G-8 leaders agree to

G-8 leaders agree to boost growth, protect oil supplies

5/19/2012 By Richard Wolf, USA Today

CAMP DAVID, Md. – Leaders of the world's major economic powers agreed Saturday to boost their emphasis on economic growth and job creation, and they vowed to seek the release of oil reserves if needed to compensate for reduced imports from Iran.

Agreements on those and other issues — including the need for a political transition in Syria that even its ally, Russia, apparently did not dispute — emerged as victories for President Obama as he hosted the Group of 8 summit amid the bucolic ambience of the presidential retreat.
"I think the surroundings gave us an opportunity to hold some intimate discussions and make some genuine progress," Obama said from the tree-shaded driveway of Aspen Cabin, the president's home here, at the end of the two-day summit.
"The direction the debate has taken recently should give us confidence. Europe has taken significant steps to manage the crisis," the president said. "There's now an emerging consensus that

never seems to come

Europe's stricken banks wait for a rescue that never seems to come

5/19/2012 by Heather Stewart

There are four weeks to go before the Greek elections – and, it seems, even longer to wait before a German change of heart on bailing out lenders. But fearful markets, and hard-pressed electorates, may not be patient much longer

For battle weary euro politicians, four long, tough weeks lie ahead between now and the next round of Greek elections, which could see recession-hit voters restating their determination to reject the savage austerity measures that are the price of Greece's latest €130bn (£105bn) bailout.

I'll Have Another

I'll Have Another captures Preakness Stakes

By Bob Velin, USA TODAY5/19/2012

BALTIMORE – I'll Have Another captured a thrilling Preakness Stakes on Saturday to give him victories in the first two legs of the Triple Crown, and will try to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the coveted title when he runs in the Belmont Stakes on Jun 9.

I'll Have Another reprised his Kentucky Derby victory at Pimlico, staying off the pace most of the race, then running down speedy Bodemeister, who led from the start, passing him right near the finish line to win the 137th running of the Preakness by a neck at sun-splashed Pimlico Race Course.
"I can't even put it into words, it's just incredible" said I'll Have Another's trainer Doug O'Neill. "What a ride. (Jockey) Mario (Gutierrez) was so patient. We're thinking Triple Crown, baby. Come on, why not.

Chen Guangcheng arrives in U.S.

Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng arrives in U.S.

By Lisa Mascaro and Barbara Demick
May 19, 2012

WASHINGTON — After years of detention and a bold escape to the U.S. Embassyin Beijing, blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng arrived in the United States, a bittersweet moment in a harrowing journey that had touched off a diplomatic crisis and poses continued challenges for U.S.-Chinese relations.

The human rights leader and his family were whisked quickly and suddenly out of Beijing, as Chen expressed gratitude but also concerns about the safety of the relatives he was leaving behind in China. He arrived Saturday night in Newark, N.J.

Chen has emerged as a political hero among Chinese dissidents and some U.S. officials for his activism in China — where his name is banned from the Internet — a status that became magnified after his

G8 summit leaders gather

Eurozone dispute brews as G8 summit leaders gather

18 May 2012

bbc news.uk

Claims that German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested debt-stricken Greece vote on whether it should stay in the eurozone have sparked a row.

The Greek allegation, which Berlin denies, comes as President Barack Obama welcomed G8 leaders to a dinner at Camp David, opening a summit expected to be dominated by the eurozone turmoil.

Mr Obama said talks on Saturday would promote a "strong growth agenda".

Investors fear a Greek eurozone exit could trigger a fresh global crisis.

Talks With Iran...

Heading Into Talks With Iran, U.S. Sees Hopeful Signs

By MARK LANDLER

Published: May 18, 2012

WASHINGTON — American negotiators, heading into a crucial round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program next week in Baghdad, are allowing themselves a rare emotion after more than a decade of fruitless haggling with Tehran: hope.

With signs that Iran is under more pressure than it has been in years to make a deal, senior Obama administration officials said the United States and five other major powers were prepared to offer a package of inducements to obtain a verifiable

Justin Verlander

May 18, 2012

Justin Verlander loses no-hitter in the ninth

By Scott Boeck, USA TODAY

Detroit's Justin Verlander came within two outs of his third career no-hitter Friday night in a 6-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh's Josh Harrison singled up the middle with one out in the ninth to spoil the bid by the reigning American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

Harrison played the spoiler roll on Sunday against the Houston Astros when he had a walk-off hit in the 12th inning.

BOX SCORE:  Tigers 6, Pirates 0

Verlander struck out 12 ans walked two and

A Greek Exit?

A Greek Exit? Euro Zone May Be Ready

5/18/2012

By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM | New York Times

WASHINGTON — It is increasingly conceivable that Greece may leave the euro zone, not just because of its own political dysfunction but also because the consequences of such an exit for the rest of the Europe and the global economy no longer seem quite so scary.

The foot-dragging and brinkmanship of the last few years have won the other members of the currency

Facebook IPO

Facebook IPO Makes Zuckerberg Richer Than Google Founders

By David De Jong and Devon Pendleton | Bloomberg5/18/2012

Facebook Inc. (FB)'s $16 billion initial public offering has made 28-year-old Mark Zuckerberg the 29th richest person on Earth.

Facebook, the world's most popular social networking company, sold 421.2 million shares for $38 each. At that price, the 503.6 million shares and options Zuckerberg owns are valued at $19.1 billion, making him

Clippers-Spurs Preview

Clippers-Spurs Preview

5/18/2012

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Hours before turning 30 years old, Tony Parker grinned Wednesday as though his lowest-scoring playoff game since his early twenties was an early birthday gift from the Los Angeles Clippers.

Across town, Chris Paul wasn't in such high spirits.

The marquee Paul vs. Parker matchup was a scoring bust for both All-Stars in the Western Conference semifinals opener, which the San Antonio Spurs won 108-92 despite their playmaking point guard scoring just seven points on 1-of-9 shooting. Paul didn't shine any brighter, scoring six while going 3 for 13.

Paul finished third in the league MVP voting this season, and Parker was fifth. Yet heading into Game 2 on Thursday night, they're so far together being outscored by Spurs rookieKawhi Leonard.

Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra exchange words

Pacers crush Heat to take series lead; Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra exchange words

Published: Friday, May 18, 2012

NDIANAPOLIS—Dwyane Wade and Erik Spoelstra stood face to face, looking more like two boxers promoting a fight than player and coach. They continued to exchange words and Wade’s Miami Heat teammates worked to quell the confrontation.

“Dwyane and I have been together for a long time,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve been through basically everything—a lot of different roles and a lot of different teams. That really is nothing.”

Wade’s response: “I don’t even know what y’all are talking about.”

Reality TV

Reality TV, celebrity obsession hit Cannes screens

By Alexandria Sage

CANNES | Fri May 18, 2012

(Reuters) - Obsession with celebrity is the focus of Italian director Matteo Garrone's new movie "Reality" at the Cannes film festival, one of two pictures in the lineup exploring the corrosive power of instant fame and the desire to be watched.

Garrone is best known for his last film, the gritty "Gomorrah" about a Naples crime syndicate. But with "Reality" he switches gears, creating a modern day fairy tale whose protagonist's soul is slowly and

Disco Queen ...

Disco Queen Donna Summer endured after era faded

5/18/2012By MESFIN FEKADU, Associated Press

Like the King of Pop or the Queen of Soul, Donna Summer was bestowed a title fitting of musical royalty — the Queen of Disco.

Yet unlike Michael Jackson or Aretha Franklin, it was a designation she wasn't comfortable embracing.

"I grew up on rock 'n' roll," Summer once said when explaining her reluctance to claim the title.

China Warns

China Warns Solar-Panel Tariff May Backfire

By WAYNE MA 5/18/2012

BEIJING—China unleashed a storm of protest across multiple outlets criticizing the U.S. decision to impose a 31% antidumping tariff on Chinese solar-panel makers and said the action could backfire on U.S. industries.

The U.S. decision against China raises trade tensions, which already were heightened because of issues ranging from China's export quota on rare-earth minerals to imports of Iranian crude. It also comes during a U.S. election year, in which the Obama administration has been criticized for not getting tough on China's trade activities or currency valuation.

Greek banks

Greek banks strain for cash

By Chris Isidore @CNNMoney May 18, 2012

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The Greek financial system is straining hard for cash.

Consumers and businesses are making massive withdrawals from Greece's banks -- leading to concern the beleaguered nation could be forced out of the eurozone by a banking crisis even before its government runs out of cash.

Deposits are the lifeblood of any bank, and Greeks pulled 800 million euros out of the banking system on Tuesday alone, the most recent day for which figures are available.

At the same time, the European Central Bank this week cut back -- at least temporarily -- on how much it was willing to lend to some Greek banks. (Greece downgraded deeper into junk territory)

The central bank, whose loans have provided banks with much-needed cash, said it believed the loan

Wal-Mart sales jump

Wal-Mart posts strong profit as U.S. sales jump

5/17/2012By Jessica Wohl

REUTERS - Wal-Mart Stores Inc posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, including a 2.6 percent rise in sales at its Walmart U.S. division's stores open at least a year, as warm weather and an earlier Easter enticed shoppers to spend.

The world's largest retailer, which was recently rocked by allegations of bribery in Mexico, earned $1.09 per share from continuing operations, compared with a profit of 98 cents a year earlier.

Wal-Mart had forecast earnings per share of $1.01 to $1.06. Analysts, on average, expected it to earn $1.04

Buffett's Berkshire buy...

Buffett's Berkshire to buy Media General papers

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway to buy 63 newspapers from Media General for $142M

5/17/2012

NEW YORK (AP) -- Billionaire Warren Buffett's company is making its largest foray into newspapers yet, agreeing to buy 63 papers from Media General Inc.

Richmond, Va.-based Media General says the $142 million deal includes the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Winston-Salem Journal. The company is selling all its papers except those in Tampa, Fla., most importantly the Tampa Tribune. Media General says it is in talks with others for those papers.

Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has owned the Buffalo News of New York for decades and recently bought its hometown paper, the Omaha World-Herald.

Buffett has defended newspapers. He has said that even though they face competition from the Internet, they will have a decent future if they continue delivering information that can't be found elsewhere and stop offering news free online.

beach-ready body

Chrissy Teigen's tips for a beach-ready body

5/17/2012

By Sarah Bernard | The Thread
While you're committing to a pre-summer regimen filled with grilled chicken lunches and hours at the gym think about this: Supermodels also have some prep work to do before putting on a bikini. So says gorgeous Chrissy Teigen, the Thai-Norwegian stunner who has appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue since 2010. Chrissy loves to eat -- which is one of the reasons why we love her -- and before a shoot forces herself to go hard with Pilates and a low-carb diet. We spoke to Teigen, who is engaged to singer John Legend, about her routine, how we can all feel confident while wearing relatively little, and her new swimwear line with diNeila Brazil. Watch this episode to see her suits which are made to flatter girls with curves and learn a surprising fact about Chrissy that we still can't believe!

10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home

5/17/2012By Tina McCarthy 
 
Gardening is hot, hot, hot. And why not? Planting a few seeds on your deck or in your backyard yields delicious, organic results - and money savings, too. You know the basics of how to start your own vegetable garden, but where do you go from here? Here are some crops that even the least green thumbed among you can tackle, and tips on how to make them flourish.

Verizon unlimited plans

Verizon Wireless to scrap unlimited plans for 4G users

5/17/2012

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless is planning to force customers to give up their unlimited data plans when they move to its high-speed wireless service, a top executive for parent companyVerizon Communications Inc said on Wednesday.

For now, Verizon Wireless customers who move to the company's highest-speed fourth generation (4G) network from its older network can still use the company's unlimited wireless data plan for a flat monthly fee.

But that will change after Verizon Wireless launches a new shared data plan offering this summer, according to Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo.

Kasparov Challenges Putin

Chess Champ Kasparov Challenges Putin

By Christiane Amanpour, Matthew Drake, Iva Zoric, David Miller & Mark Monroy | Around the World 5/17/2012

Since Vladimir Putin regained his seat as President of Russia, reformists have taken to the street in growing numbers to protest against an election they believe was fraudulent and a government they believe is corrupt.

Google Knowledge Graph

Google calls Knowledge Graph first baby step towards ‘Star Trek computer’

By Nathan Ingraham | The Verge, Thursday, May 17, 

Google has just launched Knowledge Graph, the latest refinement to its search engine product that seeks to provide users with more relevant and in-depth responses to search queries. The company actually started testing this new interface last week, but now its ready to take the wraps off its new method for connecting search queries to information-rich topics on people, places, or things. Along with the standard search results you're used to seeing, Google's search results page now displays instant results related to your queries — a search for Taj Mahal immediately brings up a list of facts, photos, and a map of the famous landmark, as well as quick links to other popular uses of the search term (like the musician or the casino in New Jersey). There are a multitude of sources behind this data — Google cites Freebase, Wikipedia, and the

Kings

Kings Remain Calm, Continuing Road Run

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

May 17, 2012

Even when that meant some questionable hits as the frustration grew, the Kings never let it bother them.

Withstanding an early push and a series of late penalties, the Kings took control of the Western Conference finals with another dominating performance, beating the Coyotes, 4-0, Tuesday night to match a National Hockey League record with their seventh consecutive road victory in the playoffs.

Jeff Carter scored three goals, Jonathan Quick stopped 24

Chuck Brown

Chuck Brown’s musical impact: Deep into Washington, and beyond

5/17/2012

By Chris Richards, Published

All songs must end, but not when Chuck Brown played them.

He spent the early ’70s trying to make a name and a living, knocking out top-40 covers in District nightclubs and cabarets. One night, in an attempt to keep the dance floor from thinning out, he told his band to fill the dead air between songs with a beat. So his drummer kept the sticks moving. His percussionist kept slapping at the conga. His audience kept their heels on the parquet. His beat connected the songs.

Then, his songs connected the city.

A proud community formed around Brown’s music. He called it go-go because it wouldn’t stop. Day-Glo concert posters stapled to telephone poles in the ’80s promised 4 a.m.

'ring of fire' this weekend

Solar eclipse blazes a 'ring of fire' this weekend

For the first time in 18 years, millions of people can watch the moon pass in front of the sun, exposing a brilliant scorching halo for up to 4.5 minutes in an annular solar eclipse.

by Dara Kerr  May 16, 2012

People lucky enough to be in Southeast Asia and the western U.S. this weekend will have the chance to view the first annular solar eclipse of its kind since 1994, according to NASA. Rather than a complete blocking out of the sun, as seen in a total eclipse, a "ring of fire" will radiate from behind the moon as it passes in front of the fiery globe.

The transformation will begin on Sunday as the moon makes its voyage across the sun; at one point, as much as 94 percent of the sun will be covered, according to NASA.