Tebow leads Broncos to 16-13 OT win over Chargers (AP)

SAN DIEGO ? Tebow Time had just seconds to spare in overtime before the Denver Broncos beat the staggering San Diego Chargers.

Matt Prater kicked a 37-yard field goal with 29 seconds left in overtime to lift Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos to a 16-13 victory Sunday over the Chargers, who've lost six straight games for the first time in 10 years.

The Broncos narrowly avoided the first NFL tie since Cincinnati and Philadelphia ended deadlocked at 13 on Nov. 16, 2008.

Tebow, now 5-1 as the Broncos' starter, led Denver from its 43 after San Diego's Nick Novak was wide right on a 53-yard field goal attempt with 2:31 left in overtime. Novak made a 53-yarder in the first quarter, a career-best, and was wide right on a 48-yard try early in the fourth quarter.

Tebow had a 12-yard gain and Willis McGahee ran 24 yards up the middle to set up Prater's winning kick, which was right down the middle.

Tebow, the talk of the NFL because he runs the read option and often struggles while passing, carried 22 times for 67 yards ? the most carries by a quarterback in a game since at 1950, according to STATS LLC. He also threw for one touchdown and finished with a better rating than Philip Rivers, 95.4 to 77.1. Rivers was pressured all day by Elvis Dumervil, who had two sacks, and rookie Von Miller, who had one.

The Broncos (6-5) won their fourth straight game and remained in second place in the AFC West. The Chargers (4-7) are on their longest streak since ending 2001 with nine straight defeats and are last in the division, three games behind Oakland with five to play.

Tebow's first start was also an overtime win, 18-15 at Miami on Oct. 23.

Tebow got a final chance to try to win it in regulation after the Broncos forced the Chargers to punt. Starting on his own 26, Tebow kept the drive going with a 39-yard completion to Eric Decker ? which the Chargers unsuccessfully challenged ? and a 23-yarder to Dante Rosario. The Broncos had to settle for Prater's 24-yard field goal that tied it at 13 with 1:34 to go.

Referee Jeff Triplette confused the crowd and TV viewers by saying each team would get a possession in OT. He then corrected himself, saying it would be sudden-death.

The Broncos won it on their third possession in OT.

McGahee ran 23 times for 117 yards. A week after having a critical fumble in a loss at Chicago, San Diego's Ryan Mathews ran 22 times for 137 yards.

Rivers was 19 of 36 for 188 yards. Tebow was 9 of 18 for 143 yards.

The Chargers took a 10-0 lead midway through the second quarter when Rivers hit Antonio Gates on a 6-yard scoring pass in the back of the end zone to cap a 15-play, 91-yard drive. On San Diego's first drive, Novak kicked a career-best 53-yard field goal.

The Broncos forced a Chargers punt and started a drive with 1:27 left before halftime at the San Diego 46. Tebow threw a 20-yard pass to Daniel Fells, who fumbled near a swarm of defenders. Somehow, Denver tackle Orlando Franklin recovered at the 24. After a 1-yard gain by Tebow and a penalty against cornerback Quentin Jammer, Decker slipped behind the coverage and Tebow hit him for an 18-yard TD to pull to 10-7.

The Chargers had to settle for Novak's 25-yard field goal early in the third quarter. Denver had a long drive later in the quarter before Prater kicked a 41-yard field goal to pull to 13-10.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111128/ap_on_sp_fo_ga_su/fbn_broncos_chargers

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Mother says 3 arrested US students leaving Egypt

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011 file image from Egyptian state television, three American students are displayed to the camera by Egyptian authorities following their arrest during protests in Cairo, where an Egyptian official said they were throwing firebombs at security forces. A spokeswoman for the American University in Cairo identified the students as Luke Gates, a 21-year-old Indiana University student from Bloomington, Ind.; Derrik Sweeney, a 19-year-old Georgetown University student from Jefferson City, Mo.; and Gregory Porter, a 19 year-old Drexel University student from Glenside, Pa. An official says an Egyptian court has ordered release of 3 US students arrested during Cairo unrest.(AP Photo/ Egyptian TV, File)

FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011 file image from Egyptian state television, three American students are displayed to the camera by Egyptian authorities following their arrest during protests in Cairo, where an Egyptian official said they were throwing firebombs at security forces. A spokeswoman for the American University in Cairo identified the students as Luke Gates, a 21-year-old Indiana University student from Bloomington, Ind.; Derrik Sweeney, a 19-year-old Georgetown University student from Jefferson City, Mo.; and Gregory Porter, a 19 year-old Drexel University student from Glenside, Pa. An official says an Egyptian court has ordered release of 3 US students arrested during Cairo unrest.(AP Photo/ Egyptian TV, File)

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (AP) ? The mother of one of three American students arrested during a protest in Cairo says they're preparing to leave Egypt.

Joy Sweeney tells The Associated Press that her 19-year-old son Derrik and two other students are expected to fly from Cairo to Frankfurt, Germany, late Friday U.S. time.

She says her son will fly from there to Washington on Saturday and then on to St. Louis, where he'll arrive late Saturday night.

Sweeney says she's "ecstatic" and plans to make her son a belated Thanksgiving dinner.

The three college students who attend the American University in Cairo were arrested Sunday on the roof of a university building near Cairo's Tahrir Square. Officials accused them of throwing firebombs at security forces fighting with protesters.

An Egyptian court ordered their release Thursday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-25-Egypt-American%20Students/id-8757936135f5495c9b0210acc2773a0a

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No. 21 Baylor wins 66-42 over Tech after RG3 out (AP)

ARLINGTON, Texas ? Nick Florence threw two long touchdown passes after Robert Griffin was knocked out of the game and No. 21 Baylor extended its winning streak to four games with a 66-42 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday night.

The Bears (8-3, 5-3 Big 12) had to win it without Griffin, whose Heisman Trophy chances were dealt a setback because of an apparent concussion.

Still, Baylor set a school mark for most points in a conference game ? Big 12 or the Southwest Conference for decades before that ? and was already ahead to stay when Griffin scored on a 3-yard keeper just before halftime. That score came after he was on the sideline for one play after taking an elbow to the helmet while sliding at the end of a run.

Terrance Ganaway rushed 42 times for 246 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a school-record 14 for the Bears, who reached eight wins for the first time since 1991.

Texas Tech (5-7, 2-7) finished with its first losing record since 1992. The Red Raiders lost their last five games after a 41-38 upset last month at Oklahoma, which Baylor beat at home last week.

Griffin had scrambled from one side of the field to the other and slid inside the 5 with a first down when defensive back Cornelius Douglas came in hard with an elbow that knocked Griffin's head back to the turf. The quarterback remained flat on his back for a couple of moments before coming out of the game for a play. He then returned for his second touchdown run to make it 31-21.

Florence, the junior who hadn't thrown a pass all season and was possibly going to be redshirted, came in after halftime and completed 9 of 12 passes for 151 yards. He threw a 46-yard TD to Kendall Wright and a 40-yarder to Terrance Williams before Joe Williams returned an interception 90 yards to push Baylor ahead 52-28.

Griffin stood on the sideline holding a towel in his hand but didn't have his helmet when the second half started. Briles said he thought Griffin had a slight concussion but should be ready for the regular season finale next week at home against Texas.

When the game was over, Briles hugged a smiling Griffin and kissed him on the cheek.

The two teams combined for 108 points and 1,061 total yards at Cowboys Stadium, where Baylor outgained the Red Raiders 617 to 444. The Bears had 294 before halftime with Griffin.

Griffin, the national leader in total offense (412 yards per game), completed 7 of 11 passes for 106 yards with a touchdown. He ran 14 times for 62 yards.

Griffin had a school-record 551 total yards against Oklahoma, including the game-winning TD pass with 8 seconds left in a 45-38 victory for the Bears' first win in 21 chances against the Sooners.

Texas Tech had won all previous 15 games against the Bears as Big 12 members.

Seth Doege completed 41 of 55 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Eric Ward set a Tech single-game record with 16 catches for 151 yards.

Baylor scored on its first five drives, including Griffin's 33-yard TD pass on fourth down to Wright, who caught the ball in the middle of the field at the 25 and spun away from a defender to sprint to the end zone for a 10-0 lead.

Griffin had a 4-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter to put the Bears up 17-7.

The Red Raiders then went 74 yards on 10 completions by Doege. Six were to Ward, the last for a 2-yard TD.

A couple of plays after Baylor got the ball back, officials were blowing the whistle for a false start when safety Terrance Bullitt came from Griffin's blindside and undercut his legs, knocking the quarterback to the ground. That drew a personal foul penalty, and the drive eventually ended with a 4-yard TD by Ganaway.

Tech then used a little trickery to score quickly. Backup quarterback Jacob Karam, wearing a No. 85 jersey instead of his normal No. 3, lined up as a receiver and went in motion. He took a pitch from Doege and then threw a 43-yard TD to Darrin Moore, who later caught a 1-yard TD from Doege.

The Red Raiders then recovered an onside kick. But they failed to get a first down and punted.

That led the wild 12-play drive on which Griffin got hurt. Both teams called a timeout before a fourth-and-7 play, but Tech was called for delay of game ? and coach Tommy Tuberville was then flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct when he protested, giving Baylor a first down without having to snap the ball.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111127/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/fbc_t25_texas_tech_baylor

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Attorney says suit planned in FAMU band death (Providence Journal)

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New bodies could bring US Craigslist toll to 3

Law enforcement officials work at a crime scene on Harlem Road in Akron, Ohio, where a body was found on Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. The FBI is investigating whether the body found Friday in a shallow grave is a second killing connected to a phony Craigslist job ad that authorities say lured victims into a deadly robbery scheme. (AP Photo/Akron Beacon Journal, Ed Suba Jr.) MANDATORY CREDIT

Law enforcement officials work at a crime scene on Harlem Road in Akron, Ohio, where a body was found on Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. The FBI is investigating whether the body found Friday in a shallow grave is a second killing connected to a phony Craigslist job ad that authorities say lured victims into a deadly robbery scheme. (AP Photo/Akron Beacon Journal, Ed Suba Jr.) MANDATORY CREDIT

Law enforcement officials work at a crime scene on Harlem Road in Akron, Ohio, where a body was found on Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. The FBI is investigating whether the body found Friday in a shallow grave is a second killing connected to a phony Craigslist job ad that authorities say lured victims into a deadly robbery scheme. (AP Photo/Akron Beacon Journal, Ed Suba Jr.) MANDATORY CREDIT

This is an undated hand out photo of Timothy Kern of Massillon, Ohio provided by the FBI. Kern, missing since Nov. 13, interviewed for a Craigslist help-wanted ad that police say was actually a deadly robbery scheme that lured people to a nonexistent farm job in southern Ohio, according to the man?s father, who called the outlook for his son ?pretty grim.? (AP Photo/The FBI)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? The discoveries of two new bodies could bring to three the death toll from a Craigslist ad that police say lured victims into a lethal robbery scheme.

A body found Friday in a shallow grave near a mall in Akron may be that of a missing man who answered the ad, the FBI said. And a sheriff in a rural county said later in the day that the body of a white male without identification was found in a shallow grave about 90 miles away.

The FBI is working on the supposition that the body found near the Rolling Acres shopping mall in Akron may be that of 47-year-old Timothy Kern, who hasn't been seen in more than a week, agency spokeswoman Vicki Anderson said.

"Do we think it might be? Maybe," Anderson said. "He's missing. We haven't been able to find him. It could possibly be, but we just don't know that yet."

Anderson declined to specify how authorities discovered the body.

Kern, of Massillon, answered the same ad for a farm hand that authorities say led to the shooting death of Norfolk, Va., resident David Pauley, 51, in a rural area south of Akron. A South Carolina man reported answering the ad and being shot Nov. 6 but escaping.

Noble County Sheriff Steve Hannum is under a judge's gag order and can't comment on the case, but the title of his emailed announcement late Friday ? "second body" ? implied the discovery was connected with Pauley's death.

Neighbors where Pauley's body was found last week and the second body was found Friday said police had been in the area and a helicopter had been overhead most of the day but the scene was quiet late in the day.

Two people from the Akron area are in custody: a high school student who has been charged with attempted murder and 52-year-old Richard Beasley, who is in jail on unrelated charges.

Beasley's mother has said he has "a very caring heart" and she prays that newspaper reports he is a suspect are wrong.

FBI agents have contacted people to check on their well-being, FBI spokesman Harry Trombitas said Friday in an email.

One was Heather Tuttle, of Ravenna, who applied for the job Oct. 7 but never got a response. She had forgotten about the posting until an FBI agent called and left a message for her Monday.

When she called back, she was stunned at what the agent told her.

"It could have been me," said Tuttle, 27, who has since taken work as an assistant manager at a gas station.

"When the situation was explained to me, it just instantly made me sick and made me realize how lucky I am that I didn't get a response back," she said.

Another man who responded to the ad has said he met Beasley at a food court at a different mall in the Akron area on Oct. 10. Ron Sanson was told the man was looking for an older, single or divorced person to watch over a 688-acre (280-hectare) farm in southeast Ohio ? the kind of man, Sanson said, whose disappearance might not be quickly noticed.

Sanson and Kern are both divorced. So was Pauley.

Sanson, 58, said he filled out an application and talked for about 20 minutes with Beasley about a $300-a-week job overseeing a swath of land a mile from the nearest neighbor and living rent-free in a two-bedroom trailer with opportunities to hunt and fish and free access to ATVs and snowmobiles.

The farm advertised on Craigslist does not exist; the area where the bodies were found in Noble County is property owned by a coal company and often leased to hunters.

Law enforcement officials have released few details because of the gag order. Hannum, the sheriff in Noble County where Pauley and the South Carolina man were shot, previously said it was unclear how long the ad was online or whether there were other victims.

___

Sheeran reported from Cleveland. Associated Press writer JoAnne Viviano in Columbus contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-25-Craigslist-Jobseeker%20Killed/id-915101cc86aa4da2955f35f427b3000d

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High finance comes bearing gifts to Occupy London

Ian Johnston, msnbc.com editor

LONDON ??Like two?emissaries of capitalism on a sensitive diplomatic mission, they came to the Occupy London protest camp?bearing gifts: a bundle of free books each with a dollar bill inside, sparkling chocolate coins and a message?about how some within the world of corporate finance are ready to change.

Michael Mainelli. Occupy London, St. Paul's Cathedral. November 22 2011.

Professor Michael Mainelli and Ian Harris, co-founders of Z/Yen, a commercial think-tank?with "intimate links" to some of London's "oldest and largest" financial institutions, might have been?forgiven for feeling a little nervous.

After all, the Occupy movement was sparked at least in part by anger at the?role of banks in the world's current financial troubles.

But they were not there to defend their industry ? instead, they addressed a crowd of Occupiers in the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral?to express their admiration for a movement that?was getting people talking about the need to reform the financial system.

"We want you to know there are a lot of people in the City who are thinking about the same things (as the Occupy protesters are) in a different way," the be-suited Mainelli told the audience of around 15 people in the so-called "Tent City University"?? a cluster of tents filled with books where protesters exchange their ideas.

"There is a group of people in the City, several thousands, who are interested in reform ... maybe not revolution," he added.

Mainelli and Harris also distributed an open letter to protesters, which asserted that "things in the world of finance worry us too."

"We care deeply," they wrote in the letter, acknowledging?that people are deeply uncertain about their?futures and the wisdom of their governments and economies.

"We believe in asking uncomfortable, impertinent questions in search of pertinent and permanent answers," they said. "Naturally we applaud others, like yourself, who care deeply enough about these vital issues to insist firmly on debating them."

However, Mainelli?made a point of saying on Tuesday,?"I'm not going to be down here sleeping with you."

Financial model 'unsustainable'
Inside?a large canvas tent, protesters sat on old sofas and cushions on the floor?as?Mainelli and Harris handed out copies of their book, "The Price of Fish: A New Approach to Wicked Economics and Better Decisions."?They said it was?"a gift and contribution to the worthwhile debate you have initiated."

The title of the book, which was published last week, comes from the apparent inability to come up with an accurate price for fish,?Mainelli explained. Had this been done, the book argues, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and other fishing grounds would not have been over-exploited.

The books came with dollar bills inside. Mainelli and Harris also?handed out chocolate coins wrapped in golden foil.

But not everyone in the crowd seemed convinced. Suspicion of authorities is commonplace in the camp?and,?from the Occupiers'?point of view, it is?warranted: the?City of London Corporation is planning?to take the protesters to court Wednesday, seeking to evict them.

One listener, a bald-headed man sitting toward?the back of the?tent,?commented that "people in positions of power" appeared to "feel so secure in their military might that they can suppress any dissent."

"How do we convince them it's not in their interest to put themselves against the whole of the planet?" he asked.

Referring to the charging of interest on loans the man added, "Your whole system (of finance) ... has got something at the root of it which is fundamentally injust."

Harris responded, saying?this was?"not necessarily the way finance has to be."

"There's no question in my mind that Western humanity has progressed on the back of that type of financial institution," he said, but added: "We would question whether the fundamental elements (of the system) are sustainable."

Katherine Stanley. Occupy London, St. Paul's Cathedral. November 22 2011.

"Should there be interest at all? Does the notion of interest mean necessarily that wealth accumulates in greater and greater quantities to the few?" Harris wondered.

He said?there was talk?among London's financial institutions about Islamic?Sharia finance, and?noted that Christianity and Judaism also reject the charging of?interest on money.

But could the financial system really exist without the widespread practice of charging interest on loans?

Mainelli said the idea was far from fanciful. "Extremely senior people"?at large institutions "are actually really, really trying to ponder how we would rebuild [the financial system]," he told msnbc.com after the meeting.

Harris also?pointed out that most state banks had reduced interest rates to nearly zero and with inflation greater than interest,?those with savings were effectively losing money.

Third World War?
Protester Katherine Stanley, 49, of London but originally from Canada,?saw hope?in Mainelli's approach to the protesters.

"I think it's fantastic actually. He has some very good ideas about the economy ... it's a good thing he gets the ear of people who can actually make change," she told msnbc.com, expressing the hope that Mainelli or someone like him would convince?those in the corridors of power.

For her part, Stanley said?she goes?to the Tent City University?to support the movement and hear new arguments that might?convert more ordinary people to the cause.?

"People who aren't involved get to hear me talk about it whether they want to or not," she said.

John McCafferty. Occupy London, St. Paul's Cathedral. November 22 2011.

Her 17-year-old son, she admitted, is among the skeptics of the Occupy movement.

"He listens to my stories and I bring him down occasionally," she said. "He tolerates it. He's not a fan of it, but who really wants their mother to be doing crazy stuff like this?"

Another in the audience, John McCafferty, 59, saw little chance for real change without major conflict.

McCafferty,?a carpenter, said he?became homeless last year after work dried up in the recession.?He said he was "now reduced" to?playing his guitar on the street for money.

"If we continue on our own present path, we are going direct into a Third World War," McCafferty said. "... I suspect we are heading towards a Third World War, I think that's where we are going and when the dust settles ... the hopes and aspirations of people here may be fulfilled."

Source: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/23/8952170-high-finance-comes-bearing-gifts-for-occupy-london

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'Dancing's' mirror ball trophy goes to ...

Just a couple of weeks into this season?s ballroom battle, one thing seemed clear: Barring any major dance-floor mishaps, war-hero-turned-actor J.R. Martinez was poised to win the coveted mirror ball trophy when it was all over.

On Tuesday night?s ?Dancing With the Stars? finale, he did just that.

In fact, the only surprise about Martinez?s victory was that it came after one last dance-off with Rob Kardashian rather than dancing queen Ricki Lake, who missed out on a spot in the final two once viewer votes were factored in.

Some might consider that a shame, as Lake kicked off the night with a reprise of her memorable tango set to the theme of ?Psycho.? While it lacked the intensity of her first effort, it still made for the best performance of the night ? and of course, her last of the competition.

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Does 'DWTS' need a complete ballroom reboot?

Lake?s loss, which also marked the first time her pro partner, Derek Hough, made it to the finals without a win, made way for a break in the competition. So while the final two prepared for a samba showdown, familiar faces filled the ballroom for one last shot at dance-floor fame.

In a lengthy, non-competitive routine roundup, each of the eliminated acts returned. From the looks of it, few of them hung up their ?Dancing? shoes while they were away.

The standout performances included a redemption re-do for Chynna Phillips as she showed the crowd just what her doomed ?Mission: Impossible? dance was meant to look like before she got the ballroom boot. There was also an over-the-top ?Vogue? number from Carson Kressley that both wowed the crowd and fulfilled one of the fashion guru?s dreams ? to dance with a Chmerkovskiy. (Val, for those keeping track of the ballroom brothers. And who isn?t?)

After that it was back to the evening?s main men. Both hoofer hopefuls had something to prove, and not just that they each deserved to win. They also needed to prove that their first performances of the night were just flukes.

Before their sambas, they each repeated a favorite dance, just as Lake had. But unlike Lake?s top-notch performance, Kardashian and Martinez lagged. Sure, head judge Len Goodman told the reality star he had ?the best footwork of just about any guy (he?s) seen on the show.? But anyone who watched Kardashian?s foxtrot, or any other routine this season, knew better.

At least Martinez heard fair criticism for his jive, despite performing a bit better than Kardashian, when Carrie Ann Inaba pointed out that he had ?a rough time in there.?

In their sambas, Kardashian and Martinez were just about evenly matched, and not in a good way. The so-so performances were better than their first efforts, but frankly, nowhere near the sort of finale night hurrahs fans have seen from other celebs in the past.

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Story: You be the judge! Rate the 'Dancing' contestants

The judges didn?t seem to notice, or if they did, they decided to keep it to themselves and hand out a matching set of perfect 10s to both men anyway.

Still, no amount of lackluster last moves could conceal the fact that Martinez was the better dancer throughout the competition. Clearly, viewers knew that, as it was their votes that gave him the win when the final scores from the judges put him one point behind his competition.

As host Tom Bergeron handed the sparkling, and yes, somewhat tacky trophy to the man he called an ?inspiration since the first time (he) stepped on the floor,? an emotional Martinez gladly accepted it.

?First and foremost, I want to thank everybody who voted for us for 10 weeks,? Martinez said. ?Thank you, America, for believing in us.? Then, turning to partner Karina Smirnoff, he added, ?I want to say, you know what? You are amazing, and I?m so grateful that I was able to be a part of your first mirror ball trophy. Thank you very much.?

Here?s hoping she returned the thanks. Recent stumbles aside, Martinez made for one heck of a ?Dancing? star.

Ree Hines can?t believe another season of the ballroom battle is over, but she?s already looking forward to March 19. That?s when a fresh batch of starlike folks join the pros (which better include Maks, Val and Tristan) and do it all over again.

What did you think of the season? Share your thoughts on the Facebook page for our TV blog, The Clicker.

? 2011 MSNBC Interactive.? Reprints

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45410952/ns/today-entertainment/

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Report: Police arrest S.C. 'Occupy' protesters

Several Occupy Charleston protesters have been arrested after trying to spend the night in a downtown park, NBC affiliate WCBD-TV?reported.

Charleston police made the arrests early Wednesday in Marion Square.

College of Charleston student Josh Richmond told the Post and Courier of Charleston that police formed a "body wall" and arrested anyone still in the park after 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Protesters have been in the park around the clock since early November but Mayor Joe Riley declared on Monday they would no longer be allowed to stay after 11 p.m.

More than two dozen protesters remained there on Monday night with sleeping bags, and police allowed them to remain, but those who tried to spend Tuesday night there were arrested.

According to the group?s Facebook page, 11 were arrested in total although this could not be confirmed with the Charleston police department, which was unavailable for comment.

WCBD said protesters came face to face with members of the city council and local residents opposed to the park occupation at a meeting at City Hall on Tuesday night.

It reported that Occupy Charleston promised to occupy City Hall, sidewalks, streets and other venues if removed from the park.

??The people's voice will be heard. there will be an occupation, many occupations,? they told city council.

Others at the meeting expressed frustration about the protest.

?I?m not going to sit around with my head in the sand and whine about entitlement, when I?m out there trying to do it,?I'm that kind of person,? one man said. ?If they were like that, they wouldn't be occupying.?

"I'm participating in a peaceful assembly, I am practicing my First Amendment right and if they choose to arrest me then that's something I'm going to have to fight later on, so no I'm not scared," Jessica Dugan told WCBD from Marion Square on Tuesday night.?"This is the power of the people, this is a global revolution and it's happening now."

Among those in the park earlier on Tuesday was Krystal Wernicke of North Charleston, according to the Post and Courier which said she held a hand-lettered poster board sign with the message, ?If they enforced bank regulation like they do park rules we wouldn?t be in this mess ? 99 percent.?

By Alastair Jamieson, msnbc.com. The Associated Press and NBC affiliate WCBD Charleston, SC contributed to this report.

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/23/8976327-occupy-protesters-arrested-cleared-from-charleston-sc-park

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[OOC] Into The Light

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Telecommuting a bad option for stressed parents

Getty Images stock

Telecommuting parents have little chance to escape the messy world of parenting, a new study suggests.

By Linda Carroll

If you?re considering telecommuting to salve your stress from the constant juggling of work and family, think again.

A new study shows that ?telework? takes a toll on the very employees who might desire this option most ? those who feel especially torn between job responsibilities and family. For these people, the more hours spent working at home, the higher the risk of burnout, according to the report, published in the Journal of Business and Psychology.

That?s because when job and family are in the same place, some workers feel there is no chance for downtime ?no respite or time to relax, said Timothy Golden, an associate professor of management at the Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

?A teleworker may feel conflict more because you?re being constantly reminded of your home role: whether it?s what you need to do as a parent or household chores,? Golden said. ?And that can make exhaustion worse."

Live Poll

Does work disrupt your family life?

• 167436

  Yes, I wish I had more time with my family.

  48%

• 167437

  No, I have good work-life balance.

  44%

• 167438

  I don't have a job.

  8%

VoteTotal Votes: 1614

Golden surveyed 316 employees from a large computer company that allows workers to? telecommute and to work with a flexible time schedules.

To ferret out the level of job/family conflict, Golden asked employees to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 how strongly they agreed with statements such as, ?My work keeps me from my family activities more than I would like,? ?Due to pressures at work, sometimes when I am at home I am too stressed to do the things I enjoy,? ?The time I spend on family responsibilities often interferes with my work responsibilities,? and ? Because I am often stressed from family responsibilities, I have a hard time concentrating on my work.?

Golden also surveyed the employees about their level of exhaustion. Study volunteers were asked to rate on a scale of 1-5 how strongly they agreed with statements such as, ?I feel emotionally drained by my work.?

Telecommuting was a boon to workers who felt little or no conflict between work and family. But those who were the most torn between home and work responsibilities showed increasing levels of exhaustion as hours spent teleworking rose.

Still, Golden said,? even among those who feel strong conflict, telecommuting can be a good choice if it?s done right. That means having clear boundaries, both mental and physical ? such as a door to one?s home office ? between work and family.

?Telework, if it?s done well, can be very beneficial,? he added. ?You save time commuting. You don?t have to deal with the stress of being delayed on your way to work because of traffic or weather.?You have the comfort of working where you want to. But you have to think ahead of time about what might impact you if you?re working from home.?

Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/11/8757570-telecommuting-might-not-wrong-answer-for-stressed-out-parents

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Gates to testify in $1B lawsuit against Microsoft (AP)

SALT LAKE CITY ? Microsoft's Bill Gates is set to testify in a billion-dollar antitrust lawsuit accusing the software maker of duping a competitor in violation of federal law.

The case against Microsoft has been ongoing in federal court in Salt Lake City for about a month.

Utah-based Novell Inc. claims Microsoft duped the company into thinking its WordPerfect writing application would be included in the Windows `95 rollout.

Novell says it was later forced to sell WordPerfect for a $1.2 billion loss.

Microsoft lawyers will open their case Monday with testimony from Gates.

They say he will testify he dumped WordPerfect because it threatened to crash Windows '95 and wouldn't be compatible with future versions.

Novell claims it was tricked, but Microsoft lawyers say the claims are groundless. They have sought a dismissal.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/software/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111121/ap_on_hi_te/us_antitrust_lawsuit_microsoft

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Former Procter & Gamble CEO John Smale dies at 84

FILE - In this May 1993 file photo, General Motors Chairman John G. Smale appears at the automaker's annual meeting in Oklahoma City. Former Procter & Gamble Co. chief executive and chairman Smale, who expanded the consumer products maker with a major acquisition and a push into China and other emerging markets overseas, died Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. He was 84. Smale led P&G from 1981 to 1990 and was the seventh chief executive of the 174-year-old company. He also was chairman of General Motors Co. from 1992 to 1995 and was a board member of the automaker for more than two decades, beginning in 1982. (AP Photo/David Longstreath, File)

FILE - In this May 1993 file photo, General Motors Chairman John G. Smale appears at the automaker's annual meeting in Oklahoma City. Former Procter & Gamble Co. chief executive and chairman Smale, who expanded the consumer products maker with a major acquisition and a push into China and other emerging markets overseas, died Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. He was 84. Smale led P&G from 1981 to 1990 and was the seventh chief executive of the 174-year-old company. He also was chairman of General Motors Co. from 1992 to 1995 and was a board member of the automaker for more than two decades, beginning in 1982. (AP Photo/David Longstreath, File)

CINCINNATI (AP) ? John G. Smale enjoyed his work at Procter & Gamble, throwing himself into it through late nights and weekends as he rose from the toilet goods division to the top of the consumer products giant. Decades later, the company is still reaping the benefits of those long hours and the ideas and plans they helped produce.

The former CEO and chairman, also a former General Motors Co. chairman, died Saturday in Cincinnati, a P&G spokesman said. He was 84. The Cincinnati-based company didn't immediately give details about how he died.

"Life would be awful long if you were working at something you didn't like to do," Smale, a graduate of Miami University in Ohio, reflected in a 2009 interview with the university's magazine. He said he spent years working until 10 or 11 p.m., and on weekends, "totally immersed in what I was doing" and "having a really good time."

Smale led P&G from 1981 to 1990 and was the seventh chief executive of the 174-year-old company. He also was chairman of General Motors Co. from 1992 to 1995 and was a board member of the automaker for more than two decades, beginning in 1982.

The Canadian with German ancestry graduated from Miami University in 1949. He joined P&G in 1952, working for what was then called the toilet goods division. He rose through the company, becoming president in charge of all U.S. operations in 1974 and chief executive in 1981. He added the chairmanship in 1986.

During his tenure, Smale moved P&G businesses into new markets in huge developing countries such as China, setting the stage for P&G's rapid growth in Asia in recent years. P&G also acquired Richardson-Vicks, which broadened the P&G portfolio to include Pantene shampoo, Olay skin cream and Vicks cough medicines, which are major brands today. In a smaller acquisition, P&G obtained the CoverGirl makeup brand that also is still growing.

As CEO, Smale also restructured P&G to become more efficient, speeding up development of new products and getting them to market. He accomplished this with new "category managers" who were assigned to oversee everything from innovation to promotion. The company revamped its marketing and began working more closely with retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to improve store inventories and promotions of P&G products.

When announcing his plans in 1989 to step down, Smale said, "We've made watershed changes at P&G. ... They will bear fruit well into the next decade."

P&G had fallen behind rivals such as Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever in developing new markets abroad before Smale got the company thinking more globally. Today, P&G reaps the majority of its sales and most of its growth from overseas markets, company leaders say.

Smale also is credited with boosting the P&G Crest toothpaste brand, successfully gaining American Dental Association approval for the toothpaste and launching a campaign that became an advertising classic: "Look Mom, no cavities!"

"John brought together wisdom and courage, concern for people and commitment to the long term in a manner I've never seen exceeded," said John E. Pepper, who served as CEO from 1995 to 1999. "He was quite simply the most effective executive I've ever known."

Smale sent the company's current CEO, Bob McDonald, to Canada in 1989 for his first P&G assignment outside the United States. McDonald said Smale was "caring, yet demanding, principled and humble. .... He represented the soul of the company."

Smale served on the boards of several other companies, including Eastman Kodak and J.P. Morgan & Co. He received honorary doctorates from Miami and several other schools, and had kept up his ties with Miami.

The Listowel, Ontario, native spent much of his retirement in Marathon, Fla., where he enjoyed fly-fishing. He said he had been fishing since he was a child and even went fishing on his honeymoon.

Smale married in 1950, and he and his late wife, Phyllis, had four children. He courted his wife when he attended Miami and she attended the Western College for women, both in Oxford, Ohio. Smale credited his wife's support with enabling him to immerse himself into work he enjoyed, often staying on the job late at night and on weekends.

"I was so comfortable in my relationship with Phyllis, and so at ease there was no tension," he said in a 2009 interview for his alma mater's "Miamian" magazine. "The home life was totally supportive. I don't know what life would have been had I not had her."

He added: "I never really envisioned that I was going to end up as chief executive of Procter & Gamble. That's probably a good thing because it seems to me that if you're focused on making a success out of what you're doing, then, certainly at a company like P&G, you could assume that your personal success is going to take care of itself."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-11-19-Obit-Smale/id-21de45466b6e451383ea6cce976a2212

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Egyptians fret about voting violence after clashes (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? Egyptians vote next week for the first parliament since toppling Hosni Mubarak but a surge in violence between protesters and police show the street will likely stay a battleground for Egypt's unfinished revolution even after polling stations close.

After ending Mubarak's 30-year rule in February, Cairo's Tahrir Square was once again filled with teargas and debris after police tried to break-up a sit-in calling for the army council now ruling Egypt to leave and hand power to civilians.

"Nine months after the revolution, people's dignity is still being violated. Tahrir is Egypt's conscience, keeping an eye on those who stray" from the revolution's goals, said graphic designer Qadafi Mahboub, 38.

Nearby a group of hundreds of demonstrators chanted "The people want to topple the regime," a throwback to scenes during the uprising that drove Mubarak and his party from office.

Many vowed not to leave until the army quits power.

The army, which says it has no interest in retaining political control, insists the flare-up will not deter it from starting the staggered polls on November 28 as planned.

But an surge in violence during voting, a common feature of elections in Mubarak's era of rigged polls, could undermine the assembly's legitimacy if the result is questioned and deepen public frustration at the army's handling of the transition.

Police could struggle to keep order at the polls due to deep-seated anger at their actions during Mubarak's time and as political rivals, particularly in rural areas, turn to Mubarak-era tactics of using hired "thugs" to help them win seats.

"We may be heading toward some instability. But this will depend on whether the army will be finally convinced that the game is over and that it has to hand power to the elected civil institutions," said Hassan Nafaa, a Cairo University political science professor who was an anti-Mubarak activist.

Despite the frustrations and fears for the poll, what was effectively one-man and one-party rule has been transformed by a dizzying array of new parties and voices since February.

Posters promote ultra-conservative Islamists repressed by Mubarak, the new liberal parties licensed since his ousting and the long-established groups, such as the Wafd Party, which withdrew from the last vote, saying it was unfair.

Yet much of the old order remains. Parliament will have a legislative role, but executive power stays with army generals who served Mubarak. Many Egyptians were galvanized to protest after seeing police employ the same tactics used under Mubarak.

"The power of the street is very real. It may be irregular, it may act with a degree of spontaneity and it may be emotional but it is really the one moving events," said political analyst Ammar Ali Hassan.

ARMY ROLE

Although its powers will be limited, parliament is likely to find itself battling over the shape of a new cabinet which the army has the power to pick and over the extent the army will seek to enshrine powers for itself in a new constitution.

The new parliament will be responsible for picking a 100-strong constituent assembly which will write the new document.

But politicians were enraged this month when the army-backed cabinet proposed principles for a new constitution to shield the military from civilian supervision and to give it a broad national security remit that analysts said would give the army a pretext to undermine a civilian government.

The cabinet has backtracked after the uproar. The army has repeatedly said it has no interest in holding onto power. But the concessions and reassurances were not enough to deter this weekend's protests, or the violence that followed.

Some expect the debate over the army's role to last years.

"Nobody will be powerful enough to take any measures against the military or try to bring them under civilian rule. I can't see this happening for 10 years," said analyst Hisham Kassem.

As that debate drags, parliament is also likely to skirmish over how soon to hold a presidential vote, which under a timetable outlined by the army may not happen until the end of 2012 or early 2013.

"The presidential election must start (right after) the parliamentary election ... When you have an elected parliament you can insist," said Essam el-Erian, deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood's newly established Freedom and Justice Party.

His party could emerge as one of the biggest blocs in the new parliament. Though banned under Mubarak, the Brotherhood spent decades building up a grassroots network across the nation through social work and support for the poor.

In the 2005 parliamentary election it ran candidates as independents to skirt the ban and won 20 percent of seats, losing votes to ballot box manipulation but picking up protest votes as the only significant opposition to Mubarak's party.

With so many new parties and faces on Egypt's political scene and a complex electoral system of lists and individual candidates, analysts say the Brotherhood's party could win votes in part because people are confused by the alternatives.

But while the Brotherhood could once virtually monopolize the Islamist and opposition vote, other Islamists have emerged such as ultra-conservative Salafist parties, a groups following more mystical Sufi orders or moderate followers of the newly founded Wasat (Center) Party. This may split the Islamist vote.

The Salafist party Nour (Light) quit a Brotherhood alliance saying it was hogging too many seats in election voting lists. Erian said Salafists would be a "burden" to any political coalition because of their inexperience.

FORMER LOYALISTS

Analysts give a broad range of predictions for the vote in the country of 80 million people and 50 million eligible voters.

Most do not see any single group emerging with a majority, although they say Islamists could secure anything up to 40 percent of the 498 elected seats in the lower house, with liberal-leaning groups winning perhaps a third of seats.

Many of the remainder could go to former loyalists of Mubarak's party. Some have formed their own parties. Others are members of big families, often in rural areas, who won in Mubarak's time and joined his party in a bid to secure more influence rather than out of any ideological commitment.

Yet most analysts agree it is almost impossible to forecast accurately what the lower house will look like after a vote that runs until early January. The upper house vote follows.

Many Egyptians are struggling to understand an electoral system that gives two thirds of seats to party lists and a third to individuals. Many will choose based on personalities rather than ideology - particularly in rural areas - but the system made constituencies so big there is little personal contact.

An enthusiastic but anxious voter, called Ahmed, told a nighttime radio talk show as campaigning heated up: "We have a very important vote coming and we have no clue what to do."

Some fear a weak parliament fail to build confidence in the new political system that is badly needed to win back investors who fled after the uprising and fret over the uncertain outlook.

But Cairo University's Nafaa said the vote would start the process of shaking marginal voices out of Egypt's politics who, in the absence of any clear indication of their real support, have continued to claim space in post-uprising Egypt.

"It is a little anarchic right now," he said, adding that after the vote: "There will be a new process with true political forces. You will know exactly who to deal with."

(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Dina Zayed)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111120/wl_nm/us_egypt_election

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US budget woes could hit European missile defense

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the Supercommittee, speaks to reporters following a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the Supercommittee, speaks to reporters following a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, co-chair of the supercommittee, tells reporters outside his office that the deficit reduction panel would work over the weekend as the deadline for its work nears, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the Supercommittee, returns to closed-door talks after speaking briefly to reporters as she and fellow Democrats on the panel meet at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., arrives for a meeting with bi-partisan members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the Supercommittee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A breakdown in high-stakes budget talks in Congress could threaten plans for a missile defense shield in Europe.

Congressional negotiators have shown little sign they will be able to meet Wednesday's deadline for reducing the deficit by $1.2 trillion over 10 years. If they fail to agree, a new law mandates cuts throughout the federal government, including a big slice of the defense budget.

While it is not known what military spending would be cut, an expensive program aimed primarily at defending Europe is unlikely to be spared.

The U.S. sees the missile defense system, aimed at countering a threat from Iran, as part of its contribution to the NATO military alliance. With the United States often complaining that it makes a disproportionately large contribution to NATO, missile defense could be especially vulnerable to budget-cutters.

"A missile defense system for NATO? It's going to be hard to keep people committed if they think the U.S. is picking up the tab for Europe," says Kurt Volker, who was ambassador to NATO at the end of the George W. Bush administration.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned that the European missile defense program could be threatened if the special deficit reduction committee should fail to work out a deal. That suggestion, though, may have been intended mostly to nudge lawmakers to resolve their differences and avoid the automatic cuts to one of their favorite programs.

It is still possible that committee members could set aside intense partisan differences and reach a deal by Wednesday. If they do not, Congress might find a way to cancel the cuts before they take effect in 2013.

That may only delay the scaling back of the U.S. military role in Europe. A decade-long expansion of military spending appears to be coming to an end, and the Obama administration has indicated it is shifting its foreign policy toward Asia, where it sees the greatest opportunities and threats of coming decades.

"Where does that leave Europe? Lower down the list," says Todd Harrison, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Beyond missile defense, the automatic cuts could prompt the U.S. to save money by shifting some warships away from Europe but probably would not lead to fewer U.S. troops there.

The United States has already reduced its presence in Europe from more than 200,000 in 1989 to slightly more than 40,000 today. It has plans for a further pullback by 2015 but is unlikely to accelerate that simply because there are no short-term savings to be had from moving troops out of their European bases.

"We can't take the remaining bases with us," says Christopher Wiley, an analyst with the trans-Atlantic relations program at the Bertelsmann Foundation who is preparing a report on the impact of budget cuts on U.S. policy in Europe. "It's not a good place to save cash."

___

Online:

U.S. Missile Defense Agency: http://www.mda.mil

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-19-US-Europe-Military%20Spending/id-c8c6900dca70408f8c4b744c381555f1

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16 killed as Syria OKs observers in principle (AP)

BEIRUT ? Syria agreed in principle Friday to allow dozens of Arab observers into the country to oversee a peace plan, a significant concession from a hardline regime that loathes any sort of outside interference.

But critics said the regime is only stalling, trying to defuse international pressure while continuing its bloody crackdown on an 8-month-old uprising which the U.N. estimates has killed more than 3,500 people.

The acceptance came after surprisingly heavy pressure from the Arab League, which brokered the peace plan and this week suspended Syria from the 22-member organization for failing to abide by it. On Wednesday, the league gave Damascus three days to accept an observer mission or face economic sanctions.

Further international pressure was mounting on Syrian President Bashar Assad. Britain appointed a senior diplomat to be its pointman in dealing with Syria's opposition over the crisis, and French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe called on the U.N. Security Council to strengthen sanctions against Assad's regime. However, Russia, which holds veto power in the council, urged caution in moving against Damascus.

Violence has escalated in Syria the past week, as army dissidents who sided with the protests have grown more bold, fighting back against regime forces and even assaulting military bases. Activist groups said security forces on Friday killed at least 16 anti-government protesters in what has become a weekly ritual on Fridays, the main day for protests in Syria as thousands of people stream out of mosques following afternoon prayers.

The Arab League observer mission aims to prevent violence and monitor a cease-fire that Damascus agreed to last week in the league peace plan but has been unwilling ? or unable ? to implement.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. has seen no signs that Syria's government will honor the Arab League proposal.

"They've lost all credibility and that's why we believe Assad needs to step down and allow for a democratic transition to take place," he told reporters.

Deep questions remain over how effective Damascus will allow the mission to be.

A senior Syrian official said Friday that the government had agreed to the observer mission in principle but was "still studying the details." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is so sensitive.

Nabil Elaraby, the head of the Arab League, said in a statement Friday that he received "amendments" to the mission from Damascus, which the League is studying. He gave no details on the changes Syria seeks.

The original league proposal had been for a 500-member observer mission but the number has dropped to 40, said Ibrahim el-Zaafarani, an Egyptian member of the Arab Medical Union who is expected to be part of the team for Syria. He said he was not clear on why or on whose behest the number was reduced.

"Our presence there will be protection for civilians," el-Zaafarani, in Cairo, told The Associated Press. He said the mission will include doctors, activists, lawyers and military experts.

The Syrian opposition was deeply skeptical.

"We have warned in the past and we warn again that these are the methods of the regime to waste time," said Omar Idilbi, a Beirut-based member of the Syrian National Council, an umbrella group of regime opponents.

But Louay Hussein, a prominent dissident based in Damascus, said allowing observers in was "a small step that can be built on and developed."

"The presence of observers constitutes a protection, however small, for civilians," he said. Their presence, he said, can help "expose the regime's lies."

The regime has depicted the uprising as the work of "armed gangs." On Friday, the state news agency said "terrorists" blew up an oil pipeline in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, causing a fire and four-hour disruption in oil pumping.

Syria's acceptance of any mission shows how sharply the Arab League suspension stung a regime that prides itself on being a bastion of Arab nationalism. The acceptance ? and if the changes requested by Syria are approved ? likely averts for the moment harsher moves by the league.

The regime "is trying to offset external pressure," said Anthony Skinner, associate director at Maplecroft, a British-based risk analysis company.

But there is "little reason to believe the authorities would allow an observer mission to acquire accurate information on the atrocities committed by security forces and the dynamics on the ground," he said.

The crisis in Syria has burned for nearly eight months despite widespread condemnation and international sanctions aimed at chipping away at the ailing economy and isolating Assad and his tight circle of relatives and advisers. The protesters have grown increasingly frustrated with the limits of their peaceful movement, and there are signs of a growing armed rebellion in some areas.

Attacks by army defectors, including one this week on an Air Force Intelligence base just outside Damascus, have raised fears of civil war. Moreover, Syria's volatile sectarian divide appears to be flaring. The religiously mixed central city of Homs, in particular, has seen almost daily reports of sectarian killings, assassinations and kidnappings.

Syria is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, but the Assad regime is dominated by the Alawite minority, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, and has support among the Christian minority, where many worry about Sunni domination.

The armed attacks by opposition groups have prompted international warnings, with the U.S. State Department spokesman on Thursday calling it "a very dangerous path."

Meeting with Turkey's foreign minister in Ankara, France's Juppe called on the Syrian opposition "to avoid recourse to an armed insurrection."

Despite the pressure, Assad still has allies at home and abroad.

In October, Russia and China vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution threatening sanctions. On Friday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin urged "restraint and caution" in drafting any new resolution against Syria.

Syria's closest ally, Iran, voiced its support.

Prominent Iranian legislator Alaeddin Moroujerdi called the league suspension of Syria a "historic mistake" that will cause more chaos in Syria and could even lead to civil war that could spread to the region.

Internally, Assad can still count on the support of Syria's business elite and minorities concerned about their fate in a post-Assad era. He has also been able to rely on a staunchly loyal top brass which is effectively part of the regime.

"Bashar has learnt from his father how to divide and rule and also keep potential turncoats in check," Skinner said.

"But he is now dealing with an increasingly difficult situation on the ground."

___

Associated Press writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Sarah El Deeb in Cairo and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111118/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_syria

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