Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Therapy in the Air

Image: Corbis

Feeling tense? Paying attention to your breathing for a few minutes could soothe your nerves. Practicing such mindful breathing regularly may even lead to better mental health, according to two recent studies.

In an experiment reported in May in the International Journal of Psychophysiology, researchers at Toho University School of Medicine in Japan taught healthy subjects to breathe deeply into their abdomen. After subjects maintained attention on breathing this way for 20 minutes, they had fewer negative feelings, more of the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin in their blood, and more oxygenated hemoglobin in the prefrontal cortex, an area associated with attention and high-level processing.

Another study, in the April issue of Cognitive Therapy and Research, looked at depression symptoms. Investigators at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany asked healthy participants to stay in mindful contact with their breathing?maintaining continual awareness without letting their mind wander. During the 18-minute trials researchers asked the subjects frequently whether they were succeeding in doing so. Those who were able to sustain mindful contact with their breathing reported less negative thinking, less rumination and fewer of the other symptoms of depression.

?In my opinion, the cultivation of mindfulness through breathing meditation helps to prevent depression,? says study author Jan M. Burg, although he cautions that this interpretation goes beyond the findings of his research. Mindfulness, Burg explains, may allow people to disengage from dysfunctional rumination, a central risk factor for depression.

Anyone can try a bit of this technique on the fly. Simply sit up comfortably and breathe naturally. Focus your attention on your breath, feeling it in detail?in the nasal cavity, the chest and the abdomen. If you notice your mind wandering, try to redirect your attention to your breathing?it is important, Burg says, not to criticize yourself during this process. At first it might be difficult to stay focused, but with some practice you should be able to hit the mark these studies showed to be beneficial, about 20 minutes. And once you have the hang of it, even a few minutes of mindful breathing can help you become more calm and collected before a high-stakes meeting or any other stressful situation.


Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=20c865b9ede98e6a9048f2efb1e52644

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'DWTS' champ Martinez invited to Pentagon

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta invited soldier-turned-actor J.R. Martinez, winner of this season's "Dancing with the Stars" competition, to meet him at the Pentagon, a spokesman said Friday.

During a 10-minute telephone call Friday, Panetta told the dance champion he demonstrated the strength and resilience of wounded veterans, Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby said.

Story: J.R. Martinez wins 'Dancing's' ballroom battle

Martinez credited his military training for his performance on the ABC show, Kirby said. Martinez and professional partner Karina Smirnoff bested fellow finalists Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake in the finale broadcast Tuesday.

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Martinez, 28, was severely burned over more than 40 percent of his body when the Humvee he was driving for the U.S. Army in Iraq struck a land mine in 2003. After dozens of operations during a nearly three-year recovery, Martinez became a motivational speaker and in 2008 won a role on the now-retired ABC soap opera "All My Children."

Story: Source: 'Dancing' crew is 'livid' with pro Maks Chmerkovskiy

Details of Panetta's meeting with Martinez are being worked out.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45461297/ns/today-entertainment/

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The interplay of dancing electrons

The interplay of dancing electrons [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Anton Lindahl
anton.lindahl@physics.gu.se
46-317-869-142
University of Gothenburg

Negative ions play an important role in everything from how our bodies function to the structure of the universe. Scientists from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now developed a new method that makes it possible to study how the electrons in negative ions interact in, which is important in, for example, superconductors and in radiocarbon dating.

"By studying atoms with a negative charge, 'negative ions', we can learn how electrons coordinate their motion in what can be compared to a tightly choreographed dance. Such knowledge is important in understanding phenomena in which the interaction between electrons is important, such as in superconductors", says Anton Lindahl of the Department of Physics at the University of Gothenburg.

A negative ion is an atom that has captured an extra electron, giving it a negative charge. Negative ions are formed, for example, when salt dissolves in water. We have many different types of negative ion in our bodies of which the most common is chloride ions. These are important in the fluid balance of the cells and the function of nervous system, among other processes.

Increased knowledge about negative ions may lead to a better understanding of our origin. This is because negative ions play an important role in the chemical reactions that take place in space, being highly significant in such processes as the formation of molecules from free atoms. These molecules may have been important building blocks in the origin of life.

"I have worked with ions in a vacuum, not in water as in the body. In order to be able to study the properties of individual ions, we isolate them in a vacuum chamber at extremely low pressure. This pressure is even lower than the pressure outside of the International Space Station, ISS."

Anton Lindahl's doctoral thesis describes studies in which he used laser spectroscopy to study how the electrons in negative ions interact.

"In order to be able to carry out these studies, I have had to develop measurement methods and build experimental equipment. The measurements that the new equipment makes possible will increase our understanding of the dance-like interplay."

The new measurement methods that Anton has developed are important in a number of applications. One example is the measurement of trace substances in a technique known as 'accelerator mass spectrometry' or AMS. The technology and knowledge from Gothenburg are being used in a collaborative project between scientists in Gothenburg, Vienna (Austria) and Oak Ridge (USA) to increase the sensitivity of AMS measurements. One application of AMS is radiocarbon dating, which determines the age of organic matter. Another application is measurements on ice cores drilled from polar ice, which can be used to investigate the climate hundreds of thousands of years into the past.

###

The thesis Two-Electron Excitations in Negative Ions has been successfully defended at the University of Gothenburg. Supervisor: Dag Hanstorp.


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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.


The interplay of dancing electrons [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Anton Lindahl
anton.lindahl@physics.gu.se
46-317-869-142
University of Gothenburg

Negative ions play an important role in everything from how our bodies function to the structure of the universe. Scientists from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now developed a new method that makes it possible to study how the electrons in negative ions interact in, which is important in, for example, superconductors and in radiocarbon dating.

"By studying atoms with a negative charge, 'negative ions', we can learn how electrons coordinate their motion in what can be compared to a tightly choreographed dance. Such knowledge is important in understanding phenomena in which the interaction between electrons is important, such as in superconductors", says Anton Lindahl of the Department of Physics at the University of Gothenburg.

A negative ion is an atom that has captured an extra electron, giving it a negative charge. Negative ions are formed, for example, when salt dissolves in water. We have many different types of negative ion in our bodies of which the most common is chloride ions. These are important in the fluid balance of the cells and the function of nervous system, among other processes.

Increased knowledge about negative ions may lead to a better understanding of our origin. This is because negative ions play an important role in the chemical reactions that take place in space, being highly significant in such processes as the formation of molecules from free atoms. These molecules may have been important building blocks in the origin of life.

"I have worked with ions in a vacuum, not in water as in the body. In order to be able to study the properties of individual ions, we isolate them in a vacuum chamber at extremely low pressure. This pressure is even lower than the pressure outside of the International Space Station, ISS."

Anton Lindahl's doctoral thesis describes studies in which he used laser spectroscopy to study how the electrons in negative ions interact.

"In order to be able to carry out these studies, I have had to develop measurement methods and build experimental equipment. The measurements that the new equipment makes possible will increase our understanding of the dance-like interplay."

The new measurement methods that Anton has developed are important in a number of applications. One example is the measurement of trace substances in a technique known as 'accelerator mass spectrometry' or AMS. The technology and knowledge from Gothenburg are being used in a collaborative project between scientists in Gothenburg, Vienna (Austria) and Oak Ridge (USA) to increase the sensitivity of AMS measurements. One application of AMS is radiocarbon dating, which determines the age of organic matter. Another application is measurements on ice cores drilled from polar ice, which can be used to investigate the climate hundreds of thousands of years into the past.

###

The thesis Two-Electron Excitations in Negative Ions has been successfully defended at the University of Gothenburg. Supervisor: Dag Hanstorp.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/uog-tio112911.php

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Global stocks hit by fresh bank tremors (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) ? Stocks fell and the euro weakened on Wednesday after Standard & Poor's hit some of the world's leading banks with a credit downgrade and euro zone leaders' move to ramp up the regional bailout fund drew a tepid response.

Weighing further on the single currency, the head of Italy's market authority said there was a real risk of euro break-up if the European Central Bank's role in fighting the two-year-old crisis remains unchanged.

Driving early moves in stocks, however, was the S&P rating cut on 15 big U.S. and European banks after the U.S. close -- including Barclays (BARC.L), UBS (UBSN.VX) and HSBC (HSBA.L) -- as part of a review of its criteria, and which could raise funding costs for some.

The FTSEurofirst 300 (.FTEU3) index of leading European shares was down 0.6 percent at 942.16 points by 0822 GMT, snapping a three-session rally that itself had followed a near 8 percent fall over the preceding two weeks.

"Yesterday's downgrades by S&P on a number of banks in both Europe and the U.S. has rocked sentiment in equity markets," Terry Pratt, trader at IG Markets, said.

"This move has essentially overshadowed the progress that had been made in Brussels with regard to leveraging the EFSF bailout fund."

U.S. stock index futures for the Standard & Poor's 500 (.SPX) and Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) were both down more than 0.4 percent at 0823 GMT, while the MSCI world equity index (.MIWD00000PUS) was down 0.3 percent.

Asian stocks also fell sharply overnight, with China's benchmark posting its biggest 1-day fall since August 8 on concerns about growth in the world's second-largest economy.

EFSF MOVES

By 3:23 a.m. ET, the euro was 0.3 percent lower against the dollar, while the latter firmed 0.3 percent against a basket of major currencies (.DXY).

The fresh bout of risk aversion in stocks and weakness in the euro sparked renewed interest in benchmark German Bunds and other safe-haven trades and by 0823 GMT, Bund futures were up 23 ticks, or 0.2 percent.

Late on Tuesday, euro zone finance ministers agreed to increase the firepower of the region's bailout fund, the EFSF, but did not say by how much and may look to the International Monetary Fund for more help.

"I think that's the only way that the EFSF has to increase its capacity, to ask for money from other investors outside the euro," said Alessandro Giansanti, strategist at ING.

Italy has talked to the IMF about extra financial support to cope with the crisis but no decision has been taken, several sources close to the situation said.

Among leading commodities, U.S. crude oil was down 0.5 percent by 0818 GMT, while European benchmark Brent was 0.4 percent weaker.

(Additional reporting by Atul Prakash and Ana Nicolaci da Costa, Kirsten Donovan and Anirban Nag; editing by Stephen Nisbet)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111130/bs_nm/us_markets_global

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Tuesday, 29 November 2011

Oakland Shooting: Gunfire Sends 8 People, Including Child, To The Hospital

OAKLAND, Calif. ? A hail of gunfire along an Oakland street has left eight people wounded, including a 1-year-old boy who authorities say was taken to the city's Children's Hospital in critical condition.

The gunfire broke out Monday evening in a liquor store parking lot after a crowd had gathered, police said. The victims were transported to local hospitals by others at the scene before officers arrived to find dozens of bullet casings.

The 1-year-old's father, who also was shot, drove his son to the hospital, where surgeons were trying to relieve swelling on his brain, relatives told KTVU-TV.

"We are aware of a 1-year-old boy who was shot ? possibly in the head ? in critical condition right now," Oakland Police Lt. Robert Chan told the station. The hospital declined to release any details about the victim.

The shootings just after 6 p.m. happened near Interstate 880 in the city's West Oakland neighborhood, Oakland police spokeswoman Ofc. Johnna Watson said.

The other victims' conditions were unclear, though police said their injuries did not appear life-threatening.

Investigators were seeking multiple shooters, but further details on suspects or a motive were not immediately available.

Television footage showed a van belonging to an Oakland rapper that was riddled with bullet holes and had apparently taken some of the victims to the hospital.

The rapper, who goes by the name Kafani, posted to Twitter on Monday that he had not been shot but to pray for his little cousin. He said news reports that he had been shooting a music video when the shooting took place were incorrect.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/29/oakland-shooting_n_1117908.html

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Poverty dominates many school districts: Census (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Nearly half of all children in America live in school districts with high levels of poverty, according to U.S. Census data released on Tuesday that pointed to financial traps many public schools are caught in.

According to the Census, 45 percent of all 54 million children aged 5 to 17 resided in school districts with poverty rates greater than 20 percent in 2010. Another 34.3 percent live in districts where poverty rates are between 10 and 20 percent.

There are 13,604 school districts in the country.

At the same time, in one-third of counties, the rate of children living in poverty was "significantly above the national poverty rate of 19.8 percent" in 2010, the last year for which data is available. In 851 counties, the rate was "significantly below."

States contribute 48 percent of funding for primary and secondary education, while the federal government pitches in about 8 percent. The U.S. government will use the Census data to distribute funds and manage programs.

Local governments such as counties, cities and school districts provide the rest of the money, primarily through property taxes. That means in districts where poverty runs high school funds are often low.

Almost all school districts are still struggling with the effects of economic recession. From October 2010 to last month, local governments have shed 118,400 education jobs.

Last school year, 41 percent of schools had funding decreases and 72 percent expect further drops this school year, according to an October report from the Government Accountability Office. Districts with high levels of poverty had the most cuts.

Higher poverty also means public schools may have to provide more services. For example, students living in poverty or just above qualify for subsidized meals.

The Census found that "school-age children, as well as school-age children in families in poverty, tend to be concentrated in school districts with a population of 20,000 or more."

By region, the school-age median poverty rate was highest in the South, 26 percent.

Counties with poverty rates significantly above the national average for school-age children were found Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas.

The second highest rate was in the West, 19.2 percent, where Arizona, New Mexico, and Oregon posted poverty rates higher than the national average.

Meanwhile, "large numbers of counties in the Northeast and Midwest regions, as well as counties in Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming in the West had poverty rates for school-age children lower than the national average."

Not all counties along the Atlantic coast fared well. Among the 25 largest counties, school-age poverty rates ranged from 7.3 percent in Suffolk County, New York, to 36.4 percent in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania."

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/education/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111129/us_nm/us_usa_education

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Charlotte Church: Press destroyed my career

She was just 13 when Rupert Murdoch asked her to sing at his wedding.

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Charlotte Church was given a choice: a 100,000 pound fee, or a chance to generate good will with the media magnate by performing for free. She wanted the cash, but her record company and manager said no, it was better to make friends with Murdoch, head of a global news and entertainment empire.

"Despite my teenage business head screaming 'Think how many tamagotchies you could buy!' I was pressured into taking the latter option," she told Britain's press ethics committee. "This strategy failed ... for me."

Church, 25, told Britain's media ethics inquiry Monday that the Murdoch press, and other British tabloids, had ruthlessly tormented her since she was a child singing sensation, blowing her credibility "to bits" and badly damaging her career.

Story: Hugh Grant confronts British press at phone hacking hearing

She said press intrusion had a devastating impact on her family life and particularly on her mother. Church said her mother had tried to kill herself in part because she knew a newspaper was planning to expose her husband's extramarital affair.

The former teenage singing sensation told the inquiry in calm, measured tones how cameramen tried to take photos up her skirt and down her blouse and published "intimate" details about her sex life when she was just 17.

"I couldn't get my head around that," said Church, 25, who blamed tabloid phone hacking for much of her lost privacy.

"I've been made a caricature for so long, and this person portrayed in the tabloids really isn't me," she said. "It's not the person I am, and it's had a massive impact on my career. As an artist, I find it hard to be taken seriously because my credibility has been blown to bits."

Church also described how one newspaper had a countdown before her 16th birthday to mark the moment when she would reach the age of consent and be old enough to legally have sex.

"It just felt horrible," she said.

Church, a pop and opera singer with a spectacular voice, was the latest prominent person to tell the committee how Britain's unscrupulous press has invaded their privacy and damaged their lives. She said she suspected her closest family members of leaking secrets when in fact the media were getting details about her life from illegal phone hacking.

Prime Minister David Cameron set up the inquiry in response to the scandal that began with illegal eavesdropping by the News of the World tabloid.

Murdoch closed the newspaper in July after evidence emerged that it had illegally accessed the mobile phone voice mails of celebrities, politicians and even crime victims in its search for scoops.

More than a dozen News of the World journalists and editors have been arrested, and two top London police officers, along with Cameron's media adviser and several senior Murdoch executives, have resigned.

The inquiry, led by Judge Brian Leveson, plans to issue a report next year and could recommend major changes to Britain's system of media self regulation. In its first two weeks, the committee has heard a stunning litany of press abuse.

Story: JK Rowling tells UK phone-hacking hearing: Children 'deserve privacy'

Church told the inquiry how impressed she had been with Murdoch's power when she went to sing at his wedding in the United States ? and how her effort to gain his favor was a dismal failure.

"He flew us on his private jet to New York, which was amazing, then we went onto his boat, which had a grand piano on it, which I was amazed by, and I sang at the ceremony," she said.

Before Church testified, a man who had been arrested on murder charges and then cleared told the committee that tabloids had destroyed his reputation with false front-page stories.

Christopher Jefferies said the negative coverage of him was so widespread that some people still assume he is a "weird character" who should be avoided, even though he was cleared of wrongdoing.

He was arrested last year by police investigating the murder of his tenant, Joanna Yeates. Another man has since been convicted of the crime.

Jefferies said he felt he could not go out in public because of the smears.

Broadcast journalist Anne Diamond told the committee that the Murdoch press had waged a vendetta against her ? even sending a reporter impersonating a doctor to the hospital when she was giving birth.

Last week, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller all testified about the devastating impact that unscrupulous British media have had on their lives, along with the parents of murdered 13-year-old Milly Dowler and missing 3-year-old Madeleine McCann.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45466181/ns/today-entertainment/

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Tobey Maguire, others settle poker lawsuit

Tobey Maguire has decided to fold 'em and settle a lawsuit over his winnings from a convicted con man during high-stakes Hollywood poker games.

The "Spider-Man" star agreed to pay $80,000 to settle the lawsuit filed over more than $311,000 he was paid by a convicted Ponzi scheme operator in Texas Hold 'Em matches that included celebrities, businessmen and others.

If approved by a judge next month, Maguire will pay the money to a bankruptcy trustee who is trying to recoup money that former hedge fund operator Bradley Ruderman bilked from investors to finance his lavish lifestyle.

The money will be used to repay victims of the scheme, which Maguire and other players were unaware of.

Court records show that 14 of the 22 people sued to recoup poker winnings have settled their cases for a total of more than $1.2 million.

Maguire's settlement states he "strongly disputes that he violated any laws, rules or regulations in regard to participating in the poker games" but was agreeing to the payment to avoid fighting the case, which would be costly.

The actor signed the settlement on Nov. 22 and it was filed a day later with a bankruptcy court handling the lawsuits.

The trustee alleged Maguire and others had no right to keep their winnings from the unlicensed poker games held at upscale hotels and private residences. Maguire and others have denied there was anything improper about the matches.

In court filings, Maguire noted that he lost $168,500 to Ruderman, who is currently serving a 10 year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of investment adviser fraud and willful failure to file taxes.

Several of those sued are fighting the cases, most notably actor-director Nick Cassavetes. His attorney has said the games were not illegal and the statute of limitations has long passed for pursuing any criminal charges for the games held between 2006 and 2009.

Filings show that billionaire Alec Gores and "Welcome Back, Kotter" star and poker afficianado Gabe Kaplan have also settled cases filed against them.

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Gores, who along with his brother attempted to buy Miramax films last year, has agreed to pay $49,908 to settle a $445,500 lawsuit over Ruderman's poker payments.

Kaplan has agreed to pay $26,900 after he was sued to try to recoup nearly $63,000 in winnings.

Bankruptcy trustee Howard Ehrenberg filed the lawsuits in late March, attempting to recoup money on behalf of people who invested in what the legal action called a Ponzi scheme organized by Ruderman.

Ehrenberg did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Monday.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45464610/ns/today-entertainment/

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South Dakota bar owner charged with raping 3 girls (Providence Journal)

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Bill Waxes Lyrical (TIME)

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Monday, 28 November 2011

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Sunday, 27 November 2011

China, Pakistan boost anti-terror cooperation (AP)

JHELUM, Pakistan ? The Pakistani and Chinese attack choppers swoop low across the valley, strafing a mock terrorist hideout and a bomb-making factory. Then a joint commando team storms the camp ? to the gentle applause of top brass from both nations watching from the stands.

The fact that such a drill is needed reflects a new concern troubling their long-standing alliance: Chinese militants along the Afghan border allegedly aiding separatism in China and plotting terrorist attacks there

Countries around the world, especially the U.S., share Chinese concerns about Pakistan's militant-infested tribal regions, but few get the same kind of public commitment of help as Beijing. It's a legacy of China's oft-hailed "all-weather friendship" with Pakistan.

Anti-terror cooperation is the latest example of the special relationship between the neighboring countries.

China's good will is vital to Pakistan: China is its largest defense supplier, and it has helped construct two nuclear reactors. Chinese investments help keep the Pakistani economy afloat.

Chinese economic interests are also threatened because militants have made parts of the country no-go areas. Chinese companies are investing in oil, gas and coal extraction to fuel their country's rapidly expanding economy. There are hundreds of Chinese citizens working in Pakistan, and some have occasionally been attacked or kidnapped.

Its main interest in Pakistan is countering rising Indian power in the region, a goal that is shared by Islamabad, which views India as an enemy.

As ties with Washington have deteriorated this year, some Pakistani leaders have suggested China could fill the economic, diplomatic and military void if America scales back its commitment.

Part of the concern centers on the bitter aftermath of the May 2 U.S. raid that killed al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, including reports that Pakistan gave China access to the damaged high-tech stealth helicopter left behind by U.S. commandos when they killed bin Laden. China denied that.

Despite the tensions following the raid, some American counter-terror cooperation with Pakistan has continued. The Pakistani army still allows Washington to fire missiles at militants in its northwest regions. That also cuts into the ability of Chinese militants to train and forge links with other extremists there.

Thursday's dramatic war games in the dusty, hilly Punjab countryside were the kind of Pakistani public display of international anti-terror cooperation that Washington could only dream of, given the environment of mistrust and suspicion with Pakistan.

"Terrorism is something which is a threat to China, in some ways, and to other countries in the world as well," Pakistani Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani told journalists alongside China's deputy chief of general staff, Gen. Hou Shusen. "There is a need to share our experiences with our Chinese friends," the Pakistani army chief said.

Militants from China, mostly Uighur-speaking Muslims from the Xinjiang region, are present in Taliban-controlled parts of northwest Pakistan, where they live and train alongside terrorists from around the world. Visitors to North Waziristan, a militant stronghold, say they are known locally as "Chinese Taliban." A few times a year, they release videos threatening Beijing and demanding freedom for Xinjiang.

Beijing blamed a spate of unrest in July this year in Xinjiang on one group, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, said to be based in Pakistan. In an unusually blunt charge, China alleged the terrorists were trained in Pakistan. The Pakistani government and army quickly publicly pledged more help.

Many China watchers and Uighur activists call the Chinese accusations a smoke screen to obscure the anger and hopelessness among Uighurs they say are driving the violence. By blaming outside forces, they say China hopes to avoid shortcomings in policies aimed at reducing tensions there.

Kayani acknowledged ETIM's presence in Pakistan. The military rarely refers to Chinese militants when discussing the concerns of Afghanistan and the United States about militants using North Waziristan as a base for attacks across the border.

"We have done our utmost to eliminate this threat of ETIM and other extremists for China," said Kayani. "We have had a very close cooperation and we do exchange intelligence."

Pakistan has handed over Uighur suspects to China, but actual joint anti-terror operations, as opposed to simulated ones targeting terrorists on Pakistani soil are not expected to happen.

China does not have a military presence in Pakistan and is not known to be pursuing one. That contrasts, with the U.S. Army, which had more than 100 trainers embedded with Pakistani troops fighting militants in the northwest. They were ordered out in the aftermath of the bin Laden raid, which enraged the Pakistani army because it was carried out without its knowledge.

Pakistan's military is not known to have directly targeted Chinese militants in the border regions. Indeed, it has long rebuffed American requests for action in North Waziristan, saying it doesn't have enough troops to do so effectively.

Tensions between China and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed countries, rarely make their way into the public domain, and there were none on display during the anti-terror drill.

The mock operation involved around 500 soldiers from both nations. It began with a spectacular parachute drop of Chinese troops from 3,000 feet (1,000 meters).

Helicopters dropped other soldiers close to the buildings. They raided the structures and then detonated them, sending balls of orange flames and mushroom clouds of smoke into the early winter air, before flying off.

After the drill was over, the generals enjoyed a Pak-China feast of goat curry, nan bread, sweet and sour soup and Chinese-style chicken. Presents were exchanged. In a final symbol of their alliance, both sets of troops lined up, chanting in unison, "Pakistan and China friendship is everlasting," pumping their fists.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111125/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_china_terror

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Saturday, 26 November 2011

Boy, 14, jailed for buying drugs on resort island

An Australian teen was sentenced to two months in detention Friday for buying drugs while vacationing with family on Indonesia's resort island of Bali.

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Presiding Judge Amzer Simanjuntak told the packed Denpasar district court that ? when taking into account time already served ? the 14-year-old would be freed in just over a week and immediately deported.

"It's better to give a jail sentence, but the shortest possible, which would enable him to be given back to his parents sooner," Simanjuntak said, according to a report in the Herald Sun newspaper.

The prosecutors had asked for a three-month sentence.

The boy, who cannot be identified by name because of his age, sat sobbing, his head bowed down, as his father patted him on the back consolingly while the judge spoke.

Remorse
Though he could have faced up to 12 years under Indonesia's tough narcotics laws, the panel of three judges said it decided to be lenient because he admitted to buying 0.13 ounces of marijuana from a man in front of a supermarket and repeatedly expressed remorse.

The teen, who has been in an immigration detention center since his Oct. 4 arrest, earlier promised to enter a drug rehabilitation program if he was allowed to return to his home in Morrisset Park, north of Sydney.

He said he had been struggling for some time with his addiction.

Australia ? which has seen dozens of its citizens jailed or placed on death row for drug possession in Indonesia ? had been closely watching the trial.

'Lessons to be learned'
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd welcomed the court verdict that he said meant the boy and his family would probably be back home by Christmas.

"I'm sure there are lessons to be learned by this young man as well," he told the Sun Herald.

Many argued the boy was too young to be jailed.

But critics noted that dozens of Indonesian children tied up in people-smuggling cases have been languishing for years in Australian detention centers.

The Associated Press, Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45433766/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

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Gaddafi son needs surgery on gangrenous fingers: doctor (Reuters)

ZINTAN/TRIPOLI, Libya (Reuters) ? Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam needs surgery to remove gangrenous flesh from a severed thumb and finger which if not treated could make him seriously ill, a doctor who examined him told Reuters on Thursday.

Saif al-Islam has been nursing injuries to his right hand which he says were sustained during a NATO airstrike weeks ago. No further details have been available on the state of his heavily bandaged thumb, index and middle fingers.

"This wound is not in good condition and requires amputation," Andrei Murakhovsky, a Ukraine-born doctor working in Zintan, the town where Saif al-Islam is being held, and who treated him three days ago told Reuters.

"The wound is covered with gangrenous tissue and necrotic tissue," Murakhovsky added.

Fighters from Libya's Western Mountains captured Saif al-Islam in the southern desert on Saturday and flew him to their stronghold town of Zintan, where he is being held pending a handover to the country's provisional government.

Saif al-Islam's middle finger did not require surgery but the two other bandaged digits had been severed and were weeping pus, said Murakhovsky, who was interviewed by Reuters television in English and later by telephone in Russian.

"His index finger has been ripped off at the level of the middle phalange (finger bone), the bones are all shattered ... It's the same thing with the thumb of that hand," he said.

When a picture of Saif al-Islam's bandaged hand was aired, many Libyans thought his captors had cut off his fingers in retribution for televised remarks in which he threatened anti-Gaddafi rebels, pointing and making other hand gestures.

Murakhovsky, however, said the injuries were consistent with "some kind of explosion."

SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES

The surgical intervention required was relatively simple and could be performed in Zintan under local anesthetic, Murakhovsky said, but the town's militiamen were worried someone would try to kill Saif al-Islam if they took him to hospital.

"I would have done it the day before yesterday. It's not so urgent. It's already been like that for a month. But it's preferable that it should be done soon," he said.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib has said Saif al-Islam is receiving the best possible treatment, but for now he is not in the hands of the provisional central government.

Zintan's fighters have said they will hand him over to the provisional government once it is formed. The cabinet was sworn in on Thursday, with the defense minister's post going to the head of Zintan's military council.

Murakhovsky said only a small part of Saif al-Islam's thumb and index finger needed to be removed, and while he did not need to be operated on urgently, if there were no intervention there could be serious consequences.

If left untreated, the gangrenous infection could spread into the bloodstream and lead to osteomyolitis, which Murakhovsky said was "an infection of the bone marrow, which could have an impact on his general condition."

The International Criminal Court has indicted Saif al-Islam for crimes against humanity and issued a warrant for his arrest. Libya, however, says it will not hand him over to the Hague, and the ICC's prosecutor says Tripoli can try him if it wants to.

Saif al-Islam has not been charged in Libya, but ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said his Libyan counterpart has launched investigations into the same events as the ICC, in which protesters were killed during this year's revolution.

If Libya were to charge him with similar crimes as the ICC, Saif al-Islam would face the death penalty. The maximum sentence the ICC can pass is life in prison.

Libya is also investigating five counts of alleged corruption by Saif al-Islam, Moreno-Ocampo said on Thursday.

(Writing by Francois Murphy; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111124/wl_nm/us_libya_saif_health

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Friday, 25 November 2011

Big stakes as Black Friday, shopping season arrive (AP)

NEW YORK ? Retailers awaiting the arrival of Black Friday are on the edge. How well they do during the biggest shopping season of the year will have lasting consequences not just on them, but the still-fragile economic recovery.

This weekend, many stores will for the first time use midnight openings along with the usual bevy of deals as they try to lure consumers, whose appetite for good-buys has been increasing since the Great Recession.

Economists and business executives will be watching closely.

"A bad holiday season would raise recession fears again, whereas a strong one would start to dispel those fears," said Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics for Moody's Analytics.

That would give companies more impetus to step up hiring, he added.

As usual, success will depend largely on consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity. Their spending can impact stores' expansion plans and inventory decisions into the new year.

And that trickles through the rest of the economy, from suppliers to jobs.

The November-December period accounts for 25-40 percent of annual sales and profits. For 2011, that's almost half a trillion dollars in revenue from spending on everything from tablets to toys. The industry accounts for nearly a quarter of U.S. jobs.

As the critical sales time begins, economists and merchants are wondering whether shoppers will stick to their lists or pick up some extras for themselves not only on Black Friday but over the rest of the season.

Or will shoppers do what they've been doing for several years now ? jump on the deals and retreat until the season's final days when they think the bargains will be better? And how much discounting will be necessary to draw them in?

Just as in the past few years, merchants have tried discounts on holiday merchandise as early as October.

And those 4 a.m. openings on Black Friday are now outdated. The new trend is midnight openings, with many stores like Target, Best Buy and Kohl's embracing them as they try to be the first to pull in shoppers.

Given this year's challenging environment, online jewelry site Blue Nile is making a bigger push in marketing, launching its first online sale on Black Friday to snag more female customers.

"It's going to be competitive. I want to get our brand out there in the mix," said CEO Vijay Talwar, who estimates that 30-35 percent of annual sales come from the November and December period.

Earlier openings and a dramatic increase in early morning specials have helped make the day after Thanksgiving the biggest day of the year for the past six years in a row. It's predicted to keep that crown again this year, according to ShopperTrak, a research firm.

Just because stores have a decent start doesn't mean the overall holiday period will be good. Merchants had a good Black Friday in 2008, as shoppers showed up for the enticing deals, but the season was a bust.

The impact of that period still lingers, from shrunken orders to the demise of some suppliers, experts say.

That was when spending plunged so much that many retailers were caught with too much product in the pipeline. As a result, they slashed prices up to 80 percent to draw shoppers and raise cash.

Even Saks Fifth Avenue had a fire sale of designer clothes. Others sold jewelry and clothing to liquidators for pennies on the dollar. Some, such as Circuit City, went out of business. And the woes still linger.

Retail hiring for the season hasn't rebounded to its 2006 peak of 54.8 million workers. About 49.5 million workers are expected to be hired this season, up 1 percent from last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Stores, scared they'll be stuck again with too much holiday leftovers, have also kept their inventories lean. And they're still being forced to push big discounts as shoppers contend with a 9 percent jobless rate and gloomy confidence.

The National Retail Federation expects total holiday sales to be up 2.8 percent to $465.6 billion, less than the 5.2 percent increase a year ago but slightly more than the 2.6 percent average increase over the past decade.

Among those watching nervously is Pamela Kebe, a partner at Piccolo Piggies of Georgetown, an upscale children's clothing store in Washington, D.C., that derives 40 percent of its annual sales from November and December.

Her business is down from 40-50 percent from its 2007 peak. At one point, she liked the challenge of getting shoppers with discounts. But it's not fun anymore.

Kebe said if she doesn't have a good holiday season, she'll have to cut inventory for next year and work with vendors to negotiate more flexible payment terms.

"I am very nervous," she said. "This is the first time I feel like that."

___

Anne D'Innocenzio can be reached at http://twitter.com/ADInnocenzio.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111123/ap_on_re_us/us_holiday_stakes

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Libya's NTC unveils new government line-up (Reuters)

TRIPOLI (Reuters) ? Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) on Tuesday named a new government featuring several surprise appointments that suggested the line-up was aimed at trying to soothe rivalries between regional factions.

Earlier, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor conceded that the captured son of Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam, may be tried in Libya rather than in The Hague, meaning he faces the death penalty if convicted.

In forming a government, the NTC faced the tricky task of trying to reconcile regional and ideological interests whose rivalry threatens to upset the country's fragile stability, three months after the end of Gaddafi's 42-year rule.

"All of Libya is represented," prime minister Abdurrahim El-Keib told a news conference as he unveiled the line-up. "It is hard to say that any area is not represented."

The new cabinet will include as defense minister Osama Al-Juwali, commander of the military council in the town of Zintan.

Juwali appeared to have staked his claim to the job after his forces captured Saif al-Islam at the weekend and flew him to their hometown.

The foreign minister was named as Ashour Bin Hayal, a little-known diplomat originally from Derna, in eastern Libya.

His appointment was unexpected as diplomats had predicted the job would go to Libya's deputy envoy to the United Nations, Ibrahim Dabbashi, who had rallied diplomats to turn against Gaddafi early in the revolt against his rule.

Hassan Ziglam, an oil industry executive, was named as finance minister, and Abdulrahman Ben Yezza, a former executive with Italian oil major ENI, was made oil minister.

PROSECUTION

Libya is struggling to build new institutions out of the wreckage of Gaddafi's one-man rule, when corruption was rampant and state institutions were left to decay.

The Hague-based ICC has indicted Saif al-Islam for crimes against humanity. But chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said on a visit to Tripoli that Saif al-Islam could be tried inside Libya as long as the trial complies with ICC standards.

"Saif is captured so we are here to ensure cooperation. Now in May, we requested an arrest warrant because Libyans could not do justice in Libya. Now as Libyans are decided to do justice, they could do justice and we'll help them to do it, so that is the system," he told reporters on his arrival in Tripoli.

"Our International Criminal Court acts when the national system cannot act. They have decided to do it and that is why we are here to learn and to understand what they are doing and to cooperate."

Libyan officials have promised a fair trial but the country still has the death penalty on its books, whereas the severest punishment the ICC can impose is life imprisonment.

"The law says the primacy is for the national system. If they prosecute the case here, we will discuss with them how to inform the judges and they can do it. But our judges have to be involved," said Moreno-Ocampo.

Saif al-Islam was captured in an ambush deep in the Sahara desert and is now being held in the town of Zintan, in the Western Mountains region where his captors are based.

An NTC spokesman in Tripoli had described the arrest of Saif al-Islam, the last of Muammar Gaddafi's offspring whose whereabouts had been unaccounted for, as "the last chapter in the Libyan drama."

An official in Zintan told Reuters steps were already underway for Saif al-Islam's prosecution. "A Libyan prosecutor met with Saif (on Monday) to conduct a preliminary investigation," said Ahmed Ammar.

(Additional reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, Hisham El Dani in Tripoli, Oliver Holmes and Taha Zargoun in Zintan; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Giles Elgood)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111122/wl_nm/us_libya

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Thursday, 24 November 2011

P Rex-1 protein key to melanoma metastasis

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Researchers from UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center are part of a team that has identified a protein, called P-Rex1, that is key to the movement of cells called melanoblasts. When these cells experience uncontrolled growth, melanoma develops.

Melanoma is one of the only forms of cancer that is still on the rise and is one of the most common forms of cancer in young adults. The incidence of melanoma in women under age 30 has increased more than 50 percent since 1980. Metastases are the major cause of death from melanoma.

The team found that mice lacking the P-Rex1 protein are resistant to melanoma metastases. When researchers tested human melanoma cells and tumor tissue for the protein, P-Rex1 was elevated in the majority of cases ? a clue that the protein plays an important role in the cancer's spread. Their findings were published today in the journal Nature Communications.

"We know that mutations in a gene called BRAF are important for the development of melanoma and several years ago we published a collaborative paper listing 82 proteins that seem to be affected by this genetic pathway. From that list, we focused on P-Rex1 in collaboration with Dr. Nancy Thomas here at UNC and researchers in the United Kingdom," says Channing Der, PhD, a member of the UNC research team. Der is Kenan Professor of pharmacology at UNC-Chapel Hill and member of UNC Lineberger.

A drug approved this summer, vemurafenib, is the first treatment directed at the BRAF mutation. Clinical trials found that the treatment offers a significant survival benefit.

"We think that vemurafenib may work, in part, by blocking the up-regulation of P-Rex1," Der adds.

"As a physician and scientist, I know firsthand the frustration of having very limited therapeutic options to offer to patients with metastatic melanoma," says Nancy Thomas, MD, PhD, whose laboratory analyzed the protein's expression in human cells. "Pinpointing that P-Rex1 plays a key role in metastasis gives us a better understanding of how vemurafenib may work and a target for developing new treatments," she adds.

###

University of North Carolina School of Medicine: http://www.med.unc.edu

Thanks to University of North Carolina School of Medicine for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115391/P_Rex___protein_key_to_melanoma_metastasis

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Fed court proposes Texas congressional districts (AP)

AUSTIN, Texas ? Minorities will make up the majority of voters in three additional Texas congressional districts under a proposed redistricting map released by a federal court Wednesday, but the Republican attorney general immediately said he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to block the maps.

If the 2012 elections were held under the interim maps, Democrats would have an advantage as they seek to win back the U.S. House and try to claim more seats in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Minorities currently are the majority in 10 out of 32 Texas districts and the new map will raise that to 13 out of 36, if the court gives the map final approval as expected.

The San Antonio-based federal court drew the maps after minority groups sued the state claiming a redistricting map drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature does not reflect the growth in the state's Hispanic and black population. In a separate case in Washington, a federal court refused to approve the lawmaker-drawn map without a trial, agreeing with the Department of Justice that there was sufficient evidence to question whether it hurt minority representation.

Also on Wednesday, the San Antonio federal court issued final maps for state Senate and House districts that are very similar to ones proposed last week that could also lead to greater minority representation. The court dramatically redrew those maps from what the Legislature passed, giving Democrats a chance to add as many as a dozen seats in the Legislature.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and other Republican leaders have denied that any of Legislature's redistricting maps would diminish minority voting power and denounced the map issued on Wednesday.

"It seems apparent that the proposed map misapplies federal law and continues the court's trend of inappropriately venturing into political policymaking rather than simply applying the law," Abbott said in a statement Wednesday on the congressional maps. "Perhaps worst, in the name of protecting Hispanic voting power, the court seems to be discarding already elected Republican Hispanics in favor of drawing maps that may elect Democratic Hispanics."

A spokeswoman for Abbott said late Wednesday that he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to order that all of the maps drawn by the Legislature be used in place of the court-drawn maps.

"We cannot allow any map that so grossly misapplies federal law and continues a trend of inappropriately venturing into political policy-making to move forward unchallenged," Lauren Bean said in a statement on behalf of Abbott.

Republican lawmakers insist the maps drawn by the Legislature merely reflect the Republican majority in Texas. Experts say three of the new seats would have gone to Republicans under the legislative map. When drawing the interim map, the court gave priority to ensuring minority voting strength was protected in the 2012 election. The court-ordered map will remain in place until the legal fights are resolved.

Lawmakers redraw districts every 10 years to reflect changes in census data. Texas is adding four additional congressional seats in 2012, a reflection of the state's rapid population growth.

Texas, among other states with a history of racial discrimination, can't implement the maps or other changes to voting practices without federal approval under the Voting Rights Act. No federal approval and looming deadlines for county election officials made it necessary for the San Antonio court to issue their own plans that could be implemented immediately.

"It is certainly a map we are very, very proud of. We are talking about four (new) congressional districts and we've long maintained the lion's share of those should belong to Latinos and minorities who grew this state," said state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, the leader of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, which participated in the San Antonio lawsuit.

The court redrew congressional districts 23 and 27 in West Texas and along the southern coast to make them more heavily Hispanic and created a new district 35 in Central Texas that also is majority Hispanic. The court also drew a new district 33 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where whites are a minority.

The changes to districts 23 and 27 put incumbent Republican U.S. Reps. Blake Farenthold and Francisco "Quico" Canseco at risk of losing their seats.

"Court releases TX Congressional map wiping out several Republican seats," Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick said on Twitter shortly after the maps were released.

In creating district 35, the court made a major departure from the Republican-drawn map by dividing Travis County, which includes Austin, into three congressional districts rather than five. The Legislature's draft map pitted Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett against a Democratic challenger from San Antonio, state Rep. Joaquin Castro. They'll run in separate districts under the court-drawn map.

"I'm pleased that the court drew a map that better represents the state of Texas. I'm confident that these are the maps that we will run under in 2012," Castro told The Associated Press. "Any time you can do without having a primary opponent, that's always a good thing."

More than 87 percent of the population growth in Texas since 2000 has been among minorities. In 2010, whites in Texas dropped to less than 50 percent of the population, but they still make up the vast majority of election officials.

Texas Democrats were pleased with the proposed map.

"We are pleased that Texas is on the road to fair elections in which the voters, rather than Republican mapmakers, will get to determine the outcome," said Boyd Ritchie, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party.

The court will now accept comments on its proposed maps until noon Friday before issuing a final version of the maps before Monday, when candidates will begin registering to be placed on the ballot.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111124/ap_on_el_ho/us_texas_redistricting

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Wednesday, 23 November 2011

PIC: Ashlee Simpson, Pete Wentz Celebrate Bronx's 3rd Birthday (omg!)

PIC: Ashlee Simpson, Pete Wentz Celebrate Bronx's 3rd Birthday

No cat fights here!

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz split up in February, but they appear to be happy to put their differences aside for the sake of their son Bronx. On Monday, Wentz, 32, Ashlee, 27, were joined by the Simpson family -- including a pregnant, makeup-free Jessica! -- to celebrate Bronx's third birthday at The Coop in Studio City, Calif.?

PHOTOS: Ashlee and Pete in happier times

Ashlee and Bronx had matching kitten whiskers painted on their faces, while Jessica, 31, opted for a natural look. The designer's fiance, Eric Johnson, and parents Tina and Joe Simpson were also on hand for the fete.?

PHOTOS: Ashlee and Jessica through the years

Although she's amicable with Wentz, Ashlee has a new man in her life: Boardwalk Empire's Vincent Piazza. Ashlee and Piazza have been dating since June, and in September, the actor introduced Ashlee to his parents.

PHOTOS: Bronx's Aunt Jess shows off her baby bump!

Fortunately, Piazza and Wentz haven't had any issues with one another. "It's been really great. So there is no head butting," Piazza joked to Us Weekly in September about his relationship with Ashlee's ex. "You'd see the marks if there were!"

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_pic_ashlee_simpson_pete_wentz_celebrate_bronxs3rd_153634415/43683065/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/pic-ashlee-simpson-pete-wentz-celebrate-bronxs-3rd-153634415.html

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