The Top 20 Concert Tours ranks artists by average box office gross per city and includes the average ticket price for shows in North America. The previous week's ranking is in parentheses. The list is based on data provided to the trade publication Pollstar by concert promoters and venue managers.
TOP 20 CONCERT TOURS
1. (1) Kanye West / Jay-Z; $2,243,684; $120.57.
2. (2) Cirque du Soleil ? "Michael Jackson: The Immortal"; $1,924,258; $116.04.
3. (3) Taylor Swift; $1,281,481; $68.89.
4. (4) Enrique Iglesias; $780,382; $69.09.
5. (7) Foo Fighters; $686,129; $49.41.
6. (5) Journey; $677,924; $59.35.
7. (6) Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band; $671,909; $67.88.
FILE- In this Tuesday, April 19, 2011 file photo, British actor Russell Brand and his wife Katy Perry arrive for the European premiere of Arthur, in London. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, FILE
FILE- In this Tuesday, April 19, 2011 file photo, British actor Russell Brand and his wife Katy Perry arrive for the European premiere of Arthur, in London. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, FILE
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Russell Brand and Katy Perry are getting a divorce, the British comedian told The Associated Press Friday.
"Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends," said Brand, 36, offering no other details.
He and the 27-year-old pop singer were married in October 2010 at a resort inside a tiger reserve in India.
Brand's recent film credits include "Arthur," ''Hop" and "Get Him to the Greek." He is among the ensemble starring alongside Tom Cruise in "Rock of Ages," set for release next year.
Perry's run of No. 1 singles earned her the distinction of becoming MTV's first artist of the year earlier this month. She hosted "Saturday Night Live" on Dec. 10 and gave no indication the couple was in trouble.
The couple got engaged in January 2010 after meeting at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, where he hosted and she performed.
He was effusive about his bride while promoting projects earlier this year, saying marrying Perry has "given me much more strength in what I do."
"For a long while, what I do professionally was all that mattered to me really," he said in March. "Now I think, well, whatever I do, I'll just go back to her, and that's incredibly comforting."
He cited irreconcilable differences in papers filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
A representative for Perry did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
DUBAI (Reuters) ? The U.S. Fifth Fleet said on Wednesday it will not allow any disruption of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, after Iran threatened to stop ships moving through the strategic oil route.
"The free flow of goods and services through the Strait of Hormuz is vital to regional and global prosperity," a spokesperson for the Bahrain-based fleet said in a written response to queries from Reuters about the possibility of Iran trying to close the waterway.
"Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated."
Asked whether it was taking specific measures in response to the threat to close the Strait, the fleet said it "maintains a robust presence in the region to deter or counter destabilizing activities," without providing further detail.
(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Andrew Hammond; Writing by Joseph Logan; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Palestinian police restore order in the Church of the Nativity in Jesus's birthplace after scuffles erupt between Armenian and Greek Orthodox clergymen. Nick Rowlands reports.
A brawl has erupted between rival clergymen participating in an annual cleaning ritual at the church built at Jesus's traditional birthplace.
Armenian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox clergymen screamed at each other and beat each other with broomsticks during Wednesday's clean-up inside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
They were tidying up the church ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations in early January.
The two denominations each control sections of the church and fiercely guard their turf. The violence broke out when the sides accused each other of crossing into each other's territory. Similar fights have taken place in past years.
Palestinian security forces broke up the melee, and no serious injuries were reported.
Two young girls walk by police tape that stretches through a Grapevine, Texas, apartment complex where police found seven people dead in an apartment on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011 in Grapevine, Texas. Four women and three men who police believe to be related were found apparently shot to death, and authorities said they believe the shooter is among the dead.
GRAPEVINE, Texas?Police in a quiet Fort Worth suburb worked Monday to piece together a family history after a man dressed in a Santa Claus suit apparently shot six relatives and himself on Christmas.
Grapevine police spokesman Sgt. Robert Eberling said the shooter showed up in the costume shortly before gunfire erupted and that the family appeared to have been opening Christmas presents. Police responding to a 911 call found four females and three males dead. They also found two handguns.
"We think he was just inside there celebrating Christmas with the rest of them and decided for whatever reason that's how he's going to end things," Eberling told The Associated Press.
Investigators worked through Sunday night and into Monday morning, meticulously searching the apartment where the bodies were found, along with vehicles parked outside. Police said they believe the victims were related, though some were visiting and didn't live in the apartment.
Eberling said investigators were assembling a "family history," and that the apartment was leased to a woman and her two children, one age 15 and the other either 19 or 20. He would not give other specifics.
"We're getting a clearer picture, but we're not ready to go on the record with anything until we find out from the medical examiner absolute confirmation of identities and the manner of death," Eberling said.
Autopsies of the shooter and the victims were being done Monday by the Tarrant County medical examiner, but it would probably be Tuesday before their identities were released, he said.
Roger Metcalf, a spokesman for the medical examiner's office, said the victims have been tentatively identified, but the office couldn't confirm the names because the state driver's license fingerprint database wasn't available on the holiday.
"In addition, we need to locate next of kin before information can be released, and our investigators are working on that as well," Metcalf wrote in an email to the AP.
Late Sunday evening, police intently searched a sport utility vehicle parked outside the apartment. The vehicle is registered to a man who listed his residence as a home two miles away in the neighboring suburb of Colleyville.
Thomas Ehrlich, who lives near the home in Colleyville, told the AP he heard from neighbors that police went to the house Sunday. He said he believed the man and woman who once lived there were estranged.
Records show the couple had financial problems and that their home, most recently valued on the county tax rolls at $336,200, had been sold in 2010 at a foreclosure auction?although it appeared the man was still living there.
"I actually saw him out doing yard work just last weekend," Ehrlich said.
Spa manager Leah Langford said she became concerned when the man's wife didn't show up for work Monday at the business where she had been employed for four years. Langford said she got no response when she called the woman's cell phone, nor could she learn anything when she went to the Colleyville home and the Grapevine apartment.
"For somebody who's always early to work and who never misses a day of work, we expected the worst," Langford said.
The shootings Sunday were the first homicides in Grapevine in more than a year and a half.
Police and firefighters rushed to the Lincoln Vineyards complex about 11:30 a.m. after receiving a 911 call in which no one was on the other end of the line. Because no one responded on the phone, police went into the apartment, located at the back of the complex. They found the seven, aged 15 to 60, dead.
Many of the nearby apartments are vacant, and police said no neighbors reported hearing anything on a quiet Christmas morning when many people were not around.
Three times in recent weeks, Blackhawk Technical College has called evacuations because of gas problems. At least one student tells us she suffered related health problems and reported gas smells and concerns repeatedly before the second evacuation.
You can read more about this topic from our story Tuesday by clicking here.
Did BTC respond appropriately and swiftly enough? Has it done enough now to protect students, staff and visitors?
We?ll share our perspective in our editorial Thursday.
Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook
When you're trying to get around on a bicycle in the winter studded tires are a great investment, but if you only occasionally have snow or ride a bike in snowy weather you can make a set of tire "chains" using a few dozen cable ties.
Bike shop website Dutch Bike Co. shares this tip for quick and cheap traction in snow. The zip ties themselves dig into the snow nicely but are not thick enough to make the bike bounce. The author alternates cutting off the zip tie heads on either side of the tire to help with cornering.
There are two caveats with using this method?make sure that if your bike has fenders that the zip tie heads are low enough to not cause clearance issues and also make sure that you don't try this if your bike has rim brakes; the zip ties will get in the way of the brake pads.
MOSCOW ? Tens of thousands of Russians jammed a Moscow avenue to demand free elections and an end to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's 12-year rule, in the largest show of public outrage since the protests 20 years ago that brought down the Soviet Union. Gone was the political apathy of recent years as many shouted "We are the Power!"
Saturday's demonstration, bigger and better organized than a similar one two weeks ago, and smaller rallies across the country encouraged opposition leaders hoping to sustain a protest movement ignited by a fraud-tainted parliamentary election on Dec. 4.
The enthusiasm also cheered Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader who closed down the Soviet Union on Dec. 25, 1991.
"I'm happy that I have lived to see the people waking up. This raises big hopes," the 80-year-old Gorbachev said on Ekho Moskvy radio.
He urged Putin to follow his example and give up power peacefully, saying Putin would be remembered for the positive things he did if he stepped down now. The former Soviet leader, who has grown increasingly critical of Putin, has little influence in Russia today.
But the protesters have no central leader and no candidate capable of posing a serious challenge to Putin, who intends to return to the presidency in a March vote.
Even at Saturday's rally, some of the speakers were jeered by the crowd. The various liberal, nationalist and leftist groups that took part appear united only by their desire to see "Russia without Putin," a popular chant.
Putin, who gave no public response to the protest Saturday, initially derided the demonstrators as paid agents of the West. He also said sarcastically that he thought the white ribbons they wore as an emblem were condoms. Putin has since come to take their protests more seriously, and in an effort to stem the anger he has offered a set of reforms to allow more political competition in future elections.
Kremlin-controlled television covered Saturday's rally, but gave no air time to Putin's harshest critics.
Estimates of the number of demonstrators ranged from the police figure of 30,000 to 120,000 offered by the organizers. Demonstrators packed much of a broad avenue, which has room for nearly 100,000 people, about 2.5 kilometers (some 1.5 miles) from the Kremlin, as the temperature dipped well below freezing.
A stage at the end of the avenue featured banners reading "Russia will be free" and "This election Is a farce." Heavy police cordons encircled the participants, who stood within metal barriers, and a police helicopter hovered overhead.
Alexei Navalny, a corruption-fighting lawyer and popular blogger, electrified the crowd when he took the stage. He soon had the protesters chanting "We are the power!"
Navalny spent 15 days in jail for leading a protest on Dec. 5 that unexpectedly drew more than 5,000 people and set off the chain of demonstrations.
Putin's United Russia party lost 25 percent of its seats in the election, but hung onto a majority in parliament through what independent observers said was widespread fraud. United Russia, seen as representing a corrupt bureaucracy, has become known as the party of crooks and thieves, a phrase coined by Navalny.
"We have enough people here to take the Kremlin," Navalny shouted to the crowd. "But we are peaceful people and we won't do that ? yet. But if these crooks and thieves keep cheating us, we will take what is ours."
Protest leaders expressed skepticism about Putin's promised political reforms.
"We don't trust him," opposition leader Boris Nemtsov told the rally, urging protesters to gather again after the long New Year's holidays to make sure the proposed changes are put into law.
He and other speakers called on the demonstrators to go to the polls in March to unseat Putin. "A thief must not sit in the Kremlin," Nemtsov said.
The protest leaders said they would keep up their push for a rerun of the parliamentary vote and punishment for election officials accused of fraud, while stressing the need to prevent fraud in the March presidential election.
Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov was among those who sought to give the protesters a sense of empowerment.
"There are so many of us here, and they (the government) are few," Kasparov said from the stage. "They are huddled up in fear behind police cordons."
The crowd was largely young, but included a sizable number of middle-aged and elderly people, some of whom limped slowly to the site on walkers and canes.
"We want to back those who are fighting for our rights," said 16-year-old Darya Andryukhina, who said she had also attended the previous rally.
"People have come here because they want respect," said Tamara Voronina, 54, who said she was proud that her three sons also had joined the protest.
Putin's comment about protesters wearing condoms only further infuriated them and inspired some creative responses. One protester Saturday held a picture montage of Putin with his head wrapped in a condom like a grandmother's headscarf. Many inflated condoms along with balloons.
The protests reflect a growing weariness with Putin, who was first elected president in 2000 and remained in charge after moving into the prime minister's seat in 2008. Brazen fraud in the parliamentary vote unexpectedly energized the middle class, which for years had been politically apathetic.
"No one has done more to bring so many people here than Putin, who managed to insult the whole country," said Viktor Shenderovich, a columnist and satirical writer.
Two rallies in St. Petersburg on Saturday drew a total of 4,000 people.
"I'm here because I'm tired of the government's lies," said Dmitry Dervenev, 47, a designer. "The prime minister insulted me personally when he said that people came to the rallies because they were paid by the U.S. State Department. I'm here because I'm a citizen of my country."
Putin accused the United States of encouraging and funding the protests to weaken Russia.
Putin's former finance minister surprised the protesters by saying the current parliament should approve the proposed electoral changes and then step down to allow new parliamentary elections to be held. Alexei Kudrin, who remains close to Putin, warned that the wave of protests could lead to violence and called for establishing a dialogue between the opposition and the government.
"Otherwise we will lose the chance for peaceful transformation," Kudrin said.
Kudrin also joined calls for the ouster of Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov.
Putin has promised to liberalize registration rules for opposition parties and restore the direct election of governors he abolished in 2004. Putin's stand-in as president, Dmitry Medvedev, spelled out those and other proposed changes in Thursday's state-of-the nation address.
Gorbachev, however, said the government appears confused.
"They don't know what to do," he said. "They are making attempts to get out of the trap they drove themselves into."
____
Associated Press writers Nataliya Vasilyeva and Jim Heintz contributed to this report.
The company, which is present in India through a joint venture with the Kirloskar Group -- Toyota Kirloskar Motor, however, insisted it is not a recall but a "safety campaign".
"It is a proactive approach by us. This development is not at all dangerous but as per Toyota's worldwide policy, we are informing customers that they can come to dealers at their convenient time and replace the pipe," TKM Deputy Managing Director - Marketing Sandeep Singh said.
The company will be replacing filler hose (inlet pipe to the fuel tank) as it could crack up leading to fuel leakage when the tank is filled to the brim.
He said a total 41,000 units of Etios and Liva produced till October 8 this year since their launches will be covered under this exercise.
"It will not take more than 30-45 minutes. This is not recall, it is a safety campaign," Singh insisted.
TKM had in December last year launched the Etios sedan in the country priced between Rs 4.96 lakh and Rs 6.86 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
In June this year, the company rolled out its much anticipated small car Liva here, priced between Rs 3.99 lakh and Rs 5.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Singh said TKM is using social media such as Facebook and the company's own website to inform customers about the development.
In 2008 Toyota had announced a recall of around 20,000 units of its popular multi-utility vehicle, Innova, in India to repair a defective part that could lead to oil leakage.
The auto major has also invested Rs 3,200 crore to set up its second manufacturing facility in Bangalore, where the cars are being produced.
The company is investing Rs 1,650 crore to ramp up its production capacity by one lakh units and for increasing localisation of components by 2014.
In October this year, the company had also revealed its plans to start exports of the two models to South Africa by March next year.
Besides, Etios and Liva, Toyota also sells premium sedan Corolla Altis and Camry in the Indian market along with SUVs Fortunner and Prado.
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.Name: 72Lux
[More from Mashable: You Know Your Klout Score. What?s Your Kred Score?]
Quick Pitch: Shop across many online retailers with a single checkout and shipping fee.
Genius Idea: Bringing that service to third-party publishers.
[More from Mashable: Keas Is Like FarmVille for Corporate Wellness]
Shopping for women's apparel and accessories across different retailers isn't as difficult as it was a few years ago, thanks to search tools such as ShopStyle and Google Product Search. Checking out, however, can still be a chore when you're dealing with multiple site registrations and shipping fees.
72Lux eliminates much of the hassle by allowing you to shop from more than 900 retailers from its website, including such recognizable brands as Bloomingdales, Macy's and Yoox. You can browse (by designer, garment type, color and size), search and select different goods from retailers, and check out only once. What's more, you'll pay a flat shipping fee of $15, although returns have to be addressed specifically to individual retailers.
The startup takes a cut of every sale, which founder and CEO Heather Marie says is greater than the 2-3% affiliates usually receive.
That's a promising business in and of itself, but what's even more promising is the ecommerce solution 72Lux is developing for third-party publishers. As we've seen, many retailers are developing content offerings on their websites to make them more like shoppable magazines. Now, certain consumer magazines -- Marie declined to disclose which -- are working to allow customers to shop directly from their sites, instead of referring them elsewhere to purchase. The first launch will be announced in Q1 2012, Marie says.
That could open up a significant new revenue stream for publishers, although it's not yet clear what effect that will have on magazines and their readers. Enabling readers to quickly and seamlessly purchase the goods they're reading about is, yes, a convenience, but there's also the risk that readers will begin to question recommendations for products that publishers have such an obvious, vested interest in.
72Lux has raised $300,000 in seed funding to date and is currently raising its next round.
Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.
Well, it's about a month and a half behind its Android counterpart (and what feels like decades behind the web interface), but the iOS Google Voice app finally (finally!) has support for multi-recipient texting. Version 1.4.0.2372 adds few other nice tweaks, including one touch copy and paste on the dialpad and a larger text entry field with a character count but, obviously, the mass texting capabilities here steal the show. So hit up the App Store to update now and start spamming all your friends.
'I definitely feel like I'm the best, the king of it all,' Wooh Da Kid tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Ade Mangum
Wooh Da Kid Photo: MTV News
Main Pick
Artist: Wooh Da Kid with DJ Superstar Jay and DJ Love Dinero Representing: Atlanta by way of Queens, New York Mixtape: Krown the King Real Spit: Everybody wants to be king, and on his Krown the King mixtape, Wooh Da Kid attempts to sow his royal oats. "I've been working ... Krown the King, I mean everybody feel like they the best, so I definitely feel like I'm the best, the king of it all," Wooh told Mixtape Daily.
Breaking out from Waka Flocka's Brick Squad Monopoly crew, Wooh sets his mark on the Southside-produced "King of Da Jungle." Over the rowdy track, the Atlanta/Queens representer plants his flag, making a number of king-like and murderous proclamations.
On "My Benz," Wooh enlists Waka Flocka to ride over the electric Lex Luger-produced beat, and on "Problem," he links with Gucci Mane. Recently deceased Brick Squad member Slim Dunkin also appears on "All I Ever Wanted" and "Put Your Hands Up." While various members of Wooh's BSM crew appear throughout the tape, he does manage to hold things down for himself on the catchy "I Prefer," "Church" and the bouncy "Bad News."
In the end, Wooh believes he has done more than enough to state his case. "Krown the King, I think I deserve it, man," he said. "We been going hard for a couple of years now. It's finally starting to pay off, so crown the king, man."
Joints to Check For » "Feeling Good" - "My gut's big, that just mean I'm getting money, I'm feeling good. This my life right now. I ain't got no six-pack, I got a one-pack. You got the ladies always rubbing your stomach; the whole Brick Squad got this. I just telling them I'm eating good, I'm doing good. That's what that's about."
Egyptian army soldiers beat a protester wearing a Niqab, an Islamic veil, during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. At background graffiti depicts members of the military ruling council and Arabic reads: "Killer". (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali)
Egyptian army soldiers beat a protester wearing a Niqab, an Islamic veil, during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. At background graffiti depicts members of the military ruling council and Arabic reads: "Killer". (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali)
Egyptian army soldiers arrest a woman protester during clashes with military police near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. (AP Photo/Str)
ALTERNATIVE CROP OF CAI111 An Egyptian army officer aims his gun at protesters during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. (AP Photo)
Egyptian protesters threw rocks at military police during clashes near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali)
Egyptian army soldiers clash with rock throwing protesters near Cairo's downtown Tahrir Square, Egypt, Friday, Dec. 16, 2011. Activists say the clashes began after soldiers severely beat a young man who was part of a sit-in outside the Cabinet building. (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali)
CAIRO (AP) ? Soldiers stormed an anti-military protest camp outside Egypt's Cabinet building Friday, beating women with sticks and hurling chunks of concrete and glass onto protesters from the roof of the parliament in a resurgence of turmoil only a day after millions voted in parliamentary elections.
At least three protesters were shot to death in the clashes, including a prominent Muslim cleric, activists said. The heavy-handed assault was apparently an attempt to clear out protesters who have been camped out in front of the building for three weeks demanding the ruling military leave power.
But the mayhem ? which came despite promises from the army-appointed prime minister that the protesters would not be cleared by force ? threatened to spark a new round of violence after deadly clashes between youth revolutionaries and security forces in November that lasted for days and left more than 40 dead.
Several women protesters cowered on the pavement as military police beat them with truncheons and long sticks. Another woman was seen bring dragged away by her hair by soldiers.
Plainclothes and uniformed security officers threw slabs of concrete and stones on protesters from atop the parliament building, according to state TV footage and videos and photos posted by protesters on social networking sites. Protesters threw fire bombs and rocks at the security officers, lighting a part of parliament on fire and chanting "Down with the military."
"It's pretty ironic that the military is throwing rocks at protesters from the parliament building, where a sign is hanging that says democracy is the power of the people," protester Mostafa Sheshtawy said.
Hours after sunset, the crowds of protesters had grown to hundreds and clashes continued, with youths hiding behind a makeshift barrier of metal sheets and an overturned car, throwing volleys of stones at military police lined up in the broad avenue in front of the parliament and Cabinet headquarters.
There were reports of live gunfire from the rooftops. One protester, Islam Mohammed, said a fellow protester pushed him aside and was hit by a bullet in the stomach. "He took a bullet instead of me and fell to the ground. I have his blood on my shirt and hands," Mohammed said. The condition of the wounded man was not known.
Sahar Abdel-Mohsen, a youth activist, said she saw the bodies of two slain protesters brought to a Cairo hospital, both with gunshot wounds. "The blood is still dripping from the head of one of them," a 22-year-old man, she told The Associated Press. The other was shot in the chest, she said. A Health Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of he was not authorized to talk to the press, confirmed the two deaths.
Also killed was Sheik Emad Effat, a cleric from Al-Azhar, Egypt's most eminent religious institution, said Ibrahim el-Houdaiby, a prominent activist. He said Effat ? who has taken a pro-revolutionary position, criticizing the military and issuing a religious decree forbidding voting for former members of the regime in elections ? was shot in the heart after joining the protesters outside the Cabinet.
The Health Ministry said at least 222 people were injured, including broken bones and gunshot wounds.
The assault was likely to re-ignite the tensions between revolutionaries and the military, which took power after the Feb. 11 resignation of Hosni Mubarak. The youth activists who led the protests that ousted Mubarak accuse the military of acting in the same authoritarian way as the former president.
Ziad el-Oleimi, an activist who won a parliament seat in the first round of elections on Nov. 28-29, told AP that military police beat him with sticks on his torso and arms and told him, "Don't imagine the parliament will protect you."
"So long as Egyptians are being humiliated and beaten on the streets, that means the revolution has not reached its goals. Taking to the streets will continue," el-Oleimi said.
The clashes took place as election officials counted ballots from the second round of parliament elections, considered to be the freest and fairest vote in Egypt's modern history. A third of Egypt's provinces voted Wednesday and Thursday. Election results from the first round of voting placed Islamist parties ahead of more liberal parties.
The armed forces retain support among many Egyptians who see it as the only entity able to run the country until presidential elections scheduled for next year.
But the new violence exacerbates the political tensions.
Members of a civilian advisory panel created by the military this month as a gesture to protesters suspended their work, demanding an immediate end to violence against protesters and a formal apology from the ruling military council. The panel is also seeking an independent investigation into the clashes. Two of its members resigned in protest.
A number of newly elected lawmakers condemned the military for the violence.
The Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest winner in parliamentary elections so far, said in a statement that it rejects the assault on protesters and the use of the parliament building to attack people.
In a Tweet, leading reform figure and Nobel Peace laureate Mohamed ElBaradei wrote, "If the sit-in broke the law, isn't the cruelty and brutality used to break it up a greater violation of all human rights laws? This is not how nations are managed."
The protesters have been peacefully camped out in front the Cabinet building for three weeks, preventing the newly appointed prime minister, Kamal el-Ganzouri, from entering his office.
In a statement read on state TV Friday night, the ruling military said its forces did not intent to break up the protest and said officers showed self-restraint, denying the used any gunfire. It said the clashes began when a military officer was attacked while on duty and protesters tried to break into the parliament compound.
But witnesses said the clashes erupted late Thursday after troops snatched a protester, taking him into the parliament building and beating him severely. The troops later moved in, burning protesters' tents.
Hundreds of people rushed to join the protest after online video and photos showed people carrying the wounded man, his face bruised and swollen, his head wrapped in gauze and blood dripping from his nose.
Protester threw rocks and firebombs at military police, who fired back with water cannons and stones from inside parliament. Several cars were set on fire.
An American producer for Al Jazeera English, Evan Hill, was beaten by military police and his equipment and passport confiscated, the network reported.
The military's assault is also a potential embarrassment to el-Ganzouri, who vowed last month that he would not use force to break up the sit-in. El-Ganzouri had been touted as being more independent of the military than his predecessor, whose government stepped down amid the November protests amid criticism that it was simply a facade for the ruling generals.
"Who has power and who is responsible?" asked ElBaradei on his Twitter account.
___
Associated Press correspondent Sarah El Deeb contributed to this report from Cairo.
CLEVELAND (Reuters) ? A soon-to-open Cleveland casino was bombarded with job applications from 16,000 people in just four days after announcing openings for 750 positions, a casino official said on Saturday.
Due to the high volume of responses, the Horseshoe Casino took down about half of the job openings on Friday and is now shifting through the resumes to find qualified candidates.
"We are utilizing employees all across the county to review applicants," Jennifer Kulczycki of Rock Gaming, parent company of the casino, told Reuters Saturday.
"We were blown out of the water by the numbers but we announced we would hire 90 percent of our staff from the Cleveland area and we are sure we will meet that goal."
This is the second round of job postings the casino, slated to open in March, has put on its website.
Ohio voters approved four casinos in the state in November 2009. Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball team, also owns Rock Gaming, and partnered with Caesars Entertainment Corp. to build the casino in Cleveland.
According to Kulczycki, the most sought-after positions during this round were security, cage cashier, food and beverage workers and administrative assistants.
In September, the casino posted more than 600 job openings and 12,000 people applied over the course of one month. Eventually that number was whittled down to 4,000 and more than 600 are currently receiving free training.
According to Kulczycki, employees will sort through the applications from this round and invite about 4,000 to in-person interviews. Those who do well will be receive a conditional job offer.
YOKOHAMA, Japan - Barcelona is back in the Club World Cup final, setting up a match against South American champion Santos by beating Qatari club Al-Sadd 4-0 Thursday.
Adriano scored two first-half goals, while Seydou Keita and Maxwell added the others for the Champions League champions.
Adriano put Barcelona in the lead in the 25th minute after a blunder by Al-Sadd goalkeeper Mohamed Saqr. A cross from Pedro on the left went to Nadir Belhadj, who tried to direct the ball to his goalkeeper. But Saqr failed to pick up the ball before attempting to clear it with his feet and Adriano charged in to tap in from close range.
Adriano doubled the lead in the 43rd with a left-footed shot from just inside the box.
Lionel Messi set up Barcelona's third goal in the 64th with a perfect pass to Keita, who finished with a flick to the left side of the net. Substitute Maxwell added the final goal in the 81st with an angled left-footed shot that deflected in off the leg of Saqr.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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First comprehensive DNA study of mast cell leukemia uncovers clues that could improve therapyPublic release date: 16-Dec-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Hema Bashyam bashyam@cshl.edu 516-367-6822 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Sequencing a cancer patient's 'exome' reveals mutations critical for improving diagnostic power and targeted therapy
Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. Cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have carried out the first comprehensive study of the changes seen in the DNA of a patient with mast cell leukemia (MCL), an extremely aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a very poor prognosis.
Their genomic survey has helped identify two previously unknown mutations that could directly influence patient response to currently available therapeutic drugs.
The details uncovered by the study not only suggest a diagnostic improvement and an alternative treatment strategy for MCL, but could also serve as a springboard for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for other cancers such as lymphoma.
"This is incredibly exciting because we've gone from knowing very little about the genetics of MCL to uncovering information that could directly benefit patients diagnosed with MCL," says Research Investigator Mona Spector, Ph.D., who led the team's efforts.
The study, which appears online in the journal Leukemia on December 16, is a collaboration between cancer researchers at CSHL and clinicians led by Steven L. Allen, MD, FACP, associate chief of hematology at North Shore-LIJ's Monter Cancer Center and associate investigator at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. "This collaboration between the North Shore-LIJ Health System and CSHL allows us to increase medical knowledge and make innovative discoveries that may lead to new treatments for patients who are living with MCL," says Allen.
Made possible in large part by funding from the Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation, "the goal of this collaboration was to sequence patient DNA to find information about individual cancers that could be used to improve or design patient-specific treatment strategies," explains CSHL Adjunct Professor and HHMI Investigator Scott Lowe, Ph.D.
In this study, the CSHL scientists used two approaches to identify genetic changes seen in an MCL patient who succumbed to the disease about three months after diagnosis. MCL is characterized by out-of-control proliferation of transformed mast cells the same immune system cells that are notorious for their release of histamine during an allergic response.
In one approach, the CSHL team used a method called array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to identify copy number variationsgenomic alterations that result in an abnormal number of copies of one or more sections of DNAin the leukemic mast cells. In a second approach, the team sequenced the majority of the "exome," the "exons" which are the DNA sequences that encode for protein (only about 2% of the genome).
This enabled them to identify mutations that result in the difference of a single nucleotide, or chemical "rung" in the DNA "ladder," between the patient's normal and tumor cells. These mutations often result in the production of aberrant proteins and can cause a cell to grow uncontrollably.
Bioinformatic analysis of the gigabytes of sequencing data by CSHL Fellow Ivan Iossifov, Ph.D., revealed the differences between the two genomes. Although several of the mutations occur within genes that have been previously linked to cancer, Spector immediately zeroed in on the mutations in two genes, KIT and MS4A2.
"MCL patients are screened for a mutation in the KIT gene that occurs at a specific amino acid referred to as D816V. This mutation not only spurs uncontrolled mast cell proliferation but also causes resistance to imatinib, a drug that works against some forms of leukemia; so patients with this mutation would normally not be treated with this drug," explains Spector.
"Our analysis showed that this patient, who lacked D816V and therefore received the drug, actually had a different KIT mutation called V654A, which may also cause resistance to the drug. Had this information been known before, the patient might have been treated differently and been spared the drug's side-effects." Spector hopes that this information might now encourage physicians to screen MCL patients for both KIT mutations.
The second mutation of interest occurs within the MS4A2 gene, which encodes for a protein that is part of a receptor that sits on a mast cell's surface and is required for its survival. The mutation identified by Spector occurs within the region of the protein that is essential both for its presence on the cell's surface, and more importantly, for triggering intracellular signaling by the enzyme Syk kinase. So Spector suspects that the MS4A2 mutation might be an "activating" mutation that may constantly keep the Syk signal in an "on" state, thereby prolonging the mast cell's life and eventually leading to cancer.
"If we prove this to be the case, then our finding could be therapeutically exploited because there already is a drug that blocks Syk signaling that has shown efficacy in a clinical trial for lymphoma," says Spector. She also observes that their findings might have implications beyond MCL. "For example, Syk signaling is also important in another type of immune cell called B cells, so researchers studying B cell cancers might also want to now look for mutations in genes within this pathway to identify patients who might respond to the Syk inhibitor drug," she says.
###
The study was supported by funding from the Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation and The Ryan Gibson Foundation.
"Mast-cell leukemia exome sequencing reveals a mutation in the IgE mast-cell receptor b chain and KIT V654A," appears online ahead of print in Leukemia on December 16. The full citation is: MS Spector, I Iossifov, A Kritharis, C He, JE Kolitz, SW Lowe and SL Allen. The paper can be downloaded at: http://www.nature.com/leu/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/leu2011354a.html
About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. CSHL is ranked number one in the world by Thomson Reuters for impact of its research in molecular biology and genetics. The Laboratory has been home to eight Nobel Prize winners. Today, CSHL's multidisciplinary scientific community is more than 350 scientists strong and its Meetings & Courses program hosts more than 11,000 scientists from around the world each year. Tens of thousands more benefit from the research, reviews, and ideas published in journals and books distributed internationally by CSHL Press. The Laboratory's education arm also includes a graduate school and programs for undergraduates as well as middle and high school students and teachers. CSHL is a private, not-for-profit institution on the north shore of Long Island. For more information, visit http://www.cshl.edu.
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First comprehensive DNA study of mast cell leukemia uncovers clues that could improve therapyPublic release date: 16-Dec-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Hema Bashyam bashyam@cshl.edu 516-367-6822 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Sequencing a cancer patient's 'exome' reveals mutations critical for improving diagnostic power and targeted therapy
Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. Cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have carried out the first comprehensive study of the changes seen in the DNA of a patient with mast cell leukemia (MCL), an extremely aggressive subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a very poor prognosis.
Their genomic survey has helped identify two previously unknown mutations that could directly influence patient response to currently available therapeutic drugs.
The details uncovered by the study not only suggest a diagnostic improvement and an alternative treatment strategy for MCL, but could also serve as a springboard for novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for other cancers such as lymphoma.
"This is incredibly exciting because we've gone from knowing very little about the genetics of MCL to uncovering information that could directly benefit patients diagnosed with MCL," says Research Investigator Mona Spector, Ph.D., who led the team's efforts.
The study, which appears online in the journal Leukemia on December 16, is a collaboration between cancer researchers at CSHL and clinicians led by Steven L. Allen, MD, FACP, associate chief of hematology at North Shore-LIJ's Monter Cancer Center and associate investigator at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. "This collaboration between the North Shore-LIJ Health System and CSHL allows us to increase medical knowledge and make innovative discoveries that may lead to new treatments for patients who are living with MCL," says Allen.
Made possible in large part by funding from the Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation, "the goal of this collaboration was to sequence patient DNA to find information about individual cancers that could be used to improve or design patient-specific treatment strategies," explains CSHL Adjunct Professor and HHMI Investigator Scott Lowe, Ph.D.
In this study, the CSHL scientists used two approaches to identify genetic changes seen in an MCL patient who succumbed to the disease about three months after diagnosis. MCL is characterized by out-of-control proliferation of transformed mast cells the same immune system cells that are notorious for their release of histamine during an allergic response.
In one approach, the CSHL team used a method called array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to identify copy number variationsgenomic alterations that result in an abnormal number of copies of one or more sections of DNAin the leukemic mast cells. In a second approach, the team sequenced the majority of the "exome," the "exons" which are the DNA sequences that encode for protein (only about 2% of the genome).
This enabled them to identify mutations that result in the difference of a single nucleotide, or chemical "rung" in the DNA "ladder," between the patient's normal and tumor cells. These mutations often result in the production of aberrant proteins and can cause a cell to grow uncontrollably.
Bioinformatic analysis of the gigabytes of sequencing data by CSHL Fellow Ivan Iossifov, Ph.D., revealed the differences between the two genomes. Although several of the mutations occur within genes that have been previously linked to cancer, Spector immediately zeroed in on the mutations in two genes, KIT and MS4A2.
"MCL patients are screened for a mutation in the KIT gene that occurs at a specific amino acid referred to as D816V. This mutation not only spurs uncontrolled mast cell proliferation but also causes resistance to imatinib, a drug that works against some forms of leukemia; so patients with this mutation would normally not be treated with this drug," explains Spector.
"Our analysis showed that this patient, who lacked D816V and therefore received the drug, actually had a different KIT mutation called V654A, which may also cause resistance to the drug. Had this information been known before, the patient might have been treated differently and been spared the drug's side-effects." Spector hopes that this information might now encourage physicians to screen MCL patients for both KIT mutations.
The second mutation of interest occurs within the MS4A2 gene, which encodes for a protein that is part of a receptor that sits on a mast cell's surface and is required for its survival. The mutation identified by Spector occurs within the region of the protein that is essential both for its presence on the cell's surface, and more importantly, for triggering intracellular signaling by the enzyme Syk kinase. So Spector suspects that the MS4A2 mutation might be an "activating" mutation that may constantly keep the Syk signal in an "on" state, thereby prolonging the mast cell's life and eventually leading to cancer.
"If we prove this to be the case, then our finding could be therapeutically exploited because there already is a drug that blocks Syk signaling that has shown efficacy in a clinical trial for lymphoma," says Spector. She also observes that their findings might have implications beyond MCL. "For example, Syk signaling is also important in another type of immune cell called B cells, so researchers studying B cell cancers might also want to now look for mutations in genes within this pathway to identify patients who might respond to the Syk inhibitor drug," she says.
###
The study was supported by funding from the Don Monti Memorial Research Foundation and The Ryan Gibson Foundation.
"Mast-cell leukemia exome sequencing reveals a mutation in the IgE mast-cell receptor b chain and KIT V654A," appears online ahead of print in Leukemia on December 16. The full citation is: MS Spector, I Iossifov, A Kritharis, C He, JE Kolitz, SW Lowe and SL Allen. The paper can be downloaded at: http://www.nature.com/leu/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/leu2011354a.html
About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. CSHL is ranked number one in the world by Thomson Reuters for impact of its research in molecular biology and genetics. The Laboratory has been home to eight Nobel Prize winners. Today, CSHL's multidisciplinary scientific community is more than 350 scientists strong and its Meetings & Courses program hosts more than 11,000 scientists from around the world each year. Tens of thousands more benefit from the research, reviews, and ideas published in journals and books distributed internationally by CSHL Press. The Laboratory's education arm also includes a graduate school and programs for undergraduates as well as middle and high school students and teachers. CSHL is a private, not-for-profit institution on the north shore of Long Island. For more information, visit http://www.cshl.edu.
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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.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The huge plane, which could be ready in 2016, would dwarf today?s biggest airplane, first taking satellites and then, perhaps, people into orbit.
When you're trying to get around on a bicycle in the winter studded tires are a great investment, but if you only occasionally have snow or ride a bike in snowy weather you can make a set of tire "chains" using a few dozen cable ties. 
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jkOnTheRun 
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Public release date: 16-Dec-2011
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