Detained Italy editor "escapes" to push for press freedom

ROME (Reuters) - The editor of an Italian newspaper was re-arrested on Saturday, police said, after he intentionally violated the terms of his house detention to draw attention to the issue of press freedom.

Alessandro Sallusti, editor-in-chief of Il Giornale, a newspaper owned by the family of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, was sentenced to 14 months in September for a libellous article in 2007, when he was at another newspaper.

His case has become a cause c?l?bre in the media because parliament is considering a law that would toughen jail sentences and sanctions for journalists convicted of libel.

Sallusti said he intentionally violated the terms of his house arrest when he left his home to bring attention to the law, which is still before parliament.

He said he wanted to make a "political provocation".

He was later returned to house arrest and faces a new trial for evading custody.

Italian journalists had scheduled a one-day strike last week after the Senate approved the measure but then postponed the work action because the law must still go to the lower house of parliament, where it is expected to be modified.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Sophie Hares)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/detained-italy-editor-escapes-push-press-freedom-175529711.html

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Billions of Unverified Medicare Spending Revealed in Audit ...

Both doctors and hospitals have been paid billions of dollars by Medicare to make the transition from paper to electronic health records without verifying that the new systems meet required quality standards, as reported by a federal audit recently released.

(Read more: Veteran Denied Benefits)

Totaling $4 billion, the funds have been distributed since 2011 under an incentive program aimed at encouraging various types of medical providers to computerize their record-keeping systems.

The inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services revealed a number of ways that the program is vulnerable to fraud in the report, and recommended that the Obama administration introduce stronger safeguards.

(Read more: Estate Tax On the Rise, Don?t Panic, Plan)

Adopted by Congress as part of the 2009 economic stimulus package, the program is expected to distribute a total of $6.6 billion before it expires in 2016. Doctors can receive grants of up to $44,000; hospitals can get about $2 million.

To qualify, providers must ?meaningfully use? the technology to improve health care in accordance with a detailed set of criteria ? utilizing it to update immunization registries, for instance, or to issue prescriptions electronically.

(Read more: iPads for Autism)

The inspector general found that Medicare officials are not requiring providers to prove that they are employing such meaningful use.

Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services countered that performing such reviews before compensating providers would unduly delay the payments.

Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/audit-finds-billions-in-unverified-medicare-spending/2012/11/29/ce5fa9a2-3a4e-11e2-b01f-5f55b193f58f_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines

Attorney Christopher J. Berry is a Metro Detroit estate planning and elder law lawyer who helps families, seniors, veterans and business owners with their important legal needs. Oakland County estate planning lawyer, Christopher Berry is a partner in the Bloomfield Hills law firm of Witzke Berry PLLC. Mr. Berry practices in the areas ofestate planning, business, probate, veterans benefits & Medicaid planning. Follow Christopher on Twitter@chrisberryesq

Source: http://michiganelderlawcenter.com/billions-of-unverified-medicare-spending-revealed-audit/

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Texans clinch playoff berth, down Titans 24-10

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? The Houston Texans are heading back to the playoffs for a second straight year and already have set a franchise record for wins in a season.

Their defense made sure they didn't need overtime for this latest win, 24-10 over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Rookie linebacker Whitney Mercilus recovered a fumble and had two sacks as the Texans (11-1) remain tied with Atlanta for the best record in the NFL with their sixth straight win. After needing overtime the past two games, the Texans forced six turnovers they turned into 10 points and had six sacks of Jake Locker when the Texans weren't batting down a handful of other passes.

Houston swept Tennessee (4-8), the team it replaced in Houston, for only the second time. Matt Schaub threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, and Arian Foster ran for a TD.

The Titans debuted new offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains, but they didn't help him out much as receivers repeatedly dropped balls.

Tennessee scored on a 34-yard pass from Locker to Kenny Britt late in the third quarter to pull within 24-10. The Titans even had third-and-3 at the Houston 7 early in the fourth quarter before Jared Cook had a pass go off his hands, then Locker was sacked on the next play. Tennessee turned it over on downs with 4:28 left after driving to the Houston 33.

Darryl Sharpton got the third interception off Locker with 2:05 left. Locker finished with two fumbles and three interceptions.

The Texans avoided all the late-game dramatics needed in beating first Jacksonville, then Detroit in overtime in a span of five days. But their injury list grew.

Linebackers Bradie James and Brooks Reed, cornerback Johnathan Joseph and right tackle Derek Newton all sat out. Cornerback Brice McCain hurt his foot and couldn't finish. Tight end Garrett Graham also suffered a head injury and couldn't finish.

Houston improved on last season's 10 wins with Schaub completing four of his first five passes for 78 yards on the opening drive. Schaub also connected with James Casey on a 5-yard pass for a 14-3 lead in the second quarter. By halftime, Schaub was 15 of 24 for 167 yards with a 110.9 passer rating, and he finished 21 of 35, completing passes to eight teammates, including himself off a batted ball he pulled in for a 6-yard loss.

Shaun Cody tipped Locker's pass to Houston linebacker Tim Dobbins, a Nashville native, who ran it 7 yards to the Tennessee 3 before Locker knocked him up into the air. Arian Foster scored on a 2-yard TD run two plays later for a 21-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Shayne Graham added a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter after Mercilus recovered Locker's fumble forced by Antonio Smith.

That was all Houston needed on a day where the defense disrupted Tennessee repeatedly, even though the Titans wound up with a 354-332 edge in total offense.

J.J. Watt had another sack, giving him 15 1-2, adding to his franchise record for a season. Smith also had a sack and recovered a fumble by Chris Johnson that he ran to the end zone where the lineman waved the ball in the air, thinking he had a TD in the second quarter.

But officials had whistled the play dead at the spot of the turnover.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/texans-clinch-playoff-berth-down-titans-24-10-212430395--spt.html

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Congo rebels complete Goma pullout

M23 rebels withdraw from the eastern Congo town of Goma, Saturday Dec. 1, 2012. Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. in Congo, says that an agreement was reached late Friday with M23 rebels after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport to seize arms. Koumbo says U.N. peacekeepers blocked the fighters. Trucks full of M23 rebels drove Saturday along the road that leads out of Goma towards Kibumba, where the rebels are supposed to settle following an agreement reached in Kampala last week. M23 soldiers were cheering as they did a final tour in the city center. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

M23 rebels withdraw from the eastern Congo town of Goma, Saturday Dec. 1, 2012. Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. in Congo, says that an agreement was reached late Friday with M23 rebels after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport to seize arms. Koumbo says U.N. peacekeepers blocked the fighters. Trucks full of M23 rebels drove Saturday along the road that leads out of Goma towards Kibumba, where the rebels are supposed to settle following an agreement reached in Kampala last week. M23 soldiers were cheering as they did a final tour in the city center. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

M23 rebels withdraw from the eastern Congo town of Goma, Saturday Dec. 1, 2012. Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. in Congo, says that an agreement was reached late Friday with M23 rebels after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport to seize arms. Koumbo says U.N. peacekeepers blocked the fighters. Trucks full of M23 rebels drove Saturday along the road that leads out of Goma towards Kibumba, where the rebels are supposed to settle following an agreement reached in Kampala last week. M23 soldiers were cheering as they did a final tour in the city center.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay

M23 rebels withdraw from the eastern Congo town of Goma, Saturday Dec. 1, 2012. Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. in Congo, says that an agreement was reached late Friday with M23 rebels after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport to seize arms. Koumbo says U.N. peacekeepers blocked the fighters. Trucks full of M23 rebels drove Saturday along the road that leads out of Goma towards Kibumba, where the rebels are supposed to settle following an agreement reached in Kampala last week. M23 soldiers were cheering as they did a final tour in the city center. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

M23 rebels withdraw from the eastern Congo town of Goma, Saturday Dec. 1, 2012. Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. in Congo, says that an agreement was reached late Friday with M23 rebels after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport to seize arms. Koumbo says U.N. peacekeepers blocked the fighters. Trucks full of M23 rebels drove Saturday along the road that leads out of Goma towards Kibumba, where the rebels are supposed to settle following an agreement reached in Kampala last week. M23 soldiers were cheering as they did a final tour in the city center. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

M23 rebels withdraw from the eastern Congo town of Goma, Saturday Dec. 1, 2012. Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. in Congo, says that an agreement was reached late Friday with M23 rebels after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport to seize arms. Koumbo says U.N. peacekeepers blocked the fighters. Trucks full of M23 rebels drove Saturday along the road that leads out of Goma towards Kibumba, where the rebels are supposed to settle following an agreement reached in Kampala last week. M23 soldiers were cheering as they did a final tour in the city center. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

GOMA, Congo (AP) ? Rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda completed their retreat from Congo's eastern provincial capital on Saturday less than two weeks after taking control of the strategic city, a military official said.

The retreat, however, may be tentative after a leader for the M23 rebels said they now wanted to negotiate with the government within 48 hours.

Ugandan Brig. Jeffrey Muheesi, who is part of a mission sent by regional leaders to oversee the rebel retreat, said the rebels' pullout from Goma was complete.

"They have pulled out of Sake and Goma, and now Congolese government policemen are controlling the central bank, the governor's office and the border post," he said from the outskirts of Goma.

The M23 rebels took the capital of North Kivu on Nov. 20, after battling the Congolese army for nearly a day. The group had defied two earlier ultimatums to leave Goma, raising the possibility they did not intend to leave and giving credence to a U.N. report accusing Rwanda of using the rebels as a proxy to annex territory in the mineral-rich eastern Congo.

The eight-month-old M23 rebellion is led by fighters from a now-defunct rebel group, who agreed to lay down their arms on March 23, 2009, in return for being allowed to join the ranks of the Congolese army. M23 takes its name from the date of that accord, and the rebellion began in April, when hundreds of soldiers defected from the military, saying that the terms of the accord had not been respected.

In fact, most analysts believe the origin of the rebellion is a fight over Congo's vast mineral wealth, a good chunk of which is found in the North Kivu province where Goma is the capital. Starting this spring, the fighters seized a series of small towns and villages in North Kivu, culminating with the capture of Goma, a population hub of 1 million and a key, mineral trading post.

The regional bloc representing the nations bordering Congo had issued a Friday deadline for the M23 fighters to retreat from Goma, after the rebels had thumbed their nose at an earlier ultimatum. M23 rebels began retreating on Tuesday from the other territories they seized.

Trucks full of M23 soldiers were driving out of Goma this morning. A column of rebels on foot walked near the convoy, mirroring the column of fighters that first walked into the city a little less than two weeks ago. The rebels left in a matter of hours and in an orderly fashion, carrying rifles and ammunition. Some of the trucks also carried mattresses and even a generator.

"Now we are waiting for the negotiations, within 48 hours," said a leader of M23, Gen. Sultani Makenga, as he left Goma.

He said the rebels would wait for a cease-fire to be signed.

"If the government wants, we will come back," he said, adding that they'd do so through negotiations, or force if needed.

The rebels' withdrawal also comes after they attempted to force their way into Goma's international airport on Friday in order to seize arms belonging to the Congolese military.

"An agreement was reached yesterday over the ammunitions issue," said Sy Koumbo, a spokesman for the U.N. mission in Congo. He said that U.N. peacekeepers had control of the airport and blocked the fighters from obtaining the arms.

But M23 leader Gen. Makenga said the matter had not been resolved.

"We decided to leave. We will get all this back, when our turn comes," he said.

Goma's residents have denounced the M23 rebels for looting several small shops and houses.

In the Majengo neighborhood, a shopworker said that fighters stole money, a phone, oil and alchohol. Other people said the M23 rebels were going door-to-door, looking for valuables to loot.

"At midnight, I heard my children screaming that someone wants to break the door," said a 65-year-old man who insisted on anonymity out of fear for his safety.

The rebels will settle in Kibati, a mere 15 kilometers ( 9 miles) from Goma in the coming days and 600 Congolese army soldiers will move into Goma alongside a neutral force made of troops from the countries that are a part of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.

___

Associated Press photographer Jerome Delay contributed to this report from Goma, Congo.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-01-Congo-Fighting/id-2e4276a4450049ff8db108a51780c2f0

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High court leaves open if it will take up gay marriage case

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court's nine justices met in private on Friday to consider whether to enter the legal fray over same-sex marriage but made no announcement about any decision they may have reached.

The high court is considering whether to review five separate challenges to a federal law that prevents married same-sex couples from receiving federal marriage benefits such as Social Security survivor payments and tax exemptions.

It is also considering whether to review California's ban on same-sex marriage, known as Proposition 8, which voters narrowly approved in 2008.

An announcement about whether the court will review the gay marriage cases could come as early as Monday morning.

Thirty-one of the 50 states have passed constitutional amendments banning gay marriage while Washington, D.C., and nine states have legalized it, three of them on Election Day, November 6.

At issue is the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, which only recognizes marriages between a man and a woman. Gay men and lesbians have challenged a part of the law that prevents them from receiving federal benefits that heterosexual couples receive.

Most courts that have addressed the issue, including federal appeals courts in Boston and New York, have found the law's contested provision violates the equal protection provisions of the U.S. Constitution.

Even in states where same-sex marriage is legal, the couples do not qualify for a host of federal benefits because of DOMA.

If the court takes up the issue and invalidates the law, states could still be free to legalize or deny same-sex marriages on their own terms.

Friday's court conference was one of the Supreme Court's regular weekly sessions at which it considers what new cases to add to the calendar.

The meetings, attended only by the justices, are held in a small conference room adjacent to the chambers of Chief Justice John Roberts.

The justices vote in order of seniority, and while it takes five of the nine for a majority decision in a dispute, it takes only four votes to add a case to the agenda and schedule oral arguments.

If the court does not issue an order on the gay marriage cases on Monday, it could relist the cases for further consideration at its weekly conference next Friday. The justices will sometimes hold particularly complex cases for a future conference if they need more time to figure out what course of action to take.

CALIFORNIA BAN

The court is also considering whether to review a challenge to California's ban on same-sex marriage. The California case, Hollingsworth v. Perry, had sought to establish a constitutional right to marry for gays and lesbians.

The 9th Circuit court in February found the gay marriage ban unconstitutional, but it ruled narrowly in a way that only affected California and not the rest of the country, finding that the state could not take away the right to same-sex marriage after previously allowing it.

No other state that has legalized gay marriage has later banned it.

If the Supreme Court decides to take the case, it could follow the 9th Circuit's decision and also rule narrowly, allowing same-sex marriage only in California but not the rest of the country. Or it could recognize a right to marriage equality.

If the justices decline to take the case, the 9th Circuit's opinion would stand and same-sex marriage would resume in California. That would significantly boost the number of same-sex couples able to marry, given the state's large size.

The Supreme Court on Friday also took no action on an appeal from the state of Arizona which asks the court to revive a state version of DOMA.

The Arizona law, which the 9th Circuit invalidated, eliminated domestic partner healthcare benefits for gay and lesbian state employees. Same-sex couples in Arizona cannot marry under a state constitutional ban passed in 2008.

(Reporting by Terry Baynes in New York; Editing by Howard Goller and Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/high-court-leaves-open-gay-marriage-case-002139093.html

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MintLife Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice | DIY Holiday: 3 ...

Let?s face it ? the holiday season is expensive. By the time you?ve budgeted out your holiday shopping, food and party expenses and secured any travel plans, there may not be funds aplenty for festive decorations.

You don?t need to dip into your savings account or rack up credit card debt to infuse your home with a little holiday spirit ? simply collect a few pinecones from your backyard instead. With a splash of glitter or a little colored string, pinecones can change your dining room table from bland to festive in a heartbeat.

If your neighborhood isn?t full of pinecones, you can grab a bag of them at your local craft store for less than $5.

Here are three ways to turn a pinecone into a perfect piece of seasonal d?cor:

Glitter

You?ll need: Pinecones, spray adhesive, a paper plate and glitter in the color (or colors) of your choice.

Hold the pinecone over your plate and spray an even coat of adhesive. Then, liberally apply your glitter, using the plate to catch any debris.

Give your pinecone a soft shake to shed the excess glitter and set it aside to dry. It won?t take long!

Yarn

You?ll need: Pinecones and yarn in the color of your choice. Take your yarn and wrap the string evenly around your pinecone, working your way from top to bottom.?The more you layer, the more colorful your pinecone will be.

If you?re planning to hang your pinecone, leave a little extra string at the top and tie it in a loop.

Paint

You?ll need: Paintbrush, acrylic paint (we used neon pink to make the color pop) and pinecones. Dab each prong of the pinecone with paint. If you want a more colorful decoration, paint more of the cone.

Note: You may have to apply more than one layer of paint if you?ve chosen a lighter color.

To turn your paint-tipped pinecone into a place card holder, take a slip of paper and write or stamp the name of your guest on it.?Then, simply wedge the card holder between the prongs at the top of your pine cone.

Viola! Pinecone placeholder.

BrightNest is a free site that provides tools and tips to homeowners to help them save money, get organized and keep their home in great shape.

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Source: http://www.mint.com/blog/how-to/diy-holiday-3-inexpensive-ways-to-decorate-with-pinecones/

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Multi-county Central Texas online farm and ranch seminar offered ...

Writer: Blair Fannin, 979-845-2259, b-fannin@tamu.edu

WACO ? A multi-county Central Texas program for farmers and ranchers conducted online by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is scheduled Dec. 13.

The District 8 Farm and Ranch Seminar will be offered at 12 AgriLife Extension county offices using online delivery, said Zach Davis, AgriLife Extension agent for Johnson County.

?This program will be presented through the Internet with live interactive streaming video to 12 locations across Central Texas,? he said. ?With the continued integration of technology into farming and ranching, we hope to showcase various uses available to producers such as using aerial mapping to develop brush control and herbicide use plans.?

The seminars will be broadcast in the following counties: ?Bell County (Temple); Comanche and Eastland (DeLeon); Ellis (Waxahachie); Erath, Hood and Somervell (Stephenville) Hamilton and Coryell (Hamilton), Hill (Hillsboro); Johnson and Bosque (Cleburne); Limestone (Groesbeck); McLennan (Waco); Navarro (Corsicana); Robertson, Falls, Leon and Milam (Franklin) and Williamson (Georgetown).

Private applicator license holders must obtain 15 hours of continuing education units every five years to renew/recertify their license, Davis said.

?These hours must be at least two hours of laws and regulations, two hours of integrated pest management, and any mix of these and general hours to equal the required 15 hours of continuing education units,? he said.

Licensed commercial and non-commercial applicators are required to recertify every year by obtaining five continuing education credits with one credit each from two of the following categories: laws and regulations, integrated pest management or drift minimization, according to Davis.

The seminar will provide participants with the opportunity to receive up to eight continuing education units: five hours general, one hour in drift minimization, one hour in integrated pest management, one hour in laws and regulations. Topics and speakers include:

• Livestock Management and Impacts on Water Quality, Dr. Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension state forage specialist, College Station.
• New Technologies and Herbicides in Brush Control, Will Hatler, AgriLIfe Extension Service rangeland specialist.
• Managing Fire Ants and Mosquitos, Sonja Swinger, AgriLife Extension entomologist, Stephenville.
• Aerial Mapping to Develop Brush Control and Herbicide Use Plans, Amy Hays, AgriLife Extension geospatial specialist, College Station.
• Drift Minimization, Dr. Matt Matocha, AgriLife Extension agricultural and environmental safety specialist, College Station.
• Cover Crops: Reducing Herbicides and Controlling Weeds, Gerald Smith, AgriLife Extension ?forage specialist, Overton.
• Fertility and Herbicide Management of Bermuda Grass, Dr. Vanessa Corriher, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, Overton.

The cost to attend this program is $50 including refreshments and a noon meal. RSVP by calling 817-556-6370 by Dec. 7 to register or for more information. ?Persons interested in attending one of these programs can preregister by contacting their Extension county office.

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Source: http://today.agrilife.org/2012/11/29/multi-county-central-texas-online-farm-and-ranch-seminar-offered-dec-13/

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