increased voice quality while filtering out background noise.
Built-in GPS for real-time location on maps, driving directions, and more
Google Maps Navigation (Beta) Provides free, pre-loaded with turn-by-turn voice guidance. Powered by Google and requiring an Internet connection, it enables you to simply say “Navigate to [your destination]” to get on your way. See live traffic, use Street View or satellite imagery to view your route, and get access to the most recent maps and business information from Google Maps without ever needing to update your device.
Provides real HTML Web browsing more pages and better Web content delivered efficiently to your phone.
YouTube app for streaming video over 3G and Wi-Fi connections.
Visual Voicemail allows you to listen to your voice-mail messages in any order, respond in one click and Easily manage your inbox without ever dialing in to the network.

Developed by Motorola, MOTOBLUR is an innovative solution that manages and integrates communications–from work e-mail to social networking activity–on your CHARM. Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, and work and personal e-mail. MOTOBLUR automatically delivers these updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications to keep up with the latest content.

MOTOBLUR filters can be selected from a single social networking account, contacts, group or messaging account so that you can select only the information you want to stream live to the Happenings and Messages widgets. You can move and resize pre-loaded home screen widgets to personalize up to seven home screen panels for an even more custom experience.

Rock Legend Chuck Berry Collapses On Stage

Rock Legend Chuck Berry Collapses On Stage

Rock-and-roll legend Chuck Berry felt ill and was checked out by ambulance medics before a show Saturday night, a Chicago fire official said. An audience member at the show, however, said Berry slumped over during the show and was offstage for at least 20 minutes.

Fire Department spokesman Joe Roccasalva said Berry felt better and signed a release after being checked out. Roccasalva said the confusion arose because emergency personnel later responded to a patron at the show who was unwell.

Berry, 84, is known for his classic songs including “Maybelline,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Roll Over Beethoven.”

His agent Dick Alen said he had no information on the matter.

Concertgoer Steve Handwerker said Berry was giving an erratic, out-of-tune performance. While sitting at the keyboard, Handwerker said, Berry fell onto it face first and was helped offstage. He said he went outside and saw anambulance at the back of the theater, but ran back inside when he heard the remaining crowd roar.

Berry, still in his performance outfit, was standing unassisted and seemed alert, Handwerker said. He said Berry thanked the crowd, said medics put on a blood pressure cuff, and patted his chest.

Saying he wanted to give fans what they wanted, Berry did a step or two of what he called his “heel scoop” move and was helped offstage. Handwerker said he later saw Berry get into a white limousine and ride away from the theater.