China slams Railways Ministry over deadly crash (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? China's cabinet criticized the powerful Railways Ministry on Wednesday for lax safety standards and poor handling of a crash in July which killed 40 people, and said there may be prosecutions though it remained committed to high-speed rail.

The government has struggled to address public fury over the accident near the booming coastal city of Wenzhou, when a high-speed train rammed into another one stranded on the track after being hit by lightning.

Premier Wen Jiabao vowed that the investigation would be thorough and transparent -- though the cabinet's report was pushed back from mid-September for technical reasons and to give the team more time to pour over documents.

An account of the conclusions of the investigation presented to Wen at a cabinet meeting said the accident was due to serious design flaws in control equipment and improper handling of the lightning strike, broadly in line with initial findings.

The Railways Ministry "did not properly handle rescue efforts, did not issue information in a timely manner and did not correctly address public concerns, which created a bad influence in society," the central government said in a statement on its website (www.gov.cn).

The accident prompted a huge public outcry on microblogging services, with users expressing anger at the perceived poor official response and pulling apart accounts of the crash and the rescue efforts.

Seeking to assuage public anger, the government fired three mid-level railway officials a day after the crash.

The report detailed 54 officials who would receive administrative punishments, and said more serious penalties could follow for them.

"Legal authorities are currently conducting an independent investigation in accordance with the law into whether or not these relevant responsible officials committed crimes," it said.

It laid particular blame at the door of former railways minister Liu Zhijun, though he was dismissed months before the crash, in February, over corruption charges that have not yet been tried in court.

Liu "has the main leadership responsibility for the accident," it said.

"INTERNATIONAL JOKE"

Current minister Sheng Guangzu would have to present a "thorough self-criticism" to the cabinet, it added, demanding the ministry and companies which made the faulty control systems drastically improve the way they operate.

"Completely upgrade the safety management level of the railways, especially when it comes to building and operating high-speed railways," it added.

Microbloggers were quick to denounce the findings, suggesting the government still has a long way to go to restore public trust.

"This probe will become an international joke," wrote "hjerryzhu" on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo.

"The Communist Party has become a byword for hypocrisy, lies and violence," said "kaherd."

The government has said it would suspend railway project approvals and launch safety checks on equipment to address anger after the Wenzhou crash on what was a new high-speed rail line.

The ministry plans to cut its annual railway investment by 15 percent in 2012 to 400 billion yuan, state media said last week.

The ministry also faces soaring debt. In August, it said its total liabilities at the end of June were 2.1 trillion yuan ($330 million), up by nearly half from the end of 2009 and bringing its liability-to-asset ratio up to 59 percent.

However, the government said it remained committed to building high-speed railways, which China plans eventually to run into Russia and down to Southeast Asia.

"High speed railways improve people's ability to travel and promote economic development. Building and developing high speed railways is the correct course," it said in a separate statement.

($1 = 6.3226 yuan)

(Additional reporting Zhou Xin and Sally Huang; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/wl_nm/us_china_railway_probe

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Family Matters (TIME)

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Sony selling stake in LCD venture to Samsung for $940 million

Welcome to your Personalized User Bar. Here, you can manage your account, sign up for newsletters, navigate to site sections, and share interesting content on social networks. You also can receive alerts on upcoming events, new products, or subscription/account activities.

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Weller of 'Robocop' fame joins `Star Trek' sequel (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? "Robocop" actor Peter Weller is joining the cast of director J.J. Abrams' big-screen "Star Trek" sequel.

An APA talent agency spokesman for Weller said Monday the actor's role is a principal one in the film, but details were being kept under wraps.

Weller's sci-fi credentials include the "Robocop" films and the TV series "Odyssey 5." He has guest-starred on shows including "Dexter," "Fringe" and "Psych."

His directing credits include "Monk" and the TV movie "Elmore Leonard's Gold Coast."

The second "Star Trek" film will include the return of stars Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. The film is set for a May 2013 premiere.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111205/ap_en_mo/us_people_peter_weller

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Happy Birthday, Walt Disney!

On this day, 110 years ago, Walt Disney was born. To honor the entertainment icon's birthday, Moviefone wants to know which Disney film you consider a favorite. (A tough choice to say the least.) After creating the company's first feature-length film, 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,' in 1937, Disney went on to make hundreds of family classics -- 'Cinderella,' 'The Parent Trap,' 'Mary Poppins,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'The Lion King,' just to name a few.

So! Celebrate Walt's 110th birthday by selecting on of the films below. If your favorite film isn't listed, then sound off in the comments! (There has to be one person out there who is a diehard 'Shipwrecked' fan.)

Happy Birthday, Walt!

---

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924073/news/1924073/

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Fleet of Ferraris ruined in Japan sportscar pileup (AP)

TOKYO ? An outing of luxury sportscar enthusiasts in Japan ended in an expensive freeway pileup ? smashing a stunning eight Ferraris, a Lamborghini and two Mercedes likely worth more than $1 million together.

Police say they believe the accident Sunday was touched off when the driver of one of the Ferraris tried to change lanes and hit the median barrier. He spun across the freeway, and the other cars collided while trying to avoid hitting his car.

Video of the crash aired by NTV, a major national network, showed several smashed, bright red Ferraris cluttering the freeway.

Even a used Ferrari in Japan can fetch $100,000 or more, meaning the total damage may be $1 million or more.

Police declined to comment on the total amount of damage, but said some of the vehicles were beyond repair.

NTV quoted the driver of one of the tow trucks brought in to clear the scene as saying it was the most expensive crash site he had ever seen.

No one was seriously injured, but police in Yamaguchi prefecture said 10 people were treated for bruises and cuts. Police say 14 cars were involved altogether.

The luxury cars were all in one place because they were being driven by a group of automobile enthusiasts on their way to nearby Hiroshima.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111205/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_pricey_pileup

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Slow growth likely fueled modest November hiring (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Employers likely added more jobs in November, encouraged by signs of modest economic growth. But the gains aren't expected to be enough to lower the unemployment rate.

Economists forecast that employers added a net 125,000 jobs last month, an improvement from October's gain of 80,000. The unemployment rate is expected to stay at 9 percent for the second straight month.

Some economists have revised their estimates even higher ? to roughly 150,000 ? after a spate of positive economic reports. And payroll provider ADP said Wednesday that private companies added 206,000 jobs last month.

Still, analysts say that while the economy is growing at a steady pace, it's not accelerating enough to prompt employers to hire more aggressively.

And Europe's financial crisis threatens to slow U.S. growth next year. A recession in Europe could reduce U.S. exports, hurt global financial markets and dampen business confidence.

Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, estimates that the economy will expand 2.5 percent in the last three months of this year. But he expects growth to slow to 1.5 percent in 2012, partly because of the crisis in Europe.

"Things are getting a bit better, but perhaps only temporarily," Ashworth said.

Weak job growth means companies don't have to raise pay to keep their employees. Fewer jobs and lower pay leaves consumers with less money to spend. That's holding back economic growth.

In the past three months, the economy has added an average of 114,000 net jobs per month. That's barely enough to keep up with population growth. In the first four months of this year, the economy generated an average of 179,000 jobs per month.

For now, most recent economic reports have been positive.

Factories are expanding. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Thursday that its manufacturing index rose to 52.7 in November, up from 50.8 in October. Any reading above 50 indicates expansion.

The ISM's report also found that new orders and production both rose to seven-month highs. That's a good sign for future output. Even export orders increased, despite the turmoil overseas.

Retailers reported a strong start to holiday sales over the Thanksgiving weekend, consumer confidence surged in November to the highest level since July, and Americans' pay rose in October by the most in seven months.

Car sales also rose sharply in November, normally a lackluster month for the auto industry. Chrysler, Ford, Nissan and Hyundai all reported double-digit gains on Thursday, compared to a year ago.

Another report Thursday showed that U.S. builders spent more in October on new homes, offices and shopping centers. Construction spending rose for a third straight month, the Commerce Department said. Despite the gains, overall construction spending remained depressed.

Those reports have caused many economists to forecast a pickup in growth in the final three months of the year, to about a 3 percent annual rate. That would be an improvement from growth of 2 percent in the July-September period.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_re_us/us_economy

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AP source: Bell, Marlins agree to $27 million deal (AP)

MIAMI ? All-Star closer Heath Bell has agreed to a $27 million, three-year contract with the Miami Marlins, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press

The person spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced. The agreement,.which is subject to a physical, is the first free-agent deal for the Marlins since they began courtships last month with several top players. The deal was first reported by ESPN.

Bell had more than 40 saves each of the past three seasons for the San Diego Padres. This year he had 43 in 48 chances with a 2.44 ERA.

The Marlins are uncertain of the availability of their closer this year, Leo Nunez. He's on the restricted list after he admitted to playing under an assumed name.

Nunez, whose real name is Juan Oviedo, had 36 saves in 42 chances this year with a 4.06 ERA.

The Marlins' move into a new ballpark next year has improved their financial outlook, allowing them to become more active in free agency. They've courted slugger Albert Pujols, shortstop Jose Reyes and left-handers Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson, and they're interested in Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes.

Pujols remains a long shot, but the Marlins have high hopes of signing at least a couple of the others as they prepare to move into a new ballpark.

The burly Bell was an All-Star for the third consecutive season this year, and made his appearance in the game memorable by sliding onto the infield grass before he took the ball to pitch. He'll be reunited in Miami with former Padres relievers Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica, who joined the Marlins a year ago.

___

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbn_marlins_bell

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Singer Mindy McCready's 5-year-old son in custody (omg!)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) ? By the time Arkansas authorities took country singer Mindy McCready's 5-year-old son from her and into custody on Friday evening, one thing had already become apparent to many in America: McCready's life has come to resemble a bad country song.

Since her emergence in the mid-1990s as a honey-voiced success story out of Nashville, McCready has been increasingly known for her personal foibles instead of her music.

This week's custody battle was the latest in a long saga of personal heartache and brushes with the law.

Florida Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Terri Durdaller wrote in an email Saturday that her agency was working with Arkansas state officials to bring McCready's son, Zander, back to her legal guardian in Florida. His maternal grandmother has been Zander's guardian since 2007.

Officials say he's safe and in good health.

"Zander is in Arkansas and we continue to arrange his swift arrival back to Florida," Durdaller wrote.

In Arkansas, Cleburne County Sheriff Marty Moss said Saturday that McCready didn't have permission to be in the unoccupied summer home where she was found Friday evening with her son. Authorities continue to investigate the matter, he said.

The sheriff's office said in a news release Saturday that it was known McCready had been a visitor to the area and that deputies were working with the U.S. Marshals Service to see if the singer might be there. Authorities located McCready after receiving a report of "possible occupants in a summer home that was supposed to be unoccupied," the news release said.

Authorities said officers entered the home and found McCready and her son in a bedroom closet. A man, David Wilson, was also in the residence. Moss said neither had permission to be in the residence, but neither was arrested at the time.

Moss told the Associated Press on Saturday that the house where all three were found is next door to one where Wilson has stayed in the past. He said he doesn't know if McCready is still in the area and doesn't expect that she will face any charges for being at the unoccupied home.

"I don't expect that to happen," Moss said.

Gayle Inge, Zander's grandmother and McCready's mother, was tearful when she talked about the news by phone Friday night with The Associated Press.

"I'm real excited that he's safe," she said. "But I can't explain what this is like. We feel for Mindy and we feel for Zander."

Inge said that her son ? McCready's half-brother ? texted McCready, who responded with a text that said her mother would never see her again.

"I want to wrap my arms around her and tell her that I love her," Inge said.

McCready, who turned 36 on Wednesday, did not respond to emails Friday and Saturday.

The weekend developments capped a days-long struggle between McCready and several others, including state of Florida child welfare authorities, a Fort Myers, Fla. judge and her own mother.

Authorities say McCready took the boy during a visit late last month to her father's southwest Florida home, where she was allowed to visit the boy. McCready's parents are divorced.

A Florida judge signed an order Thursday telling authorities to take the boy into custody and return him. It's not yet clear whether the singer could face criminal charges.

McCready said earlier in the week that she would not bring her son back from Tennessee, where she has a home, despite violating the custody arrangement. She told the AP that her son had suffered abuse at her mother's house, a claim that Inge vehemently denies.

"I'm doing all this to protect Zander, not stay out of trouble," McCready wrote in an email to the AP on Thursday. "I don't think I should be in trouble for protecting my son in the first place."

McCready told the AP Wednesday night she was in Tennessee and couldn't travel because she is seven months pregnant with twins.

The boy's father, Billy McKnight, told NBC's "Today" show Friday he spoke on the phone with McCready and their boy after the judge's Thursday deadline expired.

"He did sound healthy and OK. He wasn't crying or scared," McKnight said about their son.

"I think she believes she has a case and doesn't realize she's pushing her luck on this one," he said.

McCready and her mother have had a long custody battle over the boy, who was living with McCready's mother.

The singer had provided a series of emails to the AP with Lee County Judge James Seals' ruling to return the boy.

"Mom has violated the court's custody order and we are simply restoring the child back into our custody," the judge wrote. "Nothing more. Nothing less. The court makes no judgment about whether Mom will or will not competently care for the child while in her custody. It only wants the child back where the court placed him."

McCready found fame in the mid-1990s when she moved to Nashville at the age of 18, armed with only her karaoke tapes. Her first album, "Ten Thousand Angels," sold two million copies.

Her next four albums weren't as successful. Her personal troubles began encroaching on her professional success. According to her website, she suffers from severe depression.

McCready fought the release of a tape in which she reportedly talked about former Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, with whom she had an affair as a teenager.

In August, she filed a libel suit against her mother and the National Enquirer's parent company, American Media Inc., over a story published in the tabloid newspaper that quoted Inge.

And in 2008, McCready was admitted to a hospital after police said she cut her wrists and took several pills in a suicide attempt.

During the TV show "Celebrity Rehab 3" in 2010, McCready came off as a sympathetic figure, and host Dr. Drew Pinsky called her an angel in the season finale.

Follow Tamara Lush on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tamaralush

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_singer_mindy_mccreadys5_old_son_custody_043316745/43790855/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/singer-mindy-mccreadys-5-old-son-custody-043316745.html

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BBC brings global iPlayer iPad app to Canada, one step closer to the US

BBC Worldwide isn't quite ready to debut its "global" iPlayer app for the iPad here in the US yet, but now it's a bit closer after updating to v1.2.5 and becoming available in Canada. The app debuted back in July bringing iPlayer streaming access to tablets across Western Europe, before taking its programmes to Australia back in September. It will cost Canadians $8.99 per month for access BBC shows like Fawlty Towers, Whitechapel, and Hustle, but viewers in all 16 territories with access can snag one free episode per day through December 25th. The Hollywood Reporter indicates this is all part of a year long pilot phase with a next step of opening it up to US audiences, so those with patience don't need to put on their snowshoes and move to the Great White North just yet.

Continue reading BBC brings global iPlayer iPad app to Canada, one step closer to the US

BBC brings global iPlayer iPad app to Canada, one step closer to the US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/01/bbc-brings-global-iplayer-ipad-app-to-canada-one-step-closer-to/

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Kris Humphries to Kim Kardashian: You Played Me!

Kris Humphries has filed to annul his marriage to Kim Kardashian and a source close to the baller makes it very clear why: the NBA player feels played!

Citing fraud as the basis for this rarely-used legal procedure, an insider tells TMZ Kris "was just slotted in the plot line of Kim Kardashian's latest headline and newest business venture."

Seriously, we tried to warn the guy.

Humphries believes Kardashian always planned to divorce him after her reality specials and shows were taped because, let's face it, "she didn't ned a groom anymore," this source says.

Kris would never have flown his childhood pastor in to officiate if he were in on the scam, this mole insists, while concluding that Humphries plans to use Kim's own, absolutely idiotic words against her.

In THIS STATEMENT, she all but admits that she went through with the wedding because she "got caught up in the hoopla and the filming of the TV show."

So.... what do you think? Did Kris play a knowing role in the quickie divorce proceedings?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/12/kris-humphries-to-kim-kardashian-you-played-me/

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Teen in Craigslist case looks dazed in court (AP)

CALDWELL, Ohio ? A teen accused of murder made his first public court appearance Tuesday on charges he was part of a deadly robbery team that lured victims with a phony job ad, appearing dazed as a judge postponed a hearing on whether he should be tried as an adult.

The 16-year-old boy appeared briefly in a courtroom in Noble County. A juvenile judge put off the hearing because the boy's father, who wasn't present, hadn't received proper notice of new charges filed last week. The next hearing will probably happen in a couple of weeks, the judge said.

The Akron teenager faces juvenile charges of aggravated murder, complicity to aggravated murder, attempted murder and complicity to attempted murder in the death of one man and the shooting of another. He is a junior at Stow Munroe City Schools, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland, and is being held at a juvenile detention center in Muskingum County.

The boy wore sneakers, dark slacks, a shirt and a rain jacket as he was led into court with his hands cuffed in front of him, appearing slightly stunned. He didn't speak during the hearing or afterward as police hustled him into a police car.

His mother sat on a bench directly behind him during the short hearing, rocking back and forth and appearing on the verge of tears. She left the courthouse hurriedly and gave only a few fleeting comments as she walked briskly to a black pickup across the street.

"We're praying for the families and the victims," she said to reporters. After she got into the passenger seat, she rolled the window down and said, "God bless you all. Do the right thing. Get the truth."

Authorities say the teenager was involved in a scheme in which applicants answering a Craigslist ad for a phony job at a nonexistent cattle ranch in Noble County, 90 miles south of Akron in rural southeastern Ohio, were robbed, then killed. Authorities say they have connected two bodies to the scheme and identified one other man who was shot but escaped.

The teen was questioned by the FBI and arrested in mid-November several days after Scott Davis, of South Carolina, said was shot in the arm and escaped after he answered the ad.

The body of Norfolk, Va., resident David Pauley, 51, was also found on the Noble County property, owned by a coal company and often leased to hunters. Authorities say Pauley was killed Oct. 23.

Timothy Kern, 47, of Massillon, was found buried Friday near an Akron-area shopping mall. He had been shot in the head.

A third body also found Friday was that of a man who was killed by a gunshot to the head, the coroner in Noble County said Tuesday. Authorities haven't said whether that body is linked to the scheme but say it's suspected the body is that of a man named Ralph Geiger.

Officials did not explain how they arrived at the conclusion or give any other details about the man.

The complaint against the boy says he participated in the alleged crimes with Richard Beasley, 52, of Akron, a man said to have acted as his mentor.

He was awaiting trial on prostitution and drug charges when authorities took him into custody this month, and police have said a halfway house he ran in Akron was a front for prostitution.

Rhonda Kotnik, an attorney for Beasley on the drug and prostitution charges, said Tuesday that she's still gathering information, with hearings scheduled later this week.

She said she isn't representing Beasley in anything involving the Craigslist case and points out he hasn't been charged in that. She said she assumes the juvenile has been cooperating with police, which is common in such cases.

Noble County Judge John Nau has issued a gag order prohibiting lawyers from discussing the case, a move he defended Tuesday, saying he's trying to ensure a fair trial in a sparsely populated county.

"It may not even be tried here, but I'm not sure it won't, so I prepare for the possibility that it might," he said.

The Associated Press generally does not identify juvenile suspects and is not naming the teenager or his mother.

___

Associated Press writer Doug Whiteman in Columbus contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111129/ap_on_re_us/us_craigslist_jobseekers_killed

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Honestly! Daniel Day-Lewis is Abe Lincoln

Michael Phillips/Splash News, Getty Images

Dinner for two? Actor Daniel Day Lewis, left, in Richmond, Va., this week, and President Lincoln in 1863.

By Courtney Hazlett

When Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis signed on to play Abraham Lincoln in a biopic directed by Steven Spielberg, I thought ... well, I didn't think much of it. But, people, check out the photo on the left.

Richmond, Va., native?Michael Phillips snapped and tweeted the photo from a local restaurant ("Lincoln" is shooting in the area.) You'd swear Honest Abe himself had just strolled in and ordered a salad, even though the actor wasn't even in costume!

Other notables in the cast: Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln.

The planned release date for the film is four score and seven years from now. Kidding. It's due out sometime after the 2012 presidential election.

Related content:

Source: http://scoop.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/01/9140142-daniel-day-lewis-transforms-into-abe-lincoln

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