Ireland wants to hit bank creditors , ECB says no DUBLIN -LRB- AP -RRB- - Ireland still wants to force foreign bondholders to bear losses in debt-crippled banks but is being blocked by the European Central Bank , which has the lenders on life support , Finance Minister Michael Noonan said Friday . Ireland 's bank-bailout bill officially surged Thursday by 24 billion euros to 70.5 billion euros -LRB- $ 100 billion -RRB- as part of a new round of ECB-ordered stress tests . Ireland then unveiled plans to slash its largely nationalized banking sector down to just two : Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Banks . Ratings agency Standard & Poor 's the next day said the tests ' assumptions were robust , that the worst was over , and the economy is now set to recover gradually . Although it downgraded Ireland 's credit rating by one notch , citing increased risks for bondholders under new EU rules to come into effect in 2013 , it expects the country to recover faster than Greece or Portugal - Europe 's other two worst debt offenders . It added it did n't expect any more downgrades soon , though S&P rival Fitch warned soon after that it may cut its own BBB + rating on Ireland soon as it assesses the stress tests and other developments since its last downgrade in December . In stock markets , traders reacted to the stress tests by chasing higher the shares of the two bank survivors , while shares of Ireland 's only other publicly listed bank , Irish Life & Permanent , plunged to a record low on news it will be broken up . But as experts digested the test results , the issue of how far to push losses on the banks ' bondholders remained the focus . Noonan said Ireland intends to force at least 5 billion euros -LRB- $ 7 billion -RRB- in losses on the most junior class of bank bondholders as part of its surging bailout bill . That represents a small concession by the ECB , which had until this week opposed such a move . But Noonan said hopes of forcing billions more in losses on senior bondholders - chiefly British , German and American banks - were again vetoed by a majority of ECB governors during negotiations that ran right up to Thursday 's announcements . Noonan said Ireland would not act unilaterally against the orders of the ECB , which along with the European Commission has been against forcing losses on bondholders since Ireland 's banking crisis erupted in 2008 . European financial chiefs made protection of senior bondholders a condition of its November bailout agreement with Ireland 's previous government , which was ousted from office three weeks ago amid voter fury over the terms of the deal . Noonan expressed frustration with Europe 's plans to introduce '' `` burden-sharing '' '' - forcing the creditors of failing banks to cover some debt-restructuring costs - under new rules after 2013 , too late for Ireland . He contrasted that with U.S. policies that hit bondholders early in its own banking crisis . '' `` The American way of doing things is to have burden sharing and to make creditors share in the pain . The European way is different , '' '' Noonan said . Noonan said a minority of governors at the Frankfurt-based ECB , notably Germany 's Axel Weber , agree with the Irish and American position , and he still hoped it would prevail in the medium term . But he said Ireland had to give up its hopes of greater burden-sharing for now because the ECB is the key source of short-term funds for all of Ireland 's banks , none of which is able to borrow on open markets . '' `` The bank in Frankfurt is supplying almost 200 billion euros -LRB- $ 280 billion -RRB- of liquidity to the Irish banking system . We said we wanted burden-sharing but we would not do it unilaterally . We would only do it with the agreement of Frankfurt and we did n't get the agreement , '' '' Noonan told Irish state broadcasters RTE . He said if Ireland burned any bondholders against ECB instructions , it would risk a loan cut-off and financial chaos . He said , instead , Ireland received '' `` the best we could hope for '' '' when the ECB pledged Thursday night to keep loaning Ireland 's banks money regardless of whether their credit ratings are slashed further . '' `` Did we risk the liquidity flow of 200 billion -LRB- euros -RRB- being cut off , particularly when we expect a downgrade of Irish bank paper ? '' '' he said . The ECB has already permitted Ireland to impose heavy haircuts on the junior bondholders at Ireland 's most disastrously managed bank , Anglo Irish . It was the first to be nationalized in 2009 , has cost the state more than 25 billion euros -LRB- $ 35 billion -RRB- , and is being dismantled . In October , Anglo offered its creditors holding 3.5 billion euros in subordinated bonds a deal that they could be repaid a fraction of their investment , between 5 percent and 20 percent - or refuse the offer and forfeit even more . The Central Bank of Ireland last month said Ireland 's six banks still have nearly 7 billion euros in outstanding subordinated bonds , which is debt that gets repaid in the event of bankruptcy only after senior bondholders get their money back . Those bondholders are next in line for brutal haircuts , according to Noonan . But ECB policy means Ireland can not impose cuts on 16.4 billion euros in senior bonds that are unsecured and outside the scope of Ireland 's bank insurance . Nor can the Irish prune any of the 19 billion euros in secured but unguaranteed bank bonds . Secured bonds are debt backed by collateral that can be handed over in case the debt goes unpaid . Noonan said Ireland reserves the right to push the ECB for approval to discount all remaining bonds at Anglo and Irish Nationwide , should any major bondholders there seek to cash in their positions early . Like Anglo , Irish Nationwide has already been fully nationalized , forced to transfer its deposit base to surviving banks , and is being wound down . The Educational Building Society is also fully state-owned and will be merged into Allied Irish . In midafternoon trade on the Irish Stock Exchange , Bank of Ireland was 40 percent higher at 0.31 euros -LRB- $ 0.44 -RRB- , Allied Irish 16 percent higher at 0.22 euros -LRB- $ 0.31 -RRB- . Irish Life & Permanent fell to an all-time low of 0.11 euros before rebounding to 0.18 euros -LRB- $ 0.25 -RRB- , still down 54 percent on the day .

B O O B O B O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O B B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O B O O O O B O O B O O O O O B O O O B O O B B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O B I O O O B O O O O B I O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O B I O O O O O B O O O B O O O O B O B O O O O B O O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O O B B B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B B B O B B I I I O O B O O O O O O B B O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O B B B O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B I O B B O O O B I I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O B B O O O O O O B B O O O O O B O O O O B O B I O O O O B I O B O O B I O O O B B O O B I O B O O O O O O O B O O B I O B I O O O B O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O B O B B O B O B O O O O B O B I O B I O O B O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O O B O O B O B I B B I O B O O O B O B O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B O O B B O B I O B I I I I O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O B O O B O O B O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O B O B I O B O O O B I O O O B I I O B B B O O O O B O B O O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O B I I I O O B O B O O B I O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O

2009
vetoed
higher
medium term
irish
supplying
six banks
society
loan cutoff
key source
handed over
fully stateowned
financial chaos
recover faster than greece
downgrades
already permitted
debt goes unpaid
banks
to impose
hoped it
american position
is being wound down
stress
nationalized
stock markets
us policies
central bank
have nearly 7 billion euros
give up
hopes
bonds
frankfurt
haircuts
survivors
noonan
ireland
money back
slash
debt backed
hit
billions more in losses
educational
shortterm funds
risk
collateral
ecb
blocked
prevail
bondholders
own banking crisis
recover gradually
merged
said
received
ecbordered
american
7
warned
crisis
downgrade
markets
frankfurtbased
downgraded
bailout
was over
burned
economy
borrow
assumptions
orders
euros
anglo
life
impose
expect
pledged
forcing
creditors
introduce
offenders
weber
push
announcements
two
act

anglo irish
euros280 billion
didn't expect
allied irish
nationalized banking sector
majority of ecb
ireland's
euros7
recover
cutoff
shortterm


Unemployment rate falls to two-year low WASHINGTON -- Employers continued creating new jobs at a steady pace in March , according to new data , driving the unemployment rate down a tick and confirming that the job-market recovery , while slow , remains underway . The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate dropped to 8.8 percent last month , the lowest in two years and down from 8.9 percent the month before . That came as employers added 216,000 net jobs , higher than the revised 194,000 gain in February and above the 190,000 in new jobs that analysts had expected . The report hardly showed gangbuster job creation , but it confirms an ongoing economic expansion and the fact that employers are adding jobs at a pace that is likely to chip away at the nation 's yawning unemployment problem over time . The steady-as-she-goes report helps assuage fears that turmoil in the Middle East , higher fuel prices or other factors are steering the U.S. recovery off course , despite some uneven economic data recently . Financial markets reacted positively to the news : the Dow Jones industrial average rose 56.99 points , or 0.5 percent , to close at 12,376.72 . The Standard & Poor 's 500 index added 6.58 points to close at 1,332.41 . Following the fourth consecutive month of declines , the unemployment rate is a full percentage point lower than it was in November . And the three-month average pace of private-sector job growth reached its highest level since 2006 . '' `` The recovery in employment is here to stay , '' '' said Sung Won Sohn , an economist at California State University . A separate report Friday showed continued strong growth in the manufacturing sector , with the Institute for Supply Management 's index of activity at the nation 's factories edging down to 61.2 from 61.4 . Numbers above 50 indicate expansion . In the details of the Labor Department report , there was not much to love but plenty to like . The improvement in the unemployment rate was attributed to the 291,000 additional workers who described themselves as having a job , rather than people giving up their job searches out of frustration . A broader measure of unemployment -- which also captures discouraged people who have given up looking for work and those who are working part time but want a full-time job -- fell to 15.7 percent , from 15.9 percent . The length of the average workweek rose to 33.6 hours , from 33.5 , allowing those who already were working to take home more income -LRB- though in a less promising sign , average hourly earnings dropped -RRB- .

B O O O O O B O B B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B B B O B O O O O O B I O O O O O B O O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O O O B O B O B B I O O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O B O O O O B O O O B O O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O B O O O B O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

said
east
continued
points
threemonth
close
194000 gain
institute
separate
recovery
expected
adding
jobs
at 133241
manufacturing sector
financial
1237672
fourth
described
unemployment
labor department report
economist
highest
added
prices
declines
159
336
157
335
89 percent
discouraged
05
612
economic
216000
confirming
activity
attributed
california
washington
assuage
job
looking
5699
workweek
additional
improvement
numbers
88
employers
190000

expansion in
jobs higher
november and
poor's
133241
manufacturing
194000


U.S. economy adds 216,000 jobs in March WASHINGTON - The most-awaited sign that the U.S. economic recovery is firmly taking root arrived yesterday in a Labor Department report that showed vigorous private-sector hiring as the unemployment rate fell for the fourth consecutive month . However , rising food and fuel prices remain threats to a strong economic revival , analysts warned . Employers added a robust 216,000 jobs in March , the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported , as the unemployment rate ticked down one-tenth of a percentage point to 8.8 percent . Private-sector employment rose by 230,000 , but a net loss of 14,000 government jobs nationwide dragged down the broader number . The figures add up to an economy firing on almost all cylinders . '' `` The job market is kicking into full gear . Job growth has accelerated to 200,000 per month , which is sufficient to meaningfully bring down unemployment , '' '' said Mark Zandi , the chief economist forecaster at Moody 's Analytics . '' `` It is also encouraging the job growth is increasingly broad-based across industries . Only state and local governments are laying off workers . '' '' Manufacturers added 17,000 jobs in March , the fifth straight month that they 've boosted employment . The vigorous health-care sector added almost 37,000 jobs , and the category of professional and business services - which includes well-paying white-collar jobs - surged by 78,000 . Temporary employment , usually a harbinger of future hiring , also was up by 28,800 jobs . Even if the March numbers are repeated in the months ahead , however , it will take a long time to erase the 8 million job losses suffered during the Great Recession of 2007-09 , the worst since the 1930s . But March suggests the recovery is taking root . '' `` The numbers were solid , indicating that business confidence is improving to the point where hiring is beginning to step up , '' '' said Chris Varvares , the president of forecaster Macroeconomic Advisers . '' `` Numbers like this will generate income , increase confidence for consumers and are the kinds of numbers we need to see on an ongoing basis to have the self-sustaining recovery and expansion that is in our forecast . '' '' Ohio 's jobless rate was 9.2 percent in February , the most-recent figure available , and the central Ohio rate for that month was 8.2 percent . The job increases in yesterday 's national report and the projection for more new hiring reflect the trend in central Ohio , as well . Manpower 's quarterly employment survey , released early last month , shows that 22 percent of Columbus-area employers interviewed plan to hire during the second quarter . The outlook was the fourth-best among U.S. metropolitan areas . Even though the national report arrived on April Fools ' Day , yesterday 's numbers were no prank . They followed by a day the close of the first quarter of 2011 , when U.S. stocks surged on expectations that the U.S. economy is getting its game back . The benchmark S&P 500 gained 5.4 percent in the first three months of this year , the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 6.7 percent , its best quarter since 1999 , and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 4.8 percent . One shadow grew darker yesterday , as crude oil traded above $ 108 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange , threatening to slow the recovery . High oil prices bring pain at the gasoline pump , sapping consumer spirits and spending power . '' `` Higher energy and other commodity prices are the most serious threat to optimism regarding the job market and broader economy . Oil prices much above current prices for more than a few weeks will do serious damage , '' '' Zandi warned . Higher gasoline prices are like a tax on consumption . Shoppers might cut back their purchases of other goods if pump prices remain high . The AAA auto club said the nationwide average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline stood at $ 3.61 yesterday , up from $ 3.38 a month ago and $ 2.80 a year ago .

O B O O B O B B O O O B O O O O B O B O O O B O O B I O O O O B B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O B B B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O B O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B I I O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O B O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

encouraging
us metropolitan areas
threats
meaningfully
percent
traded above
released
recovery
forecaster
employment
february
200000
unemployment
economist
and the projection
add
includes
privatesector
commodity
kicking
said
higher
employers
yesterday
economy
job growth
sign
nationwide average
percentage
months
jobs
washington
expectations
rose
hiring
firmly
labor department
suffered
march
unleaded
beginning

advisers numbers
yesterday's
exchange threatening
moody's


UPDATE 1-India ex-minister , Reliance ADA charged in telecoms graft case * Unitech MD , 3 Reliance ADA officials charged * Charges include conspiracy , forgery , cheating -LRB- Adds details , background -RRB- By C.J. Kuncheria NEW DELHI , April 2 -LRB- Reuters -RRB- - Indian police on Saturday charged a former minister , the Reliance ADA Group and the Indian joint venture partners of Telenor and Etisalat , in a multi-billion dollar telecoms licencing corruption scandal that has rocked the government and business establishments . Andimuthu Raja , the telecoms minister at the time of a flawed 2008 mobile phone licence allocation process , Managing Director of Unitech Sanjay Chandra , and three officials of Reliance ADA Group were also charged in the case , a government lawyer told reporters . '' `` The charges are conspiracy , cheating , forgery of documents , abuse of official position and abetment , '' '' A.K. Singh , special public prosecutor told reporters after the charges were filed in court . The graft scandal , potentially India 's largest ever , has damaged confidence in the Congress-led coalition government , led to calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , and worried investors in Asia 's third-largest economy . -LRB- For a Q+A on the scandal , see -LSB- ID : nL3E7F11Z5 -RSB- -RRB- It is one of the several corruption scandals that have emerged during Singh 's second term , hobbling policymaking and diverting the government 's attention away from pushing forward crucial economic reforms . Some of India 's leading businesses have been questioned and past official decisions scrutinised or reversed . These events have weighed on stocks , with the Mumbai market ending the March quarter as the world 's worst performer . India may have lost as much as $ 39 billion due to violations of rules when lucrative mobile phone licences and radio spectrum were granted in 2008 , the state auditor estimated , a sum equivalent to the country 's defence budget . Raja was forced to resign and later arrested over the auditor 's report . He has been accused in court earlier of taking bribes from two firms which are now part of the India operations of Etisalat and Telenor . Singh said the police would file the bribery charges later . Others arrested include Shahid Balwa , the vice chairman of Etisalat 's Indian venture . Police have also questioned Anil Ambani , the billionaire chairman of Reliance ADA Group and Prashant Ruia , the chief executive of steel-to-telecoms conglomerate Essar group . A parliamentary panel probing the scandal has summoned iconic business tycoon Ratan Tata and Anil Ambani for questioning next week . All of the accused have denied any wrongdoing . The telecoms ministry is considering whether to cancel several licences , after the auditor 's report accused these firms of not being eligible for them , sparking off worries about regulatory stability . The Supreme Court , under its tough new chief justice , has been monitoring the progress of the case after having reprimanded Singh for not moving quick enough to act against his minister . Faced with a resurgent opposition , Singh 's government has not been able to undertake economic reforms such as freeing up diesel prices and allowing foreign investors into the supermarket sector . The corruption scandals , which include charges of graft at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and of officials at state-run banks taking bribes for corporate loans , have tarnished Singh 's image as a clean and effective leader . They could also affect the performance of the ruling Congress party in five state elections that begin in mid-April , in which the Congress must perform well or risk the coalition unravelling . -LRB- Reporting by CJ Kuncheria ; Editing by Jeremy Laurence -RRB-

O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B I O O B O B O O O O O O O B O B O O O B O O O B B O O O O B O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O B I I O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O B I I O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O B I O B O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O B O O B O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O B O O B O O O B O O O B O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B O B O O O O O B I B O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

scandal
sparking
perform
eligible
diverting
forced
reforms
defence
attention
ratan
multibillion
court
raja
telenor
position
supermarket
reversed
singh
parliamentary
corporate
managing
indian police
government
tata
thirdlargest economy
corruption
unitech sanjay chandra
resignation
resurgent opposition
lucrative
special public prosecutor
progress
conglomerate
foreign
quarter
business
performance
allocation
now part
commonwealth
former minister
resign
include
reliance
state auditor
ministry
etisalat
congress
prime minister
risk
regulatory
undertake economic
sum equivalent
forgery
group

singh's
auditor's
supermarket sector
corruption scandal
exminister reliance
supreme court
managing director
cheating forgery
venture police
defence budget


Man pleads guilty to tax evasion in cemetery case MEMPHIS , Tenn. -- A cemetery owner charged with helping steal millions from funeral home trust funds has pleaded guilty to tax evasion . According to WMC-TV , 71-year-old Clayton Smart made the plea Friday as part of a larger deal reached earlier this year transferring the charge from Oklahoma to Memphis . Smart , a former Oklahoma oilman , faces up to five years in prison on the charge and a fine of $ 250,000 when he is sentenced June 30 . Smart was indicted in 2007 in Memphis , accused of diverting $ 20 million from cemetery trust funds . The cemeteries are in Tennessee and Michigan . Prosecutors in Oklahoma have said Smart filed a federal tax return for 2004 showing he had no income that year , but actually made more than $ 11 million and owed more than $ 4 million in taxes .

B I I O O B O B O B O O O O B O O O B I I O B O O B O B I O O B O O O O O O B B B O B I O O O O B I I I O B B O B O B O B O B O O O B B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O B O O O B O O B O B O B O O O O O B O B O O O B O O B B O B I B O O B O O O B O B O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O

evasion
income
tennessee
year
memphis
helping steal millions
million
clayton
funds
funeral
made
plea friday
return
filed
cemetery
indicted
larger deal reached earlier
transferring
showing
sentenced
smart
oklahoma
charge
pleaded guilty
man pleads guilty
prison
oilman
diverting
michigan
federal tax

michigan prosecutors
actually made more
trust funds
guilty
plea
millions
smart filed
memphis smart
helping


Ireland to seek rate cut for EU bailout next week : Report LONDON : Irish finance minister Michael Noonan will seek to lower the interest rate charged on the eurozone nation 's multi-bn-euro EU-IMF bailout next week , the Irish Times said Saturday . Noonan will press for a cut in the loan rate when EU finance ministers hold an informal meeting in Budapest on April 7-9 , the paper said , citing sources at the Department of Finance . The news comes after the Irish Central Bank ruled Thursday that four lenders needed to raise another 24 bn euros -LRB- $ 34 bn -RRB- to withstand another crisis , after carrying out vital stress tests as a condition of the bailout . '' `` He -LRB- Noonan -RRB- will be explaining the results of the stress tests and the actions that the government is going to take , '' '' the Irish Times quoted a source as saying . '' `` Debt sustainability is important . Running down the interest rate can help that . '' '' The Central Bank had also ordered a drastic overhaul of the eurozone nation 's stricken banking sector on Thursday , as the total cost of bailing out its lenders was set to top 70 bn euros . Ireland , plagued by banking worries , was rescued last year with a huge 85-bn-euro -LRB- $ 115-bn -RRB- bailout package , which included a contribution of 67 bn euros from the European Union and International Monetary Fund . The last Irish government was kicked out by voters earlier this year amid deep-rooted public anger over the humiliating deal . The new administration , headed by Prime Minister Enda Kenny , wants partners to lower the average 5.8-percent interest it must pay for international financial assistance . However , eurozone leaders have so far refused to give Dublin the same leeway as Greece , which saw a one-percentage-point interest rate cut and its repayment period extended last month . Kenny has vowed to resist EU pressure to raise Ireland 's cherished 12.5-percent corporation tax rate , in return for easier terms on the rescue package . The rate is considerably lower than other European countries , sparking accusations from EU leaders that it gives Ireland an unfair advantage and makes Dublin 's problems worse because the government loses revenue . Meanwhile , staff from the European Commission , the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund will arrive in Dublin on Tuesday to review the bailout programme .

B O B I O O O B O O O O O O B B B O O O B O B O B B B O O B O O O O B O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O B O B O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O B O B O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O B O B O B O O O O B B I O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B B B O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O B B O B O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O B O O B B O O B O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B B O O B O O O O B O O O B O O O O O B O B O O

countries
thursday
interest
contribution
sustainability
government
financial assistance
rescue package
review
seek rate
international
seek
commission
bailout
eurozone
finance
condition
charged
carrying
saturday
extended
bailing
lower
corporation
informal meeting
minister
ireland
european
citing
humiliating
accusations
arrive
banking
important
total
irish
deeprooted
withstand
give
onepercentagepoint
euros
advantage
125percent
explaining
tests
running
sources
115bn
wants
vowed
included
rate
average


China 's March CPI rise to exceed 5 % : economists BEIJING , April 2 -LRB- Xinhua -RRB- - China 's consumer prices are expected to rise more than five percent in March on a lower comparison basis from a year ago and imported inflation , economists have said . Shanghai-based Shenyin Wanguo Securities predicts the Consumer Price Index -LRB- CPI -RRB- , a major gauge of inflation , to increase 5.3 percent in March , the highest in nearly two years , driven by rising food prices and a lower year-on-year comparison basis . Food prices are likely to jump 12.3 percent from a year ago while the lower comparison basis would contribute 3.4 percent to the CPI rise , the company said in a report . The Bank of Communications also expects March CPI to rise more than 5 percent on pressure from imported inflation . Lu Zhengwei , chief economist with Industrial Bank , said the central bank is likely to hike interest rates after mid-April . China will release economic data for March in mid-April . February 's CPI remained on par with that of January at 4.9 percent . The growth rose from 4.6 percent in December but was less than the 28-month high of 5.1 percent in November .

B O B O O O B O O O B B O O O O B O O B O B I O B O O O O O B O B O O B B O O O O O O B I O B O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O O B O B O O O B O O B O B O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O B B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O B O O O O O O B O B O B I O O O O O B O O B O O O B B O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O

central
shenyin
imported inflation
january
exceed
communications
december
percent
comparison
economic
economist
march
driven
securities
pressure
consumer prices
economists
expected
lower
years
beijing
xinhua
bank
jump
china
major
prices
increase

imported inflation economists
midapril february's


U.S. Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Drops to Two-Year Low in March April 2 -LRB- Bloomberg -RRB- - The unemployment rate in the U.S. unexpectedly fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent in March as employers created more jobs than forecast , adding to evidence the labor-market recovery is gaining traction . Payrolls rose by 216,000 workers last month after a 194,000 gain the prior month , the Labor Department said yesterday in Washington . Economists projected a March increase of 190,000 , according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey . A separate report showed manufacturing expanded at close to the fastest pace in seven years . `` It does look like things have turned the corner , '' Scott Brown , chief economist at Raymond James & Associates Inc. in St. Petersburg , said in an interview with Lisa Murphy on Bloomberg Television 's `` Fast Forward . '' `` We 're finally seeing small - and medium-sized companies hiring . '' Stocks climbed as the figures showed the world 's largest economy is weathering the highest energy prices in more than two years . Treasuries pared losses after William Dudley , president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York , said the jobs data should n't change the central bank 's plans to buy $ 600 billion of government securities through June . `` I do n't see any reason to pull back from that yet , '' Dudley said in response to reporters ' questions about the Fed 's bond-buying program after a speech in San Juan , Puerto Rico . In his speech , he said the recovery is `` still tenuous '' and `` far from the mark '' of the central bank 's goals of full employment . Shares Climb The Standard & Poor 's 500 Index gained 0.5 percent to 1,332.41 at the 4 p.m. close in New York yesterday . Treasuries rose , with the yield on the 10-year note falling to 3.44 percent from 3.47 percent the previous day . Manufacturing expanded in March at about the same pace as February , the strongest month since May 2004 . The Tempe , Arizona-based Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index was 61.2 compared with 61.4 in February . Readings greater than 50 signal expansion . While companies stepped up hiring , earnings and hours stagnated , the Labor Department 's figures showed . Average hourly earnings for production workers rose 0.8 percent over the past six months , the smallest gain for such a period since 2004 . `` With the increased pace of hiring , this suggests that increasing numbers of returning jobless workers may be settling for lower wages than they had earned before the recession , '' David Resler , chief economist at Nomura Securities International Inc. in New York , said in a note to clients . Fed 's Effectiveness Bill Gross , manager of the world 's biggest bond fund at Pacific Investment Management Co. , said the gain in employment suggests the Fed 's bond purchases have been effective . `` Their objective obviously is to improve the economy and to create jobs but also to put a floor under the stock market , and we know that 's working , '' Gross said yesterday in a radio interview on `` Bloomberg Surveillance '' with Tom Keene . The Fed , after its latest policy meeting March 15 , pledged to continue its bond-purchase program in order to `` promote a stronger pace of economic recovery . '' Policy makers said the economy is on a `` firmer footing '' while acknowledging a rise in commodity prices . Record exports and gains in business and consumer spending are prompting companies like Chrysler Group LLC and Kohl 's Corp. to boost staff . Other manufacturing reports yesterday showed China 's factories accelerated for the first time in four months , while India 's grew for a 24th month . Chrysler , aiming for its first net profit since emerging from bankruptcy in 2009 , plans to hire 1,000 engineers and high - tech workers for its small and midsized vehicles . The Auburn Hills , Michigan-based company is also urging its dealers to hire more salesmen and service workers to help boost sales by 32 percent this year . Adding Staff `` Hiring additional personnel in preparation for the spring market is essential for success in 2011 , '' Peter Grady , vice president of Chrysler 's network development and fleet , said in a memo to dealers last month . Private hiring , which excludes government agencies , rose by 230,000 in March after a 240,000 increase in February , the biggest back-to-back gain since 2006 . The separate survey of households showed the size of the labor force increased by 160,000 in March and employment grew by 291,000 . That pushed the share of the population that is employed up to 58.5 percent from 58.4 percent a month earlier . Government payrolls decreased for a fifth straight month in March , reflecting cuts at the local level . Factory payrolls increased by 17,000 last month , while the construction industry shed jobs . Led by Services Employment at service-providers rose 185,000 in March , the most since May 2010 . Temporary-help services companies added 28,800 workers and retail employment increased by 17,700 . Economic growth accelerated to a 3.1 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2010 as consumer spending climbed by the most in four years . Oil prices that closed at $ 107.94 yesterday on the New York Mercantile Exchange , the highest since September 2008 , may keep climbing should Middle East political turmoil continue unabated , raising the risk that consumer spending will slow . U.S. companies are still trying to gauge the effects of the March 11 earthquake in Japan and the subsequent nuclear crisis on international supply chains . Toyota Motor Corp. expects assembly interruptions that may affect North America plants . - With assistance from Tom Keene and Lisa Murphy in New York and Alex Kowalski in Washington . Editors : Carlos Torres , Vince Golle To contact the reporter on this story : Bob Willis in Washington at bwillis@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story : Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net

B I O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O B B O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O B O B O O B O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O B O O O B O B I O O O O O O O O

midsized vehicles
pacific investment management
compared
created
separate survey
government
purchases
essential
turmoil continue
acknowledging
international
climbing
serviceproviders
washington
gains
companies stepped
personnel
factory payrolls increased
bloomberg
suggests
economy
editor responsible
same pace
business
department
mediumsized
forecast
recovery
reflecting
engineers
employment
yield
assembly interruptions
reporter
pledged
stock market
spending
unexpectedly
questions
effectiveness
development
assistance
contact
effective
manufacturing expanded
hiring
us jobless
manufacturing
unemployment
workers
surveillance
prior
accelerated
turned
federal reserve bank
returning
prompting companies
economist
new york
company
vice president
weathering
commodity

televisions
washington economists projected


Music Stars in Public , Victims of Abuse at Home Just yesterday Keith Brown , the father of well known piano group '' `` The 5 Browns , '' '' was finally given what he deserved after sexually abusing his three daughters for years when they were children . A judge in Utah issued Brown a sentence of ten years to life after deeming him a '' `` pedophile '' '' and a '' `` danger to society . '' '' Despite Keith Brown being mentally sick and inflicting monstrous abuse on his own flesh and blood , his children are extremely talented and have received praise from listeners when featured on '' `` Oprah '' '' and when their albums reached the top of the classical music charts . The instance of a mentally perturbed father abusing his amazingly talented children is something that Detroit music fans , as well of the rest of the world , know all too well . Think legendary and groundbreaking group The Jackson Five who was one of Motown 's most famous acts . Though they were not subjected to sexual abuse that the public is aware of , they were unfairly beaten and verbally abused for years by their father Joseph Jackson . Likewise , the lovable DeBarge family who grew up in Grand Rapids and Detroit , MI , reported accounts of verbal and physical abuse by their father . Etterlene DeBarge a.k.a Bunny , lead singer of the group DeBarge , even revealed that she was sexually abused by their father . Is there a correlation between child abuse and superstardom ? Advertisement The reality is that child abuse is extremely prevalent in the U.S. , however the public gets to learn what goes on behind the closed doors of groups like '' `` The 5 Browns '' '' and '' `` The Jackson Five '' '' simply because their privacy is little to nonexistent . The women of '' `` The 5 Browns '' '' committed a brave act by exposing their father 's misconduct when they learned he would possibly be managing young acts . Victims of child abuse should be encouraged by this story to speak out . Detroit citizens should become aware of Childhelp Michigan in Southfield . This organization works to prevent child abuse and treat victims . Visit childhelp.org to volunteer or speak out against child abuse .

O O O B O B O B I I B I O O O O B O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O B I O O B I O O B I O O O O O B O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B O B O O B O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O B O B O O O O O B O B O O O B O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O B O O B O O B O O O B O O O B O B I O O O O O O B O O

brave
managing
story
danger
possibly
blood
extremely prevalent
grand
well known
finally
classical music
southfield
pedophile
deserved after sexually
detroit music
public
world
monstrous abuse
aware
groundbreaking group
family
legendary
amazingly
despite keith
victims
abuse at home
children
childhelp
singer
father
mentally sick
sexual
sexually
just yesterday
misconduct
mentally
verbally abused
visit childhelporg
doors
exposing
received
nonexistent
reported
privacy
child
organization

father joseph jackson likewise
yesterday


Twitter tax deal creates classic San Francisco row -LRB- AP -RRB- - In the shadow of San Francisco 's stately City Hall , sidewalks abound with transients , drugs and crime . Into this neighborhood , one of the world 's hottest social media companies has promised to stride , offering urban rebirth in exchange for a tax break . Tax incentives to bring businesses to blighted streets are not unusual . But this is San Francisco . And Twitter . The mayor supports the plan , but progressive politicians - and now the city 's largest public employee union - call the proposal a poorly crafted giveaway to the rich . The conflict comes at a time when the city 's high tech economy teems with energy not seen since before the first Internet bubble burst more than a decade ago . At issue is the city 's payroll tax . San Francisco is the only city in California to levy its business tax based on how much companies pay workers , rather than how much money they take in . Since Twitter emerged as a side project of a San Francisco podcasting company in 2006 , the business has grown from a handful of employees to a few hundred . With investors pouring money into Twitter , the company expects to grow to more than 3,000 . To do that , Twitter needs a lot more space . One option would be to flee to a sprawling suburban campus in Silicon Valley , where adding more employees would not mean adding to the tax bill . But earlier this month , recently appointed Mayor Ed Lee announced what seemed like a winning solution for everyone . Twitter had signed a letter of intent to sign a six-year lease on several hundred thousand square feet of office space in a historic building in the struggling Mid-Market neighborhood . The only condition : The city must agree to exempt Twitter from paying any new payroll taxes on any additional hires . For a company that expects to add thousands of new of employees in the next few years , the savings would add up quickly . '' `` This is the moment we have been waiting for , '' '' Lee said of the proposed deal . '' `` The transformative nature of an anchor tenant like Twitter will revitalize this community . '' '' Yet in San Francisco , where an overall economy largely untouched by the recession has kept real estate prices among the highest in the country , some low-income residents worry that revitalization will just lead to higher rents . And city employees facing layoffs and contract concessions thanks to a massive budget shortfall resent what they see as a giveaway to venture capitalists and a bailout for landlords . '' `` Who are the -LRB- Twitter -RRB- investors ? '' '' Supervisor John Avalos told The San Francisco Examiner . '' `` Probably some of the wealthiest people in this country . And we are giving them more wealth . '' '' Last Tuesday , members of a neighborhood group protested outside Twitter 's current headquarters , about a mile from the proposed new offices . They accused Twitter of not living up to its pledge to be a good neighbor . They complained neither the city nor the company have considered the low-income residents who would be adversely impacted by rising rents spurred by the prosperity Twitter could bring . '' `` The residents are feeling that if they 're not going to benefit from this revitalization that the city is pushing for , it really does n't make sense for these companies to stay in San Francisco , '' '' said Angelica Cabande , director of South of Market Community Action Network . Twitter declined to comment on the tax-break fracas . As a result of the controversy , a lawmaker on the Board of Supervisors ' progressive wing , Ross Mirkarimi , has proposed an alternative measure he says will fix an underlying legal flaw that has led to anxiety among hot tech companies looking to grow . San Francisco 's payroll tax is unusual enough , but one provision makes it even more unique . The city in 2004 added language to the tax code to make clear that tax collectors considered stock options a part of employees ' compensation and hence taxable as part of the payroll . For tech startups , stock options are one of the most common ways to hold onto employees , especially when a lack of funds does n't allow them to offer competitive salaries . When lucky companies reach a point where they can make their initial public offering of stock , those options can turn into a major windfall for workers . But for companies in San Francisco , that windfall sticks employers with a huge tax increase right at the time they 've issued the stock in an effort to expand . Mirkarimi 's proposal would place a two-year moratorium on taxing any company 's stock options to ease the fears not just of Twitter , but other San Francisco-based startups like social gaming leader Zynga and consumer review website Yelp . '' `` You do n't want to write law in a way that only helps one company or one neighborhood in one part of the city , '' '' Mirkarimi said . The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the Twitter package , and Mirkarimi predicts it will pass even without his vote . If that happens , Service Employees International Union Local 1021 , the public employees union , may seek a ballot measure that could delay the deal until voters weigh in . City economic officials paint any failure of the deal not as a loss to Twitter but as a loss for the neighborhood , where more than half of the available commercial real estate sits vacant . While Twitter is the big fish the city is seeking to catch , any businesses within the geographic zone defined by the legislation would get a similar tax break . '' `` The benefit we want , which is jobs in this area , is not happening without some incentive , '' '' said Jennifer Matz , director of the city 's Office of Economic and Workforce Development . Without such incentives , she said , the neighborhood has not seen improvement for a generation . '' `` It resisted the last dot-com boom . '' '' © 2010 The Associated Press . All rights reserved . This material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten or redistributed .

B O O O O B I O O B O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B I B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B I O O O B I I I I I O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

south of market community action network

service employees international union
san francisco's stately city hall
twitter tax deal
transients drugs


Defense rests in Cuban ex-CIA agent 's perjury case Defense rests in Cuban ex-CIA agent 's perjury case -LRB- AP -RRB- EL PASO , Texas -LRB- AP -RRB- -- Attorneys for an elderly ex-CIA agent accused of lying to U.S. immigration authorities about his alleged role in deadly 1997 bombings in Cuba rested their case Friday without calling their client as a witness . Luis Posada Carriles ' attorneys called just eight witnesses in eight days -- barely a third of the 23 people federal prosecutors summoned to the stand during the first 11 weeks of the oft-delayed trial . Prosecutors plan to call at least one rebuttal witness Monday , with closing arguments to follow . Posada 's face is plastered on propaganda billboards throughout his native Cuba , where he is considered former President Fidel Castro 's longtime nemesis for the decades he spent trying to destabilize Castro 's regime and other communist governments in Latin America . For much of that time , he had Washington 's support . Posada sneaked into the U.S. in 2005 and sought political asylum , and then U.S. citizenship . Prosecutors charged Posada with 11 counts of immigration fraud , obstruction and perjury , because they say he lied during citizenship hearings in El Paso about how he made it into the country and about having a Guatemalan passport with a false name . They also say Posada failed to acknowledge planning a wave of 1997 bombings at Cuban luxury hotels and a top tourist restaurant in Havana between April and September 1997 that killed an Italian visitor and injured about a dozen other people . In 1998 interviews with The New York Times , Posada said he masterminded the blasts , explaining that they were meant to hurt tourism in Cuba but not kill anybody . He also said he was angry the attacks had not received enough media attention in the U.S. . He has since denied making those comments . The defense focused on attempting to discredit key prosecution witnesses , rather than telling Posada 's versions of events . Its final witness was Carlos Spector , an El Paso attorney who has handled about 500 immigration cases , including some high-profile ones involving Mexicans who have fled to the U.S. amid their country 's bloody drug war . Spector suggested U.S. authorities entrapped Posada simply by allowing him to go through immigration hearings . Posada was arrested in Panama in 2000 and imprisoned over a plot to kill Castro during a summit there . He was pardoned by the Panamanian president in 2004 , and turned up in the U.S. the following March . Spector testified that Posada was barred by federal statute from receiving U.S. political asylum or citizenship because his previous conviction in Panama meant he could n't demonstrate good moral character . All the other questions he was asked during the El Paso hearings , Spector said , including how he slipped into the country , what was his role in the 1997 Cuba bombings , and why he had a Guatemalan passport , were irrelevant . '' `` I do n't know why they got that far , '' '' Spector said , '' `` his case was dead on arrival . '' '' The defense has long claimed the U.S. government knew Posada would n't qualify for citizenship but went ahead with the interview anyway just to charge him with lying . It 's an argument that worked before . U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone threw out original perjury and immigration fraud charges against Posada in 2007 , chastising the government for using the immigration hearings to build a criminal case against him . That decision was overturned by an appeals court , however , and the case returned to Cardone in El Paso , where prosecutors added new charges of obstruction . Posada was denied political asylum and citizenship during the El Paso proceedings , but was n't forced to leave the country under the convention to prevent torture . A U.S. immigration judge ruled he could n't be sent to Venezuela or Cuba because he could be tortured , and no other nation would take him . Under cross-examination Friday , lead prosecutor Timothy Reardon stressed that Posada requested the citizenship interviews and , though he ultimately withdrew his application for asylum because of his Panamanian conviction , he did n't do so until after answering more than two days of questions voluntarily . The defense also showed a photograph of Posada in front of a Greyhound bus station , but provided no further information or details . Posada says he paid a people smuggler to drive him from Honduras through Mexico and over the Texas border to Houston in 2005 , where he took a bus to Miami . Prosecutors say he actually sailed on a friend 's yacht from the Mexican resort of Isla Mujeres directly to Miami , where he slipped ashore without contacting immigration authorities . A CIA operative until 1976 , Posada participated indirectly in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion . He later served as head of the Venezuelan government 's intelligence service and was arrested for planning the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people . He escaped from a Venezuelan prison while still facing trial , however . In the 1980s , he helped the U.S. funnel support to Contra rebels in Nicaragua . Since arriving in the six years ago , Posada spent about two years in immigration detention centers in and near El Paso -- but was released when Cardone threw out the first case against him in 2007 . He has been living in Miami since then .

B B O O B O O B O B B O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O B B O O O O O O B B O B O O O O O B O O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O B O O B O O B O O O O O O B B O O O O B O O O B O O O B O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B B O O O O B O B B O O O O O B O B O B O O O O B O O B O B O O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O B B O O O B B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B I B O O O O O O O B O O B O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O B B O O O O O O B B O B O B O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O B O O O B O O B O O O B O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O B O B O O B O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O B O B O O O B O O O B B O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O B O B B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B O O B B O O O O B O O O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O B O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O O O B O B B B O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B B O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O O B I B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O B O O O

hearings
government
authorities
simply
weeks
arrested
sneaked
arguments
contacting
comments
conviction
qualify
interviews
handled
imprisoned
demonstrate
tourism
acknowledge
enough media
greyhound
immigration
passport
criminal
information
questions
trying
ashore
pardoned
argument
meant
obstruction
citizenship
calling
restaurant
political
2007
2005
bombings
1976
attorneys
miami
mexico
sought
witness
1997
detention
living
including
perjury
panamanian
2000
served
posada
decades
excia
dead
rebuttal
plastered
communist
attention
under crossexamination
angry
people
venezuelan
killed 73
defense
support
planning
propaganda
spector
decision
explaining
prosecutors
rests
denied
interview
cuba
yacht
destabilize
1980s
venezuela
highprofile
honduras
oftdelayed
statute
answering
attempting
mexican
ultimately


Larry Page set to take over as Google CEO starting Monday When Google -LRB- GOOG -RRB- co-founder Larry Page reclaims the role of CEO on Monday , it will be business as usual at the Googleplex . No formal ceremonies are planned . There will be no speeches . The absence of pomp underscores Page 's intense focus on the job ahead - spurring Google to innovate faster as it battles Facebook and other competitors , to react more like a nimble startup even as it zooms past 25,000 employees . As he takes the reins , Page 's aim appears to be to hone Google 's sense of discipline , to keep the company 's management structure as flat as possible despite its growth , and particularly to urge Googlers to continue to think big . But there are also questions about whether Page 's personality , including his detachment and his past unwillingness to be the public face of Google , will well serve a company facing a host of regulatory challenges . '' `` To a large extent , the culture of Google is what Larry wants it to be , '' '' said Craig Silverstein , who joined Page and co-founder Sergey Brin as the startup 's first employee in 1998 . Google announced in January that Page , Google 's CEO from its incorporation in 1998 until Eric Schmidt 's arrival in 2001 , would again become CEO this month . Since then , Page has made some subtle but interesting changes to how the company operates . He has told Googlers to change how they run meetings to make them more focused and productive , and he has directed executives to meet in public areas of the Googleplex so they will be more accessible to hearing ideas from rank-and-file Googlers , people familiar with the changes say . '' `` Face of the company '' '' Schmidt and Brin have been more in the public spotlight in the past decade than the 38-year-old son of a computer science professor from Michigan . But Page has remained a driving force within Google since 2001 , insisting on reviewing every hire , people familiar with the company say , and continuing to push hyperambitious projects like the company 's effort to scan every book ever published into a vast digital library . '' `` It 's certainly true that Eric is the public face , but inside Google , the founders are still very much the face of the company , '' '' said Silverstein , who spoke just after the Jan. 20 announcement of Page 's new role . Google declined to make Page available for an interview . Paul Buchheit , the former Googler who coined the phrase , '' `` Do n't Be Evil , '' '' said Page 's return sends a signal to Silicon Valley that innovation and taking risks for big ideas still matter at Google . '' `` This notion that something being impossible does n't really bother you , that 's really central to a lot of Google 's big projects , '' '' said Buchheit , who created Gmail before leaving the company in 2006 . '' `` It 's taking on things that might be possible or might be impossible , but if they are possible , it would have a really big impact on the world . '' '' Page has a foresight that few people have , Silverstein added . Page was a driving force for the massive computing power Google needed to create , long before many at Google saw the need for products like Google Instant - the feature the search giant introduced last year , and that Yahoo -LRB- YHOO -RRB- recently imitated , that begins to offer search results as soon as users type a letter into the query box . '' `` He 'll have an idea that seems really crazy , '' '' Silverstein said , '' `` and there will be all this push-back , and he 'll have none of it . '' '' Outside-the-box CEO No one expects Page to be a standard-issue CEO . Those like Silverstein who know Page well say that while he is n't shy , neither is he an extroverted , hail fellow well met . But he has also been described as brusque with people whose ideas he does n't value , and he has often shunned press attention . Some Google watchers say Page 's famous reticence and aversion to publicity may not serve him well as CEO . '' `` Brilliant engineers like Page are really good at things they can measure . They have a high IQ , but often a low EQ , '' '' or emotional quotient , Ken Auletta , who spent extensive time inside the Googleplex reporting his book , '' `` Googled : The End of the World as We Know It , '' '' said in an email . In addition , Page faces a full and complex plate of legal and regulatory issues when he takes on his new job . Just this week , the Federal Trade Commission forced Google into a 20-year commitment to accept outside supervision on privacy , and archrival Microsoft filed an antitrust complaint against Google in Europe . '' `` Larry is not as talented at things he ca n't measure , like why governments and citizens might fear Google 's dominance , or issues like privacy and copyright . Page certainly is more aware of government and other outside concerns . But they make him impatient . Which is dangerous when you 're wrestling with an 800-pound government gorilla . '' '' Doubts cloud future Veteran tech analyst Rob Enderle , who praised the reshuffling in January , said he has become concerned since then that Page '' `` will not step up to the full requirements of the job , which include being the human face of Google . '' '' Yardsticks like profit and revenue suggest Google has never been more successful , and its Android smartphone software gives the company a powerful foothold in the emerging mobile Web . But Google stock is down nearly 6 percent since the Jan. 20 announcement that Page would replace Schmidt as CEO , a period in which the Nasdaq is up 3 percent . Buchheit always believed Page 's return as CEO was inevitable , and that Page 's determination to swing for the fences is critical to Google 's identity . '' `` It was just a question of when it was going to happen , '' '' Buchheit said of Page 's return . '' `` He was originally the CEO , and the only reason that changed was because the VCs required it to change . He has a lot of pretty strong opinions about how this thing should be run , and he 's stayed very involved in the company . '' ''

O B O O O O O B B O O O B O O O B O B B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O B B O B O O O O O O B B O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O B O O B O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O B O B O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O B O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B I O B O O O B O B O O O O B O O O O O O B O O B B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O B O O B I O O B I I I O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O B O O B O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O B O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O B O B I B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O B O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

competitors
driving force
page
incorporation
reviewing
reclaims
copyright
projects
former googler
innovate
idea
revenue suggest
ceremonies
extensive
public spotlight
interesting
antitrust
commission
silicon valley
detachment
ceo
public
schmidt
reticence
impossible
future
digital library
opinions
meetings
appears
leaving
discipline
watchers
googlers
wrestling
planned
originally
employees
supervision
commitment
privacy
questions
cofounder
reporting
culture
reshuffling
believed
published
publicity
products
pushback
dangerous
described
determination
changed
massive computing power google
required
letter
spurring
powerful foothold
continuing
profit
googleplex
extroverted
personality
happen
computer
silverstein
familiar
introduced
takes
measure
google
underscores
insisting
veteran
hyperambitious
imitated
intense
hearing
emerging
talented
accessible
human
governments

standardissue ceo
google ceo
cofounder larry
company's management


' Westside Rapist ' admits strangling seven women to death , real number may be up to 30 Suspect admits killing seven women Cops think he murdered many more Suspected of being '' `` Westside Rapist '' '' THE man police have accused of being the '' `` Westside Rapist '' '' yesterday admitted to strangling seven women to death in sexually-motivated attacks . All of the killings took place in Southern California more than 25 years ago . Six of the slayings to which John Floyd Thomas Jr , 74 , pleaded guilty to took place in and around the west side of Los Angeles during the 1970s . The seventh killing was of a woman in Claremont , in San Bernardino County , who was found strangled in her home in 1986 . Thomas was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole . Though the former state insurance claims adjuster copped to seven murders , police believe he is responsible for many more , possibly as many as 30 . The first wave of murders ended in around 1978 when Thomas was sent to state prison on a rape charge . He was released in 1983 and moved to Chino , California around the time there were several rapes and killings of women in the area .

O O B O B I O B O B O O O O O O O O B I O O B B O O B O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O B O B O B O B O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O B O O B I I O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O B I B O O O B I O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O B O O O B I I I I I O O B O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O

chino california
039westside rapist039
insurance


Retail banks in Britain stung in report LONDON , April 2 -LRB- UPI -RRB- - A parliamentary committee said banking executives in Britain had a myopic view of retail banking . '' `` The chief executive officers of the large incumbents told the committee UK retail banking was enormously competitive , but a far larger range of witnesses described the industry as close to an oligopoly , '' '' said MP Andrew Tyrie , who chairs the Treasury committee for the House of Commons . Tyrie was responding to a recent committee report that said retail banking in Britain was not competitive enough , the British Broadcasting Corp. reported Saturday . The British Bankers ' Association said it was '' `` working closely with the Office of Fair Trading '' '' to address concerns such as increasing clarity in pricing practices for bank services and making it easier for customers to transfer funds to new accounts . '' `` Straightforward account switching and transparent fees and charges are important for competition and for customers , so they know where they stand and are able to choose , '' '' the BBA said .

B O O B O O B B O O O O O O O O B B O B B O B O O O B O B B O O O O B B B O O O B O O B O B B O O B O O O O O B O O B O B O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O B I O O B O B O B O B O O B B B O O B B O B O O B O O O B B O B O O O B O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O B O B O O O B O O B O B O O O O B O B O B B O B O B O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O

bba
treasury committee
report
london
tyrie
reported
pricing
incumbents
oligopoly
retail
association
broadcasting
commons
responding
british
straightforward
house
charges
switching
executive
parliamentary
banking
making
transparent
britain
important
customers
stand
competitive
industry
services
funds
committee
view
range
new
described
closely
concerns
chief
recent
officers
fees
clarity
executives

retail banks
broadcasting corp
large incumbents
enormously competitive
treasury


Heinrich to run for Senate in New Mexico Rep. Martin Heinrich announced Saturday that he would run for New Mexico 's U.S. Senate seat , giving Democrats a top-tier recruit in what is expected to be a competitive open seat race . Heinrich , who just began his second term in a competitive Albuquerque-based House district , joins former Rep. Heather Wilson and former congressional candidate Greg Sowards , who are running for the Republican nomination . Sen. Jeff Bingaman -LRB- D-N.M. -RRB- announced in February that he would not seek reelection , opening the seat up to a Republican takeover . But with Heinrich in the race , Democrats think their chances of holding the seat are greatly enhanced . `` Over those weeks , I have discussed at length with my family how I might best continue to serve New Mexico , '' Heinrich said in a message to supporters . `` After much serious thought , I am excited to announce today that I will be a candidate for the United States Senate . '' Heinrich said he would soon embark on a statewide listening tour . He has already launched a campaign website . Other potential candidates include state Auditor Hector Balderas -LRB- D -RRB- and Lt. Gov. John Sanchez -LRB- R -RRB- . A recent survey showed Heinrich polling as the top Democrat in a hypothetical primary .

B O B O B O O B O B B B O O O O B O O B O B B B O B B O B B O O O B O O O B O B B O B O O O O O B O O O B B O O O B B O B I O B B B B I O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O B O B O O O O O B O O O B O O O B O O O O B O O B O B O O B O B O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O B O O O B O O B O O O B O B O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O B O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O B B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O B B B B B O O O B O O B O O

hector balderas
senate
martin
us
heinrich
mexico
albuquerquebased
heather wilson
hypothetical
campaign
toptier
supporters
democrats
race
statewide
survey
republican
greg sowards
congressional
potential
competitive
john sanchez
auditor
holding
showed
recruit
seat
include
jeff bingaman
announced
embark
run
february
length
giving
serious thought
greatly
reelection
second
candidate
joins
polling
former
recent
democrat
message
expected
chances
continue
discussed

bingaman dnm
balderas
statewide listening
john sanchez r
heather


Crude oil at 30-month high on jobs growth , weak $ US CRUDE oil prices surged to fresh 2 1/2 - year highs near $ US108 a barrel today on stronger than expected US jobs growth in March and weakness in the US dollar . The US Labour Department said non-farm payrolls rose by 216,000 compared with economists ' estimates of a rise of 195,000 . The February figure was revised upward to 194,000 from an estimate of 192,000 , while the unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 per cent from 8.9 per cent a month ago . '' `` The jobs data shows the economy is improving and demand should remain strong , '' '' said Andy Lebow , senior vice-president at brokerage MF Global . Light , sweet crude oil for May delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled higher by $ US1 .22 , or 1.1 per cent , at $ US107 .94 a barrel . That was the highest level since September 25 , 2008 . The contract hit an intra-day high of $ US108 .05 a barrel in the final minutes of trading for the week . Front-month May ICE North Sea Brent crude settled at $ US118 .70 a barrel , the highest price since August 21 , 2008 , and up $ US1 .34 on the day . Traders said chart patterns suggest Nymex crude can easily make a run for $ US110 a barrel and beyond . The rally fed upon itself as prices responded to US-dollar weakness . Rich Ilczyszyn , a broker at Lind-Waldock said : '' `` A lot of players are looking at this market and saying , '' `` Do I really want to go home short oil ? '' '' '' '' The US dollar shed early strength after William Dudley , president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York , said it was n't time yet to '' `` reverse course '' '' and tighten monetary policy amid a '' `` tenuous '' '' US recovery , in contrast to recent hawkish comments from other Fed officials . A weaker US dollar generally makes crude oil cheaper for investors using foreign currencies . Still , Jason Schenker , president of Prestige Economics , said the improving US economic conditions mean the time is drawing nearer when the Fed will begin to slowly tighten policy . '' `` We will not be going from an accommodative to an austere policy , but to a slightly less accommodative policy , '' '' around the middle of 2012 , he predicted . Higher rates would come in response to stronger economic growth , which would underpin oil prices or support further gains , he said , while continued improvement in the jobs situation would help insulate consumers against rising gasoline prices . Traders said a strong infusion of new investment from commodity funds at the start of the second quarter helped drive gains against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the on-going Libyan civil war and lingering concerns over the potential for civil unrest elsewhere in the Middle East , the global oil patch . A Libyan rebel leader said his forces are ready for a ceasefire , provided Muammar Gaddafi 's forces end their assaults on rebel-held cities , but there was n't any immediate sign that would take place . Rebels said also they had reached a deal in which Qatar will market crude from rebel-held areas , in exchange for food , medicine , and funds to buy weapons . Oil exports of 1 million barrels per week could come from the Sarir oilfield once vessels are available to transport it , the rebels said . Prior to the unrest , begun in mid-February , Libya was pumping about 2 per cent of global oil supplies , and exporting about 1m bpd . Saudi Arabia , the world 's largest oil exporter has boosted output to offset the shortfall and is offering similar-quality crude to Libyan customers in Europe . Traders noted that the higher prices come as US oil supplies remain high . Crude oil inventories at Cushing , Oklahoma - the delivery point for the Nymex contract - stand at a record high and are 35 per cent higher than supplies from a year ago . That has kept the US benchmark depressed relative to Brent crude , which traders said better reflects strong global demand . US gasoline inventories are sufficient to cover 24.5 days of current demand , compared with a five-year average of 24.1 days , even as retail prices stand at record levels for this time of year and the spectre of higher prices looms as the peak summer demand season approaches . AAA Daily Fuel Gauge said the nationwide price of regular gasoline at the pump was $ US3 .62 a gallon overnight , up 6.8 per cent from a month ago . Current futures prices suggest retail prices nearing $ US3 .80 a gallon soon . The driving force behind higher gasoline is the price of crude . Nymex crude on a monthly average basis was up 15 per cent in March compared with December , while Brent was up 24 per cent . May-delivery reformulated gasoline blendstock futures settled higher by US2 .25 cents at $ US3 .1302 a gallon , the highest price since July 30 , 2008 . Heating oil futures settled higher at $ US3 .1452 a gallon , up US3 .27 c , and the highest since August 29 , 2008 .

B B O O O O O B O O O B B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B B O B O O B O B O B O B O O B B O O B B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B I O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O B I O O B O O B I O O O O B B O O B O O B I O B O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O B B O B I O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O B B O O B O B I O B O O B O O O B I O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O B B O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B B O B O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O B B B O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O B O O O B O O O O O B I O O B O B O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I I O B O O O O B I O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O B O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B B O B O O B B O O O O O O O B B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B B O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O B B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O B O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O B B O O B O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B B O O B O B O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O

president
summer demand season
higher
accommodative
time
shortfall
gasoline
midfebruary
suggest
price
low
estimate
surrounding
remain
largest oil exporter
december
week
ceasefire
oil
demand
economy
pump
economic
weakness
benchmark
crude
quarter
gallon
today
february figure
strength
immediate
nationwide
strong infusion
growth
drive
final
civil unrest
labour department
month
delivery
home
exchange
dollar
highest since august
really
point
improvement
unemployment
similarquality
vicepresident
muammar
federal
contrast
middle
stronger
market
austere policy
underpin
barrel
recent
intraday
investment
rise
mean
spectre
potential
insulate
commodity
tighten
average
us
vessels
rebels
11
sarir oilfield
the jobs
lindwaldock
rally
usdollar
1 million barrels
broker
rich ilczyszyn
william dudley
mf global
andy lebow
new york
march

food medicine
highest price
regular gasoline
us dollar
contract hit an intraday
highs near us108
crude oil prices
oil exports
us122
federal reserve bank
new york mercantile exchange


Proposed tax break to keep Twitter in city leads to classic San Francisco fracas SAN FRANCISCO - In the shadow of San Francisco 's stately City Hall , sidewalks abound with transients , drugs and crime . Into this neighbourhood , one of the world 's hottest social media companies has promised to stride , offering urban rebirth in exchange for a tax break . Taxe incentives to bring businesses to blighted streets are not unusual . But this is San Francisco . And Twitter . The mayor supports the plan , but progressive politicians -- and now the city 's largest public employee union -- call the proposal a poorly crafted giveaway to the rich . The conflict comes at a time when the city 's high tech economy teems with energy not seen since before the first Internet bubble burst more than a decade ago . At issue is the city 's payroll tax . San Francisco is the only city in California to levy its business tax based on how much companies pay workers , rather than how much money they take in . Since Twitter emerged as a side project of a San Francisco podcasting company in 2006 , the business has grown from a handful of employees to a few hundred . With investors pouring money into Twitter , the company expects to grow to more than 3,000 . To do that , Twitter needs a lot more space . One option would be to flee to a sprawling suburban campus in Silicon Valley , where adding more employees would not mean adding to the tax bill . But earlier this month , recently appointed Mayor Ed Lee announced what seemed like a winning solution for everyone . Twitter had signed a letter of intent to sign a six-year lease on several hundred thousand square feet of office space in a historic building in the struggling Mid-Market neighbourhood . The only condition : The city must agree to exempt Twitter from paying any new payroll taxes on any additional hires . For a company that expects to add thousands of new of employees in the next few years , the savings would add up quickly . '' `` This is the moment we have been waiting for , '' '' Lee said of the proposed deal . '' `` The transformative nature of an anchor tenant like Twitter will revitalize this community . '' '' Yet in San Francisco , where an overall economy largely untouched by the recession has kept real estate prices among the highest in the country , some low-income residents worry that revitalization will just lead to higher rents . And city employees facing layoffs and contract concessions thanks to a massive budget shortfall resent what they see as a giveaway to venture capitalists and a bailout for landlords . '' `` Who are the -LRB- Twitter -RRB- investors ? '' '' Supervisor John Avalos told The San Francisco Examiner . '' `` Probably some of the wealthiest people in this country . And we are giving them more wealth . '' '' Last Tuesday , members of a neighbourhood group protested outside Twitter 's current headquarters , about a mile from the proposed new offices . They accused Twitter of not living up to its pledge to be a good neighbour . They complained neither the city nor the company have considered the low-income residents who would be adversely impacted by rising rents spurred by the prosperity Twitter could bring . '' `` The residents are feeling that if they 're not going to benefit from this revitalization that the city is pushing for , it really does n't make sense for these companies to stay in San Francisco , '' '' said Angelica Cabande , director of South of Market Community Action Network . Twitter declined to comment on the tax-break fracas . As a result of the controversy , a lawmaker on the Board of Supervisors ' progressive wing , Ross Mirkarimi , has proposed an alternative measure he says will fix an underlying legal flaw that has led to anxiety among hot tech companies looking to grow . San Francisco 's payroll tax is unusual enough , but one provision makes it even more unique . The city in 2004 added language to the tax code to make clear that tax collectors considered stock options a part of employees ' compensation and hence taxable as part of the payroll . For tech startups , stock options are one of the most common ways to hold onto employees , especially when a lack of funds does n't allow them to offer competitive salaries . When lucky companies reach a point where they can make their initial public offering of stock , those options can turn into a major windfall for workers . But for companies in San Francisco , that windfall sticks employers with a huge tax increase right at the time they 've issued the stock in an effort to expand . Mirkarimi 's proposal would place a two-year moratorium on taxing any company 's stock options to ease the fears not just of Twitter , but other San Francisco-based startups like social gaming leader Zynga and consumer review website Yelp . '' `` You do n't want to write law in a way that only helps one company or one neighbourhood in one part of the city , '' '' Mirkarimi said . The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote Tuesday on the Twitter package , and Mirkarimi predicts it will pass even without his vote . If that happens , Service Employees International Union Local 1021 , the public employees union , may seek a ballot measure that could delay the deal until voters weigh in . City economic officials paint any failure of the deal not as a loss to Twitter but as a loss for the neighbourhood , where more than half of the available commercial real estate sits vacant . While Twitter is the big fish the city is seeking to catch , any businesses within the geographic zone defined by the legislation would get a similar tax break . '' `` The benefit we want , which is jobs in this area , is not happening without some incentive , '' '' said Jennifer Matz , director of the city 's Office of Economic and Workforce Development . Without such incentives , she said , the neighbourhood has not seen improvement for a generation . '' `` It resisted the last dot-com boom . '' ''

O B I O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

sprawling
silicon valley
midmarket
payroll taxes
tax break
jennifer matz
cabande
california
san francisco
stride
revitalization
startups
market
mirkarimi