Democrats propose $10,000 fine for gun owners who don't have ...

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A contingent of liberal Democrats in Congress is proposing a new federal gun control idea: mandatory liability insurance for gun owners.

When New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced the legislation last month with eight other Democrats, she boasted that it is ?the first bill to require liability insurance of gun buyers nationwide.?

Maloney?s ?Firearm Risk Protection Act? requires gun buyers to have ?a qualified liability insurance policy? before they are able to legally purchase a firearm.

It also calls for the federal government to impose a fine as much as $10,000 if a gun owner doesn?t have insurance on a firearm purchased after the bill goes into effect.

?It shall be unlawful for a person who owns a firearm purchased on or after the effective date of this subsection not to be covered by a qualified liability insurance policy,? the bill text reads.

The bill would also make it a federal crime to sell a firearm to anyone without insurance.

?For too long, gun victims and society at large have borne the brunt of the costs of gun violence,? Maloney said as she introduced the legislation. ?My bill would change that by shifting some of that cost back onto those who own the weapons.?

Chris Cox,?the?executive director of the?NRA?s Institute for Legislative Action, told The Daily Caller that the bill is ?ridiculous on its face, as it presumes law-abiding gun owners are guilty for merely exercising a fundamental, constitutional right.?

?But it does reveal what Rep. Maloney?really thinks about honest people who believe in the right to keep and bear arms,? Cox said.

The bill defines ?qualified liability insurance? as a policy that covers the ?purchaser specifically for losses resulting from use of the firearm while it is owned by the purchaser.? Buyers would have to obtain insurance from a company licensed or authorized by a state insurance regulatory authority.

Exceptions would be made for law enforcement, military and employees of government departments and agencies.

In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, President Barack Obama and top Democrats have been pushing to pass a gun control measure through Congress. A federal liability insurance mandate for gun owners, while debated in some states, is not a proposal that has been seriously considered on the Hill yet.

Others who have signed on as co-sponsors of the legislation include: Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Massachusetts Rep. Michael Capuano, Virginia Rep. Jim Moran, Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush, Massachusetts Rep. Nikki Tsongas, Massachusetts Rep. Stephen Lynch and Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer.

With many states requiring drivers to carry auto insurance, Maloney argues that, ?We have a long history of requiring insurance for high-risk products ? and no one disputes that guns are dangerous.?

?While many individual states are debating this issue now, it makes more sense for Congress to establish a national requirement to allow the insurance markets to begin to price the risks involved consistently nationwide,? she said.

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Source: http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/02/democrats-propose-10000-fine-for-gun-owners-who-dont-have-insurance/

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Samsung reportedly sets lofty goal for 2013: Ship 500 million cell phones

By Sam Forgione and Jennifer Ablan NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bill Gross, manager of the world's largest bond fund, said on Wednesday that the Federal Reserve's aggressive monetary policies may have changed the landscape so greatly that investors like himself and Warren Buffett may face radically new challenges in trying to maintain their track records. Gross, who oversees the $288 billion PIMCO Total Return Fund and is co-chief investment officer of its parent company, Pacific Investment Management Co. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-reportedly-sets-lofty-goal-2013-ship-500-115051824.html

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Events that Celebrate Good Food (and Drink!) : FairShare CSA ...

Events that Celebrate Good Food (and Drink!)

Come on out and hang with your farmer, play with your neighbors, support FairShare?s work!

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SIP: Farm Fresh Mixology Classes, May-October

Back by popular demand, this ?Farm to Bar Experience? pairs FairShare Farms with local mixologists to put a new twist on local eating. All classes are held at Death?s Door Spirits in Middleton. Proceeds benefit FairShare.

Plough & Barrel Dinners, June-October

Another returning hit! Back by popular demand, in partnership with our friends at The Coopers Tavern, this exquisite dinner series features FairShare Farms and local breweries (and new this year, our August dinner features Wollersheim Winery!) paired up for the meal of a lifetime. All proceeds benefit FairShare. Tickets are $50 each (includes tax, no gratuity). Reservations and payment can be made in person at Coopers, 20 W. Mifflin St., or by calling (608) 256-1600, or by emailing Jennifer Trost at JTrost@foodfightinc.com.

Eat for Equity Dinner, Aug. 17

New this year! This on-farm feast on Saturday, Aug. 17 will bring folks out to Crossroads Community Farm in Cross Plains to share a meal and raise funds for the Partner Shares Program.

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Sh*tty Barn CSA Party, Aug. 24

Three Bands, fresh grilled pizza, Furthermore brews and a dilapidated barn in a semi-industrial park in Spring Green ? all on Saturday, Aug. 24. What?s not to love?! Learn more at the Sh*tty Barn website.

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Bike the Barns, Sept. 15

This is a recreational bike ride through the picturesque Wisconsin countryside. Stop at up to three farms, enjoy delicious farm-fresh food, and learn about where your food comes from. The ride is Sunday, Sept. 15; registration opens June 17; route TBD?. southerly. We?ll have both a Rutabaga (60+miles) and Radish route this year (less than 30 miles). FRESH FOOD FOR ALL!

Source: http://www.csacoalition.org/news/fairshare-events-that-celebrate-good-food-and-drink/

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The Real Housewives of Orange County Premiere:

Source:

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Most Dangerous Object in the Office: The Rocket-Propelled Ikaros Line Thrower

Ever since this $599 rope grenade, er, maritime rescue device came in, we've been dreaming about zip-lining out the window to escape boring meetings.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/8J2NNUYmY7M/

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Masking Tape, Crisp Money, and To-Do List Priorities

Readers offer their best tips for reviving dead masking tape, spending less money, and using to-do list apps.

Every day we receive boatloads of great reader tips in our inbox, but for various reasons?maybe they're a bit too niche, maybe we couldn't find a good way to present it, or maybe we just couldn't fit it in?the tip didn't make the front page. From the Tips Box is where we round up some of our favorites for your buffet-style consumption. Got a tip of your own to share? Add it in the comments, email it to tips at lifehacker.com, or share it on our tips and expert pages.

Revive Stuck Masking Tape in the Microwave

Dreadpiratekhan doesn't let old tape slow him down:

Masking tape roll too old and stuck fast? Nuke it briefly to loosen the tape.

I'm generally wary of putting things in the microwave, but we've seen this tip elsewhere on the net, so it's worth a shot. Photo by Youaremycookie.

Stock Up on Crisp Bills to Spend Less Money

Chumpinator finds some interesting research on spending habits:

There's evidence that consumers spend less when carrying crisp, new bills vs. old, shabby bills. So if you're looking to cut your spending, consider asking for new bills the next time you go to the bank.

This won't curb real spending problems, but it is an interesting little tip. Every bit counts, right? Photo by Dan4th.

Use Stars as a "Do Tomorrow" Marking in Wunderlist

Ted fixes an app that doesn't have priority markers:

I use Wunderlist for my to dos at Lifehacker's recommendation, but it always had one missing feature that bugged me: priorities. All it had was the ability to "star" items, which wasn't really the same.

However, I've since figured out a way to use stars that's actually better for my productivity than priority numbers. Instead of worrying about assigning priorities, I just drag and drop them to put them in the order I want to do them. More importantly, though, I star items that need to get done today. Then, at the end of the day, when my starred list is empty, I star all the items I want to get done tomorrow. That way, I make sure everything urgent gets done. I have to make sure I don't put urgency before importance, but it makes sure that a lot of the smaller urgent tasks don't get forgotten.

I know Wunderlist has "deadlines," but this system works well for me since it's so quick and easy to star something. Just as easy as checking it off!

Send Navigation Voiceover to Your Car's Stereo

Iamdesi makes the navigation lady a little easier to hear:

Google maps on iOS: My '08 Prius doesn't stream media over bluetooth (only calls). I was using Google Maps on iOS (iPhone 5) and noticed that all audio alerts/guidance from Google Maps are sent to bluetooth as calls! No aux cables required!

This could work on Android too; I'm not sure. It really depends on your car. If you do have a Bluetooth media function, this works pretty well there too!

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/7XG1akGt2hw/masking-tape-crisp-money-and-to+do-list-priorities

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Family of slain Chicago teen invited to White House Easter Egg Roll

Courtesy Pendleton Family / Zuma Press, file

Hadiya Pendleton, who performed last week at President Barack Obama's inaugural festivities, was shot and killed in Chicago in January when a gunman opened fire on a group of students.

By Alexandria Fisher, NBCChicago.com

The White House might be celebrating Easter today, but for many, including the family of slain teen Hadiya Pendleton, the real celebration begins Monday at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

The First Lady reportedly invited Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton and her 10-year-old son Nathaniel to the White House event, just one of many events the family has attended since the January slaying of their beloved 15-year-old daughter just one week after she performed at events for President Obama's second inauguration.

The crowd of more than 35,000 guests will gather Monday on the South Lawn for games, stories and of course the egg roll.

Read more at NBCChicago.com

The event will feature celebs like Jordin Sparks, Coco Jones, Austin Mahone and special guest Robby Movak, also known as Kid President.

With the theme ?Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!? the event will also feature a string of celebrity athletes from across the country, including NASCAR?s Danica Patrick, Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson and Olympians and Paralympians.

The event will live stream online for those who weren?t able to purchase tickets.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2a30fb14/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C310C175412640Efamily0Eof0Eslain0Echicago0Eteen0Einvited0Eto0Ewhite0Ehouse0Eeaster0Eegg0Eroll0Dlite/story01.htm

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Porsha Williams Divorce Filing: Pay Me!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/porsha-williams-divorce-filing-pay-me/

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Wooden Lamps Show The Light Within

There's something really meditative about these slotted lamps. They're made out of wood from California cypress trees and the light inside is a constant current LED, but the sculptural elements come through more than the utility as a lamp. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/uzCm0yzSGf0/wooden-lamps-show-the-light-within

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Ask Engadget: best Android e-mail client?

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Saad, who's got wants some of that Mailbox goodness for himself. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

"I've seen wonderful applications like Mailbox and Sparrow on iOS, which do the job and aren't too shabby in the looks department. Having used Sparrow on the iPad, I've been looking for an alternative that can be used on my Android phone. Any suggestions? Thanks!"

We can tell you're not a fan of the Gmail app, so what about alternatives? Well, perhaps something like Aqua Mail, MailDroid or K-9 Mail could float your ocean-going vessel. If not those, then maybe it's time to ask what the Engadget faithful use on their daily drivers, so have at it, friends.

Filed under: Software

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/30/ae-android-email-app/

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Bank of Cyprus big savers to lose up to 60 percent

Personas hacen fila mientras un guardia de seguridad abre la puerta de una sucursal del banco Laiki en Nicosia, el viernes 29 de marzo de 2013. Los bancos abrieron normalmente por segundo d?a pero contin?an los l?mites a los retiros de dinero ante la crisis financiera. (AP Foto/Petros Giannakouris)

Personas hacen fila mientras un guardia de seguridad abre la puerta de una sucursal del banco Laiki en Nicosia, el viernes 29 de marzo de 2013. Los bancos abrieron normalmente por segundo d?a pero contin?an los l?mites a los retiros de dinero ante la crisis financiera. (AP Foto/Petros Giannakouris)

A hat with money belonging to a musician, is seen on the ground as he plays music at the main shopping street in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Saturday, March 30, 2013. Big depositors at Cyprus' largest bank may be forced to accept losses of up to 60 percent, far more than initially estimated under the European rescue package to save the country from bankruptcy, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

A sign at a branch of bank of Cyprus reading in Greek, "In light of the emergency restrictive measures, you can withdraw up to 300 euro either from the tellers or the ATM", as people are reflected on the glass in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Surtaday, March 30, 2013. Big depositors at Cyprus' largest bank may be forced to accept losses of up to 60 percent, far more than initially estimated under the European rescue package to save the country from bankruptcy, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Seen through a bus stop bench, a woman passes an empty shop with a sign reading in Greek 'for rent' in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on Saturday, March 30, 2013. Big depositors at Cyprus' largest bank may be forced to accept losses of up to 60 percent, far more than initially estimated under the European rescue package to save the country from bankruptcy, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Big depositors at Cyprus' largest bank may be forced to accept losses of up to 60 percent, far more than initially estimated under the European rescue package to save the country from bankruptcy, officials said Saturday.

Deposits of more than 100,000 euros ($128,000) at the Bank of Cyprus will lose 37.5 percent in money that will be converted into bank shares, according to a central bank statement. In a second raid on these accounts, depositors also could lose up to 22.5 percent more, depending on what experts determine is needed to prop up the bank's reserves. The experts will have 90 days to figure that out.

The remaining 40 percent of big deposits at the Bank of Cyprus will be "temporarily frozen for liquidity reasons," but continue to accrue existing levels of interest plus another 10 percent, the central bank said.

The savings converted to bank shares would theoretically allow depositors to eventually recover their losses. But the shares now hold little value and it's uncertain when ? if ever ? the shares will regain a value equal to the depositors' losses.

Emergency laws passed last week empower Cypriot authorities to take these actions.

Analysts said Saturday that imposing bigger losses on Bank of Cyprus customers could further squeeze already crippled businesses as Cyprus tries to rebuild its banking sector in exchange for the international rescue package.

Sofronis Clerides, an economics professor at the University of Cyprus, said: "Most of the damage will be done to businesses which had their money in the bank" to pay suppliers and employees. "There's quite a difference between a 30 percent loss and a 60 percent loss." With businesses shrinking, Cyprus could be dragged down into an even deeper recession, he said.

Clerides accused some of the 17 European countries that use the euro of wanting to see the end of Cyprus as an international financial services center and to send the message that European taxpayers will no longer shoulder the burden of bailing out problem banks.

But German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble challenged that notion, insisting in an interview with the Bild daily published Saturday that "Cyprus is and remains a special, isolated case" and doesn't point the way for future European rescue programs.

Europe has demanded that big depositors in Cyprus' two largest banks ? Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank ? accept across-the-board losses in order to pay for the nation's 16 billion euro ($20.5 billion) bailout. All deposits of up to 100,000 are safe, meaning that a saver with 500,000 euros in the bank will only suffer losses on the remaining 400,000 euros.

Cypriot officials had previously said that large savers at Laiki ? which will be absorbed in to the Bank of Cyprus ? could lose as much as 80 percent. But they had said large accounts at the Bank of Cyprus would lose only 30 to 40 percent.

Asked about Saturday's announcement, University of Cyprus political scientist Antonis Ellinas predicted that unemployment, currently at 15 percent, will "probably go through the roof" over the next few years.

"It means that (people) ... have to accept a major haircut to their way of life and their standard of living. The social impact is yet to be realized, but they will be enormous in terms of social unrest and radical social phenomenon," Ellinas said.

There's also concern that large depositors ? including many wealthy Russians ? will take their money and run once capital restrictions that Cypriot authorities have imposed on bank transactions to prevent such a possibility are lifted in about a month.

Cyprus agreed on Monday to make bank depositors with accounts over 100,000 euros contribute to the financial rescue in order to secure 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion) in loans from the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund. Cyprus needed to scrounge up 5.8 billion euros ($7.4 billion) on its own in order to clinch the larger package, and banks had remained shut for nearly two weeks until politicians hammered out a deal, opening again on Thursday.

But fearing that savers would rush to pull their money out in mass once banks reopened, Cypriot authorities imposed a raft of restrictions, including daily withdrawal limits of 300 euros ($384) for individuals and 5,000 euros for businesses ? the first so-called capital controls that any country has applied in the eurozone's 14-year history.

The rush didn't materialize as Cypriots appeared to take the measures in stride, lining up patiently to do their business and defying dire predictions of scenes of pandemonium.

Under the terms of the bailout deal, the country' second largest bank, Laiki ? which sustained the most damaged from bad Greek debt and loans ? is to be split up, with its nonperforming loans and toxic assets going into a "bad bank." The healthy side will be absorbed into the Bank of Cyprus.

On Saturday, economist Stelios Platis called the rescue plan "completely mistaken" and criticized Cyprus' euro partners for insisting on foisting Laiki's troubles on the Bank of Cyprus.

____

AP business correspondent Geir Moulson in Berlin and APTN reporter Adam Pemble in Nicosia contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-30-Cyprus-Financial%20Crisis/id-95c83c8ffd1d4f42b04a462f5d1d2fa8

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What we learned at GDC 2013: Consoles and PCs merge, but ...

Freemium games are sprouting like weeds. That?s what it looked like as I wandered the show floor at GDC 2013. An indicator that the freemium model (where you get a game for free but end up paying for small upgrades within the game) has become mainstream, it?s also a sign of the importance of mobile and social gaming. Many, many mobile games are free, but they generate revenue with ads or by selling in-app virtual goods.

That?s not to say that traditional AAA console and PC titles are dead. Battlefield 4?s shiny new trailer received a lot of oohs and aahs at the show. Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age 3 are ratcheting up the visual quality for the new console generation, as well. The era of big budget, loud, and glossy games isn?t ending soon, but those types of games are becoming less relevant as gaming moves forward.

The shift to mobile platforms has progressed over the last decade, but this year?s GDC signifies a sea change. The industry is trying to adapt. The number of companies selling online billing services to handle microtransactions is just one metric. The big technology companies are aware, too, and are taking their own steps to address this new market. It?s a measure of the uncertainty and fragmentation of this new market that each of the players seem to be taking in slightly different directions.

Hardware makers get mobile and look to the cloud

Intel?s AOIT extension to DirectX 11.1 makes transparency easier for game programmers.

Intel is working to make its next-generation integrated graphics built into their upcoming Haswell laptop CPUs work more effectively with current generation games. The company is even creating extensions to DirectX to make the platform behave in a more console-like manner.

AMD, howevver, is supporting cloud gaming in a big way with its release of the Radeon Sky server-based GPUs. However, the company is hedging its bets. With AMD?s design win with the PlayStation 4 and a rumored win with the next-gen Xbox, the company is betting a lot of revenue on the success of the new consoles ? the poor sales of the Wii U, which uses AMD?s Radeon graphics, must be worrying. It?s recent release of the budget priced Radeon HD 7790 should help it maintain interest.

Nvidia is also betting on cloud gaming with its GeForce Grid server line, but is still maintaining its release schedule, shipping an updated, better performing budget card with its GTX 650 Boost Edition. Meanwhile, Nvidia is still showing off its Project Shield handheld console, which is meant to attract a gamer who wants it all, but is also on the move, but neither pricing or ship dates have been announced.

Microsoft?s is trying to keep its feet squarely in all trends at once. However, that sometimes comes across as having a lack of focus. Windows 8 has been a less than stellar success for desktop PCs, but, as the new interface takes hold,?touch-enabled laptops and tablets may see interesting new games. The Windows side of the company is aggressively pushing tablet gaming with Windows 8.

Meanwhile, initiatives like Xbox SmartGlass means that the console side of Microsoft is at least dimly aware of the importance of tablets, but only as subsidiary devices ? god forbid you might actually want to play a game on a tablet.

Big studios try to adapt

Bioware?s use of weekend operations kept multiplayer users actively interested.

The big gaming studios are certainly aware of the shifting sands, but with so much capital invested in old-school gaming, they?re still trying to figure out how to make money in the new world of always connected, mobile gamers. Bioware?s attempt at turning Mass Effect 3 into a service, rather than a packaged good, was one of the more interesting, if somewhat flawed, experiments. The new, service-oriented approach kept Mass Effect 3 alive in player?s minds for a year after the launch, but mixed messages and incomplete communication confused both the gaming press and gamers.

The real action is in free-to-play games, but the incremental nature of freemium revenues has been a mixed success for the big players. Star Wars: The Old Republic has seen mixed success as it moves to a free-to-play model, but more nimble companies in the market, like Wargaming.net, have reaped substantial rewards. Free-to-play has become the top business model for mobile gaming. On the MMO side, it?s looking like the subscription model is increasingly moribund, as high profile titles like The Secret World?have moved rapidly to free-to-play after initial attempts at more traditional subscriptions failed to garner enough users to keep the game profitable.

What?s going on?

What does this all mean in the long-term? The rich array of different gaming platforms will attract more users to gaming than ever before, but it also means that major publishers are more risk averse. Addicted to current revenue streams from big budget games, their experiments with mobile gaming and user engagement after games ship has been slow to come. However, mobile hardware and software is also exploding with products ranging from tablet-like phones to extremely Ultrabook PCs stealing sales away from traditional consoles and desktop PCs. The big players will have to evolve to serve this new generation of users, or risk ending up on the scrap heap of technology history.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/gdc-tech-consoles-and-pcs-merge-but-mobile-is-king/

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AP PHOTOS: Easter celebrations around the world

Pope Francis blesses a man as he leads the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis is celebrating a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis blesses a man as he leads the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis is celebrating a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis leaves after celebrating the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis celebrated a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope Francis leaves after celebrating the Easter vigil service in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, March 30, 2013. Pope Francis celebrated a trimmed back Easter Vigil service after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he has begun to put his mark on the Catholic Church. Francis processed into a darkened and silent St. Peter's Basilica at the start of the Saturday service, which recalls the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Cardinal Audrys Juozas Backis bless during the Easter vigil mass at the Cathedral-Basilica in Vilnius, Lithuania, Saturday, March 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)

Penitents of the "Las Siete Palabras" brotherhood take part in the procession of "La Soledad" during Holy Week in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, March 30, 2013. Hundreds of processions take place throughout Spain during the Easter Holy Week. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

In his Easter Vigil homily at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis kept his message simple and tied to the liturgical readings. "Let the risen Jesus enter your life, welcome him as a friend, with trust: he is life!" Just a few hours after the vigil ends, Francis on Sunday will celebrate his first Easter Mass as pontiff and deliver his "Urbi et Orbi" speech, Latin for "To the city and the world."

Here are scenes from Easter celebrations at the Vatican and across the world.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-30-Easter-Photo%20Gallery/id-2d3375cbac494a648de023f530e565c5

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North Korea says enters "state of war" against South

By Jack Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea, its latest bout of angry rhetoric directed at Seoul and Washington, but the South brushed off the statement as little more than tough talk.

The North also threatened to shut down an industrial zone it operates jointly with the South near the heavily armed border between the two sides if Seoul continued to say the complex was being kept running for money.

The two Koreas have been technically in a state of war for six decades under a truce that ended their 1950-53 conflict. Despite its threats, few people see any indication Pyongyang will risk a near-certain defeat by re-starting full-scale war.

"From this time on, the North-South relations will be entering the state of war and all issues raised between the North and the South will be handled accordingly," a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency said.

KCNA said the statement was issued jointly by the North's government, ruling party and other organizations.

There was no sign of unusual activity in the North's military to suggest an imminent aggression, a South Korean defense ministry official said.

The North has been threatening to attack the South and U.S. military bases almost on a daily basis since the beginning of March, when U.S. and South Korean militaries started routine drills that have been conducted for decades without incident.

Many in the South have regarded the North's willingness to keep open the Kaesong industrial zone, located just a few miles (km) north of the border, as a sign that Pyongyang will not risk losing a lucrative source of foreign currency by mounting a real act of aggression.

The Kaesong zone is a vital source of hard currency for the impoverished state and hundreds of South Korean workers and vehicles enter daily after crossing the armed border.

"If the puppet traitor group continues to mention the Kaesong industrial zone is being kept operating and damages our dignity, it will be mercilessly shut off and shut down," KCNA quoted an agency that operates Kaesong as saying in a statement.

The threat to shut it down could sharply escalate tensions because it would suspend a symbolic joint project run by the rivals. It could also trap hundreds of South Korean workers and managers of the 123 firms that have factories there.

The North has previously suspended operations at the factory zone at the height of political tensions with the South, only to let it resume operations later.

The project has been kept running despite the North's move on Wednesday to cut off a military hotline used to process the hundreds of workers and vehicles that cross the Demilitarized Zone border.

"We have been exercising extreme restraint considering the plight of medium and small companies whose livelihood depends on the Kaesong industrial project as an immediate shutdown will drive them to bankruptcy and people jobless," KCNA quoted the agency as saying.

The South's Unification Ministry, which handles political ties with the North, said earlier in the day that the Kaesong industrial park was operating as normal with workers and vehicles crossing the border both says.

"North Korea's statement today (on entering a state of war) ... is not a new threat but is the continuation of provocative threats," a ministry statement said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Friday signed off on an order putting its missile units on standby to attack U.S. military bases in the South and the Pacific, after the United States flew two nuclear-capable stealth bombers over the Korean peninsula in a rare show of force.

U.S. officials said the B-2 bombers were on a diplomatic sortie aimed at reassuring allies South Korea and Japan and were also aimed at trying to nudge Pyongyang back to dialogue, although there was no guarantee Kim would get the message as intended.

The South Korean government brushed off the North's latest statement on entering a state of war, saying there was nothing fresh in it to cause greater alarm. South Koreans went about with daily lives as they have done through March under the North's constant threat of attack.

(Additional reporting by Sung-won Shim and Jane Chung; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-says-enter-state-war-against-south-001304441.html

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The After Math: a million Z10s, the UnCarrier's new plan and a 16-button controller

Welcome to The After Math, where we attempt to summarize this week's tech news through numbers, decimal places and percentages

This week, there's been a mixed bag of interesting news numbers, from T-Mobile's New York event and the company's new perspective on the phone network business, to San Francisco (again) for the Games Developers Conference. We also got to take a look at BlackBerry's first financial results since the name change and its BB10 launch.

Filed under: Cellphones, Gaming, Sony, Blackberry, T-Mobile

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/the-after-math-blackberry-financials-ps4-ouya/

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KAIST develops a low-power 60 GHz radio frequency chip for mobile devices

Public release date: 29-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lan Yoon
hlyoon@kaist.ac.kr
82-423-502-295
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Daejeon, Republic of Korea, March 29, 2013 -- As the capacity of handheld devices increases to accommodate a greater number of functions, these devices have more memory, larger display screens, and the ability to play higher definition video files. If the users of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablet PCs, and notebooks, want to share or transfer data on one device with that of another device, a great deal of time and effort are needed.

As a possible method for the speedy transmission of large data, researchers are studying the adoption of gigabits per second (Gbps) wireless communications operating over the 60 gigahertz (GHz) frequency band. Some commercial approaches have been introduced for full-HD video streaming from a fixed source to a display by using the 60 GHz band. But mobile applications have not been developed yet because the 60 GHz radio frequency (RF) circuit consumes hundreds of milliwatts (mW) of DC power.

Professor Chul Soon Park from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and his research team recently developed a low-power version of the 60 GHz radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC). Inside the circuit are an energy-efficient modulator performing amplification as well as modulation and a sensitivity-improved receiver employing a gain boosting demodulator.

The research team said that their RFIC draws as little as 67 mW of power in the 60 GHz frequency band, consuming 31mW to send and 36mW to receive large volumes of data. RFIC is also small enough to be mounted on smartphones or notebooks, requiring only one chip (its width, length, and height are about 1 mm) and one antenna (4x5x1 mm3) for sending and receiving data with an integrated switch.

Professor Park, Director of the Intelligent Radio Engineering Center at KAIST, gave an upbeat assessment of the potential of RFIC for future applications:

"What we have developed is a low-power 60-GHz RF chip with a transmission speed of 10.7 gigabits per second. In tests, we were able to stream uncompressed full-HD videos from a smartphone or notebook to a display without a cable connection (Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PVSLBhMymc). Our chip can be installed on mobile devices or even on cameras so that the devices are virtually connected to other devices and able to exchange large data with each other."

###

For further inquires:

Professor Chul Soon Park (Electrical Engineering Department)
Email: c-spark@kaist.ac.kr
Tel: 82-42-350-3455
http://irec.kaist.ac.kr/

---

[ | E-mail | 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.

Public release date: 29-Mar-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lan Yoon
hlyoon@kaist.ac.kr
82-423-502-295
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

Daejeon, Republic of Korea, March 29, 2013 -- As the capacity of handheld devices increases to accommodate a greater number of functions, these devices have more memory, larger display screens, and the ability to play higher definition video files. If the users of mobile devices, including smartphones, tablet PCs, and notebooks, want to share or transfer data on one device with that of another device, a great deal of time and effort are needed.

As a possible method for the speedy transmission of large data, researchers are studying the adoption of gigabits per second (Gbps) wireless communications operating over the 60 gigahertz (GHz) frequency band. Some commercial approaches have been introduced for full-HD video streaming from a fixed source to a display by using the 60 GHz band. But mobile applications have not been developed yet because the 60 GHz radio frequency (RF) circuit consumes hundreds of milliwatts (mW) of DC power.

Professor Chul Soon Park from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and his research team recently developed a low-power version of the 60 GHz radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC). Inside the circuit are an energy-efficient modulator performing amplification as well as modulation and a sensitivity-improved receiver employing a gain boosting demodulator.

The research team said that their RFIC draws as little as 67 mW of power in the 60 GHz frequency band, consuming 31mW to send and 36mW to receive large volumes of data. RFIC is also small enough to be mounted on smartphones or notebooks, requiring only one chip (its width, length, and height are about 1 mm) and one antenna (4x5x1 mm3) for sending and receiving data with an integrated switch.

Professor Park, Director of the Intelligent Radio Engineering Center at KAIST, gave an upbeat assessment of the potential of RFIC for future applications:

"What we have developed is a low-power 60-GHz RF chip with a transmission speed of 10.7 gigabits per second. In tests, we were able to stream uncompressed full-HD videos from a smartphone or notebook to a display without a cable connection (Youtube Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PVSLBhMymc). Our chip can be installed on mobile devices or even on cameras so that the devices are virtually connected to other devices and able to exchange large data with each other."

###

For further inquires:

Professor Chul Soon Park (Electrical Engineering Department)
Email: c-spark@kaist.ac.kr
Tel: 82-42-350-3455
http://irec.kaist.ac.kr/

---

[ | E-mail | 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/2013-03/tkai-kda032913.php

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'Harry Potter' actor Richard Griffiths dies at 65

LONDON (AP) ? Richard Griffiths was one of the great British stage actors of his generation, a heavy man with a light touch, whether in Shakespeare or Neil Simon. But for millions of movie fans, he will always be grumpy Uncle Vernon, the least magical of characters in the fantastical "Harry Potter" movies.

Griffiths died Thursday at University Hospital in Coventry, central England from complications following heart surgery, his agent, Simon Beresford, said. He was 65.

"Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe paid tribute to the actor Friday, saying that "any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence."

"I am proud to say I knew him," Radcliffe said.

Griffiths won a Tony Award for "The History Boys" and appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows. But he will be most widely remembered as a pair of contrasting uncles ? Harry Potter's Uncle Vernon Dursley and Uncle Monty in cult film "Withnail and I."

Griffiths was among a huge roster of British acting talent to appear in the "Harry Potter" series of films released between 2001 and 2011.

His role, as the grudging, magic-fearing guardian of orphaned wizard Harry, was small but pivotal. Griffiths once said he liked playing Uncle Vernon "because that gives me a license to be horrible to kids."

But Radcliffe recalled Griffiths' kindness to the young star.

"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career," said Radcliffe, who in 2007 starred with Griffiths in a London and Broadway production of "Equus."

"In August 2000, before official production had even begun on 'Potter,' we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys', which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease.

"Seven years later, we embarked on 'Equus' together. It was my first time doing a play but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage and humor made it a joy."

Earlier, Griffiths was the louche, lecherous Uncle Monty to Richard E. Grant's character Withnail in "Withnail and I," a low-budget British comedy about two out-of-work actors that has become a cult classic. Years after its 1987 release, Griffiths said people would regularly shout Monty's most famous lines at him in the street.

"My beloved 'Uncle Monty' Richard Griffiths died last night," Grant tweeted Friday. "Chin-Chin my dear friend."

A huge stage presence ? through charisma as well as obesity ? Griffiths created roles including the charismatic teacher Hector at the emotional heart of Alan Bennett's school drama "The History Boys." He won an Olivier Award for the part in London and a Tony for the Broadway run, and repeated his performance in the 2006 film adaptation.

National Theatre artistic director Nicholas Hytner, who directed "The History Boys," called Griffiths' performance in that play "a masterpiece of wit, delicacy, mischief and desolation, often simultaneously."

Griffiths also played poet W.H. Auden in Bennett's "The Habit of Art," a hugely persuasive performance despite the lack of physical resemblance between the two men.

Griffiths was born in northeast England's Thormaby-on-Tees in 1947 to parents who were deaf and mute ? an experience he and his directors felt contributed to his exceptional ability to listen and to communicate physically.

"The first language he learned was sign. And therefore his ability to listen to people with his eyes as well as his ears is incredible," Thea Sharrock, who directed "Equus," told The Associated Press in 2008.

Griffiths left school at 15 but later studied drama and spent a decade with the Royal Shakespeare Company, making a specialty of comic parts such as the buffoonish knight Falstaff.

On television, he played a crime-solving chef in 1990s' British TV series "Pie in the Sky," and he had parts in movies ranging from historical dramas "Chariots of Fire" and "Gandhi" to slapstick farce "The Naked Gun 2 ?."

Known for his sense of humor, large store of rambling theatrical anecdotes and occasional bursts of temper, Griffiths was renowned for shaming audience members whose cell phones rang during plays by stopping the performance and ordering the offender to leave.

Griffiths' last major stage role was in a West End production of Neil Simon's comedy "The Sunshine Boys" last year opposite Danny DeVito. The pair had been due to reprise their roles in Los Angeles later this year.

Griffiths is survived by his wife, Heather Gibson.

___

Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/harry-potter-actor-richard-griffiths-dies-65-102210345.html

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AP source: Wainwright, Cards strike $97.5M deal

Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals have agreed to a new contract that guarantees the Cardinals' ace an additional $97.5 million over five years through 2018.

Wainwright had been eligible to become a free agent after the World Series.

The new agreement, first reported by foxsports.com, was confirmed by a person familiar with the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because it had not yet been announced. The Cardinals scheduled a news conference for Thursday at their spring training camp in Jupiter, Fla.

A 31-year-old right-hander, Wainwright was 14-13 with a 3.94 ERA last year after missing the Cardinals' World Series championship season in 2011 because of elbow surgery.

Wainwright was 20-11 with a 2.42 ERA in 2010 and was an NL All-Star.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-wainwright-cards-strike-97-5m-deal-001359740--mlb.html

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China jails 20 on jihad, separatism charges in restive Xinjiang

Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-jails-20-jihad-separatism-charges-restive-xinjiang-103943828.html

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Scientists find cancer-causing DNA mutations | The Raw Story

By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 14:50 EDT

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The biggest-ever trawl of the human genome for cancer-causing DNA errors has netted more than 80 tiny mutations, a finding that could help people at high risk, researchers said Wednesday.

The results, which double the number of known genetic alterations linked to breast, ovarian and prostate cancer, were unveiled in a dozen scientific papers published in journals in Europe and the United States.

The three hormone-related cancers are diagnosed in over 2.5 million people every year and kill one in three patients, said a Nature press statement.

Teams from more than 100 research institutes in Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States said the work should in the future help doctors to calculate an individual?s cancer risk long before any symptoms emerge.

People with high-susceptibility mutations could be counselled against lifestyle choices that further increase their risk, given regular screening and drug treatment, or even preventative surgery.

?We have examined 200,000 areas of the genome in 250,000 individuals. There is no (other) study of cancer of this size,? Per Hall, coordinator of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS), told AFP of the research.

The studies compared the DNA of more than 100,000 patients with breast, ovarian and prostate cancer to that of an equal number of healthy individuals. Most were of European ancestry.

DNA, the blueprint for life, comprises four basic chemicals called A (adenine) C (cytosine), T (thymine) and G (guanine) strung together in different combinations along a double helix.

Researchers noted where the A, C, T, G combinations of cancer patients differed significantly from those of healthy people.

They were looking for a tiny ?spelling mistake? in the code, called a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP that can cause problems in gene function.

For breast cancer, the researchers found 49 SNPs, ?which is more than double the number previously found?, said Sweden?s Karolinska Institutet, which took part in the giant study.

?In the case of prostate cancer, researchers have discovered another 26 deviations, which means that a total number of 78 SNPs may be linked to the disease.?

For ovarian cancer, eight new SNPs were found.

Everyone has inherited alterations in their DNA, but whether these mutations are dangerous or not is determined by where on the code they lie.

And carrying a mutation does not necessarily mean a person will develop cancer, a disease that may have multiple causes.

The researchers said further study is needed to allow scientists to translate these DNA telltales into tests for predicting cancer risk. A more distant goal is using the knowledge for better treatments.

?Since there are many other factors that influence the risk of these cancers (mainly lifestyle factors), future tests have to take more risk factors than just genes into consideration,? said Hall.

?It will take a couple of years before we have the necessary models enabling us, with high accuracy, to predict the individual risk of these cancers.?

The findings were published in Nature Genetics and Nature Communications, PLOS Genetics, the American Journal of Human Genetics and Human Molecular Genetics.

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Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/27/scientists-find-cancer-causing-dna-mutations/

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Dems criticize GOP support of fed marriage act

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The cost to taxpayers for a House Republican decision to fund the legal team supporting the Defense of Marriage Act has climbed from $500,000 to as much as $3 million, Democrats say in questioning the GOP stance on the gay marriage issue now before the Supreme Court.

"It's really disappointing and unworthy of a subject that is going before the Supreme Court of our country," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday, referring to Republicans spending that money without input from House Democrats. Pelosi made the comments after emerging from the court hearing on whether to strike down parts of the 1996 law that denies married gay couples the federal benefits available to other couples.

She said Democrats had no input in several modifications to the legal contract that has increased the ceiling for spending on the legal defense of DOMA from the initial $500,000 to $3 million.

Shortly after the administration of President Barack Obama in early 2011 declared that DOMA was not constitutional, House Republicans convened a meeting of the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group and, according to Pelosi, used their 3-2 majority to authorize funds to defend the law. Pelosi said the advisory group held no more meetings on the issue and that Republicans acted on their own to increase the funding ceiling as the case dragged on. Paul Clement, one of Washington's most prominent attorney's was hired to argue the case for DOMA supporters.

"Again, $3 million speaks very loudly, especially $3 million that has gone forth without benefit of a vote in the so-called Bipartisan (Legal) Advisory Group," Pelosi said.

House Speaker John Boehner, at a news conference last week, defended the GOP role in the lawsuit, saying that Congress passed the law in 1996, President Bill Clinton signed it, "and in our system of government, the administration doesn't get to decide what's constitutional. The Supreme Court does. And our financing the lawsuit was to make sure that the proper forum was used to make sure that we know what's constitutional and what isn't."

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., at a recent Appropriations subcommittee hearing on congressional budgets, also questioned why the House was spending up to $3 million to defend DOMA when the personal staff budgets of House lawmakers were being cut 8.2 percent because of automatic budget cuts.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dems-criticize-gop-support-fed-192017299.html

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Professional Business Marketing ? BUSINESS WIRE: Biogen Idec's ...

MITTEILUNG UEBERMITTELT VON BUSINESS WIRE. FUER DEN INHALT IST ALLEIN DAS BERICHTENDE UNTERNEHMEN VERANTWORTLICH.

- Offers a Broad Spectrum of Patients with Relapsing Forms of MS an Effective and Convenient Treatment Option -

- Reduces Relapses and Disability Progression -

- Strengthens Biogen Idec?s Portfolio of Innovative Treatments for People Living with MS -

WESTON, Mass. ?(BUSINESS WIRE)? 27.03.2013 ?

Today Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TECFIDERATM (dimethyl fumarate), a new first-line oral treatment for people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Biogen Idec will make this oral capsule available to people living with MS in the United States in the coming days.

TECFIDERA has been clinically proven to significantly reduce important measures of disease activity, including relapses and development of brain lesions, as well as to slow disability progression over time, while demonstrating a favorable safety and tolerability profile.

?With the FDA approval of TECFIDERA, we will offer the MS community a treatment with strong efficacy and a favorable safety profile in the convenience of a pill ? a combination we believe will have a significant positive impact on the way people live with this chronic disease,? said George A. Scangos, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Biogen Idec. ?Biogen Idec is committed to delivering innovative treatments and setting new standards for the next generation of medicines. We believe TECFIDERA will raise expectations for what people living with MS can achieve with their therapy.?

The FDA approval of TECFIDERA is based on data from a robust clinical development program that included DEFINE and CONFIRM, two global Phase 3 studies that enrolled more than 2,600 patients. In the ongoing extension study, ENDORSE, some patients receiving TECFIDERA have been followed for more than four years.

In DEFINE, TECFIDERA, administered twice daily, significantly reduced the proportion of patients who relapsed by 49 percent (p0.0001), the annualized relapse rate (ARR) by 53 percent (p0.0001), and 12-week confirmed disability progression, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), by 38 percent (p=0.0050) compared to placebo at two years. In CONFIRM, twice-daily TECFIDERA significantly reduced ARR by 44 percent (p0.0001) and the proportion of patients who relapsed by 34 percent (p=0.0020) compared to placebo at two years. While not statistically significant, TECFIDERA showed a 21 percent reduction in 12-week confirmed disability progression in CONFIRM. Both studies also showed that TECFIDERA significantly reduced lesions in the brain compared to placebo, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

?In clinical trials, patients treated with dimethyl fumarate had less disease activity when compared to patients on placebo ? whether they were in the early stages of MS or had more established disease,? said Robert Fox, M.D., medical director of the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic, lead investigator of the CONFIRM study, and a paid advisor for Biogen Idec for projects not related to TECFIDERA clinical development. ?With?the efficacy, safety and tolerability measures seen in CONFIRM,?this drug provides physicians with an?important additional?treatment?option?for their patients across the MS spectrum.?

The most common side effects associated with TECFIDERA are flushing and gastrointestinal (GI) events (i.e., diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain). In clinical studies, flushing symptoms usually began soon after initiating treatment, were mostly mild to moderate, and usually improved or resolved over time. The incidence of GI events was higher early in the course of treatment (primarily in the first month) and decreased over time. Overall, clinical trial discontinuations due to flushing and GI events were low.

TECFIDERA may decrease lymphocyte counts in some patients. In clinical studies, mean lymphocyte counts decreased during the first year of treatment and then remained stable. The incidence of infections and serious infections was similar in TECFIDERA-treated patients and those on placebo. There were no opportunistic infections in TECFIDERA-treated patients. In patients with low lymphocyte counts, there was no increased incidence in serious infections. Patients taking TECFIDERA should have a complete blood count (CBC) before starting treatment to measure lymphocyte counts. A follow up CBC is recommended annually and at the discretion of the treating physician.

?We are pleased to see a new, needed treatment option available to people living with MS,? said Dr. Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer at the National MS Society. ?With the collaborative focus on MS research around the world, it is an exceptionally encouraging time for those who have been diagnosed with relapsing forms of MS.?

TECFIDERA marks the fourth therapy Biogen Idec offers worldwide to people living with MS.

Additional TECFIDERA Updates

• On March 22, 2013 the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in the European Union (EU) issued a positive opinion recommending a marketing authorization be granted for TECFIDERA as a first-line oral treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The CHMP?s recommendation has now been referred to the European Commission (EC), which grants marketing authorization for medicines in the European Union.
• On March 19, 2013, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent covering the dosing regimen of daily administration of 480 mg of TECFIDERA. This patent will expire in 2028.
• The European Patent Office recently determined that Biogen Idec?s application for a patent covering the dosing regimen of daily administration of 480 mg of TECFIDERA is allowable. Once granted, the EU patent would also expire in 2028.

TECFIDERA is also currently under review by regulatory authorities in Australia, Canada and Switzerland.

For more information on TECFIDERA, prescribing information and financial assistance programs go to TECFIDERA.com or biogenidec.com.

For members of the media interested in more information and additional resources, please visit biogenidec.com/us_media_corner.

About TECFIDERATM

TECFIDERA delayed-release capsules are indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of MS. TECFIDERA has been proven to reduce MS relapses, progression of disability and MS brain lesions. The efficacy and safety of TECFIDERA has been studied in a large, global clinical program with more than 3,600 MS patients, which includes an ongoing long-term extension study. It is believed that TECFIDERA provides a new approach to treating MS by activating the Nrf2 pathway, although its exact mechanism of action is unknown. This pathway provides a way for cells in the body to defend themselves against inflammation and oxidative stress caused by conditions like MS.

The starting dose for TECFIDERA is 120?mg twice a day orally. After seven days, the recommended dose increases to 240?mg twice a day orally.

The most common adverse reactions for TECFIDERA were flushing, mostly mild to moderate in nature, and GI events (i.e., diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain). These events are most common at the start of therapy and usually decrease over time.

TECFIDERA may decrease lymphocyte counts. Before starting treatment with TECFIDERA, a recent CBC (i.e., within six months) should be available. A CBC is recommended annually and as clinically indicated. TECFIDERA has not been studied in patients with pre-existing low lymphocyte counts and caution should be exercised when treating these patients.

TECFIDERA has a Pregnancy Category C. Before starting treatment with TECFIDERA, women should talk to their doctor if they are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

For complete TECFIDERA prescribing information, please visit TECFIDERA.com.

Biogen Idec Patient Support

As part of its ongoing commitment to the MS community, Biogen Idec provides a variety of support services for patients and caregivers through MS ActiveSource^?. These world-class services are thoughtfully crafted around the informational, emotional, financial and logistical needs that come with living with MS.

MS ActiveSource?is available via phone (Monday ? Friday 8:30 a.m. ? 8 p.m. ET) at 1-800-456-2255 or via web at MSActiveSource.com.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild or severe, ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The progression, severity and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. MS affects more than 2.1 million people worldwide.¹ Best current estimates indicate that there are at least 400,000 people with MS in the United States.² RRMS is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 85 percent of cases, and is characterized by clearly defined acute attacks with full recovery or with residual deficit upon recovery.³

About?Biogen Idec

Through cutting-edge science and medicine,?Biogen Idec?discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hemophilia and autoimmune disorders. Founded in 1978,?Biogen Idec?is the world?s oldest independent biotechnology company. Patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis therapies, and the company generates more than?$5 billion?in annual revenues. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit biogenidec.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the development, commercialization and therapeutic impact of TECFIDERA. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as ?anticipate,? ?believe,? ?could,? ?estimate,? ?expect,? ?forecast,? ?intend,? ?may,? ?plan,? ?potential,? ?project,? ?target,? ?will? and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including uncertainty of success in commercialization of TECFIDERA, which may be impacted by, among other things, the medical community?s acceptance of TECFIDERA, the effectiveness of our sales force and marketing efforts, product competition in the MS market, including the possibility of future competition from generic versions of TECFIDERA, problems with our manufacturing processes and our reliance on third parties to manufacture and supply TECFIDERA, the occurrence of adverse safety events, changes in the availability of reimbursement for our products, adverse market and economic conditions, failure to comply with government regulation, our ability to obtain regulatory approvals in jurisdictions outside of the U.S., our ability to protect our intellectual property rights and have sufficient rights to market our products together with the cost of doing so, product liability claims and the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

¹ National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). FAQs about MS. Date accessed: March 27, 2013. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/faqs-about-ms/index.aspx

² National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). MS Prevalence. Date accessed: March 27, 2013. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-the-society/ms-prevalence/index.aspx

³ National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). For People with Relapsing MS. Date accessed: March 27, 2013. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/relapsing-ms/index.aspx

MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Kate Niazi-Sai, +1 781-464-3260
public.affairs@biogenidec.com
or
MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Monique da Silva, +1 781-464-3260
public.affairs@biogenidec.com
or
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Kia Khaleghpour, +1 781-464-2442
IR@biogenidec.com

Source: http://lowbrowse.org/business-wire-biogen-idecs-tecfidera-dimethyl-fumarate-approved-in-us-as-a-first-line-oral-treatment-for-multiple.html

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