Today: Monday, September 27, 2010

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Sep 27, 2010

Sober and single, Stones rocker Ron Wood goes solo | Reuters

Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones performs during a concert in Shanghai, China, April 8, 2006. REUTERS/Nir Elias
By Dean Goodman
LOS ANGELES | Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:23pm BST
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones never have to worry about fading away as long as Ron Wood is around to keep them in the tabloids.

Yahoo News

FTSE weaker; Smiths Group falls; Unilever gains | Reuters

The London Stock Exchange building is seen in central London September 24, 2009. REUTERS/Stephen Hird
The London Stock Exchange building is seen in central London September 24, 2009.
Credit: Reuters/Stephen Hird
By Tricia Wright
LONDON | Mon Sep 27, 2010 5:14pm BST
LONDON (Reuters) - The top share index closed lower in directionless trade Monday, with Smiths Group out of favour, hurt by a downgrade from BofA Merrill ...

JK Rowling talks to Oprah on Harry Potter's future | Reuters

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling reads at the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington April 5, 2010. REUTERS/Larry Downing
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling reads at the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington April 5, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing
NEW YORK | Mon Sep 27, 2010 5:31pm BST
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Best-selling author J.K. Rowling will appear in a rare interview on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to talk about her life and career and the possibility of another Harry Potter book.

Israeli settlement freeze ends, peace talks in doubt | Reuters

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By Jeffrey Heller and John Irish
JERUSALEM/PARIS | Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:24pm BST
JERUSALEM/PARIS (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held back on Monday from acting on a threat to quit peace negotiations, leaving more time for diplomacy to save talks after Israel's freeze on new settlement building expired.

North Korea's political elite meet over succession | Reuters

By Jeremy Laurence and Brett Cole
SEOUL | Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:03pm BST
SEOUL (Reuters) - Isolated North Korea has summoned its political elite to a rare ruling party meeting on Tuesday in a move analysts expect will herald the start of the succession process of ailing leader Kim Jong-il's youngest son.

All eyes on Woods as U.S. arrive for Ryder Cup | Reuters

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By Mitch Phillips
NEWPORT | Mon Sep 27, 2010 1:30pm BST
NEWPORT (Reuters) - The United States Ryder Cup team arrived at Cardiff airport on Monday and even before being reunited with their baggage captain Corey Pavin was fielding his first questions about Tiger Woods.

Unilever aims for big hair day with Alberto buy | Reuters

Unilever Chief Executive Officer Paul Polman speaks at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit 2010 in New York June 24, 2010. REUTERS/Eric Thayer
By David Jones
LONDON | Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:41pm BST
LONDON (Reuters) - Consumer goods group Unilever Plc/NV will buy U.S. hair and skin care company Alberto Culver for $3.7 billion (2.3 billion pounds) in the latest move to rebalance its portfolio towards higher growth lines.

Setback for Chavez in Venezuela vote | Reuters

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Members of MUD (United Movement for Democracy) Ismael Garcia (L) and Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma (R) celebrate after listening to electoral results in Caracas September 27, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Gil Montano
By Frank Jack Daniel and Patricia Rondon
CARACAS | Mon Sep 27, 2010 3:02pm BST
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition won a third of the seats in  ...

Furyk captures Tour Championship and FedExCup | Reuters

Jim Furyk of the U.S. grimaces after hitting onto the ninth green during fourth round play in the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia September 26, 2010. REUTERS/Steve Schaefer
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
ATLANTA | Sun Sep 26, 2010 11:00pm BST
ATLANTA (Reuters) - American Jim Furyk held his nerve over a shaky closing stretch to win the Tour Championship by one shot at East Lake Golf Club on Sunday, along with FedExCup honours and the $10 million (6.32 million pound) bonus.

Ben Folds, Nick Hornby take trip down Lonely Avenue | Reuters

Singer Ben Folds performs during the Webby Awards in New York June 14, 2010. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
By Michael D. Ayers
NEW YORK | Sun Sep 26, 2010 6:02pm BST
NEW YORK (Reuters) - It may seem an unlikely pairing to fans of singer/songwriter Ben Folds and novelist Nick Hornby. But to them, collaborating on a new album due out this Tuesday seemed like a natural thing to do.

U.S. set to be a posse of one on China yuan at G20 | Reuters

An employee counts Yuan banknotes at a branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in Huaibei, Anhui August 3, 2010. REUTERS/Stringer
By Paul Eckert
WASHINGTON | Sun Sep 26, 2010 5:17pm BST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner faces a lonely campaign to make China's currency a major issue at the next Group of 20 summit as would-be allies shrink from confronting Beijing.

Venezuela gives BP approval to discuss assets sale

A BP petrol station is reflected in a car, in London April 28, 2009. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor )
By Marianna Parraga
CARACAS | Sun Sep 26, 2010 4:07pm BST
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela has granted BP (BP.L)(BP.N) permission to negotiate the sale of its assets in the South American OPEC member, Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said on Sunday.

Israeli settlement freeze ends with peace talks in doubt | Reuters

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An Israeli settler waves a flag across the street from a left-wing protest in Jerusalem calling for the continuation of a building freeze September 26, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Ammar Awad
By Ari Rabinovitch
JERUSALEM | Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:49am BST
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel allowed its 10-month settlement construction freeze in the West Bank to expire on Monday, ..

Interactive Feature: On Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species’

Evolutionary biologists and historians of science comment on Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species.”

Really? - Exercise Ball vs. Desk Chair - Question

THE FACTS Exercise balls are becoming a popular alternative to plain old office chairs, a way — some say — to burn more calories and improve posture.

Observatory - Albatross Is Dethroned as Bird With Top Wingspan


Sven Tränkner
The wandering albatross has the largest known wingspan of any living bird, at times reaching nearly 12 feet. But millions of years ago, there was a bird with wings that dwarfed those of the albatross, researchers now report.

Observatory - Plants Near Chernobyl Adapt to Contaminated Soil

In April 1986, a nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine exploded and sent radioactive particles flying through the air, infiltrating the surrounding soil. Despite the colossal disaster, some plants in the area seem to have adapted well, flourishing in the contaminated soil.

Field Research Around the Globe - Scientist at Work Blog

The view from the scientists’ back porch. From left: Clay, Noah, David and Eila.
Noah Snyder-Mackler The view from the scientists’ back porch. From left: Clay, Noah, David and Eila.
Sunday, Sept. 19
We arrived in the Simien Mountains National Park today. Back in the States, I have an office in the psychology department at the University of Pennsylvania. It is located in the Solomon Laboratories building, which was probably built shortly after Ben Franklin founded the university in the late 18th century. I share my office with another graduate

Green Column - Asia Begins Embracing Solar Power - NYTimes.com

HONG KONG — Developing nations in Asia, it seems, are finally seeing the light.

In May, the Asian Development Bank started a major drive to promote solar power across the region. Last year, the Indian government approved an ambitious National Solar Mission, which seeks a huge increase in the country’s solar-energy capabilities. Bangladesh, with the support of the World Bank, is aiming to have one million remote rural homes supplied with solar panels by the end of 2012.

Two New Dinosaur Species Are Discovered in Southern Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Scientists said Wednesday they've discovered fossils in the southern Utah desert of two new dinosaur species closely related to the Triceratops, including one with 15 horns on its large head.

Sizing Up Consciousness by Its Bits

Lou Beach
By CARL ZIMMER
One day in 2007, Dr. Giulio Tononi lay on a hospital stretcher as an anesthesiologist prepared him for surgery. For Dr. Tononi, it was a moment of intellectual exhilaration. He is a distinguished chair in consciousness science at the University of Wisconsin, and for much of his life he has been developing a theory of consciousness. Lying in the  ...

A Perk of Our Evolution - Pleasure in Pain of Chilies

William P. O'Donnell/The New York Times
By JAMES GORMAN
Late summer is chili harvest time, when the entire state of New Mexico savors the perfume of roasting chilies, and across the country the delightful, painful fruit of plants of the genus Capsicum are being turned into salsa, hot sauce and grizzly bear repellent.

Critic’s Notebook - In Arabian Desert, a Sustainable City Rises

Duncan Chard for The New York Times
The terra-cotta-like exterior of a residential building in Masdar, a visionary city being built 20 miles from Abu Dhabi. More Photos »
By NICOLAI OUROUSSOFF
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Back in 2007, when the government here announced its plan for “the world’s first zero-carbon city” on the outskirts of Abu

NATO Carries Out Airstrikes in Pakistan - NYTimes.com

ISLAMABAD (AP) — NATO helicopters based in Afghanistan carried out at least two airstrikes in Pakistan that killed more than 50 militants after the insurgents attacked a small Afghan security outpost near the border, spokesmen said Monday.

Japan Will Ask China to Pay for Crash

TOKYO — Chinese-Japanese tensions over the arrest of a Chinese trawler captain re-escalated on Monday when Japan said it would ask China to pay for repairs to two coast guard ships damaged by the trawler.

Efforts Meant to Help Workers Batter South Africa’s Poor

Greg Marinovich for The New York Times
Emily Mbongwa, 52, a factory worker who lost her job in Newcastle, South Africa, now takes care of other people’s children.
NEWCASTLE, South Africa — The sheriff arrived at the factory here to shut it down, part of a national enforcement drive against clothing manufacturers who violate the minimum wage. But women working ...

Nokia’s New Chief Faces a Culture of Complacency

A few years before Apple introduced the iPhone, research engineers at Nokia prepared a prototype of an Internet-ready, touch-screen handset with a large display, which they thought could give the company a powerful advantage in the fast-growing smartphone

Baghdad Journal - Iraq Waits for a Government on a Long Vacation

BAGHDAD — More than six months ago, millions of Iraqis cast aside fears about bombs and bullets to vote. In households without a reliable supply of water, the indelible purple ink on the voters’ index fingers did not wear off for more than a week.
Publish Post

For Carl Paladino, Early Lessons Forged Combative Style

Family Photo
Carl P. Paladino with his wife, Cathy, and their children in 1988.
When his troubled son spent a night in the Erie County lockup on drunken-driving charges, Carl P. Paladino parked outside the jail and slept in his car, just to be close to him.

Chavez Allies Win Majority in Venezuelan Congress - NYTimes.com

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Hugo Chavez's opponents blocked him from capturing an overwhelming majority in Venezuela's congressional election, making gains that could challenge the firebrand leader's iron grip on power.

U.S. Is Working to Ease Wiretaps on the Internet - NYTimes.com

WASHINGTON — Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet, arguing that their ability to wiretap criminal and terrorism suspects is “going dark” as people increasingly communicate online instead of by telephone.