US default could be disastrous choice for economy

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States has never defaulted on its debt and Democrats and Republicans say they don't want it to happen now. But with partisan acrimony running at fever pitch, and Democrats and Republicans so far apart on how to tame the deficit, the unthinkable is suddenly being pondered.

The government now borrows about 42 cents of every dollar it spends. Imagine that one day soon, the borrowing slams up against the current debt limit ceiling of $14.3 trillion and Congress fails to raise it. The damage would ripple across the entire economy, eventually affecting nearly every American, and rocking global markets in the process.

Kenya, Uganda protest as maize prices skyrocket

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Stephen Omandi scratched out the number "55" on the sign advertising buckets of maize and wrote in the new price: 60 Kenya shillings.

The price hike amounted to only $0.06. But for the residents of Nairobi's largest slum, where most people live on $1 a day, that 10 percent increase is enough to make the essential food stuff unaffordable.

"We haven't gotten many customers because they complain, 'Why have you increased the price?'" said Omandi. "Five shillings. It's a lot of money, because many people could not afford it at 55, and now it's 60."

Suspect to plead not guilty in webcam death

TORONTO (AP) -- The man accused of killing a Chinese student, attacked in her apartment as her boyfriend watched helplessly through a webcam, will "absolutely" plead not guilty, his lawyer said Friday.

"We want to put together a strong defense and I anticipate that on behalf of my client," Steven Krys, who is representing 29-year-old Brian Dickson, told The Associated Press.

The body of York University student Liu Qian, 23, of Beijing, was found last Friday in her Toronto apartment a few hours after her boyfriend witnessed what appeared to be the beginning of the attack before the webcam was shut off.

Automakers unveil new models at Shanghai auto show

HONG KONG (AP) -- Global automakers are bringing their flashiest SUVs, luxury sedans and electric concept cars to Auto Shanghai, China's biggest auto show of the year, as the industry reels from disruptions caused by the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan last month.

The show has become one of the industry's most important as automakers look to booming China to drive profits. China overtook the United States in 2009 as the biggest auto market and growth stayed strong through the global crisis.

A Consumer's Guidebook to Health Care Modernise

The six-month capable age 26 on your health plan if he or she can not get coverage done a job. Recently policies can not refuse coverage for children capable age 19 based on pre-existing medical specifies. "Grandfathered" plans can, even so, they as well can fix yearly dollar restrains on coverage and call for patients to serve invite a few preventive avails.

Most people in the individual market are anticipated to move to new plans by 2014. Analysts say most plans in the group market will probably have lost their "grandfathered" status because of changes made to them.

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Libyan Opposition Claims It Rejected Talks with Gadhafi

The Libyan military has stepped up airstrikes on rebel-held Ras Lanouf, as it seeks to stop the westward advance of rebel forces. With the counteroffensive underway, Libya's opposition national council says it is rejecting overtures of talks with the government.

Media reports say the Libyan government denied reaching out to rebels, who want the international community to recognize them as the legitimate leaders of the nation.

The opposition dismisses the idea of talks with the government of Moammar Gadhafi, whose planes continued their attacks Tuesday.

Criticism as Kenya Lobbies UN for ICC Deferral

International criticism of Kenya is mounting as a team of top officials travels to the United Nations to seek a deferral of the International Criminal Court's probe into the 2007 and 2008 post-election violence.

On Monday, the government of Kenya began another diplomatic press aimed at deferring trials at the ICC stemming from the violence. Six Kenyans including two prominent politicians stand accused by Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of funding and planning the chaos, which left over 1,300 dead in the wake of disputed presidential elections.

Britney Spears Strips Down For V Magazine

source : Britney Spears Strips Down For V Magazine
Sensual and half-clothed on the cover of V Magazine, Britney Spears declares, "The b***h is back and improve than ever!" The savage pop singer, whose seventh studio album, 'Femme Fatale,' lands March 29, Speaks openly around her album, boys and fame, adding that she has moved past the media scrutiny that plagued parts of her career.

"I effort to block off it all out and not pay attending to anything they write of me in the magazines or net. I'm done with that," Spears told V Magazine. "I have acquired to always abide honest to myself and never allow what other people say about me change who I am. It's a very important lesson that took me a long time to learn."

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Throngs view space shuttle Discovery's last launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Discovery, the world's most traveled spaceship, thundered into orbit for the final time Thursday, heading toward the International Space Station on a journey that marks the beginning of the end of the shuttle era.

The six astronauts on board, all experienced space fliers, were thrilled to be on their way after a delay of nearly four months for fuel tank repairs. But it puts Discovery on the cusp of retirement when it returns in 11 days and eventually heads to a museum.

Discovery is the oldest of NASA's three surviving space shuttles and the first to be decommissioned this year. Two missions remain, first by Atlantis and then Endeavour, to end the 30-year program.

hat Purchaser ought Cognise About Newport Beach Homes?

They are a dream of a lot of Peoples to own up a Newport Beach Home, because we all Cognise Newport Beach is among the world's fullest and gilded urban center to domicile. Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, United States 10 miles (16 km) south of Downtown Santa Ana. Newport Beach is one of the cities with lowest population density as its total population stands out to be 86,252. The city is currently one of the wealthiest communities in the United States and has even been ranked first in some categories. Areas of Newport Beach include Corona del Mar, Balboa Island, Newport Coast, San Joaquin Hills, and Balboa Peninsula.

UN Security Council Links Security to Development

The United Nations Security Council on Friday unanimously issued a statement pointing out a close link between international security and economic development.

The 15-member Security Council heard repeated references to the linkage between poverty and conflict throughout the world. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking to the Council, said evidence abounds that peace, security and development are interdependent.

"Nine of the 10 countries with the lowest Human Development Indicators have experienced conflict in the last 20 years. Countries facing stark inequality and weak institutions are at increased risk of conflict."

Kelsey Grammer Gets His Divorce From Wife Camille

A judge has granted Kelsey Grammer a divorce, clearing the way for the actor to remarry later this month.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maren Nelson agreed Thursday to grant Kelsey and Camille Grammer a divorce and settle financial issues at a later date.

Camille Grammer has estimated in court filings that the former couple's shared property may be worth $20 million.

Kelsey and Camille Grammer were married in 1997 and have two young children together.

Attorneys for the former "Frasier" star and Camille Grammer, who appears on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," told Nelson they will set aside $2.3 million while financial arrangements are handled.

The 55-year-old actor has told David Letterman last month that he plans to marry Kayte Walsh sometime in February.

Associated Press

Educating our Children: Students Switching to Charter Schools

From experimental to mainstream, more and more students are switching from conventional public schools to charters.

Last year, the publicly funded, privately run schools grew almost 10 percent nationwide to more than 1.7 million students, as parents watched many urban schools lose students and money, while labor rules and pension costs prevented reforms.

California leads the nation with almost 1,000 campuses and an estimated 350,000 students.

Niger Presidential Race Heading for Run-Off Vote

Provisional results from Niger's presidential election show there will be a second-round run-off between the main opposition candidate and an ally of the president who was deposed in last February's military coup.

Niger went to the polls Monday to choose a new leader, nearly one year after soldiers ousted president Mamadou Tandja, who had grown increasingly unpopular after changing the constitution to expand his powers and extend his mandate.

According to provisional results announced Friday afternoon, veteran anti-Tandja opposition leader, Mahamadou Issoufou, led the first round with 36 percent of votes, followed by the former prime minister and candidate for the ex-president's party, Seini Oumarou, who won 23 percent of votes.

RNC Chairman: Party Debt Is Worse Than Numbers Sheet Shows

WASHINGTON -- Newly elected Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus took the job with $23 million in debt and cut a third of the staff he inherited from his predecessor, the controversial and gaffe-prone Michael Steele.

In year-end federal finance reports on Monday, the GOP central committee showed that $2 million of its debt came during Steele's final two weeks as he sought to keep hold of his chairmanship. The Democratic National Committee, meanwhile, reported a continued fraction of that debt but had enough cash in the bank to pay off the loans immediately.

Passengers' trauma lingers long after flight

Scott Bruni says he thought he was going to die as he ducked his head, squeezed the seat in front of him and was told to "brace for impact" during an emergency landing in September at New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport.

When the right wing of the Delta Connection jet he was on struck the runway, Bruni says, images of the plane cartwheeling down the runway, fire and explosion flashed through his mind. The jet - bound for New York's Westchester County Airport before it was diverted to JFK with a landing gear problem - safely came to a halt, and the pilot ordered Bruni and other passengers to evacuate.

Lady Gaga: ‘Born This Way’ Coming in February!

Ready for fresh music from Lady Gaga?

The 24-year-old pop star announced on her Twitter page that "Born This Way" will premiere on February 13, with the album of the same name coming out May 23! Lady Gaga Born This way

"I'm beautiful in my method, 'cause God makes no mistakes, I'm on the right track baby, I was Born This Way," Gaga teased. "Don't hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and you're set. I'm on the right track baby, I was Born This Way."

ARE YOU EXCITED to hear Lady Gaga's new tunes?

Maria Menounos: Miami Beach Bikini Babe

Opting to sphere in the new year in sunny Florida, Maria Menounos was dotted magnificent her athletic and excelent beach body in Miami on Friday afternoon (December 31).

Clothed in an oh-so-hot black bikini, the TV personality romped around the sandy seashore while involvement in a match of football with "No Ordinary Family" actor Michael Chiklis.Maria Menounos Bikini Beach

Tweeting about the active outing, Miss Menounos wrote, "Beach football today w/@MichaelChiklis…paparazzi had some fun! Wish the bikini shots are smooth"

Getting more than she hoped for, the brunette beauty ruined up offering up a few bikini malfunction shots before concluding out her beach football festivities and heading back to the hotel to ready for the NYE 2011 party.

Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Reunite for New Duet Track

Miley Cyrus is reportedly attending conjoin Nick Jonas once more for a studio plan (Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Reunite). The "Hannah Montana" actress antecendently got together with him and his Jonas Brothers bandmate in 2009 song "Before the Storm" which comes out among "Lines, Vines and Trying Times" stuffs.

"going back to the studio w/ Miley Cyrus & Nick Jonas on 1/14," tweeted Shakur Green who once worked with Miley in her "The Time of Our Lives [Walmart EP]". He in addition wrote, "Can't release any further fact about the project other then it's going to be one of the top albums of 2011."

"We are entierly recording 7-10 records. She has other producers she doing work with besides myself!" the music producer went on spilling more beans on the joint record. "I will share this info: It's attending be a double disk couple album!"