breast cancer drugs...

FDA to let women try new breast drugs earlier

By Julie Steenhuysen
Jun 3, 2012

(Reuters) - Regulators are moving the goal posts in testing new drugs for breast cancer in the hopes of giving more women with aggressive, early-stage cancers the chance to try breakthrough drugs while they have the best shot at a cure.

A new guidance document issued this week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will allow drug companies to test their medications for a few months on women with highly aggressive breast cancers before they have surgery, instead of waiting until the drug has been proven first in gravely ill patients.

Errani v Kuznetsova in French Open

Errani defeats Kuznetsova in French Open

June 3, 2012  from sportsillustrated.cnn.com

PARIS (AP) - Italy's Sara Errani won the first eight games and the last four Sunday to oust 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova from the French Open, 6-0, 7-5.
Errani, seeded 21st, made her second straight Grand Slam quarterfinal, where she'll face 10th-seeded Angelique Kerber, a 6-3, 7-5 winner over Petra Martic.
On a blustery day at Roland Garros, the 26th-seeded Kuznetsova committed 14 unforced errors to only four by Errani during a first set that lasted only 30 minutes.
Kuznetsova, who defeated third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the fourth round, broke serve on the way to a 5-3 lead in the second but dropped four straight games to close things out. That leaves Li Na as the only former French Open champion left in the women's draw.

Jeff Carter OT goal gives Kings 2-0 series lead

Jeff Carter OT goal gives Kings 2-0 series lead

June 3, 2012

NEWARK (USA TODAY) — Evidence shows that the Los Angeles Kings are moving beyond the category of hot team and into the realm of unstoppable juggernaut.

Jeff Carter scored at 13:42 of overtime to give the Kings a 2-1 win and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final. Teams that have won the first two games of the Final have won the Cup 93.2% of the time.

"Tonight was heavy lifting," said Kings coach Darryl Sutter. "It was along the boards. Their defense are

Iran warns Israel ...

Iran warns Israel of 'lightning' reply to any attack

Supreme leader's remarks come amid international nuclear talks, dampening hopes for diplomatic end to impasse

Julian Borger
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 3 June 2012



Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei told a crowd in Tehran any attack by Israel will blow back on the Jewish state 'like lightning'. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has threatened a "lightning response" to any Israeli attack and warned that sanctions would fail to curb his country's nuclear programme and only deepen its "hatred of the west".

The angry rhetoric is routine for Iran's clerical leadership but had particular significance as it came between rounds of negotiations between Tehran and the world's major powers over Iranian nuclear aspirations.

Golf news

In Between Cigarette Breaks, Player Seeking First Win Takes Lead at Memorial

By KAREN CROUSE
Published: June 2, 2012
DUBLIN, Ohio — As soon as Spencer Levin struck the putt, he started walking, a sure sign he had misread the line. Levin played his first six holes on Saturday in four under par to take the third-round lead at the Memorial Tournament. But as his par putt rolled toward the hole on the par-3 eighth, Levin was certain he was staring at his second straight bogey. He believed it right up until the ball caught the edge of the hole, rimmed around and, much to his disbelief, dropped.

It was that kind of round for Levin, who also chipped in twice on his way to a three-under 69, which tied him for the day’s low score with Rickie Fowler and Vijay Singh. After 54 holes, Levin, who has

Kathryn Joosten dies at 72

Kathryn Joosten of 'Desperate Housewives' dies at 72

June 2, 2012  from latimesblogs.latimes.com



Actress Kathryn Joosten, best known as the cranky neighbor on "Desperate Housewives," died Saturday of lung cancer at her Westlake Village home, her daughter-in-law, Jeremy Joosten, told The Times. She was 72.

Joosten won two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of Mrs. McCluskey, the cranky but lovable senior who kept a close eye on her Wisteria Lane neighbors on "Desperate Housewives." The hit show ended its run on ABC last month with a series finale in which Joosten's character passed away. Her character's battle with cancer was a story line in the show.

She also appeared on NBC's "The West Wing" as Mrs. Landingham, the president's trusted secretary. Over the years, she had roles in a number of other popular shows, including a recurring one on "Dharma & Greg" and guest spots on shows including "Ally McBeal" and "Scrubs."

Obama Economic...

Numbers Reveal Truth About Obama Economic Success Claims—and GOP Condemnation

by Michael Medved Jun 2, 2012
Raw data show Obama can’t honestly claim a good record as a job creator, but they also suggest that the wild spending growth Romney and company decry has already begun to subside under the influence of the Republican House.
The outcome of the upcoming electoral battle between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will depend on public perceptions of the president’s economic stewardship, with particular emphasis on his performance on the all-important issue of jobs.

Has the White House compiled an impressive record of “putting Americans back to work” as the Democrats proudly boast, or did administration policies actually delay normal processes of recovery, taking a bad situation and “making it worse” as the Romney campaign insists?

Leaving aside the dubious nature of the proposition that any president actually creates jobs (other than new hires for the White House), there’s an easy way to cut through the dizzying flurry of conflicting statistics that partisans on both sides passionately promote: checking the raw, readily available data from the Department of Labor on how many Americans are working today compared with the number who held jobs at the end of the Bush administration.

10 killed in cargo plane crash in Ghana's capital

10 killed in cargo plane crash in Ghana's capital

By FRANCIS KOKUTSE, Associated Press  6-2-2012

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — A Boeing 727 cargo plane attempting to land at the international airport in Ghana's capital crashed Saturday, slamming into a bus loaded with passengers on a nearby street, killing all 10 people inside the vehicle, emergency responders and airport officials said.
The crash occurred in Accra near Kotoka International Airport, which sits near newly built high-rise buildings and hotels. Witnesses

Mubarak sentenced to life in prison

Mubarak sentenced to life in prison

By Allen Pizzey June 2, 2012






(CBS News) CAIRO - In the words of the Cairo judge who sentenced him, former President Hosni Mubarak's rule represented "the blackness of a chilly winter's night." It was last year's Arab Spring that ended the chilly Mubarak winter. But for the opposition, his conviction Saturday was only a partial victory.

Dozens of Girls Injured During Norway Concert

JUSTIN BIEBER

Dozens of Girls Injured

During Norway Concert

5/31/2012 6:33 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Oslo's mayor has launched an investigation into yesterday's near-catastrophic Justin Bieber concert in Norway -- after 49 teenage girls were injured in the fandemonium ... and 14 were taken by ambulance for emergency care.

No one was seriously injured, but Mayor Fabian Stang groused, "I have already called on the Emergency Planning Agency to examine the entire event from the planning stage to its implementation. We have to find out what went wrong and why it happened."

Defending champion Li edges American McHale

Associated Press | Posted: Saturday, June 2, 2012 

Defending champion Li Na needed three sets to stop American Christina McHale at the French Open on Saturday.

The seventh-seeded Li, who last year became the first Chinese player to win a Grand Slam singles title, rallied to beat McHale 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Li committed 44 unforced errors in the match, 20 more than her unseeded opponent.

The last woman to successfully defend her title at Roland Garros was Justine Henin, who won three straight from 2005-07.

Hungarian running 50 marathons in 50 days

June 2, 2012

PDT BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 

Run, Norman! Run!

Hungarian Norman Varga has begun a quest to run the length of 50 marathons in 50 days and arrive in London in time for the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

Varga is a 25-year-old former cage fighter who had his left arm reattached after being pushed under a tram at 16.

He will cover some 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) from Budapest to London to draw attention to the importance of supporting young people.

Varga runs a foundation in his native Budapest district of Csepel dedicated to helping youth develop a healthy lifestyle and support their goals in education, science and art.

Mitt Romney would be one of richest-ever presidents

Mitt Romney would be one of richest-ever presidents with $250 million fortune

Mitt Romney will become one of the richest ever occupants of the White House if he wins the presidential election, after his campaign confirmed he was worth up to $250 million.

By Rosa Prince, New York 02 Jun 2012

The Republican candidate disclosed his net worth, around £163 million, in a financial declaration to the Federal Election Commission which provided new details of his personal fortune.

A campaign spokesman said the former Massachusetts Governor and his wife Ann had assets of between $190 million and $250 million. Experts claimed analysis of his holdings suggested his wealth was closer to the upper figure.

The family has another $100 million (£65 million) in a separate trust for Mr Romney's five

Central Banks to hold fire...

Central Banks to hold fire... for now

By Richard Hubbard

LONDON | Sat Jun 2, 2012

(Reuters) - The intensifying euro zone crisis and uncertain global growth outlook have raised hopes for a policy response from major central banks but, while it could be a close call, they are likely to resist pressure to act in the coming week.

The European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the Reserve Bank ofAustralia are all due to meet as data emerges on the euro zone's service sector, and the manufacturing and trade performances of the big German and U.S. economies.

The main focus will be Wednesday's ECB meeting, and whether dramatic selling of peripheral European government debt by investors in May and a flight into safe-haven U.S. Treasuries and German

US to redeploy naval fleet in Asia-Pacific region

 June 2nd 2012

Washington, June 2 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The US will re-deploy bulk of its naval fleet in the Pacific Ocean by 2020, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has said.

"By 2020, the navy will reposture its forces from today's roughly 50-50 percent split between the Pacific and the Atlantic to about a 60-40 split between those oceans," Panetta said.

"That will include six aircraft carriers in this region, a majority of our cruisers, destroyers, combat ships and submarines," he added.

Panetta was speaking at the 11th Asia Security Summit of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore Saturday.

Panetta rejected the suggestion that changes in the US military strategy were aimed at containing China's growing influence.

Daily dark chocolate lowers heart risk

Daily dark chocolate lowers heart risk

Published: June 1, 2012
From upi.com

MELBOURNE, June 1 (UPI) -- Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, making it a cheap and tasty way to lower cardiovascular disease risk, Australian researchers say.

Professor Christopher Reid, Dr. Alice Owen, Dr. Dianna Magliano and Ella Zomer, a doctoral student at Monash University, and Danny Liew of the University of Melbourne predicted daily dark chocolate consumption could prevent 70 non-fatal and 15 fatal cardiovascular events per 10,000 people over a 10-year period.

Zomer said the study was the first to examine the long-term health benefits of flavanoids, found in dark chocolate and known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Fed's Fisher: No need for QE3

Fed's Fisher: No need for QE3

By Felicia Taylor, CNNmoney   June 1, 2012

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The elephant in the room - QE3 - is stomping around again thanks to that deeply disappointing jobs report. So, will the Federal Reserve open the floodgates and throw more stimulus into the market? Or will it remain on the side lines, jawboning that "policy options are available ... should it be necessary."
Sometimes words are enough to calm the markets, sort of like a lullaby. Other times, you need action - as we've seen via QE1 and 2 and Operation Twist. The answer, of course, depends on who you ask.

Traders clearly want more QE. Ken Polcari, managing Director at ICAP Corps, said from the floor of the NYSE Friday that one way to avoid the global economy falling back into recession and prevent real panic is through stimulus. Economists are less certain. Tom Porcelli, chief economist at RBC Capital Markets, said he thinks the odds are high for QE3, but pointed out that more bond buying would just be a "sugar high."
Another round of stimulus won't necessarily result in job creation and that's what this economy needs to

Syria conflict: Russia's Vladimir Putin stands firm

Syria conflict: Russia's Vladimir Putin stands firm

1 June 2012

from bbc

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has resisted diplomatic pressure from Western nations to support tougher action against Syria's government.

Mr Putin, an ally of Syria, called for more time to be given to the peace plan of envoy Kofi Annan.

The US and UK have called on Moscow to strengthen its condemnation of the Syrian regime since last week's massacre in Houla, where 108 died.

Earlier, Moscow opposed a UN Human Rights Council resolution on Syria.

In an emergency session on Friday, the council condemned Syria over the Houla massacre and called for an investigation.

But Russia voted against the US-backed resolution, arguing that it was "unbalanced".

Meanwhile, a US government website published satellite images apparently showing a mass grave in the Houla area.

'Intolerable'
Correspondents say Mr Putin's latest remarks, made after a meeting with French President Francois Hollande, highlight the divisions between Moscow and Paris towards the conflict in Syria.

to face ‘lucky loser’ French Open

Roger Federer to face ‘lucky loser’ who keeps winning at French Open

French Open » David Goffin’s unlikely run will continue against his tennis idol.
By HOWARD FENDRICH | The Associated Press

6-1-2012

Paris • If it seems Roger Federer breaks one record or another every time he wins a match, that’s because he does these days.

Then again, good as Federer is, he can’t top this: His next opponent at the French Open, Belgium’s David Goffin, is unbeaten in Grand Slam main-draw matches. (OK, so the kid’s only 3-0, but still.)

Yes, before Federer can take on Novak Djokovic or Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros this year, he’ll need to defeat Goffin, the first "lucky loser" — a player beaten in qualifying who sneaks into the field via someone’s withdrawal — to reach the fourth round at any Grand Slam tournament in 17 years, and only the seventh to make it that far.

"Now I’m playing against Roger," the 109th-ranked Goffin said after beating Lukasz Kubot of Poland 7-6 (4), 7-5, 6-1 on Friday, "and I can’t believe it."

A fresh-faced 21-year-old whose voice was barely a whisper and whose hands fidgeted during an extended interview session with reporters, the slender, 5-foot-11 Goffin matter-of-factly discussed displaying photos and posters of 16-time Grand Slam champion Federer in his bedroom as a child.

Hits and misses in Windows 8 so far

Hits and misses in Windows 8 so far

As Microsoft approaches the home stretch for finishing Windows 8, we take a look at what the OS does well, and what it must fix to be a success.
by Seth Rosenblatt   June 1, 2012

With the Windows 8 Release Preview finally available, Microsoft has taken a major step toward putting its chips on the table for its biggest gamble ever. While we may start seeing some of the hardware that will run Windows 8 as early as next week, we know enough about the operating system itself to say what's surprisingly good and what needs help, STAT.
What we liked so far:
The Metro interface comes at app icons from a different angle than Apple and Google. Live tiles are