Jane Austen?s Novels, Ranked

Jane Austen

Courtesy of University of Texas/Wikipedia Commons

See also Adelle Waldman?s essay about what she?s learned from reading all of Austen?s books again and again.

Jane Austen?s Novels, From Best to Worst

Jane Austen?s 10 Most Devastating Character Assessments

Few writers equal Austen in her ability to sum up a character in a pithy sentence or two. Below are some of her most devastating assessments.

10. John Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility

?He was not an ill-disposed young man, unless to be rather cold-hearted and rather selfish is to be ill-disposed.?

9. Lady Bertram, Mansfield Park

?She was a woman who spent her days in sitting nicely dressed on a sofa, doing some long piece of needlework, of little use and no beauty, thinking more of her pug than her children, but very indulgent to the latter when it did not put herself to inconvenience.?

8. Sir John and Lady Middleton, Sense and Sensibility

?However dissimilar in temper and outward behavior, they strongly resembled each other in that total want of talent and taste.?

7. Mr. Bingley?s sisters, Pride and Prejudice

?Not deficient in good humor when they pleased, nor in the power of being agreeable where they chose it; but proud and conceited. They were rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with people of rank; and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of themselves and meanly of others.?

6. Lady Catherine DeBourgh, Pride and Prejudice

?She was a most active magistrate in her own parish, the minutest concerns were carried to her ? and whenever the cottagers were disposed to be quarrelsome, discontented or too poor, she sallied forth into the village to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scold them into harmony and plenty.?

5. Margaret Dashwood, Sense and Sensibility

?Margaret, the other sister, was a well-disposed girl; but as she had already imbibed a good deal of Marianne?s romance, without having much of her sense, she did not at thirteen bid fair to equal her sisters at a more advanced period of life.?

?Self-important, presuming, familiar, ignorant and ill-bred. She had a little beauty and a little accomplishment, but so little judgment that she thought herself coming with superior knowledge of the world, to enliven and improve a country neighborhood.?

?Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence. ... The real evils of Emma?s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself.?

2. Mr. Collins, Pride and Prejudice

?Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society. ? The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner, but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head.?

1. Mrs. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

?She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.?

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=cef1090c19e505a383b91df62472e00f

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Navidea cancer imaging agent may see wider use

(Reuters) - Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc said its cancer diagnostic agent was effective in identifying the first lymph node reached by the disease in patients with head and neck cancer, paving the way to expand its use in all solid cancers.

The company said a safety monitoring committee recommended that the trial be stopped early due to the positive results.

The diagnostic agent, Lymphoseek, correctly identified cancer in 38 of the 39 patients determined to have cancer in their lymph nodes, the company said, citing an interim analysis of a late-stage trial of the imaging agent that is already approved for use in two other cancers.

The company said detection of cancer-affected nodes by Lymphoseek led to the removal of only about four lymph nodes per patient on an average, while surgery ? considered the gold standard to detect the spread of cancer ? led to the removal of about 38 lymph nodes per patient.

The false negative rate of the study was 2.56 percent, which was also statistically significant, Navidea said.

The company expects to file an approval application for the expanded use of Lymphoseek later in the year.

Lymphoseek was approved in March - the first such drug to be approved in 30 years - to identify cancer-carrying lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma.

The agent will be launched in the second quarter by drug wholesaler Cardinal Health, Navidea's commercial partner.

The company also intends to get it approved for mapping sentinel lymph nodes, the first nodes affected by cancer and which indicate whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. There is no approved agent for this indication.

Navidea is also developing two other imaging agents to detect Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

The company's shares, which have fallen 26 percent since Lypmhoseek's approval, closed at $2.55 on the American Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Esha Dey and Vrinda Manocha in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/navidea-cancer-imaging-agent-may-see-wider-120219287--finance.html

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Woman Files Insurance Claim For Stolen Items Using Receipts From ...

It?s quite awful to have more than $116,000 in jewelry, electronics and high-end accessories, including a Lois Vuitton purse, stolen from the back of your dad?s Lexus. Awful! But if those items perhaps never even existed and you file an insurance claim on them using receipts from a store that wasn?t open on the date of the receipts? Don?t expect any sympathy from police.

That?s what authorities say was the case for one woman, who reported a Lexus stolen and then submitted receipts to her insurance company for items she claimed were missing from the car. But according to police, those proofs of purchase came from a store that didn?t exist yet, reports the Delaware County Daily Times in Delaware, Pa.

Police investigating the incident say a 38-year-old woman parked her dad?s Lexus SUV on July 5 and went off to watch Fourth of July fireworks. She claimed that when she returned, the car was gone, along with a purse with?a $30,900 diamond engagement ring, a $6,000 diamond bracelet, a $79,800 diamond pendant, a $1,500 iPad and $650 sunglasses inside.

She filed a claim with Allstate Insurance, say cops in the charging document, including receipts for the purse, iPad, and sunglasses. She also claimed that Allstate had appraised the jewelry before, and included receipts for those items as well.

Here?s where the problems come in with her story: First, she never showed up for an examination under oath with Allstate?s attorney to repeat her telling of events. A jewelry store owner also told agents later that his store hadn?t opened for business until March 2011, although her receipts allegedly listed purchases for jewelry in 2008 and 2009. Oops.

?Therefore, [the owner] could not have sold any jewelry to [the woman's fiance]?and receipts provided to Allstate are fictitious,? the document states.

That document charges her with charged with filing a false insurance claim, attempted theft and receiving stolen property, all third-degree felonies. She was also charged with?felony criminal use of a communication facility and forgery.

Police: Ridley Twp. resident filed bogus insurance claim [Delaware County Daily Times]

Source: http://consumerist.com/2013/04/04/woman-files-insurance-claim-for-stolen-items-using-receipts-from-store-that-didnt-exist/

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Valeant expects Mylan's launch of generic herpes drug to hurt profit

(Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, Canada's biggest listed drugmaker, said it expects Mylan Inc's launch of a generic version of Valeant's genital herpes drug to reduce its cash earnings-per-share for the year by 30 to 40 cents.

The company said it would launch its own generic of the ointment, Zovirax, on Thursday.

Mylan, a generic drugmaker, said on Wednesday it received final approval for the first generic version of Zovirax from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Valeant had said in January it sees 2013 adjusted profit, which it calls cash earnings per share, of between $5.45 and $5.75.

The company, caught in a bidding war with German drugmaker Merz Pharma Group for cosmetics products maker Obagi Medical Products Inc, has been bulking up its skin care portfolio in the United States.

"While the timing of a generic approval was always uncertain, this was not unforeseen and we were prepared for its eventuality," said Chief Executive Michael Pearson.

However, the company did not factor in the generic launch in its original budget expectations.

The company said there are other actions, such as several product acquisitions, repricing of its term loan debt that could mitigate the impact of Zovirax losing patent protection.

(Reporting by Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay in Bangalore)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/valeant-expects-mylans-launch-generic-herpes-drug-hurt-134006697--finance.html

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TLC doing film on letters to Jackie Kennedy

NEW YORK (AP) ? The TLC network is making a movie about some of the 800,000 condolence letters that were sent to the widow of former President John F. Kennedy after his 1963 assassination.

"Letters to Jackie" will air this fall, as the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's killing approaches on Nov. 22.

The film revisits the aftermath of the assassination to examine the former first lady's role in helping the nation through its grief as she suffered through her own.

Twenty celebrities will read the letters, including Zooey Deschanel, Kirsten Dunst, Anne Hathaway, Mark Ruffalo, Betty White and Michelle Williams.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tlc-doing-film-letters-jackie-kennedy-143936544.html

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Ethical Omaha Legacy Project - Business Ethics Alliance

Ethical Omaha ? Our Gift

The legacy of Greater Omaha?s five, business core values is being formally offered to Greater Omaha organizations and it?s free! From now and into 2014 we will be promoting, publicizing, and maybe even with?sponsored support advertising this FREE business ethics tool.? Full details are on the Ethical Omaha tab at www.businessethicsalliance.org.?

The presentation has been created to be a do-it-yourself program.? Using our facilitator?s guide, our ethical dilemma video and other supporting materials, organizations can guide their employees through ethics education on Accountability, Community Responsibility, Financial Vitality, Integrity and Moral Courage.? Registrants download the Facilitator?s Guide from our Ethical Omaha web page and collect the other supporting materials from our resources page.

By participating and sharing the core values, organizations are:

• Moving the world forward, and people and values are at the heart of this.
• Injecting intention around ethics to see how they can become even better at ensuring the highest ethical standards.
• Exhibiting corporate responsibility and social responsibility to their community.

Proving the right things work

In addition to the presentation, we also offer a pre- and post surveys to help us measure behavior change.? We?re in this to prove the right things work so managing these important metrics will help us move our mission forward.? Our behavior goals for the programming are:

1. Understand that the value is one of Greater Omaha?s core values
2. Understand what the value means in Greater Omaha
3. Articulate one?s sense of the value
4. Identify the value in a real life scenario
5. Distinguish ?just business? from ?ethics in business?
6. Walk away with a strategy for how to deal with an ethical struggle

We can help

Additionally, we offer to give the presentation for a small honorarium and will otherwise get more involved if preferred.? And actually, we do prefer ? it is a better opportunity for us to share all we do with organizations.

Organizations are implementing this programming as employee education to introduce or maintain intentionality around ethics.? It is our hope that these presentations lead to more opportunities for the Alliance to help solidify the ethics program/department within Greater Omaha organizations.

You can help

Right now we are offering the Community Responsibility guide and the Curriculum Committee is finalizing the Integrity guide.? All five ? along with a compilation version ? will be available by the end of this year.? Perhaps your organization can offer these presentations to employees?? Perhaps you can share this program with your peers?? Again this program is our gift to Omaha as well as our way to introduce Omaha to the Alliance.? We appreciate your support.

Source: http://www.businessethicsalliance.org/blog/ethical-omaha-legacy-project/

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Ten Reasons You're Not Getting a Raise (And What You Can Do About It)

You might think you deserve a raise, but that doesn't always mean your boss agrees with you. And no, you can no longer heap all the blame on a bad economy. At 7.7%, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since December 2008. In February alone, the Labor Department reported that the economy added 236,000 jobs. So, what does this mean for you? It's the perfect time to ask for a bump in pay.

If it's been a while since you increased your salary and you're coming up against a wall, the most likely reason is...you. Here are the top ten reasons you haven't landed the increase you so desperately want, and how to fix them.

You Have Unrealistic Expectations

In 2012, a typical merit raise averaged 1.9 to 2%, while the highest-performing employees received closer to a 4% raise. To determine if you're worthy of that 4% (or more), it's vital to check in with your boss regularly so you're on the same page about your performance. Does your boss think you turn in above average work or is there an area she thinks you're struggling with?

Also, does your company give raises at a certain time each year (say, at annual review time), or are they rolling, based on performance? If it's the former, make sure to time your request for optimal results.

Finally, remember to consider your company's financial situation. Asking for a big raise when the company is struggling can come off as out of touch.

You Didn't Do Your Research

Before deciding how much of a raise you deserve, look up the standard industry salaries for similar positions on sites like Salary.com and Glassdoor.com. That will give you a point of reference for framing the conversation. But it's not enough to cite averages-you also have to make a case for your personal performance, and how you're going above and beyond your job duties. Which brings us to...

You Do Only What's Expected of You

Doing your job is what you are paid for, whereas a raise is a sign that your boss sees that you're contributing at a higher level than what you were originally hired to do. One good rule of thumb is to be an employee who makes your boss's job easier: Volunteer to take on additional projects and think about what you can do to lighten her workload. Or notice what she is complaining about, and figure out how to solve a problem within your department. If you present solutions for her now, you'll find your superior more willing to meet your demands later.

You Don't Call Attention to Your Accomplishments, or You Act Entitled

Neither of these extremes will help you get that salary bump. And, admittedly, mastering the fine art of self-promotion isn't easy. First, make sure that your boss is aware of everything you've taken on. And feel free to share your successes?they show that you're capable and competent. Just be subtle about it: Set up a meeting to discuss the projects you're working on, mention key wins you've had and ask for feedback on how you could still do better.

Another good strategy: Rely on third-party praise. Copy your boss on an email chain discussing a successfully-executed project or forward her a particularly moving compliment from a client.

You're Not Staying Current

Evaluate your skill set: How much has it changed since you started in your industry? In certain jobs, a lack of tech finesse, or the ability to stay on top of the latest trends, can trip you up?and cause your salary to stagnate. That's especially true for older workers, who, unfortunately, can face age discrimination in the office: In a survey of people 50 years old or older, over one-third of respondents reported that they or someone they know has faced age discrimination at work, and 25% of all complaints filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involve age discrimination.

But there's no reason to let a lack of skills hold you back. Bookmark and follow industry blogs, and look into workshops and courses teaching the latest industry developments. You can even mention them to your boss and see if the company will foot the bill for your continuing education. Bonus: He'll see that you're trying to sharpen your skills.

You're Unable to Problem Solve, or Love to Complain

Be honest with yourself: Is your gut instinct to tell your boss every time an issue arises, or do you try to navigate through hurdles yourself?

If it's an issue that truly needs to be escalated, by all means, manage up. But a broken printer is a good example of what not to kick up the food chain. Also, beware of becoming the employee who's always got a gripe, whether it's about company policy or your coworker you just can't stand. Ultimately, the people who get raises are the employees who consider it their jobs to provide solutions, not raise problems.

You Don't Pay Attention to the Details

Does your boss tell you to fix the same type of mistake over and over again? Do you constantly need reminders? Do you usually ask the same question twice? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, a raise is (most likely) not in your near future.

Take notes while your supervisor is giving instructions, see if you can find the answer yourself before asking questions, and each time you make a mistake, write down for yourself what it was, why it happened and how you'll prevent it from happening in the future.

You Made it a Personal Matter

Your argument for why you deserve a raise should be focused on your work ethic, your accomplishments and your value to the company?and those three things alone. What should be left out of the proposal? Your student debt, your rent, your hospital bills or the fact that you "just can't make ends meet on this salary." Bottom line: A raise will be awarded based on your merit, not your sob story.

You Didn't Ask for One

If none of the above eight reasons apply to you, then seriously, ask for a raise. Don't expect your boss to bring it up.

You Were Unfairly Penalized for Being a Woman

Unfortunately, even in 2013, this happens: In a study by Harvard researcher Hannah Riley Bowles, participants were shown videos of men and women asking for raises?using the same script. The results: Participants agreed to give the male participants raises, while the women were considered too aggressive and their requests too demanding.

While sexist and unfair, it may still be a reality female employees need to work around. In another experiment, two techniques helped to eliminate the different perceptions of women and men. First, says Riley Bowles, a woman should focus on how her performance has helped the company, and solicit feedback, with a simple: "What do you think?" It can also be effective to bring a third party into the conversation. For example: "My leader advised me to do this."

The 10 Reasons You're Not Getting a Raise | LearnVest

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LearnVest's mission is to empower people everywhere to take control of their personal finances so that they can afford their dreams. They believe that financial planning should not be a luxury, which is why they've developed an advice-driven program that is personalized to your specific financial goals and situation.

Image remixed from mast3r (Shutterstock).

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/5Sd_AcZS_NU/ten-reasons-youre-not-getting-a-raise-and-what-you-can-do-about-it

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Colorado officials to do review after prison error

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Colorado Department of Corrections shows paroled inmate Evan Spencer Ebel. A clerical error allowed Ebel, suspected of killing Colorado?s prisons chief, to be released from custody about four years early, officials said Monday, April 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Colorado Department of Corrections, File)

FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Colorado Department of Corrections shows paroled inmate Evan Spencer Ebel. A clerical error allowed Ebel, suspected of killing Colorado?s prisons chief, to be released from custody about four years early, officials said Monday, April 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Colorado Department of Corrections, File)

DENVER (AP) ? Colorado court officials have vowed to review procedures to ensure that a clerical mistake that allowed the early release of a prisoner ? who then went on to allegedly shoot the state's corrections director last month ? doesn't happen again.

Judicial officials acknowledged Monday that Evan Spencer Ebel's previous felony conviction was inaccurately recorded and his release in January was an error.

In 2008, Ebel pleaded guilty in rural Fremont County to assaulting a prison officer. In the plea deal, Ebel was to be sentenced to up to four additional years in prison, to be served after he completed the eight-year sentence that put him behind bars in 2005, according to a statement from Colorado's 11th Judicial District.

However, the judge didn't say the sentence was meant to be "consecutive," or in addition to, Ebel's current one. So the court clerk recorded it as one to be served "concurrently," or at the same time. That's the information that went to the state prisons, the statement said.

So on Jan. 28, prisons officials saw that Ebel had finished his court-ordered sentence and released him. They said they had no way of knowing the plea deal was intended to keep Ebel behind bars for years longer.

Two months later, Ebel was dead after a shootout with authorities in Texas. The gun he used in the March 21 gunbattle was the same one used to shoot and kill prisons chief Tom Clements two days earlier.

Police believe Ebel also was involved in the death of Nathan Leon, who was killed March 17 after heading out to deliver a pizza.

"The Colorado Department of Corrections values its long-standing partnership with the 11th Judicial District and the district attorney's office to maintain order at the prisons in Canon City," Gov. John Hickenlooper's spokeswoman Megan Castle said in a statement.

"We commend both the 11th Judicial District and the DOC for reviewing their own internal processes and procedures."

Charles Barton, chief judge of the 11th Judicial District, and court administrator Walter Blair, said in a statement that the court regrets the oversight "and extends condolences to the families of Mr. Nathan Leon and Mr. Tom Clements."

Leon's widow said the apology wasn't going to cut it.

"How do I tell my 4-year-olds, 'Daddy was murdered because of a clerical error,'" Katherine Leon told KUSA-TV in Denver.

Leon's father-in-law told AP he had no immediate comment.

The attack that led to the plea deal took place in 2006. According to prison and court records, Ebel slipped out of his handcuffs while being transferred from a cell and punched a prison officer in the face. He bloodied the officer's nose and finger, and threatened to kill the officer's family.

"If Mr. Ebel was prosecuted for an assault on an officer, it had to be pretty severe, because in the course of day-to-day work, correctional officers are regularly assaulted or threatened," said Pueblo County Commissioner Buffie McFadyen, who is executive director of the correctional officer group Corrections U.S.A.

"It sounds like a horrific oversight," she said of the mistake that led to Ebel's release this year. "It's a tragic clerical error."

Ebel spent much of his time behind bars in solitary confinement and had a long record of disciplinary violations. Records show he joined a white supremacist prison gang.

Ebel's early release was just the latest twist in a case full of painful ironies. His father is friends with Hickenlooper and had testified before the Colorado Legislature about the damage solitary confinement did to his son. Clements was worried about that very issue.

Hickenlooper raised the case with Clements when the governor hired him to come to Colorado in 2011. The Democratic governor said he never mentioned Ebel's name and the inmate received no special treatment.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-02-Corrections%20Director%20Killed/id-dce697078377485b85132dc9446ec4be

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T-Mobile May Sell HTC One for $99 on April 4; Offering $100 Trade-In Bonus

When HTC's new flagship smartphone, the HTC One, was unveiled in mid-February, it was supposed to be available "beginning in March" according to HTC's press release. March came and went with no North American availability, however, and leading carrier Verizon is actually rumored to get the HTC One "a month or two" after the other three carriers according to AllThingsD.

Engadget's Brad Molen, however, shared an anonymous tipster's screenshot yesterday, confirming that AT&T will start taking preorders for the HTC One in its retail stores starting on Friday and online starting Thursday. Meanwhile, T-Mobile is offering a $100 Visa gift card to anyone who buys an HTC One by April 26 and trades in their old smartphone by May 31, but only if you "pre-register to receive information" -- that is, sign up for a mailing list - by Thursday.

T-Mobile's site doesn't say whether or not it will be open for HTC One preorders at that time, but the deadline to "pre-register" does coincide with the date AT&T will reportedly start taking online preorders.

What is the HTC One?

For smartphone buyers, it's a super-high-end Android phone, which combines a 1080p screen roughly the size of the Samsung Galaxy S4's with the iPhone's aluminum unibody design and a Windows Phone's animated live tiles. For HTC, it may be the Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer's last, best hope at staying in the marketplace. Samsung dominates the Android smartphone market, and is the only major Android smartphone manufacturer which is actually turning a profit (which may have something to do with its outsized spending on marketing). Unlike Samsung, HTC has no other business besides selling smartphones, so if the One doesn't sell it may be in serious trouble.

What do you have to do to receive the $100 gift card?

Pre-register (sign up for a specific T-Mobile mailing list) by Thursday, buy an HTC One by April 26, and trade in your old smartphone by May 31. You also have to sign up for "a qualifying rate plan," which basically means one of T-Mobile's new Simple Choice plans, which start at $50 for 500 MB per month of high-speed data plus unlimited talk and texting. The HTC One itself will cost $99, and you'll then add a smaller surcharge to your monthly phone bill to pay for the rest of it, which will probably be about $20. You'll also have the option to pay its whole price up front.

What phones will T-Mobile accept in trade?

HTC is actually doing the trade-in program, although its website isn't up yet as of the time of this writing. That means you can't see the "minimum criteria" it has just yet, besides that your smartphone has to be working.

What else is there to know about the program?

Like with many rebate-style offers, you won't get your card immediately. The fine print says that it will be mailed to you "within a maximum of 60 days" after your old smartphone and the "required paperwork" get to HTC.

On the plus side, T-Mobile is also giving out an "HTC One car kit" with online orders. The kit appears to consist of a smartphone mount for the dashboard.

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/t-mobile-may-sell-htc-one-99-april-160600943.html

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Cypriot Finance Minister Michalis Sarris resigns

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Cypriot Finance Minister Michalis Sarris has resigned following the launch of a government investigation into how the country's economy nearly collapsed last month.

President Nicos Anastasiades has accepted Sarris's resignation. The minister has faced strong criticism for his handling of the Cyprus's negotiations with its international creditors.

Sarris, who had headed the country's now defunct Laiki Bank last year in a bid to save it from collapse, told reporters he decided to step down to ease the investigation ordered earlier Tuesday.

Sarris, 66, was appointed finance minister after Anastasiades' conservatives won general elections in February, days before the island was overwhelmed by its financial crisis.

Anastasiades acknowledged accepting the finance minister's resignation, adding that "Mr Sarris', decision to submit his resignation, for reasons of political responsibility in order to ease the work of the Investigating Committee, constitutes an example of a new mindset in Cypriot political life."

Earlier Tuesday, Anastasiades appointed a panel of three former supreme court judges to investigate the country's plunge to the verge of bankruptcy.

He said that ordinary citizens who are shouldering the burden of "actions and omissions" by officials want to see those responsible punished.

Cyprus has been given a ?10 billion bailout by its European partners and the International Monetary Fund, after its bloated banking sector threatened to destroy the economy. To secure the bailout, Cyprus had to agree to an overhaul of its banking sector, with bondholders, investors and savers in the country's two biggest banks taking a hit. Laiki, the country's second-largest bank, will be broken up with depositors with more than ?100,000 taking major losses. Meanwhile the government confirmed at the weekend that savers with more than ?100,000 at the Bank of Cyprus could face losses of up to 60 percent on their savings as part of the rescue deal.

Anastasiades urged the judges to kick off their probe by investigating his family's business dealings amid an accusation in an opposition newspaper that a company that is said to be co-owned by one of his relatives took money out of Laiki, days before the country agreed to its international rescue.

The new Finance Minister will be former Labor Minister Harris Georgiades, with Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Zeta Emilianidou stepping into the labor role.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cypriot-finance-minister-michalis-sarris-resigns-124432224--finance.html

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Pattycake, the first New York-born gorilla, dies at 40

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News

Pattycake, the first gorilla born in New York City, has died aged 40, the operators of Bronx Zoo announced late Sunday.

She was suffering from chronic cardiac problems and was under medical care due to her advanced age, the Wildlife Conservation Society said in a statement.

"Millions of children in New York City grew up with Pattycake at the Bronx Zoo," said Jim Breheny, director of the Bronx Zoo and WCS executive vice president. "Pattycake was a very special animal and her presence will be deeply missed."

The median life span for gorillas in zoos is 37 years, and Pattycake was the 31st oldest gorilla of the 338 presently residing in North American zoos, WCS said.

Pattycake was born at the Central Park Zoo on Sept. 3, 1972 and lived there with her parents Kongo and Lulu until moving to the Bronx Zoo in 1983.

She had 10 infants while at the Bronx Zoo, including twins born in 1995. Her offspring currently reside in zoos in Omaha, Louisville, Utah, Detroit, Boston and Buffalo.

Related:

Gang trafficking of endangered great apes prompts global action

Baby gorilla on black market for $40,000 is rescued

This story was originally published on Mon Apr 1, 2013 4:16 AM EDT

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Portugal spats jeopardize economic improvement in Europe's shaky south

The prime minister's recent threat to resign has raised worries that Portuguese politicians may be engaging in brinksmanship tactics that could endanger the fragile economy.

By Andr?s Cala,?Correspondent / April 2, 2013

A demonstrator wearing a mask of Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho takes part in a protest march last week in Lisbon.

Armando Franca/AP

Enlarge

With Europe?s economy on edge, Portugal is doing its homework, cutting the deficit, and rebooting the economy.

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But the encouraging news is also emboldening politicians to once again play political games that could spin out of control and into another test for the region.

Last week, Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho reportedly suggested he would resign if a court forces him to revise the 2013 fiscal budget in a pending ruling over the constitutionality of some of his unpopular austerity measures.

He quickly retracted in response to broad criticism of what was interpreted as undue pressure on courts. ?I will not speculate or create expectations around possible [court] decisions. I won?t contribute to instability,? Mr. Passos Coelho said.

Although the threat was headline-grabbing ? especially as markets sniff more fractures in Europe?s economic recovery ? experts also warn that it may indicate that Portugal is reverting to a familiar, albeit dangerous, political game of power-jockeying as its economic restructuring shows signs of improvement.

On the upswing

At the moment, political brinkmanship and the court decision are not an imminent threat. In fact, Portugal is generally considered to be on the mend. Though still in the midst of a grueling recovery after unprecedented government austerity, the economy is expected to start growing next year.

The center-right Social Democrat government has cut salaries and hiked taxes to meet stiff deficit-cutting terms of its 78 billion euro bailout program, negotiated in 2011 with the "troika" of the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Central Bank.

Now in its third year of recession, the Portuguese economy is expected to contract 2.3 percent in 2013, the Central Bank said last week, revising its previous 1.9 projection. The gross domestic product has contracted around 7 percent since 2011. Unemployment will top a record 18 percent this year. Poverty is soaring along with public discontent.

But the government also has wiggle room because it secured most of its cash requirements for 2013, along with an extension to deficit-cutting targets. Portugal?s bailout terms required the country to cut its deficit from 9.8 percent of GDP in 2013, to 5 percent in 2012 and 4.5 percent in 2013. The 2012 deficit closed at a distant 6.4 percent, but the troika in March certified Portugal is ?on track? and relaxed its targets for 2013 and 2014 to 5.5 percent and to 4 percent respectively.

?The government has resumed issuance in the bond market, while domestic financing conditions have eased somewhat. At the same time, weakening export demand, particularly from the euro area, low confidence, and the private sector debt overhang are providing stronger-than-expected headwinds to economic activity,? the troika said in a statement.

Political games

But while the numbers appear to line up, experts warn that politicians could miscalculate and push the country into a second bailout and more European economic turmoil.

?Yes, there is a possibility of political instability, but I believe it?s quite small for the time being. The worst scenario is that politicians think they will have enough money to play the political game, but I don?t know if we could recover from a second stroke,? said Joao Duque, head of the School of Economics at Lisbon?s Technical University.

That was the worry raised by Passos Coelho's recent threat to resign. His government's 2013, 5 billion euro budget contemplates pension and salary reforms worth 1 billion euros. President An?bal Cavaco Silva and the opposition Socialist Party asked the Constitutional Court in January to review the government?s budget bill.

The prime minister was likely trying to bolster the budget's approval with his threat ? it would be a setback for Passos Coelho if the court concludes some of the measures are unconstitutional, as that could trim planned cuts equivalent to between 20 and 40 percent of the overall goal.

?We are used to these types of politically intentioned headlines,? notes Jos? Adelino Maltez, a political scientist at Lisbon Technical University. ?Clearly this is just a political game between the opposition and the government because any other scenario? could be destabilizing.

High risk, low return

But by threatening political disruption if his budget isn't found constitutional, Passos Coelho may have harmed his own case.

?It was stupid for the prime minister to exert this kind of pressure on the court, and it might make [the court] more reactive, and be more affirmative to show its independence. If they say this budget is constitutional, everyone will laugh,? Professor Duque said.

Worse yet, Passos Coelho's threat could cause the markets ? which Portugal is trying to woo ? to second-guess the country?s leaders ability to keep up the good work, thereby sapping the confidence Portugal critically needs to maintain its upward trajectory.

?We need huge amounts of money in 2014, in 2015, and in 2016, and beyond,? Duque said. ?We don?t need too much money this year, but if markets start factoring this instability into interest rates, banks will not succeed in getting the funds, and then it will be a disaster.?

Were Passos Coelho to resign, his Social Democrats would likely be asked to form a new government, although pressure would also build for another potentially destabilizing snap election.

That scenario, while still conjecture, is an additional source of concern for Europe and the markets, especially if a domino effect derails ongoing?Portuguese talks to end the draconian troika bailout program and regain access to markets. Or worse, it could lead to a bank decapitalization and a second bailout.

Ultimately, Duque says, there's little Passos Coelho and others can gain from political games, since it makes little difference who governs Portugal right now. ?It?s not a question of who the prime minister is. We have no money. Whoever is there they have to do the same. We can discuss wages, pensions, but the hedge is there.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/4JK60gz4_5o/Portugal-spats-jeopardize-economic-improvement-in-Europe-s-shaky-south

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I-77 reopens following pileup at Va-NC line

This photo provided by the Virginia State Police shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/Virginia State Police, Sgt. Mike Conroy)

This photo provided by the Virginia State Police shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/Virginia State Police, Sgt. Mike Conroy)

This photo provided by the Virginia State Police shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/Virginia State Police, Sgt. Mike Conroy)

This image provided by WXII Channel 12 news, shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/WXII, William Bottomley) MANDAORY CREDIT: WXII,WILLIAM BOTTOMLEY

This image provided by WXII Channel 12 news, shows the scene following a 75-vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina border in Galax, Va., on Sunday, March 31, 2013. Virginia State Police say three people have been killed and more than 20 are injured and traffic is backed up about 8 miles. (AP Photo/WXII, William Bottomley) MANDAORY CREDIT: WXII,WILLIAM BOTTOMLEY

GALAX, Va. (AP) ? Interstate 77 near the Virginia-North Carolina reopened early Monday following a series of chain-reaction wrecks involving nearly 100 vehicles along a mountainous, foggy stretch of the highway, killing three people and injured 25 others.

Virginia State Police determined 95 vehicles wrecked in 17 separate crashes within a mile span near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain, spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. The crashes began around 1:15 p.m. Sunday when there was heavy fog in the area.

"This mountain is notorious for fog banks. They have advance signs warning people. But the problem is, people are seeing well and suddenly they're in a fog bank," said Glen Sage of the American Red Cross office in the town of Galax.

Since 1997, there have been at least six such pileups on the mountain but Sunday's crash was the most deadly, according to The Roanoke Times. Two people died in crashes involving dozens of vehicles in both 2000 and 2010.

State police said traffic along the interstate in southwest Virginia backed up for about 8 miles in the southbound lanes after the accidents. Authorities closed the northbound lanes so that fire trucks, ambulances and police could get to the wrecked vehicles.

Overhead message boards warned drivers since about 6 a.m. Sunday to slow down because of the severe fog, Geller said. The crashes were mostly caused by drivers going too fast for conditions.

At the "epicenter" was a wreck involving up to eight vehicles, some of which caught fire, Geller said. Photos from the accident scene showed a burned out tractor-trailer and several crumpled vehicles badly charred. Those taken to hospitals had injuries ranging from serious to minor.

School buses took stranded people to shelters and hotels.

Nina Rose, 20, and her mother, were driving home to Rochester, N.Y., when they encountered the pileup.

"With so much fog we didn't see much around it," Rose told the Roanoke newspaper. "As we got further up we just saw a bunch of people standing on the median, just with their kids and families all together. There were cars smashed into other cars, and cars just underneath other semi-trucks."

Authorities reopened the northbound lanes Sunday night and the southbound lanes around 12 a.m. Monday.

Police did not immediately release the names of those killed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-01-US-Virginia-Interstate-Pileup/id-9752443463ad4db1aca6dc159f55b341

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Pope makes Easter pleas for Mideast peace

VATICAN CITY (AP) ?

Pope Francis is making an Easter Sunday peace plea, saying conflicts have lasted too long in Syria, and between Israelis and Palestinians.

Francis also urges reconciliation on the Korean peninsula, where North Korea says it has entered "a state of war" with South Korea.

Before a crowd of 250,000 in St. Peter's Square he also denounced warfare and terrorism in Africa, and decried a greedy affluent world looking for "easy gain."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-makes-easter-pleas-mideast-peace-101523086.html

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India's top court to deliver Novartis judgment

NEW DELHI (AP) ? India's Supreme Court is to rule Monday on a landmark patent case involving Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG that focuses on demands by major companies that their investments be protected, against Indian companies that say they should be allowed to continue producing cheaper generic versions of many lifesaving medicines.

A decision in the seven-year legal battle is keenly awaited by the two most interested parties? big pharma companies and health aid groups ? with both sides saying the outcome will set a precedent with far-reaching consequences for the future availability of the drugs.

"Across the world, people rely on India for supplies of affordable versions of expensive patented medicines," said Leena Menghaney of Doctors Without Borders. "This case will have fundamental consequences."

The case goes back to 2006 when Novartis' application for a fresh patent in India for its cancer drug imatinib mesylate was rejected by the Indian patent office.

The patent authority cited a legal provision in India's 2005 patent law aimed at preventing companies from getting fresh patents for making only minor changes to existing medicines ? a practice known as "evergreening."

The drugmaker has argued that its leukemia drug Gleevec, known in Europe and India as Glivec, was a newer, more easily absorbed version that qualified for a fresh patent.

The company filed an appeal, but India's patent appeals office turned it down in 2009 on the grounds the company was unable to show significant increase in efficacy of the drug.

Novartis then approached the Supreme Court in August 2009, which heard arguments seeking to challenge the interpretation and application of India's patent law in the case.

Gleevec, used in treating chronic myeloid leukemia and some other cancers, costs a patient about $2,600 a month. Its generic version was available in India for around $175 per month.

"The difference in price was huge. The generic version makes it affordable to so many more poor people, not just in India, but across the world," said Y.K. Sapru, of the Mumbai-based Cancer Patients Aid Association.

The case once again pits big pharmaceutical companies against health activists and aid groups with both sections arguing that the judgment would be an important milestone for the future of the pharmaceutical industry worldwide.

"The Novartis verdict is important because it will determine whether India gets to limit patents to genuine new drugs, or whether drug companies get to "evergreen" their patents until eternity, simply by re-patenting a slightly modified version of a known substance," said Ellen 't Hoen, a pharmaceutical law and policy consultant.

Western pharmaceutical companies have warned that a rejection of Novartis' application would discourage investment in research and innovation, and would hobble drugmakers' efforts to refine and improve their products.

The international drug majors have been pushing for stronger patent protection in India to regulate the country's $26 billion generic drug industry, which they say often flouts intellectual property rights.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press late last year, Novartis said patent protection was important to ensure effective protection for innovation.

"Knowing we can rely on patents in India benefits government, industry and patients because research-based organizations will know if investing in the development of better medicines for India is a viable long-term option," the company said.

Groups such as Doctors Without Borders say cheaply made Indian generics are a lifesaver for millions of patients in poor countries who cannot afford to pay Western prices to treat diseases such as cancer, malaria and HIV.

India, which has emerged as the world's pharmacy for the poor, has come under intense scrutiny from pharmaceutical giants who say India's 2005 Patent Act fails to guarantee the rights of investors who finance drug research and development.

The country's recent decision to allow a local manufacturer to produce a generic version of Bayer's patented cancer drug Nexavar, to make the drug available to the public at a reasonably affordable price, has also not gone down well with Western pharmaceutical companies.

Health and aid groups were clearly nervous before the top court rules on the Novartis case.

"Generic companies depend on the freedom to operate. If there are too many intellectual property-related challenges, then the companies very quickly withdraw from making that drug," said Menghaney.

The groups fear that a ruling in favor of Novartis would lead to a proliferation of patents ? some based on a minor tweaking of formulation and dosages ?on dozens of other generic medicines that Indian companies have been producing and supplying to needy nations at far lower costs than those charged by Western drug manufacturers.

And the fallout of the judgment will be felt across the world, says Menghaney. "It's not just about India."

"If generic competition on many crucial medicines ends, then prices for these medicines will increase, both in India and across the developing world. This would be devastating for millions who rely on India for affordable medicines."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/indias-top-court-deliver-novartis-judgment-074548556.html

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Snooki Gives Kim Kardashian Advice For Giving Birth In Style (VIDEO)

We wouldn't recommend taking advice from Snooki when it comes to, well, most things. But when the erstwhile "Jersey Shore" star decided to offer up some words of wisdom to Kim Kardashian, we were more than willing to eavesdrop -- out of sheer curiosity, of course.

Addressing the pregnant star in her capacity as Celebrity Baby Correspondent for Celebuzz (looks like she's found a second career?), Snooki dishes about "how to look glam during labor -- because it's a bitch."

"If your face isn't already made up when your water breaks," new mom Snooki says in the Celebuzz video, "you have plenty of time to do it in the hospital when you're waiting to dilate." Yippee! Just make sure to choose your color palette wisely, she says, seeing as hospital lighting and decor is totally drab.

The new mom also tells Kim to be prepared in case of emergencies: "Remember to keep an extra pair of eyelashes in your purse just in case your water breaks when you're not at home. Or just do like I did and bring a whole box."

And on the subject of jewelry: "Make sure you stay away from the big hoop earrings, because it can get caught in your extensions. But you can wear some nice diamond studs so you look really cute in your selfies."

Oh, how well she knows Kim.

Think we're making any of this up? Believe it, baby -- or just watch the Celebuzz video below and see for yourself.

WATCH:

See how Kim's gone glam since getting pregnant:

• March 17, Atlanta, Georgia

• March 16

• March 11, Los Angeles

• March 3, Paris

• February 27, Los Angeles

• February 22, Los Angeles

• February 16, Los Angeles

• February 14

• January 14, JFK Airport

• January 13, Calabasas

• January 6, Miami

  Hey, sexy lady.

• January 6, Calgary

• January 31, Las Vegas

  Proving that pregnancy doesn't mean ya can't go sheer.

• Kim Kardashian, December 14th

  Looking comfy (as far as Kardashian Klothes go) in a slouchy tee and skinny jeans

• December 6, Miami Heat game

  Going laid-back in a white button-down shirt and black pants. We like!

• December 2, Miami International Airport

  Another slouchy tee, this time with drawstring pants and a blazer.

• December 1, Bahrain

  Kate Middleton's jewel-toned shift, filtered through the Kardashian lens.

• November 29, Kuwait City

  A bodycon dress with cap toe stilettos. Not exactly the outfit that would invite the tabloids to start a bump watch, no?

• November 19, Miami

• November 11, Frankfurt

  A simple v-neck long-sleeve top and a mullet skirt. Business in the front, party in the back?

• November 10, London

  With sisters Kourtney and Khloe, wearing a simple black dress with a statement belt.

• November 9, London

  Only Kimmy K. can wear boob cutouts while pregnant.

• November 9, London

  Doing the jumpsuit thang.

• November 8, London

  With sister Kourtney (and Kourt's many polka dots), wearing liquid sequins.

• November 8, London

  Shine on, Kim.

• October 27, New York

  As a mermaid in rhinestones, pearls and layers of stretch fabric.

• October 22, New York

  Another vaguely Kate Middleton-esque dress (think: jewel tone, flowy) but also distinctly Kimye in its own way.

• Kanye West Makes Pregnancy Announcement at a Concert in Atlantic City

  Rapper Kanye West has announced he and his girlfriend, reality show star Kim Kardashian, are expecting their first child together. He stopped mid-performance at a concert in Atlantic City on Sunday to ask the crowd to make some noise for his baby mama, and then continued where he'd left off. The news has been confirmed by members of the Kardashian family both by Twitter and through US network E!, who host their reality television shows.

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.
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Do you have a style story idea or tip? Email us at stylesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/30/snooki-kim-kardashian-advice_n_2986246.html

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