LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, has suffered a stroke but is OK and resting in a Las Vegas hospital, a family friend said on Thursday. "He was doing well and says he's feeling OK," close family friend Brian Oxman told Reuters. Oxman, Michael Jackson's one-time attorney, said the 83-year-old patriarch of the pop music family started experiencing weakness on Wednesday while walking in a park near his home and was later admitted to a hospital. Jackson has a history of strokes, Oxman said. "He was talking fine," Oxman added. "He sounded excellent to me." A former ...
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The Baseball Writers Association of America has released its 2013 Hall of Fame ballot ? and it?s a controversial one this year with the inclusion of Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens.
Who do you think should be inducted, vote below for as many as 10 former players:
Johns Hopkins scientists pair blood test and gene sequencing to detect cancerPublic release date: 28-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Vanessa Wasta wasta@jhmi.edu 410-614-2916 Johns Hopkins Medicine
Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have combined the ability to detect cancer DNA in the blood with genome sequencing technology in a test that could be used to screen for cancers, monitor cancer patients for recurrence and find residual cancer left after surgery.
"This approach uses the power of genome sequencing to detect circulating tumor DNA in the blood, providing a sensitive method that can be used to detect and monitor cancers," says Victor Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at Johns Hopkins.
A report describing the new approach appears in the Nov. 28 issue of Science Translational Medicine. To develop the test, the scientists took blood samples from late-stage colorectal and breast cancer patients and healthy individuals and looked for DNA that had been shed into the blood.
The investigators applied whole-genome sequencing technology to DNA found in blood samples, allowing them to compare sequences from cancer patients with those from healthy people. The scientists then looked for telltale signs of cancer in the DNA: dramatic rearrangements of the chromosomes or changes in chromosome number that occur only in cancer cells.
No signs of cancer-specific chromosome changes were found in the blood of healthy individuals, but the investigators found various cancer-specific alterations in the blood of all seven patients with colon cancer and three patients with breast cancer. Using specialized bioinformatic approaches, they were able to detect these alterations in a small fraction of the millions of DNA sequences contained in the blood sample.
"This is proof of the principle that genome sequencing to identify chromosomal alterations may be a helpful tool in detecting cancer DNA directly in the blood and, potentially, other body fluids," says Rebecca Leary, a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins. "But larger clinical trials will be needed to determine the best applications of this approach."
The investigators note that there may be less circulating DNA in early stage cancers, and, thus, these would be more challenging to detect without more extensive sequencing. As sequencing costs decrease, the investigators expect that detecting earlier-stage cancers may become more feasible.
Velculescu says that additional research will focus on determining how the new test could help doctors make decisions on treating patients. For example, the blood test could identify certain chromosomal changes that guide physicians to prescribe certain anti-cancer drugs or decide patient enrollment in clinical trials for drugs that target specific gene defects. Currently, physicians use cellular material biopsied from the original tumor to make these decisions, but tumor material can often be inaccessible or unavailable.
The Johns Hopkins study builds on the team's earlier work using genomic sequencing of DNA in the blood to find rearrangements of chromosomes. The previous work required samples of the original tumor and knowledge of DNA changes in that tumor to find those same changes in the blood. This new test has no need for original tumor samples and includes an analysis of changes in the copy number of chromosomes.
"It's an evolution of technologies we're developing for cancer diagnosis, and, by combining our knowledge, we can build better ways to detect disease," says Luis Diaz, M.D., an oncologist and director of the Swim Across America laboratory at Johns Hopkins.
###
Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health (CA121113, CA057345, CA043460), The European Community's Seventh Framework Programme, the Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, the American Association for Cancer Research Stand Up to Cancer-Dream Team Translational Cancer Research Grant, the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance, the United Negro College Fund-Merck Fellowship, and Swim Across America.
Other scientists contributing to the research include Mark Sausen, Isaac Kinde, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Kenneth Kinzler, and Bert Vogelstein from Johns Hopkins; John Carpten and David Craig from the Translational Genomic Research Institute; Joyce O'Shaughnessy from the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center; and Giovanni Parmigiani from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Kinzler, Vogelstein, Diaz and Velculescu are co-founders of Inostics and Personal Genome Diagnostics and are members of their Scientific Advisory Boards. They own Inostics and Personal Genome Diagnostics stock, which is subject to certain restrictions under Johns Hopkins University policy. The terms of these arrangements are managed by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies. Parmigiani is on the scientific advisory board of Counsyl.
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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.
Johns Hopkins scientists pair blood test and gene sequencing to detect cancerPublic release date: 28-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Vanessa Wasta wasta@jhmi.edu 410-614-2916 Johns Hopkins Medicine
Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have combined the ability to detect cancer DNA in the blood with genome sequencing technology in a test that could be used to screen for cancers, monitor cancer patients for recurrence and find residual cancer left after surgery.
"This approach uses the power of genome sequencing to detect circulating tumor DNA in the blood, providing a sensitive method that can be used to detect and monitor cancers," says Victor Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at Johns Hopkins.
A report describing the new approach appears in the Nov. 28 issue of Science Translational Medicine. To develop the test, the scientists took blood samples from late-stage colorectal and breast cancer patients and healthy individuals and looked for DNA that had been shed into the blood.
The investigators applied whole-genome sequencing technology to DNA found in blood samples, allowing them to compare sequences from cancer patients with those from healthy people. The scientists then looked for telltale signs of cancer in the DNA: dramatic rearrangements of the chromosomes or changes in chromosome number that occur only in cancer cells.
No signs of cancer-specific chromosome changes were found in the blood of healthy individuals, but the investigators found various cancer-specific alterations in the blood of all seven patients with colon cancer and three patients with breast cancer. Using specialized bioinformatic approaches, they were able to detect these alterations in a small fraction of the millions of DNA sequences contained in the blood sample.
"This is proof of the principle that genome sequencing to identify chromosomal alterations may be a helpful tool in detecting cancer DNA directly in the blood and, potentially, other body fluids," says Rebecca Leary, a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins. "But larger clinical trials will be needed to determine the best applications of this approach."
The investigators note that there may be less circulating DNA in early stage cancers, and, thus, these would be more challenging to detect without more extensive sequencing. As sequencing costs decrease, the investigators expect that detecting earlier-stage cancers may become more feasible.
Velculescu says that additional research will focus on determining how the new test could help doctors make decisions on treating patients. For example, the blood test could identify certain chromosomal changes that guide physicians to prescribe certain anti-cancer drugs or decide patient enrollment in clinical trials for drugs that target specific gene defects. Currently, physicians use cellular material biopsied from the original tumor to make these decisions, but tumor material can often be inaccessible or unavailable.
The Johns Hopkins study builds on the team's earlier work using genomic sequencing of DNA in the blood to find rearrangements of chromosomes. The previous work required samples of the original tumor and knowledge of DNA changes in that tumor to find those same changes in the blood. This new test has no need for original tumor samples and includes an analysis of changes in the copy number of chromosomes.
"It's an evolution of technologies we're developing for cancer diagnosis, and, by combining our knowledge, we can build better ways to detect disease," says Luis Diaz, M.D., an oncologist and director of the Swim Across America laboratory at Johns Hopkins.
###
Funding for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health (CA121113, CA057345, CA043460), The European Community's Seventh Framework Programme, the Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Fund for Cancer Research, the American Association for Cancer Research Stand Up to Cancer-Dream Team Translational Cancer Research Grant, the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance, the United Negro College Fund-Merck Fellowship, and Swim Across America.
Other scientists contributing to the research include Mark Sausen, Isaac Kinde, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Kenneth Kinzler, and Bert Vogelstein from Johns Hopkins; John Carpten and David Craig from the Translational Genomic Research Institute; Joyce O'Shaughnessy from the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center; and Giovanni Parmigiani from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
Kinzler, Vogelstein, Diaz and Velculescu are co-founders of Inostics and Personal Genome Diagnostics and are members of their Scientific Advisory Boards. They own Inostics and Personal Genome Diagnostics stock, which is subject to certain restrictions under Johns Hopkins University policy. The terms of these arrangements are managed by The Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies. Parmigiani is on the scientific advisory board of Counsyl.
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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.
Action is the most important key to success. Think about it. Whether you are a self-employed business owner, entrepreneur, solo professional or an individual you are ultimately measured by your results which come from the action you take.
Action?It?s The Start
There is an old saying that states, ?Learning without application is nothing.? As a personal business coach I had a client who was a phenomenal learner. But taking action was another story.
He would talk the talk. But he would hesitate to walk the walk. In a way, he was always tieing his shoes which kept him from walking. Sometimes he would almost start something. What was holding him back? His fear of failure was great.
As a self-employed business owner he had experienced some good success. The problem was that his business was growing and he wasn?t. And, if he didn?t start taking some action things were going to go negative very quickly.
Action Cures Fear
There are many times I have been reluctant to take action because of my fear of failure. But when you are running a small business or starting up your own business you have to develop a mechanism to overcome that fear and to take your business and you to the next level.
The key for me is to remember the following. I also got my client to memorize this. ?You are not judged by the number of times you fail, but by the number of times you succeed. And the number of times you succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times you can fail and keep trying.?
Take action. It is the only way to overcome fear and it is part of the process for success. You will find out what works and move forward.
Action Is The Bridge Between Involvement And Commitment
Very often I see people confuse involvement with commitment.
Commitment means taking a course of action and holding yourself and others accountable for the results.
Involvement is talking about action and results. Involvement, more often than not, is the first step to commitment. But only with action will you create the bridge between involvement and commitment.
Action Is The Bridge Between Strategy And Implementation
Small business success has many strategies. But without action they are just that, strategies. In a way, this is just another variation on involvement and commitment. Action is the bridge between strategy and implementation.
My client was great at strategy and short on implementation. As he turned his thinking around some amazing things started to happen in his business.
He started to regain positive momentum in many areas. His employees were happier. He was happier. His fear was no longer a mad dog driving him into a corner. His desire to take action and taking it became the mad dog that was driving his fears into a corner.
His self-esteem increased. He was more likeable. His employees started to see him as a leader instead of someone who was afraid to do anything that might bring progress.
Yes, action cures fear. It is the bridge between involvement and commitment, between strategy and implementation.
Most important is the fact that action is the key to having a better business and a better life. Take control of your business and life. Talk the talk but make sure to walk the walk. Take action.
Author's Bio:?
More detailed information can be found at http://www.thehoustonbusinesscoach.com Created by Scott Steve. The definitive guide to a better business and a better you for entrepreneurs, solo professionals and self-employed individuals striving to reach the top and who are serious about their success.
Home ? Electronics, HeadlineSubmitted by dealmaker on Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Deal Rating: 5
Sony Xperia Tipo Mobile Phone ? Black for Rs 7,9995.0 out of 5 based on 15 ratings.
Sony Xperia Tipo Mobile Phone ? Black Overview Key Features: 3.2? (8.12 cms) Scratch-Resistant TFT Touch Screen 3.2 MP Camera with Video Recording 3G & Wi-Fi Connectivity Google Android 4.0 ICS OS 800 Mhz Snapdragon Processor Qualcomm GPS with A-GPS Support Expandable Memory Up to 32 GB Aptly called the hassle-free smartphone, Sony Xperia Tipo is designed to make your communication easier. Its 3.2 inch scratch-resistant touchscreen responds intuitively to your touch. You can use this phone longer without charging as it has a strong 1500 mAh battery. It runs on Android 4.0 (ICS) to give you the best of the apps world. An 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor ensures smooth multitasking. Its 3.2MP camera with 4x digital zoom and video recorder make capturing special moments fun. Xperia Tipo loves to entertain you ? it features the x LOUD experience from Sony that ensures you hear music with amazing clarity. It also has TrackID music recognition that tells you all about any song when you keep your phone close to the source of music. Tune in to the FM radio on-the-go. With 3D and motion gaming, it makes every moment exciting. Email from anywhere and keep in touch with your friends and colleagues on its pre-loaded WhatsApp.
Specifications: Size & Weight Display:?? ?3.2? (8.12 cms) Scratch-Resistant TFT Touch Screen Dimension:?? ?103 x 57 x 13 mm Weight:?? ?99.4 Grams Design & Display Type:?? ?Touch Bar Resolution:?? ?320 x 480 pixels, 262K Colours Camera Camera:?? ?3.2 MP Camera Features:?? ?4x Digital Zoom, Touch capture Video Recording:?? ?Yes Battery Type::?? ?1500 mAh Talk Time:?? ?Upto 5 hrs Standby Time:?? ?Upto 470 hrs Audio & Video Music Player:?? ?Yes with 3.5mm Audio Jack Radio:?? ?FM Radio with RDS Compatibility: Audio: MP3, 3GPP, MP4, SMF, WAV, OTA, Ogg vorbis Video: 3GPP, MP4 Data & Connectivity Wi-Fi/ GPRS/ EDGE/ Bluetooth/ USB :?? ?Yes 3G/ A-GPS:?? ?Yes Operating System:?? ? Google Android 4.0 ICS OS, CPU: 800 MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon Platform GSM/ CDMA:?? ?GSM (Single SIM) Memory Internal Memory:?? ?2.9 GB (up to 2.5 GB user-accessible memory), 512MB RAM External Memory:?? ?Upto 32 GB using Micro SD Other Features Other Features: 3D and Motion gaming xLOUD Experience ? audio filter technology from Sony WebKit web browser with Pan & zoom TrackID music recognition On-screen QWERTY keyboard WiFi Hotspot functionality Native USB tethering Handwriting recognition 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones Google Android 4.0 (ICS) Audio & Video playback Accelerometer & Proximity sensor Alarm clock, Airplane mode Calculator, Calendar & E-Manual USB mass storage support Synchronisation via Facebook, Google, Exchange Pre-loaded WhatsApp ActiveSync Audio & Video recording Warranty 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty for Handset, 6 Months Manufacturer Warranty for Accessories Package Contents Handset, Battery, Charger, Headset, Data Cable, User Guide
Spokane Police are investigating if a weekend fatal stabbing was self defense.
Officers found 25-year-old Robert Henry Fletcher bleeding in the?street near?Nelson and Wabash on Saturday night.? Police say he had been stabbed multiple times and was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.?
Detectives are not releasing the identity of the other man involved.
Court records show Fletcher had a long criminal history.?In 2007, he was involved in a case that gained nationwide attention.? Fletcher was charged with extortion and conspiracy for attempting to shake down former Washington State lawmaker Richard Curtis.? Curtis?was a?Republican in the?Washington State House of Representatives from 2005 until 2007 when he resigned.??
Police reports say Curtis and 26-year-old Cody Castagna met at an adult bookstore and later had sex in Curtis' room at the Davenport Tower Hotel while he was visiting Spokane.?After the October 2007 encounter, Castagna and Fletcher?allegedly attempted to extort?$1,000 from Curtis in exchange for not revealing Curtis' gay lifestyle.??Fletcher was involved in collecting the money.?
Castagna later?plead guilty?and was sentenced to 65 days in jail and given credit for 65 days already served.?Prosecutors dropped?extortion and conspiracy charges against Fletcher at the request of Curtis.?
In July 2009, Court records show?Fletcher was sentenced to 43 months in prison for two counts of possession of stolen vehicle charges.? Fletcher's Facebook page includes a comment that says he was recently released from Walla Walla (Penitentiary) West Complex and was living a clean lifestyle.
Fletcher's younger sister, Lacey, said Tuesday evening that he was not just her big brother but also her best friend.
"He was a good person.? We loved him very much.? He had?a huge heart.? When he was released from prison in June, he was starting his life over again.? He was getting his GED and was looking for a job," she said.
His family held a candlelight vigil for him at the scene of the stabbing Monday night.? Friends say he leaves two children behind. The family, meanwhile, is waiting for answers from the Spokane Police Department as to what happened last Saturday night that brought Fletcher's life to a violent end.
"Police?aren't telling us why he was killed because the case is still being investigated.? He never did anything violent," Lacey Fletcher said. ?
? 2012 KXLY.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without prior permission.
ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2012) ? Sibling conflict represents parents' number one concern and complaint about family life, but a new prevention program -- designed and carried out by researchers at Penn State -- demonstrates that siblings of elementary-school age can learn to get along. In doing so, they can improve their future health and well-being.
"Negative sibling relationships are strongly linked to aggressive, anti-social and delinquent behaviors, including substance use," said Mark Feinberg, research professor in the Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development. "On the other hand, positive sibling relationships are linked to all kinds of positive adjustment, including improved peer and romantic relationship quality, academic adjustment and success, and positive well being and mental health. With this program, we wanted to help siblings learn how to manage their conflicts and feel more like a team as a way to improve their well-being and avoid engaging in troublesome behaviors over time."
The researchers recruited 174 families living in both rural and urban areas to participate in the study. Each of the families had one child in the fifth grade and a second child in the second, third or fourth grade. To obtain background information about the families, the researchers collected questionnaire data from the parents, interviewed each of the siblings privately and videotaped family interactions. The team also videotaped the siblings as they planned a party together.
The team also gave a popular book on how to parent siblings to each of the families -- including those in the control and the intervention groups -- to see if the intervention would yield benefits above and beyond having access to such a parenting book.
The program -- called SIBlings Are Special (SIBS) -- was designed by Feinberg; Susan McHale, director of the Social Science Research Institute at Penn State and professor of human development; and colleagues to improve sibling and family relationships just prior to older siblings' transition to middle school, which often is marked by increased exposure to and involvement in risky behaviors. The 174 families who participated in the study were randomly assigned to take part in SIBS or to be in a control condition.
The program included a series of 12 afterschool sessions in which the researchers used games, role-playing activities, art activities and discussions to teach small groups of sibling pairs how to communicate in positive ways, how to solve problems, how to come up with win-win solutions and how to see themselves as part of a team rather than as competitors. The program also included three "family fun nights" in which the children had the opportunity to show their parents what they had been doing in the afterschool sessions.
"We found that the siblings who were exposed to the program showed more self-control and social confidence; performed better in school, according to their teachers; and showed fewer internalizing problems, such as depressive symptoms, than the siblings in the control group," said Feinberg.
Not only did the program help the siblings, it helped their parents too.
"The program helped parents use more appropriate strategies for parenting their kids," said Feinberg. "In addition, intervention mothers reported significantly fewer depressive symptoms after the program than control mothers, perhaps because their kids were doing better and they were less worried about them. No effects of the program were seen for fathers regarding depression."
The results appeared this month in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
How can the team's results be used by parents who are not involved in the study?
"We think that by encouraging siblings to feel like they're part of a team, and by giving them tools to discuss and resolve issues, parents can help their kids develop more positive relationships with each other, which can benefit everyone in the family," said Feinberg. "So, for example, if the kids are fighting over what television channel to watch or whose turn it is, we might suggest that a parent not resolve the issue for them, but instead give them just enough help so that they can calmly discuss and resolve the problem on their own. When siblings come up with their own solutions, they may be more likely to use those solutions again in the future."
Investing in more effort on the front end as a parent by helping siblings learn how to stay calm and discuss and resolve issues will pay off over time, according to Feinberg. "It's an investment in reducing your own stress and enhancing your children's well-being for the future."
The National Institute of Drug Abuse and the Children, Youth, and Family Consortium at Penn State funded this research. Other authors on the paper include Anna Solmeyer, postdoctoral scholar; Michelle Hostetler, research associate; Kari-Lyn Sakuma, research associate and curriculum development expert; Damon Jones, research assistant professor of health and human development; and co-principal investigator Susan McHale, director of the Social Science Research Institute at Penn State and professor of human development.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Penn State.
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Journal Reference:
Mark E. Feinberg, Anna R. Solmeyer, Michelle L. Hostetler, Kari-Lyn Sakuma, Damon Jones, Susan M. McHale. Siblings Are Special: Initial Test of a New Approach for Preventing Youth Behavior Problems. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.10.004
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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
(Reuters) - UnitedHealth Group Inc, the largest U.S. private health insurer, said on Monday it expected 2013 earnings of $5.25 to $5.50 per share, below analysts' expectations.
Revenue should be $123 billion to $124 billion, the company said, higher than the Wall Street target. UnitedHealth gave the forecast in a statement ahead of a Tuesday meeting with analysts and investors.
Analysts had expected 2013 earnings of $5.58 per share on revenue of $119.12 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
UnitedHealth said during a quarterly conference call in October that analysts' estimates for 2013 were too high, citing the weak economy and government efforts to rein in the deficit. At that time, the consensus was for earnings of $5.60 per share.
UnitedHealth has a history of exceeding its forecast, Oppenheimer analyst Michael Wiederhorn said in a research note. "Overall, we believe UNH's outlook will prove conservative," he wrote.
Wiederhorn said it was not immediately clear if the Wall Street consensus outlook for 2013 revenue was comparable and included sales from Brazil's Amil Participacoes SA , which it acquired for $4.9 billion.
UnitedHealth also reaffirmed its 2012 outlook for earnings of $5.20 to $5.25 per share.
(Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Because city planners are hoping to turn Wuxi into a high tech hub, the air is breathable, the streets are broad, and many of the suburban districts look like a bucolic Google campus writ large.
By Peter Ford,?Staff Writer / November 6, 2012
A man fishes outside the office of Wuxi's 5-30 incentive program which has brought dozens of foreign-educated Chinese scientists to the city. The city of 5 million people is unknown outside China, but it is seeking to escape its national image as one of the worst polluters in China.
Peter Ford
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Wuxi is one of those cities ? and there are dozens of them in China ? that almost nobody outside the country has ever heard of, but turn out to have nearly 5 million people living in them.
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Beijing Bureau Chief
Peter Ford is The Christian Science Monitor?s Beijing Bureau Chief. He covers news and features throughout China and also makes reporting trips to Japan and the Korean peninsula.
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What makes Wuxi even more striking is that the city fathers have pinned their hopes for the future on high tech. That means this is not the sort of town you imagine when you think, ?5 million people in a Chinese city.? The air is breathable (indeed the authorities are decommissioning coal-fired power plants near the center of the city), the streets are broad, and many of the suburban districts look like a bucolic Google campus writ large.
Things are not necessarily what they seem, however.
The city?s shiniest success story, until recently, was Suntech, the biggest manufacturer of solar panels in the world. But the company has been hit hard by a downturn in the industry, and saddled with debt has been laying off workers in the past few months.
Still, Wushi has other strings to its bow. While many other Chinese cities have made a name for themselves on the strength of a particular product (?Yiwu ? Sock Capital of the World?), Wuxi has broader appeal. For example it has focused on measuring instruments, which nowadays means digital measuring instruments, another high tech business with good export potential.?
Once, the worst polluter in China
But all this represents a bid by the city to escape its nationwide image as one of the worst polluters in China. For Wuxi built its prosperity on thousands of chemical factories along the shore of Lake Tai, the third largest freshwater lake in China.?
For years they have poured phosphates and other effluents into the lake, sucking out the oxygen and killing the fish and shrimp for which the lake was famous. In 2007 the waters of Lake Tai became so eutrophic they were covered with a thick layer of luminous green, foul smelling pond scum. More than 2 million people were deprived of cooking and drinking water for nearly a week. Each spring the scum re-forms, though rarely as badly as five years ago.
The local government has repeatedly promised to enforce stricter pollution controls, and repeatedly failed to do so, according to environmental nongovernmental organizations. In fact even as Lake Tai was fouling up in 2007, the best known local activist was being jailed for three years on what he insisted were trumped-up charges of fraud and blackmail. Since he got out of prison, reporting that he had been tortured, he has kept his mouth shut.?
(Read Peter Ford's piece on China's polluted lake)
It is not hard to see why. The authorities in Wuxi want to present the world with a clean, modern, international image that will attract traders and investors. And anyone who threatens to sully that image by drawing attention to inconvenient truths had better watch out.
( Interested in more? Read Peter Ford's piece on China's reverse Brain drain here.)
??The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting funded travel in China for this project. Multimedia and reporter blogs about the project can be found on the?Pulitzer Center website.
We now know which two astronauts will have to pack their bags very, very well in the next three years: NASA's Scott Kelly and Roscosmos' Mikhail Kornienko have been picked for the year-long stay aboard the International Space Station in 2015. Both voyagers are old hands at space travel, having each spent a total of six months in orbit and at least some time on the ISS crew. There's no great shock in the choices when the mission will track the long-term effects of near-zero gravity on the human body -- after all, most of us would want a crew comfortable in its spacesuit boots for such an ambitious (though not record-setting) trip. Kelly and Kornienko will start a two-year training program shortly into 2013 that should have them in shape by the expedition's launch... and hopefully remind them to bring a good toothbrush.
Property Management Columbus Ohio For people who own residential, commercial, or industrial real estate, working with a property management and maintenance company will be a great resource. Property management works the same as management in other industries by overseeing the care and financial needs of any building. They work to find quality tenants who respect and care for the property and always pay on time. A property manager acts as a buffer between the owner and the tenant easing the responsibility of busy owners. Selecting a respected property management company can make the real estate process simple. Our company have the skills and knowledge to make every aspect of the process simple and pain-free. Take comfort in knowing that we will treat your real estate as if it were our own.
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MILAN (AP) -AC Milan earned a surprising 1-0 victory over defending champion and Serie A leader Juventus on Sunday after another disputed goal at the San Siro.
Robinho scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot after Mauricio Isla was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area, although replays showed it appeared to have struck his side.
Sebastian Giovinco went closest to equalizing for Juventus but Milan always looked dangerous on the counter and had several chances to extend its lead as it recorded a morale-boosting win.
"I believe the lads deserved this win, regardless of whether the penalty should have been given or not," Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri said. "Having seen replays it looks like it wasn't a penalty. We have to always play with this intensity, even against the bottom team. ... Everyone said before the Napoli game that we were a dead team and instead we've had a great week."
It was only Juve's second loss in 53 league games. Inter Milan can now close the gap to one point if it beats Parma on Monday.
"We didn't play as a squad tonight, we couldn't manage to play our usual football," Juventus assistant coach Angelo Alessio said. "When you lose a game like this you always look for problems but it's just that the team didn't play as it has done in the past three or four games.
"We know that there are always mistakes for and against us. I don't dare to think what would have happened if we had won with such a penalty. It should have ended as a draw. But everything went against us tonight and we have to accept the defeat."
Milan fans may feel it goes some way to atoning for a refereeing error in last season's match, which ended 1-1 after Sulley Muntari's goal was not spotted by the officials.
That match was a title showdown nine months ago, but few expected anything other than a Juventus win this time around, with Milan lying a dismal 12th and having lost six games already this season.
Elsewhere, Roma won 1-0 at struggling Pescara to mark a happy return for coach Zdenek Zeman to the club he steered to promotion as Serie B winners last season.
Milan President Silvio Berlusconi had made another visit to the training ground on Saturday to give the squad a pep talk and just like last week it had an immediate effect.
After his visit to Milanello last week, Milan came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at title-chasing Napoli. It went on in midweek to secure qualification for the Champions League knockout stage.
Berlusconi was in the stands watching along with former Milan icon Marco Van Basten.
The Rossoneri almost got off to a perfect start as Mattia De Sciglio skipped past first Kwadwo Asamoah and then Andrea Pirlo before unleashing a shot from just outside the area which whistled past the left upright.
Milan had another good chance in the 14th minute but Kevin-Prince Boateng fired straight at Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon following some good interplay with Robinho.
The Milan defense has been shambolic at times this season but it was dealing well with everything Juventus was throwing at it and stand-in goalkeeper Marco Amelia didn't have to make a save until the 21st minute when he gathered a weak shot from Fabio Quagliarella at the edge of the area.
Milan's penalty came on the half hour mark when Robinho crossed in towards Antonio Nocerino and the ball seemed to strike Isla on the side, but he was penalized for a handball.
Buffon guessed the right way and got a hand to Robinho's spot kick but couldn't prevent it from going in at the bottom left corner.
Juventus had its best chances of the game just after the hour mark. Amelia did well to punch Arturo Vidal's cross clear but it fell to Pirlo who put it back into the area, only for Mirko Vucinic to blaze woefully over.
The visitors went even closer moments later when Simone Padoin - who had come on as a halftime substitute for Isla - crossed in and Giovinco's acrobatic overhead kick flew narrowly wide.
In Pescara, Mattia Destro gave Roma the lead in the fifth minute and could have added to his tally but missed several clear chances.
It was the 100th official game in charge of Roma for Zeman, who is in his second spell at the club.
Elsewhere, Fiorentina's run of five successive victories ended after twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 at Torino.
Alessio Cerci, who is on loan from Fiorentina, gave Torino the lead in the 40th minute.
Gonzalo Rodriguez leveled from the spot but Torino restored its lead moments later when Valter Birsa's cross evaded everyone and ended up in the back of the net.
Fiorentina snatched a point six minutes from time when Mounir El Hamdaoui, who had only been on the pitch for less than two minutes, smashed home the equalizer.
Genoa is out of the relegation zone after ending a run of six successive defeats with a 1-0 win at Atalanta.
Andrea Bertolacci scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute to hand Genoa its first win in 10 matches.
Genoa's Emiliano Moretti was sent off for a second yellow card four minutes from time.
Bologna lost 1-0 at Sampdoria after playing almost the entire match in 10 men following Archimede Morleo's dismissal. Andrea Poli grabbed the only goal of the game in the 61st.
Elsewhere, Siena drew 0-0 at Chievo Verona. Substitute Chievo striker Mamadou Samassa was sent off five minutes from time following a second booking.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Rafa Benitez endured a hostile reception and gave the restless Chelsea fans nothing to cheer about as his first match in charge ended in a drab 0-0 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.
Use paint made for touching up appliances to cover up flaws on ceramic tile. Did you chip one of your tiles moving furniture? This type of paint will make it look almost as good as new. It dries hard with a glossy color that is hardly distinguishable from the surface of the tile itself.
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What does the siding on your home look like? Do you have the old asbestos siding that was so prominent decades ago? Maybe you have vinyl siding, and it is starting to fall apart or look dingy. Perhaps you are thinking about bricking your house which is all around the best type of siding. Whatever the case may be, siding your home, while it can be expensive, is one of the best options in improving the value of your home.
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CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's highest body of judges slammed on Saturday a recent decision by the president to grant himself near-absolute power, calling the move an "unprecedented assault" on the judiciary.
The statement from the Supreme Judicial Council came as hundreds protested outside a downtown courthouse against Thursday's declaration by President Mohammed Morsi. The president's decision means that courts cannot overrule his decrees until a new constitution and parliament is in place, several months if not more in the future.
The judges' condemnation of the president's edicts are the latest blow to Morsi, whose decision set off a firestorm of controversy and prompted tens of thousands of people to take to the streets in nationwide protests on Friday.
Through their statement, carried by the official MENA agency, the judges join a widening list of leaders and activists from Egypt's political factions, including some Islamists, who have denounced the decree.
The Supreme Judicial Council is packed with judges appointed by former President Hosni Mubarak. It regulates judicial promotions and is chaired by the head of the Court of Cassation.
Their move reflects a broader sense of anger within the judiciary against the president. Some judges' groups and prosecutors have already announced partial strikes to protest Morsi's decree.
Morsi has accused pro-Mubarak elements in the judiciary of blocking political progress. In the last year, courts have dissolved the lower house of parliament as well as the first panel drafting the constitution, both led by his Muslim Brotherhood group.
The edicts Morsi issued mean that no judicial body can dissolve the upper house of parliament or the current assembly writing the new constitution, which are also both led by the Brotherhood. Supporters of Morsi feared that courts reviewing cases against these bodies might have dissolved them, further postponing Egypt's transition under the aegis of a new constitution.
They say Morsi has a mandate to guide this process as Egypt's first freely elected president, having defeated one of Mubarak's former prime ministers this summer in a closely contested election.
The judges' council's stand against the president sets the ground for an uneasy alliance between former regime officials and activist groups that helped topple Mubarak's regime and have in the past derided those officials as "felool," or remnants.
The presidents' opponents nonetheless see the judiciary as the only remaining civilian branch of government with a degree of independence, since Morsi already holds executive power and as well as legislative authority due to the dissolution of parliament.
The judges released their statement following an emergency meeting Saturday. They said Morsi's decision is an "unprecedented assault on the judiciary and it rulings" and called on the president to "distance himself from the declaration and all things that touch judicial authority, its specifications or interference in its members or its rulings."
The primary court in Alexandria and the judges' club there announced Saturday they and public prosecutors have suspended all work until the declaration is withdrawn, according to the state news agency MENA.
One of the most controversial edicts states that the president has the right to take any steps to prevent "threats to the revolution," wording that activists say is vague and harkens back to the type of language employed by Mubarak to clamp down on dissent.
Morsi said Friday, before thousands of Brotherhood supports outside his presidential palace in Cairo, that he decision was aimed at protecting the nation from old regime loyalists using the judiciary to "harm the country."
He removed on Thursday the country's longtime attorney general, widely seen as a Mubarak holdover who did not effectively pursue the many cases against former regime officials accused of corruption, and ordered the retrial of former officials if new evidence against them is brought forth.
The ousted attorney general, Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, appeared before a gathering of Egyptian judges on Saturday ? his first public appearance since Morsi's decree. He was greeted by raucous applause and cries of "Illegitimate! Illegitimate!" in reference to the president's decision. He read out a statement saying judicial authorities are looking into the legality of the president's decision to remove him.
"I thank you for your support of judicial independence," he told the judges, gathered in a downtown courthouse. The head of Egypt's judges' club, Ahmed el-Zind, declared Morsi's move as "unconstitutional." He was a vocal critic of Morsi during the presidential campaign and warned of a Brotherhood-dominate state if he won.
Morsi had tried once before to fire Mahmoud, in October, but rescinded his decision when judges and the attorney general stood against him, saying that he did not have the authority to do so.
Others gathered outside the courthouse, denouncing the president and chanting "Leave, leave." Police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd of young men who were shooting flares.
"Morsi will have to reverse his decision to avoid the anger of the people," said Ahmed Badrawy, a labor ministry employee protesting at the courthouse. "We do not want to have an Iranian system here," he added, referring to fears that hardcore Islamists may try to turn Egypt into a theocracy.
Several hundred protesters remained in Cairo's Tahrir Square Saturday, where a number of tents have been erected in a sit-in following nearly a week of clashes with riot police. The country's most prominent opposition groups called for another mass rally on Tuesday, saying that the edicts make Morsi a "new pharaoh."
Health ministry officials quoted in state media said more than 200 people were wounded nationwide in the clashes Friday. Security officials said more than 100 police were also wounded in clashes in Cairo near Tahrir Square where protesters have been battling security forces for days to demand retribution for the killing of 42 protesters in November of last year.
____
Brian Rohan contributed to this report from Cairo.
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - A decade after staging the biggest sovereign default in history, Argentina faces another possible debt crisis after a U.S. court ordered it to pay $1.3 billion to holders of defaulted bonds.
About 93 percent of Argentine bondholders agreed in 2005 and 2010 to swap defaulted debt from the 2002 default for new paper at a steep discount. So-called "holdout" creditors who rejected the swaps continue to battle for full repayment in international courts.
In a ruling late on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Thomas Griesa told Argentina to deposit funds to pay the holdouts by December 15, lifting a previous order stalling payments to the bondholders and raising fears of a technical default on the restructured bonds if Argentina does not pay.
Griesa's ruling is a sharp blow for Argentina's combative president, Cristina Fernandez, who has refused to pay the holdouts such as Elliot Management Corp's NML Capital Ltd and Aurelius Capital Management.
Her government's strategy of isolating the holdouts has come under intense pressure since late last month when a U.S. appeals court upheld Griesa's decision that Argentina violated equal-treatment provisions for all creditors when it chose to pay exchange bondholders and not holdouts.
An eventual technical default - with U.S. courts seizing payments to holders of restructured bonds to compensate the holdouts - would further dent investor confidence in Latin America's third-biggest economy.
That could exacerbate a sharp economic slowdown, but the impact would be less serious than in 2002 due to the country's relative isolation from global financial markets.
Argentina has stayed out of international credit markets since the 2002 debacle, partly due to fears the holdouts could block a new issue. It relies instead on the central bank's foreign reserves to pay debt and borrows from state agencies.
Here are possible scenarios in the decade-long legal battle:
ARGENTINA CHALLENGES RULING IN APPEALS COURT
Griesa's latest decision must still pass to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, so he ordered that Argentina should deposit the money in an escrow account by December 15 rather than pay the plaintiffs directly.
Argentina swiftly pledged to appeal. If Griesa's ruling holds -- which legal specialists think likely -- and Argentina still refuses to pay, U.S. courts could block debt payments to creditors who took part in the debt swaps out of consideration for those holdout investors who rejected Argentina's terms at the time.
That would trigger a technical default on approximately $24 billion worth of restructured debt. Argentine bond prices were battered on Friday by fears about $3 billion in debt payments due next month could be subject to court.
The decision by Griesa came in response to a request from the appeals court for him to detail how the holdout creditors should be paid and clarify the role of third parties.
Late last month, the appeals court backed a February ruling by Griesa that Argentina had discriminated against the holdouts and Argentina has already requested a rehearing before the tribunal's full panel of 13 judges.
However, legal analysts think the so-called en banc rehearing is unlikely to yield a different result and say the 2nd Circuit will probably refer Monday's planned appeal aimed at getting the payment stay reinstated back to Griesa.
ARGENTINA TURNS TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
Economy Minister Hernan Lorenzino said Argentina will exhaust all judicial channels and could take the holdouts case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The government could contest the appeals court's equal treatment ruling by arguing it did not discriminate against the holdouts because they could have tendered their defaulted bonds in the two restructurings.
The U.S. Supreme Court gets about 10,000 appeals requests a year but only agrees to hear 75 or 80 cases.
Some legal experts think the country's highest court could choose to weigh in on this case, however, since it has wider implications for debt restructurings.
U.S. government lawyers backed Argentina's position on pari passu, or with equal treatment. They argued in April that Griesa's orders "could enable a single creditor to thwart the implementation of an internationally supported restructuring plan, and thereby undermine the decades of effort the United States has expended to encourage a system of cooperative resolution of sovereign debt crises".
If the Supreme Court agreed to take on the case, it would have to consider whether to freeze current proceedings. That might end up buying Argentina more time.
The government lawyers said a similar ruling in a Belgian court that disrupted Peru's debt restructuring in 2000 "was viewed with almost universal consternation by international financial markets".
The 2nd Circuit downplayed any impact on other countries, noting that many newer bonds, including the ones issued by Argentina in its 2005 and 2010 debt swaps, have collective action clauses that force potential holdouts to accept a restructuring if the vast majority of other creditors do so.
Argentina will probably need to garner more support from Washington and U.S.-based banks to get the Supreme Court to intervene. If the court did agree to hear the case, a ruling might not be issued until 2014.
If Argentina won the appeal, its troubles could be over. But the uncertainty leading up to the ruling would likely weigh on Argentine bond prices and hurt liquidity regardless.
Alternatively, the Supreme Court could either refuse to hear the case, letting the appeals court ruling stand, or it could hear the case and affirm that ruling. This would force Argentina to comply with - or openly violate - the order to pay holdouts every time it services its restructured debt.
ARGENTINA IGNORES COURT RULINGS
If Argentina loses its court battle at any point, the country could flout Griesa's payment orders to deposit funds for the holdouts.
This is seen as a real possibility since Argentina has systematically fought every court decision in favor of the holdouts and has refused to pay them court-awarded damages.
Argentine officials, including the economy minister and the president herself, have said the country will not negotiate with the "vulture funds" and will never pay them.
They say their responsibility to restructured bondholders ends when payment funds are deposited in a Buenos Aires account of the country's payment agency, Bank of New York Mellon. Argentina will make that transfer at all costs to avoid an outright default and reduce the political cost.
The government argues that when those funds are transferred to New York, they are already the property of creditors and therefore cannot be embargoed by U.S. courts.
Griesa, however, said all third parties involved in the payment of the bonds are responsible for ensuring his orders are fulfilled.
ARGENTINA PAYS HOLDOUTS
Although it seems unlikely, Argentina could end up paying the holdouts, either by making separate, proportional payments to them to comply with the court order or by agreeing to some kind of settlement. This could potentially prompt lawsuits by the creditors who accepted the swaps, however.
To pay the holdouts, it would first have to suspend or scrap the so-called "lock law", which requires prior congressional authorization for any kind of settlement with creditors who rejected the restructuring. The law also bars the government from reopening the debt swaps without legislative approval.
The government might want to change that law regardless since the appeals court cited it as key evidence that Argentina discriminates against the holdouts.
So far, officials have rejected that option, however.
Besides, the terms of the restructured bonds prevent Argentina from making better offers to creditors before December 31, 2014.
Even if the lock law were overhauled, this would not put an end to Argentina's legal woes since the holdouts would almost certainly refuse to agree to the swap terms and continue to sue for full repayment on their defaulted bonds.
Lawyers advising the holdouts say Argentina may be approaching a point of no return like the one Peru faced in 2000, when it ended up settling with the holdouts for $58 million to move forward with its debt restructuring.
The price tag for Argentina would be much higher, though, with holdout creditors owning a total of roughly $11 billion in defaulted debt, according to private estimates. That is equivalent to about a quarter of Argentina's foreign reserves.
(Additional reporting by Alejandro Lifschitz in Buenos Aires and Daniel Bases in New York; writing by Helen Popper and Hilary Burke, editing by Kieran Murray and Andrew Hay)
TOKYO?Congress could still block efforts to expand exports of America?s newly abundant supplies of natural gas, but there?s no question where Japan stands on the prospect of ships carrying liquefied natural gas from the U.S. arriving at its shores.
?From all the aspects, U.S. LNG is a very, very shining treasure ? for us,? said Hirohide Hirai, director of policy evaluation and public relations at Japan?s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Hirai, former director of the petroleum and natural-gas division at the ministry, told National Journal this week that he is confident the United States will take advantage of the increased trade opportunity by allowing LNG exports to Japan.
Hirai said that his conversations with U.S. officials, energy lobbyists, and consultants about the growing natural-gas market in Japan have left him confident that LNG exports will get a ?green signal? from the U.S.
?There should be some noises, of course,? Hirai said, but he added that when he spoke to Energy Department officials about gas exports, ?they didn?t say no.?
Hirai has spent a lot of time negotiating this opportunity with U.S. energy officials and his ?friends? in Washington since the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster that has resulted in the shutdown of nuclear power plants in Japan and has shaken the country?s energy sector.
?As you know, without nuclear power, LNG is the most promising, most reliable ? alternative resource for us,? Hirai said. Japan is already the world?s largest importer of natural gas, with much of it coming from politically volatile nations in the Middle East. Japan also gets about 10 percent of its gas supply from Russia and is planning to buy more, despite the risks of price-gouging by the state-controlled gas company, Gazprom.
Into the picture comes the possibility of cheaper U.S. natural gas resulting from the shale-gas boom, which could be extremely helpful to Japan?s struggling energy economy.
Developments in the United States present a unique opportunity for Japan and for the natural gas market, which is mostly dominated by government-owned or government-backed monopolies. The insertion of U.S. gas into the export market could break some of these monopolies and change the price of gas as a result.
The United States is in a good position to increase gas exports because it has a number of former gas-import terminals that could be converted into export facilities for far less than the cost of building new ones.
But some U.S. lawmakers worry that increasing exports could raise domestic prices and threaten the nation?s energy independence. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who is expected to chair the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, has been one of the most vocal opponents of natural-gas exports and will likely take up the issue from his new post.
?The policy needs reconsideration,? Wyden said in a statement earlier this month, referring to the current U.S. policy that favors approval of natural-gas exports to countries that share free-trade agreements with the U.S. ?It could harm the nation?s ability to achieve energy independence, combat pollution, and preserve the environment.?
And Wyden?s concerns don?t even account for the possibility of exporting gas to Japan, which is not yet a U.S. free-trade partner. Japan is pushing to become part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a U.S.-led free-trade agreement to be negotiated over the next year.
On that score, Wyden said, ?Any final agreement on a Trans-Pacific Partnership must not constrain the U.S. from reshaping its energy policy, which may include new treatment of natural-gas exports.?
During a meeting this week with President Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda urged the parties to ?accelerate discussions? on Japan joining the TPP, which could open the doors to much-needed gas imports for Japan, among other free-trade opportunities.
The Obama administration strongly supports Japan?s entry into the free-trade agreement, and the president reinforced that view during his visit to Asia this week.
Olga Belogolova is reporting from Japan through a program sponsored by the International Center for Journalists and funded by the U.S.-Japan Foundation
Fresh from winning praise for brokering the Gaza cease-fire, Mohammed Morsi sets Egyptian politics ablaze by granting himself sweeping new powers. NBC's Jim Maceda reports.
By NBC News staff and wire reports
Updated at 5:05 p.m. ET:?Opposition protesters clashed with police in several Egyptian cities Friday after new Islamist President Mohammed Morsi awarded himself sweeping new powers.
Police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse tens of thousands of protesters in Cairo?s Tahrir Square, the center of anti-regime protests that ousted longtime U.S.-backed leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011.
"The people want to bring down the regime," shouted protesters, echoing a chant used in the anti-Mubarak uprising. "Get out, Morsi," they chanted.
State TV also said Morsi opponents set fire to Muslim Brotherhood offices in the Suez Canal cities of Suez, Port Said and Ismailia.
Clashes also erupted between police and opposition protesters in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, the southern city of Assiut and in Giza, the sister city of the capital. In Alexandria, Morsi opponents hurled stones at Brotherhood supporters outside a mosque and stormed a nearby office of the group.
However, Muslim Brotherhood backers gathered in front of the presidential palace in northern Cairo to support Morsi -- illustrating a widening gulf over Egypt?s future.
Tarek Fawzy / AP
Protesters opposed to President Mohammed Morsi break into the offices of the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, in Alexandria, Egypt, on Friday.
Wide powers Buoyed by accolades from around the world for mediating a truce between Hamas and Israel, Morsi on Thursday ordered that an Islamist-dominated assembly writing the new constitution could not be dissolved by legal challenges.
Other changes give Morsi power to take security measures to protect his position, which rights groups say are like new emergency laws.
Morsi belonged to the Muslim Brotherhood until he ran for the presidency and still depends on the group for political support.
On Friday, Morsi confirmed that he will move forward on his plans because he insisted they were for the good of the country.
Complete coverage of the Middle East & North Africa?
"I am for all Egyptians. I will not be biased against any son of Egypt,'' Morsi told the crowd outside the presidential palace, adding that he was working for social and economic stability and the rotation of power.
"Opposition in Egypt does not worry me, but it has to be real and strong,'' he said in response to his critics.
Morsi also said Friday that his government would pay $5,000 to the families of those who died in the protests to oust Mubarak and $3,333 to those who were injured.
?
'New pharaoh' The changes, announced late Thursday, prompted outrage among secularists and liberals.?
Critics accuse Egypt president of trying to become 'new pharaoh' with decree
Mohammed ElBaradei, a prominent pro-democracy figure and former head of the U.N.'s nuclear agency, accused Morsi of declaring himself a "new pharaoh."
"Morsi today usurped all state powers and appointed himself Egypt's new pharaoh," ElBaradei said on Twitter. "A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences."
"Morsi a 'temporary' dictator','' was the headline in the independent daily Al-Masry Al-Youm.
By ousting military chiefs, Egypt's Morsi shows he's a force to be reckoned with
The U.S. State Department signaled its concern Friday over Morsi?s declarations.
"One of the aspirations of the revolution was to ensure that power would not be overly concentrated in the hands of any one person or institution," said spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. "The current constitutional vacuum in Egypt can only be resolved by the adoption of a constitution that includes checks and balances, and respects fundamental freedoms, individual rights, and the rule of law consistent with Egypt's international commitments."
Nuland called for calm and for all parties in Egypt to resolve differences through "democratic dialogue."
Meanwhile, the United Nations expressed serious concerns Friday about human rights and stability in Egypt.
Tarek Fawzy / AP
Protesters hurl stones during clashes between supporters and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi in Alexandria, Egypt, on Friday.
"We are very concerned about the possible huge ramifications of this declaration on human rights and the rule of law in Egypt," Rupert Colville, U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay's spokesman, told a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva. "We also fear this could lead to a very volatile situation over the next few days, starting today in fact."
Morsi's decree is also bound to worry Western allies, particularly the United States, a generous benefactor to Egypt's army.
NBC News' Charlene Gubash, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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