Terrorist watch lists: Are they working as they should?

Tamerlan Tsarnaev landed on America's terrorist watch list in 2011. Tamerlan's younger brother, Dzhokhar, now charged in the Boston Marathon bombing case, seems not to have made the list.

Ultimately, Tamerlan's inclusion on the watch list did not lead investigators to detect the April 15 bomb plot that killed three and wounded at least 260 ? prompting inevitable questions about why not, and whether "dots" of intelligence and information that could have been connected were not.

America's terrorist watch list is all about connecting dots ? and it is certain to be a focal point for future congressional hearings pegged to the Boston case. A key part of the vast counter-terrorism net cast by the federal government after the 9/11 attacks, the watch list is actually at least nine lists drawn from a single government database. Criteria for determining who gets "nominated" for inclusion in that database ? and, then, who actually makes it onto an agency's specific list ? are tightly guarded secrets.

RECOMMENDED: Quiz: How much do you know about terrorism?

What does seem clear, however, is that the spigot opened wide in the past three years, leading to torrential growth in the core terrorism database. Whether those extra mounds of data give investigators a more accurate view of the universe of terrorists, or whether they have the unintended effect of making prospective terrorists harder to find and the dots harder to connect, is a matter of hot debate ? and one that the Boston bombing case may well intensify.

"There's absolutely no question that they're just choking on the volume of information, both classified and unclassified, that's going into the system," says Dakota Rudesill, a visiting professor at Georgetown University Law Center who served, during President Obama's first term, as special assistant in the policy, plans, and requirements directorate of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which includes the National Counterterrorism Center. "You're taking on this immense challenge with all this data ? like finding a particular needle in a haystack of needles."

US officials bridle at inferences that the system is overwhelmed.

"Certainly, the volume has grown, and the list has grown for a number of reasons," says a US counterterrorism official who spoke on background because he is not permitted to speak on the record. "The intelligence is better; the value of sharing information is seen as better by the agencies involved. The watch list is created specifically to be one of the big dot-connectors in the counterterrorism effort ? it's among the most sophisticated systems the government has ? and it's proven itself to be effective."

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THE MAKING OF THE WATCH LISTS

Like a giant digital vacuum, the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE), a highly classified database maintained by the National Counterterrorism Center in McLean, Va., each day sweeps up thousands of names, aliases, birth dates, and other potential terrorist tidbits ? known as "derogatory information" ? and tries to match them with hundreds of thousands of names, faces, and identifying biometric data also sent in by the Central Intelligence Agency, the State Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other US agencies.

"TIDE is the granddaddy repository ? not a watch list itself, but it feeds the lists," says Mark Randol, a specialist on domestic intelligence and counterterrorism formerly with the Congressional Research Service (CRS). "The whole deal with a watch list is that you need a place where the objective is to see if you can identify, and stop, people you think are terrorists from just coming into the US and disappearing into the woodwork to plot attacks."

As of December, TIDE contained the names of 875,000 individuals (not including aliases), the counterterrorism center reports. Each day, TIDE sends a river of new names to the Terrorism Screening Center, run by the FBI. The screening center combines TIDE's names with those on the FBI's own domestic terrorism list to create the Terrorism Screening Database (TSDB) ? America's master terrorist watch list.

Both TIDE and the TSDB have been expanding fast. TIDE grew from 740,000 names in 2011 to 875,000 in 2012 ? an 18 percent jump. The TSDB, for its part, jumped 23 percent from 423,000 individuals in May 2010 to 520,000 in October 2012, according to the CRS and the Terrorism Screening Center.

What happens to the identifying information about a known or suspected terrorist after it is put onto the master terrorism list? The FBI's screening center sends that information to four US agencies with primary responsibility for straining out would-be terrorists, which then add it to their own unclassified watch lists.

State Department. Its Consular Lookout and Support System (CLASS) screens passport and visa applicants.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It uses the Traveler Enforcement Compliance System (TECS), which flows into the Interagency Border Inspection System and the Automated Targeting System ? lists used by the US Customs and Border Protection for border and port security.

FBI. Its National Crime Information Center list is disseminated as a tool for police departments across the United States. The bureau also has its own Guardian database (different from the TSDB), and Tamerlan Tsarnaev was reportedly on it.

Transportation Security Administration. The TSA, part of the DHS, keeps three air-passenger screening lists ? "no fly," "selectee," and "secure flight." The no-fly list is one of the most exclusive watch lists, winnowed to those tagged as possible terrorists who are to be blocked from getting on a US-bound flight. The selectee list signals that an air traveler requires extra screening but being on that list does not necessarily prevent that person from boarding. Both lists have about 20,000 names, the Terrorism Screening Center reports. The secure flight list allows expedited boarding for passengers whose prescreened personal information is compared with watch list data.

Actions that lead to a person being nominated to TIDE as a "known or suspected" terrorist include engaging in terrorist activity, preparing or planning an attack, gathering information on targets, raising funds for attacks, and soliciting membership in a terrorist organization. Less-obvious criteria remain cloaked in secrecy, including nominations that come from foreign intelligence agencies. In 2009, the FBI's own inspector general noted some dissatisfaction with the process, saying the bureau "failed to nominate known or suspected terrorists in 15 percent of the cases we reviewed."

Getting off the list has been problematic, too. The inspector general criticized the FBI for being "untimely in its removal of the subjects" from the watch list in 72 percent of cases reviewed. Travelers who are often delayed at airports are not usually on a watch list; rather, their names and personal information are similar to that of someone who is. In 2012, at least 14,000 records were deleted from TIDE or terrorist watch lists after it was determined that the people no longer met the criteria for inclusion, the counterterrorism center says. US residents make up about 1 percent of TSDB listings.

But civil liberties experts are not satisfied.

"We still don't have access to the information we need to allow us to evaluate how well it's working or how many [who should not be on the list] have been able to get off," says Sharon Bradford Franklin, senior counsel at The Constitution Project, a Washington-based civil liberties group.

HOW TSARNAEV MADE THE WATCH LIST

In March 2011, the FBI interviewed Tsarnaev after Russian intelligence services warned that he had become radicalized. By June, the FBI concluded a basic "assessment" without adding derogatory data to his file, The Washington Post reported. His name, however, did remain in the FBI's Guardian database ? an internal watch list.

In September, the Russians again sent up a flare about Tsarnaev's radicalization, this time to the CIA. By year's end, his name had been added to TIDE and the TSDB watch list, the Post reported.

Three days before Tsarnaev left for southern Russia, his name popped up in the TECS system. It is not clear why the rising number of red flags ? including his travel to a part of Russia where Islamic radicals are active and his online postings of jihadist videos ? did not set off alarm bells. Some analysts say they believe that some important details simply didn't make it into the database.

"If they get the Russian tip, and they were also aware of [the] fact he was visiting Russia and jihadist websites, then I'm not altogether convinced the FBI would have said they found nothing on him," Mr. Randol says. "The fact they didn't see a problem means to me they were not aware of these details."

THE NEAR MISS THAT CHANGED WATCH-LISTING

Connecting dots so that clues are not left floating in a sea of data was a top goal after the near-miss Christmas Day bombing attempt in 2009. Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab famously tried to blow up a Detroit-bound airplane using plastic explosives hidden in his underwear.

On Nov. 18, 2009, Mr. Abdulmutallab's own father reported his son's radicalization to US Embassy officials in Nigeria. A week later, the son's name was added to TIDE, but not to the watch list ? in part because the source of the derogatory information was not included, weakening it. Five weeks later, Abdulmutallab tried to blow up the plane.

Afterward, President Obama ordered a review to determine why Abdulmutallab's name had not appeared on the master watch list. Later in 2010, the nominating criteria changed, with the result that more names and data flowed into TIDE and the TSDB. One measure of the increase: The number of US citizens and lawful permanent residents on the no-fly list more than doubled, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found in a 2012 study of watch list changes.

Even before the changes, concern was evident within the intelligence community about the huge amount of data being funneled into TIDE. Back in March 2010, Russell Travers, then deputy director of information sharing and knowledge development at the National Counterterrorism Center, told a Senate panel that the inflow of 10,000 names a day to TIDE had required some adjustments. Among them was the advent of special "pursuit teams" of analysts to explore threads, threats, and loose ends that would help "connect the dots," he said, acknowledging that the step was "an experiment."

The 2012 GAO report likewise noted concern among "nominating agencies" about their abilities to process so much information ? especially after the changes that followed the underwear bombing attempt. It noted that "agencies are ... pursuing staffing, technology, and other solutions to address challenges in processing the volumes of information."

A NOTABLE WATCH LIST SUCCESS

Despite the fire hose of incoming information, the US saw some success in apprehending terrorism suspects. After someone tried to set off a car bomb in New York's Times Square on May 1, 2010, investigators traced the crime to Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad ? and added his name to the no-fly list at 12:30 p.m. on May 3. Later that evening, Mr. Shahzad was indeed attempting to make his getaway to Pakistan. Minutes before his flight was to depart, authorities spotted his name during a final check.

"What used to happen in days now happens in minutes or seconds," the US counterterrorism official says of recent watch list updating and technology upgrades. "The Times Square bomber actually got on the plane thinking he was getting away. But we have a real-time transactional interface with the Customs and Border Patrol. They screened the passenger manifest, arrested him, and took him off the plane."

Today, says the US counterterrorism official, the backlog of information has been eliminated and analytical resources are adequate. The number of names on the TSDB fluctuates, but during the past year appears to have "leveled off" at about a half million, he says.

UNCONNECTED 'DOTS' IN TSARNAEV CASE?

Questions remain, however, about the government's handling of Tsarnaev during the year leading up to the Boston bombings. Some wonder why he was not a candidate for extra scrutiny by a pursuit team or by the FBI. Others ask why federal authorities did not inform local police of the warnings about Tsarnaev's possible radicalization, so they could possibly keep an eye out.

Were there dots that, if connected, would have led to closer FBI scrutiny and prevention of the Boston Marathon bombings? If so, did data overload play a role?

"No, actually more data makes it more effective," insists the counterterrorism official. "The more derogatory information in there, the better able the system is to screen, and the better the whole system works."

But data overload is likely to be raised in future hearings on Capitol Hill, some say.

"I hope the Boston case will lead to a new revision of the watch list, to see whether we are adding just too much information on people so that it leads to a needle-in-the-haystack problem," Randol says.

"Right now, it isn't clear that there are plans in place to review the effectiveness of the watch list or whether the level of misidentification is growing because the haystacks are getting too big."

RECOMMENDED: Quiz: How much do you know about terrorism?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/terrorist-watch-lists-working-123231771.html

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One in five US children are coping with mental health problems | al ...

The CDC did its first study on the mental health of children ages 3-17 and found that 20 percent of US children are dealing with more on their plate than just their vegetables.

"Millions of children in the U.S. have mental disorders that affect their overall health and present challenges for their loved ones. In addition, the financial costs of childhood mental disorders are at least an estimated $247 billion each year," said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC.?

"We are working to both increase our understanding of these disorders, and help scale up programs and strategies to promote children's mental health so that our children grow to lead productive, healthy lives," Frieden said.

The mental health disorders commonly cited were ADHD, austism spectrum disorders, behavior disorders, mood and anxiety disorders and substance abuse problems.

ADHD is most prevalent, affecting 7 percent of US children, according to the report.?

The report gathered data with the help of several health agencies from 2005 to 2011 to learn how many children were diagnosed with mental health disorders during that time period.

Depression is becoming a larger issue. In 2010, suicide was the second-leading cause of death among American children between the ages of 12 and 17.

Almost 2 million American adolescents between 12 and 17 admitted that for more than half of the previous month, they routinely had felt sad, angry, disconnected, stressed out, unloved or possibly willing to hurt themselves -- or others, according to the LA Times.?

Researchers believe the causes may stem from environmental factors such as poverty, family environments and other changes to their personal lives.?

The CDC data can be found in its entirety, here.

Source: http://blog.al.com/live/2013/05/one_in_five_us_children_are_co.html

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Saudi Arabia has another case of new coronavirus: WHO

LONDON (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has reported another case of infection in a concentrated outbreak of a new strain of a virus that emerged in the Middle East last year and spread into Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday.

In a disease outbreak update issued from its Geneva headquarters, the WHO said the latest patient is an 81-year-old woman with multiple medical conditions. She became ill on April 28 and is in a critical but stable condition.

Worldwide, there have now been 41 laboratory-confirmed infections, including 20 deaths, since the new coronavirus was identified by scientists in September 2012.

The novel coronavirus, which had been known as by the acronym nCoV but which some scientific journals now refer to as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, or MERS, belongs to the same family as viruses that cause common colds and the one that caused a deadly outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003.

MERS cases have so far been reported in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Britain, Germany and France, but Saudi Arabia has had the vast majority of cases.

The WHO said that latest patient was in the same clinic in eastern Saudi Arabia that has seen 22 cases, nine of them fatal, since April 8.

WHO experts visiting Saudi Arabia to consult with the authorities on the outbreak have said it seemed likely the new virus could be passed between humans, but only after prolonged, close contact.

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-arabia-another-case-coronavirus-214258217.html

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Blue Jays-Yankees finale scrubbed by rain

By RICK FREEMAN

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 3:33 p.m. ET May 19, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) - Against the Toronto Blue Jays this season, the only thing that has stopped the Yankees was a day full of rain.

The Yankees would have been trying to make it seven in a row against the Blue Jays on Sunday, but rain began to fall in the late morning with no signs of letting up, and the game was postponed before it started. No makeup date was announced.

"It's going to rain until probably 9 o' clock," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It's just not going to be playable."

The two AL East rivals are not scheduled to meet again in the Bronx until August.

Yankees starter CC Sabathia will pitch Monday in Baltimore, followed on Tuesday by Phil Hughes. This means rookie Vidal Nuno will be skipped and remain available out of the bullpen until the Yankees can find a way to work him back into the rotation.

Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey will face Tampa Bay on Monday.

Dickey and the Blue Jays may have dodged some bad luck, with the rainout, which was announced more than half an hour before the scheduled start time of 1:08 p.m.

He has had outings in the past where wet weather appeared to nullify the effectiveness of his hard, darting knuckleball and leave him without his most effective pitch.

The Blue Jays had won four straight before dropping the first two of a three-game series in the Bronx.

New York has won its last nine home games against Toronto, since last season, as well as the last six in a row overall against the Blue Jays.

"There's no question they've had our number. They've out played us, too," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "This has always been a tough place to play."

The Yankees have outplayed pretty much everyone lately. They've won nine of their last 12 and facing Dickey on a wet day, appeared in a good spot to make it 10 out of 13.

"We weren't necessarily looking for a rainout," Girardi said.

Girardi said that Yankees officials met with umpire crew chief Joe West and consulted their metorologists about the forecast, which Girardi said showed rain falling in New York until after dark.

That made the decision a fairly easy one.

The delay pushed back Reid Brignac's debut with the Yankees, too.

The infielder was acquired in a trade with the Rockies for cash after Colorado designated the infielder for assignment. He arrived Saturday night. He was set to play shortstop and bat eighth.

"It was a little disappointing, I was really looking forward to getting the chance to play here today as a member of the Yankees," Brignac said.

"I'm tickled just to get the chance to be a Yankee."

Notes: Toronto's only win over the Yankees this season was an 8-4 win on April 21. . Dickey will face Tampa Bay RHP Jake Odorizzi, who is making his 2013 debut. RHP Ramon Ortiz will pitch Tuesday, followed by Mark Buehrle on Wednesday. The Blue Jays skipped the turn of RHP Chad Jenkins. .Yankees OF Curtis Granderson was going to lead off and return to center field a day after his first start in right. . . Yankees C Francisco Cervelli said he was still hoping to return from a broken hand before the All-Star break. He is on the 60-day DL. . "Waitin' on a Sunny Day" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band was played on the PA shortly before the Yankees announced the postponement. . In Baltimore, the Yankees will send out Sabathia against Freddy Garcia on Monday. The veteran RHP spent the last two seasons as a mostly effective part of the Yankees rotation after a career mostly spent with the Mariners and White Sox. ... The Blue Jays claimed RHP Thad Weber on waivers from San Diego and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto transferred RHP Sergio Santos to the 60-day DL. The 28-year-old had a 2.00 ERA in nine innings for the Padres this season.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Chooch's hammy a worry for Phils

HBT: Carlos Ruiz was lifted from Sunday afternoon?s game against the Reds after straining his right hamstring while running the bases in the bottom of the second inning.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51933847/ns/sports-baseball/

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Google expanding mark up tools to select partners to influence Google Now cards

Specific partnerships not yet named; hotels, flights and reservations are the focus

Speaking on one of the countless Google Developers Live talks at Google I/O, one of the creators of Google Now Baris Gultekin explained how select partners will get better access to Google Now going forward. When commenting on how Now can offer more useful information to users, Gultekin announced that certain Google partners will now be able to use mark up tools to put flags in emails that will get them directly noticed by Google Now. Similarly to the way Gmail currently looks for flight numbers, package shipment confirmations and hotel reservations, select third parties can now alert Gmail to look specifically at its email and find the relevant information to then push to Google Now.

Gultekin didn't mention any specific names in relation to this initiative, but he did note that it was focused on things like flights, hotels and dinner reservations. Getting all of the major airlines and hotel chains on-board with this program could help ensure that Google Now never misses an important event surrounding travel, which is very important if people are going to trust Google Now to give them relevant information.

The entire 22 minute talk (seen above) is quite interesting if you're at all interested in Google Now, but if you want to jump ahead to the specific part where Gultekin mentions the partnerships you can find it at about the 16 minute mark. This surely won't be the only little gem that gets noticed as people wade through the hours of footage coming out of GDL at Google I/O this year.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/BFbsgI8ZpQw/story01.htm

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UK Census: religion by age, ethnicity and country of birth | News ...

Muslims praying inside a mosque during the start of Ramadan - but how common a sight is this in the UK? Photograph: Romeo Ranoco/REUTERS

Christianity has had a boost from people born overseas, nearly half of Muslims in England and Wales are under 25 and Hindus are the least likely of all the religious groups to be born in the UK according to the latest 2011 Census data release by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Christianity, which previous 2011 census data tells us is still the largest religious group in England and Wales with 33.2m people, has the oldest age profile of all the main religious groups.

One in five Christians is aged 65 or over. To put this into perspective, the percentage of Christians over the age of 65 is higher than the percentage of the population aged over 65 in 2011 - 22% compared with 16%.

In comparison, 88% of Muslims are under 50 and nearly half of Muslims are under 25. Although this isn't new, Muslims also had the youngest age profile in 2001, the number aged under 25 has increased by 505,000 in the past decade.

The largest decreases amongst those identifying themselves as Christians have been in the 30-39 age group and 5-14 year olds. The ONS explain that these decreases correspond with declines in these age groups in the overall population.

We know from previous data released by the ONS that a quarter of the population of England and Wales do not have a religion but for the first time we have more details on age and background. Four in ten people with no religion were aged under 25 and four in five are under 50, with the biggest increases seen amongst the 20-24 age group and those aged 40-44.

One of the key changes that the data released today highlights is the large increase in the number of Christians born outside the UK. Since 2001 the number of Christians born in the UK has decreased by 5.3m but the number of Christians born overseas has increased by 1.2m. Of those Christians born outside the UK, 887,000 are from EU accession countries (including Poland).

Another notable rise has been in the number of Muslims born in the UK - a rise of over half a million from 718,000 to 1.2m in 2011. The data also shows that Hindus are the least likely of all the religious groups to be born in the UK followed by Buddhists, but as the ONS note, this is a pattern seen previously.

Muslims are the most ethnically diverse religious group in England and Wales, followed by Buddhists according to the census figures. Over nine in ten Christians are white, this accounts for 30.8m people. People with no religion however, are the least ethnically diverse with 93% coming from a white background.

Click on the spreadsheet to get the 2011 census data.

Download the data

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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2013/may/16/uk-census-religion-age-ethnicity-country-of-birth

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Rumor Alert: Yahoo Is Buying Tumblr for a Billion?

Yahoo has a problem: it has no idea what it's doing, or how it's going to do it (outside of teenage dream hires). Some people who claim intimate knowledge say the company is going to do it by throwing a serious Hail Mary: buying Tumblr for $1,000,000,000. That's one billion.

AdWeek says it's a matter of cool or death for the aging geriatric web portal:

While its revenue is modest, Tumblr has positioned itself as one of the few players in the digital ad world that is well suited for brand advertising. And Tumblr is also the domain of the young, cool and creative crowd?not currently a Yahoo sweet spot.

Given how little Tumblr's shows it can earn, this would be a major (risky!) purchase. But nothing says By God, Yes, Make that major purchase like the stench of financial ruin. TV GIFs!

Source: http://valleywag.gawker.com/rumor-alert-yahoo-is-buying-tumblr-for-a-billion-507915558

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O.J. Simpson testifies in bid for new trial

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? His leg shackles rattling as he shuffled to the witness stand, a grayer, bulkier O.J. Simpson made his case for a new trial on armed robbery charges Wednesday, saying he was relying on the advice of his trusted attorney when he tried to reclaim mementos from his football glory days.

After more than four years in prison, Simpson seized the opportunity to recount how he and some friends confronted two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2007, and how he believed he had the right to take back what he claimed had been stolen from him, including photos and footballs.

"It was my stuff. I followed what I thought was the law. My lawyer told me I couldn't break into a guy's room. I didn't break into anybody's room. I didn't try to muscle the guys. The guys had my stuff, even though they claimed they didn't steal it," the 65-year-old former NFL star and actor said.

Simpson did not testify when he was tried and convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in 2008. He was sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison.

His fall from long-ago fame and fortune was demonstrated as he made his way to the stand with shackles around his ankles for a hearing on his claim that he was poorly represented by his attorney during the trial.

As his new lawyer, Patricia Palm, questioned him, he provided details that seemed to encompass every minute of a weekend that began with plans for a friend's wedding and ended with him under arrest.

He said he knew the memorabilia dealers, had no fear of them and certainly didn't need guns. "There was no talk of guns at all," he said. Simpson declared he never even saw guns during the confrontation.

During the trial, two former co-defendants who testified for the prosecution said they had guns.

Simpson's bid for freedom hinges on showing his lawyer badly represented him. He mentioned the lawyer, Yale Galanter, from the outset.

"He was my guy," he said of his long friendship and professional relationship with Galanter.

But he blamed Galanter's advice for getting him in trouble. He said Galanter told him he was within his rights to take back his possessions as long as there was no violence or trespassing.

Another Simpson attorney from the 2008 trial has said it was Galanter who pushed on Simpson a decision not to testify.

Simpson, dressed in a drab blue prison uniform, spoke clearly Wednesday as he recounted events leading to the hotel room where the dealers had the memorabilia. His voice cracked a bit as he recounted recognizing items on the bed, including framed photos that used to hang on the wall of his Los Angeles home.

"Look at this stuff. Some of the stuff I didn't really realize was gone. These were things I hadn't seen in 10 years," he said. "You know, you get a little emotional about it."

There is no jury in the hearing and Simpson's fate will be determined by District Judge Linda Marie Bell.

While Simpson's previous court cases, including his 1995 acquittal in the killings of his ex-wife and her friend Ron Goldman, were media events, there were empty seats in the courtroom for the first two days of the hearing.

But on Wednesday the courtroom was full, with Simpson family members and friends in the second row. A marshal turned people away, sending them to an overflow room where video was streamed live.

Still, the scene was much tamer than in the past.

"This is less hoopla than I expected. It's real toned down," said Wyatt Skaggs, a retired defense attorney visiting from Laramie, Wyo.

___

Find Ken Ritter on Twitter: http://twitter.com/krttr

LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 14: O. J. Simpson (R) talks to his defense attorney Patricia Palm during a break in an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court on May 14, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. ... more? LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 14: O. J. Simpson (R) talks to his defense attorney Patricia Palm during a break in an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court on May 14, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Simpson, who is currently serving a nine-to-33-year sentence in state prison as a result of his October 2008 conviction for armed robbery and kidnapping charges, is using a writ of habeas corpus to seek a new trial, claiming he had such bad representation that his conviction should be reversed. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) less?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oj-simpson-testifies-bid-vegas-trial-170536252.html

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Good Weather App

By Chris Morris

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - On today?s APP-tastic and Outta SITE ? Good Weather.

Weather forecasts? They?re pretty standard, right? Well, not with Good Weather.

Sure, you?ll know at a glance whether it?s going to rain or snow or whatnot, but what makes this app unique is it?s also loaded with weather-related minigames, which are actually a lot of fun. In fact, there are over 30 games to choose from ? all of which are based on your current forecast, so they?re constantly changing ? which keeps things fresh.

Check out the Good Weather app.

Source: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/05/16/good-weather-app/

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Can banks in cyber heist get their money back?

By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Because the sums were large and such attacks are relatively new, the two Middle East banks hit in a $45 million ATM heist face an uncertain path in trying to recover their losses, financial, insurance and legal experts say.

Oman-based Bank of Muscat lost $40 million and United Arab Emirates-based National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah PSC (RAKBANK) lost $5 million in the global heist, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday. Hackers gained access through third-party companies that processed transactions for prepaid debit cards issued by the banks, the prosecutors said.

While details of what happened are still sketchy, experts said the banks could bring claims against the processing companies in court, or they could file claims with their own and the processing companies' insurers.

"There's no hard and fast rule," said Dan Karson, the Americas chairman of Kroll Advisory Solutions. "We're in very much a new cybersphere of finance, and allocating liability is still very much evolving."

Any claims by banks against the processing companies would depend on the contracts between the two parties, Karson and other experts said. Those contracts include industry security standards, which are required by the major credit card payment networks, in this case MasterCard.

In most security breach cases, the processing company in question did not fully comply with the standards, said Doug Johnson, vice president for risk management policy at the American Bankers Association.

However, even if the processor failed to comply with security standards, banks may still be unable to get back their money. That is because the contracts between processors and banks, under terms set by credit card companies like MasterCard or Visa, typically limit the processor's liability.

"They can't make everybody whole, or they'll be out of business," said Michael Klaschka of Integro Insurance Brokers, which has many financial institutions as clients. "The bank may have very little recourse against the credit card processor."

In the hit against Bank of Muscat, the processor is enStage Inc, based in Cupertino, California, a source close to the Bank of Muscat said. Bank of Muscat has not commented on the attack.

Officials at enStage did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday. EnStage CEO Govind Setlur said in a statement in the Times of India his company had implemented security enhancements since the attack.

In the RAKBANK case, the processor is India's ElectraCard Services, according to people familiar with the situation. RAKBANK has not confirmed that ElectraCard Services is the payment processor and ElectraCard Services has not commented.

MasterCard has said it cooperated with law enforcement in the investigation and said its systems were not compromised in the attacks.

The banks can still try to sue the processors for negligence or other claims, but their success may be limited by their contracts, which include regulations that lay out specific fines and dispute resolution procedures mandated by the credit card companies.

Such lawsuits have proven difficult to win, according to Joseph Burton of the law firm Duane Morris in San Francisco, an expert in financial litigation. U.S. federal courts have generally, but not unanimously, found that banks are restricted to contractual remedies.

In one major case, card-issuing banks filed a class action against Heartland Payment Systems after the processor announced in 2009 that a hack had compromised the data for more than 100 million credit cards.

A federal judge in Houston, Texas, dismissed almost all of the claims in 2011, finding that the banks were bound by their contracts, which included regulations set by Visa and MasterCard that govern how banks can seek relief after a breach. The banks' appeal is pending.

Bank of Muscat and RAKBANK could also seek payment from their insurers under their general policies.

Some banks also have additional security coverage for cyber crime, although experts said the market for such policies is still relatively immature. It is not known if Bank of Muscat or RAKBANK carried cyber insurance.

The insurers, in turn, could also press claims against the processors, or the processors' own insurers.

"It's certainly possible that the bank could be left holding the bag," said Frederick Rivera of the law firm Perkins Coie, an expert in financial services litigation in the United States.

A complicating factor is that the banks are located in the Middle East, while one of the processors is based in India, making it unclear which courts would have jurisdiction over any litigation. But experts said the requirements that credit card companies impose on banks and processors are global in nature.

Federal prosecutors will also seek restitution for the banks from the defendants arrested in the case, though the amount of funds available likely won't approach the total amount of stolen money.

The U.S. Justice Department indicted eight people it said had withdrawn cash in New York, and prosecutors had seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and bank accounts, along with luxury watches and a Mercedes sport utility vehicle. But the New York cell was just one part of a coordinated global heist in which $45 million was withdrawn from cash machines in 27 countries on December 21 last year and February 19 this year. U.S. prosecutors have not said where the ringleaders of the gang were based.

The prosecutors said the gang targeted prepaid debit cards issued by the two banks, using hackers who broke into the payment processing company to raise account balances and withdrawal limits for the cards.

The heist did not compromise the accounts of any individual customers, unlike in cases of identity theft. In those cases, customers are typically made whole by their financial institution or credit card companies, which in turn seek to be made whole by the company that was breached.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Eddie Evans, Frances Kerry and Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/banks-cyber-heist-money-back-120428665.html

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Seth Meyers to replace Jimmy Fallon late at night

NEW YORK (AP) ? Seth Meyers is moving from his "Weekend Update" desk to his own late night show on NBC.

The network said Sunday that the 12-year "Saturday Night Live" cast member will replace Jimmy Fallon at the 12:35 a.m. "Late Night" show next year. Fallon is moving up an hour as Jay Leno's replacement on the "Tonight" show.

Meyers was considered the lead candidate for the "Late Night" job ever since Fallon's promotion was announced. The announcement solidifies Lorne Michaels as the comedy kingmaker at NBC. He'll be the executive in charge of "Late Night," ''Tonight" and "Saturday Night Live," which will all originate from New York's Rockefeller Center.

Meyers, 39, has been the head writer at "Saturday Night Live" for eight seasons. He's in his seventh year as "Weekend Update" host, to which he devotes all of his on-air time now.

And like Fallon before him, Meyers is making the move from "Weekend Update" to "Late Night."

"We think Seth is one of the brightest, most insightful comedy writers and performers of his generation," said Bob Greenblatt, NBC entertainment chairman. His topical comedy is "perfect for the 'Late Night' franchise," he said.

The late-night show began with David Letterman in 1982, and its other hosts have been Conan O'Brien and Fallon.

Meyers is a Northwestern University graduate and began his comedy career in Chicago. His chief television competition will be Craig Ferguson on CBS and "Nightline" on ABC. Like television in general, the late-night audience has dispersed in several directions, with DVR viewing of shows taped earlier a big alternative at night.

Late-night comedy is one of the NBC's few strong suits, with "Saturday Night Live" often drawing a bigger audience than most of what the network airs in prime-time. With Meyers' appointment, NBC is hoping for a smooth transition to a younger generation.

"I only have to work for Lorne for five more years before I pay him back for the time I totaled his car," Meyers quipped. "12:30 on NBC has long been incredible real estate. I hope I can do it justice."

Behind the scenes, Michael Shoemaker will remain with "Late Night" as producer, NBC said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seth-meyers-replace-jimmy-fallon-night-183509736.html

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Mom: Accused boy, 12, 'could never' hurt sister

Calaveras County Sheriff's deputies and volunteers stand watch at Jenny Lind Elementary School, after the murder of one it's students over the weekend, in Valley Springs, Calif., Monday April 29, 2013. Authorities are searching for the killer of Leila Fowler, 8, a first grader at Jenny Lind, who was found murdered by her 12-year-old brother in the family's Valley Springs home Saturday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Calaveras County Sheriff's deputies and volunteers stand watch at Jenny Lind Elementary School, after the murder of one it's students over the weekend, in Valley Springs, Calif., Monday April 29, 2013. Authorities are searching for the killer of Leila Fowler, 8, a first grader at Jenny Lind, who was found murdered by her 12-year-old brother in the family's Valley Springs home Saturday. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Map locates Valley Springs, California, where a 12-year-old is arrested in the stabbing of his sister

VALLEY SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) ? A day before a 12-year-old boy was arrested for the stabbing death of his 8-year-old sister, his mother described him as "protective" of his younger sibling.

Leila Fowler's killing last month shook the quiet community of Valley Springs, southeast of Sacramento, and set off an intense manhunt. Her brother was in the home at the time and told police he saw a man run from the scene.

Days later, the boy appeared with his father and stepmother at a vigil for his sister. On Friday, as speculation in the community built that perhaps the boy was involved, his biological mother told Sacramento television station KOVR her son "could never hurt his sister."

"I've never seen him be mean to her," said Priscilla Rodriquez.

Less than a day later, police delivered the stunning news: The 12-year-old boy had been arrested and will be charged with homicide.

For a community still reeling from the killing, the news was another blow.

"It's bad enough to lose a child. I can't imagine losing a child by one of my own children," Patti Campbell, a longtime area resident and owner of Campbell's Country Kitchen, told The Associated Press.

Campbell, a resident of the area for 33 years and the operator of the Valley Springs restaurant for 15 of them, said she had served Leila and her family in her restaurant.

"It's just shocking. I don't know what else to say," Campbell said.

Other residents in the community of about 7,400 people expressed similar feelings of disbelief.

"I did not want to believe it. You kind of thought so, but it's not something you want to believe," resident Tammy Ainsworth told Sacramento's KCRA-TV.

Aaron Plunk, a neighbor of Fowler's, said the arrest was staggering but he could rest easier now. He said he and his family had been extra vigilant about locking windows and doors, even though the street was being closely guarded by deputies.

"I think we were the safest house in the county," Plunk told the Modesto Bee.

Plunk's mother, Carla Plunk, said she had been scared enough to arm herself.

"It the first time I ever held a gun," she said.

Calaveras Unified School District Superintendent Mark Campbell said counselors will be available Monday at all schools.

The district "stands ready to provide whatever level of support and assistance is necessary to the Fowler family" and the community at large, he said Sunday.

Police released no information about what led them to arrest the unidentified 12-year-old for the April 27 attack. Following the crime, investigators did a door-to-door sweep of homes, storage sheds and horse stables scattered across the oak-studded hills foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Divers also searched two nearby reservoirs in search of clues.

Leila's brother told police he found his sister's body and encountered an intruder in the home while their parents were at a Little League game. He described the man as tall with long gray hair. A neighbor told detectives she saw a man flee the home, but she later recanted the story.

Police said there was no sign of a burglary or robbery. As part of the investigation, authorities seized several knives from the Fowler home, where Leila lived with her father, stepmother and siblings.

Calaveras County Sheriff Gary Kuntz said authorities spent more than 2,000 hours on the investigation before they arrested the boy at 5:10 p.m. Saturday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-12-Girl%20Killed-Manhunt/id-e8c9092dbd2b4cb18f7f352ec7cdf9b0

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IRS official knew in 2011 of 'Tea Party' targeting: watchdog report (reuters)

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GOP: Benghazi talking points changed

WASHINGTON - Senior State Department officials pressed for changes in the talking points that U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice used after the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya last September, expressing concerns that Congress might criticize the Obama administration for ignoring warnings of a growing threat in Benghazi.

An interim report by Republicans on five House committees last month had detailed how the talking points were changed, days after the Sept. 11 attack and in the heat of the 2012 presidential campaign. New details about the political concerns and the names of the administration officials who wrote emails concerning the talking points emerged on Friday.

The White House has insisted that it made only stylistic changes to the intelligence agency talking points in which Rice suggested that protests over an anti-Islamic video set off the attack that killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. Before the presidential election, the administration said Rice's talking points were based on the best intelligence assessments available in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

But the report and the new details Friday suggest a greater degree of White House and State Department involvement.

The latest developments are certain to add fuel to the politically charged debate over Benghazi. Republicans have suggested that the Obama administration sought to play down the possibility of terrorism during the campaign and has misled the country. A senior administration official reiterated Friday that the talking points were based on intelligence assessments and developed during an interagency process, which included the CIA, officials from the Director of National Intelligence, State Department, FBI and the Justice Department.

The official commented only on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation

Last Sept. 14, two days before Rice's appearance, the CIA's initial draft of the talking points referred to Islamic extremists taking part in the attack in Benghazi, possible links to Islamic extremist group Ansar al-Sharia, a CIA assessment of threats from extremists linked to al-Qaida and a mention of five previous attacks against foreign interests in Benghazi.

A congressional official who reviewed 100 pages of emails and the 12 pages of talking points said former State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland expressed concerns about the talking points, writing that they "could be abused by members of Congress to beat the State Department for not paying attention to agency warnings so why would we want to seed the Hill."

The reference to al-Sharia was deleted, but Nuland wrote later that night, "these don't resolve all my issues and those of my building leadership, they are consulting with NSS," a reference to the National Security staff within the White House.

A meeting of senior officials was convened on Saturday morning after the attack to work on the talking points and they included officials from the White House, State Department and CIA.

Deleted from the final talking points were mention of al-Qaida, the experience of fighters in Libya and Islamic extremists, according to the congressional official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about the emails that have not been released.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/national/benghazi-attack-state-department-sought-to-change-libya-talking-points

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11 Online Chat Cliches We Should All Agree to Stop Using

One of the many unbearable things about the internet is how we use certain words and phrases until they are completely void of any meaning at all. And, because it's the internet, the most insufferable trends stick around long after they're welcome.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/MmH9Gk67sMY/11-online-chat-cliches-we-should-all-agree-to-stop-usin-500189893

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As U.S. earnings estimates rise and fall, a guess may be best

By Caroline Valetkevitch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Following U.S. analysts' earnings estimates can make for a dizzying game, as forecasts for distant quarters routinely start out high, steadily fall, and then, once earnings season actually arrives, rise as companies "surprise" the market.

Interestingly enough, there is a point in this rollercoaster ride when the forecasts - really guesses, given these estimates are for a quarter that hasn't even taken place yet - matches the end result. It's at about eight weeks before the quarter actually starts, according to a Reuters analysis of data beginning in 2009.

The current earnings period falls into this pattern. S&P 500 first-quarter growth forecast started at 14.1 percent, based on Thomson Reuters data. It then fell to 5.1 percent on November 8, about eight weeks before the first quarter even began.

The earnings forecast is now at 5.3 percent - based on a combination of actual results for more than 90 percent of companies and estimates for the rest.

Still, many companies see their stocks rise when their results beat analysts' estimates.

"It's the same thing every quarter," said Ken Polcari director of the NYSE floor division at O'Neil Securities in New York.

"They make all of these fancy projections and as we move into the earnings season, they cut all of their numbers and then when the companies report, they go, 'Wow, look at us, we beat the number, how great is that.' And there's no reference to, well, we beat the much lower number, but we missed the original number by boatloads."

Many investors have become numb to the earnings numbers game, but say the overly cautious corporate outlooks sometimes can cost participants if they react to changes in estimates.

Looking ahead to the second quarter, the estimate began at about 14.4 percent and has been falling steadily in recent weeks as more companies warn on second-quarter results. It now stands at 1.9 percent.

If the pattern of previous quarters holds, it should bounce back and end at about 6.5 percent, where it was on February 8, or about eight weeks before the quarter began.

This pattern does not hold for every quarter, according to Greg Harrison, Thomson Reuters corporate earnings research analyst. In fact, fourth quarter 2009's numbers were excluded from the data because the earnings one year previous were awful, coming during the height of U.S. financial crisis. Earnings dropped 67.2 percent in that quarter.

On average, 70 percent of S&P 500 companies have beaten estimates since 2009. In the first quarter, 67.2 percent of S&P 500 companies have beaten analyst forecasts.

(Reporting By Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-earnings-estimates-rise-fall-guess-may-best-154657709.html

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Dos nuevas desconocidas fotos de Nikki Reed

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Lonely Island Spring Break Anthem Released on "Between Two Ferns"

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Mapping the embryonic epigenome: How genes are turned on and off during early human development

May 9, 2013 ? A large, multi-institutional research team involved in the NIH Epigenome Roadmap Project has published a sweeping analysis in the current issue of the journal Cell of how genes are turned on and off to direct early human development. Led by Bing Ren of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Joseph Ecker of The Salk Institute for Biological Studies and James Thomson of the Morgridge Institute for Research, the scientists also describe novel genetic phenomena likely to play a pivotal role not only in the genesis of the embryo, but that of cancer as well. Their publicly available data, the result of more than four years of experimentation and analysis, will contribute significantly to virtually every subfield of the biomedical sciences.

After an egg has been fertilized, it divides repeatedly to give rise to every cell in the human body -- from the patrolling immune cell to the pulsing neuron. Each functionally distinct generation of cells subsequently differentiates itself from its predecessors in the developing embryo by expressing only a selection of its full complement of genes, while actively suppressing others. "By applying large-scale genomics technologies," explains Bing Ren, PhD, Ludwig Institute member and a professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, "we could explore how genes across the genome are turned on and off as embryonic cells and their descendant lineages choose their fates, determining which parts of the body they would generate."

One way cells regulate their genes is by DNA methylation, in which a molecule known as a methyl group is tacked onto cytosine -- one of the four DNA bases that write the genetic code. Another is through scores of unique chemical modifications to proteins known as histones, which form the scaffolding around which DNA winds in the nucleus of the cell. One such silencing modification, called H3K27me3, involves the highly specific addition of three methyl groups to a type of histone named H3. "People have generally not thought of these two 'epigenetic' modifications as being very different in terms of their function," says Ren.

The current study puts an end to that notion. The researchers found in their analysis of those modifications across the genome -- referred to, collectively, as the epigenome -- that master genes that govern the regulation of early embryonic development tend largely to be switched off by H3K27me3 histone methylation. Meanwhile, those that orchestrate the later stages of cellular differentiation, when cells become increasingly committed to specific functions, are primarily silenced by DNA methylation.

"You can sort of glean the logic of animal development in this difference," says Ren. "Histone methylation is relatively easy to reverse. But reversing DNA methylation is a complex process, one that requires more resources and is much more likely to result in potentially deleterious mutations. So it makes sense that histone methylation is largely used to silence master genes that may be needed at multiple points during development, while DNA methylation is mostly used to switch off genes at later stages, when cells have already been tailored to specific functions, and those genes are less likely to be needed again."

The researchers also found that the human genome is peppered with more than 1,200 large regions that are consistently devoid of DNA methylation throughout development. It turns out that many of the genes considered master regulators of development are located in these regions, which the researchers call DNA methylation valleys (DMVs). Further, the team found that the DMVs are abnormally methylated in colon cancer cells. While it has long been known that aberrant DNA methylation plays an important role in various cancers, these results suggest that changes to the cell's DNA methylation machinery itself may be a major step in the evolution of tumors.

Further, the researchers catalogued the regulation of DNA sequences known as enhancers, which, when activated, boost the expression of genes. They identified more than 103,000 possible enhancers and charted their activation and silencing in six cell types. Researchers will in all likelihood continue to sift through the data generated by this study for years to come, putting the epigenetic phenomena into biological context to investigate a variety of cellular functions and diseases.

"These data are going to be very useful to the scientific community in understanding the logic of early human development," says Ren. "But I think our main contribution is the creation of a major information resource for biomedical research. Many complex diseases have their roots in early human development."

Laboratories led by Michael Zhang, at the University of Texas, Dallas, and Wei Wang, at the University of California, La Jolla, contributed extensively to the computational analysis of data generated by the epigenetic mapping.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/pfrT9mJdZas/130509123647.htm

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Dubai tops Rigzone's best city list for oil and gas professionals

According to nearly 8,000 oil and gas professionals responding to Rigzone, Dubai tops the list of cities with the brightest future, followed by two North American stalwarts, Calgary and Denver.

"The amount of planned investment in oil and gas industry projects worldwide creates vibrant, long-term opportunities in many global destinations," said Paul Caplan, President of Rigzone.

"Work-life balance continues to be a dominant theme. Energy professionals know there's a lot of hours put in, but there are just as many opportunities for extended time off. Add in higher than average compensation and energy professionals have the time and the means to enjoy diverse, rich cultures found in some of world's most exotic locations," he added.

Top 10 Energy Cities
1. Dubai: Home to some of the world's largest oil and natural gas reserves, Dubai has expatriates hailing from Bangladesh to Egypt to the United States. The wealth generated from the energy industry has spurred a business-friendly, economically diversified city.

2. Calgary: This west Canadian city has benefited from the riches of Alberta's oil and gas reserves. By 2025, more than 5% of global oil production is expected to originate in Western Canada, putting this energy capital's brighter days ahead.

3. Denver : While gold mining brought the first settlers to this city nestled in the Rocky Mountains, it's the unconventional resource discoveries that keep the oil and gas industry expanding here today. The energy industry employs more than 44,000 people in the Denver area and Colorado ranked tenth in fossil fuel energy jobs.

4. Singapore: Playing a significant role in international trade, oil and gas has been a core component in Singapore's economy since oil trading began in 1891. The Singapore Economic Development Board reports proudly that this city is the largest manufacturer of jackups in the world.

5. Jakarta: Primary energy consumption in this Indonesian city has grown by more than 50% during the last decade. With more than 60 sedimentary basins, an under-explored eastern region that shows strong potential for hydrocarbons, and with contractors slated to invest more into production and exploration, the city has many opportunities in the future.

6. Perth: Though considered a remote area by location, the impact of the oil and gas industry is evidenced by the expanding local economy and growth of this Western Australian city. Perth is experiencing a boom in population, up 3.4% in 2012.

7. Rio de Janeiro: Increasing domestic oil production has long been a goal of the Brazilian government and the effects of which can be seen in this energy hub. The resource-rich economy and growing oil and gas sector has led to businesses opening offices in Rio, sending opportunities and office rents skyrocketing.

8. Mumbai: The center of business and oil and gas industries, this Indian city is the fourth most populous in the world. The availability of gas, including imported LNG, is expected to intensify in the country and the government announced plans to unveil its shale gas policy this year to exploit unconventional resources.

9. Kuala Lumpur: The capital of Malaysia serves as a commercial and industrial hub to the country. The skyline is dominated by the famous Petronas Towers, headquarters of the country's national oil company. Petronas announced earlier this year it will place renewed focus on domestic exploration.

10. Cairo: The largest city in Africa and one of the most densely populated places in the world, this capital city serves as the headquarters to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, which supervises all oil and gas activities in Egypt.

Source: http://www.ameinfo.com/dubai-tops-rigzones-city-list-oil-340735

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Man United Alex Ferguson retiring at end of season

FILE - This is a Sunday, May 22, 2011. file photo of Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson as he waves to fans ahead of their English Premier League soccer match against Blackpool at Old Trafford, Manchester, England. Alex Ferguson will retire as manager of Manchester United at the end of the Premier League season after 26 years in charge of the storied club, the team said Wednesday May 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)

FILE - This is a Sunday, May 22, 2011. file photo of Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson as he waves to fans ahead of their English Premier League soccer match against Blackpool at Old Trafford, Manchester, England. Alex Ferguson will retire as manager of Manchester United at the end of the Premier League season after 26 years in charge of the storied club, the team said Wednesday May 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)

FILE - In this Saturday May 16, 2009 file photo Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson holds the English Premier League trophy as his team celebrate winning the league after their team's 0-0 draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England. Manchester United said Wednesday May 8, 2013 that manager Alex Ferguson is retiring at the end of season. (AP Photo/Jon Super, File)

FILE - This is a Saturday May 14, 2011 file photo of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson as he celebrates after Manchester United won the English Premier League at Ewood Park, Blackburn, England . Alex Ferguson is retiring at the end of the season it was announced Wednesday May 8, 2013, bringing a close to a trophy-filled career of more than 26 years at Manchester United that established him as the most successful coach in British football history. (AP Photo/Tim Hales, File)

Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates after his team's 2-0 win over Stoke in their English Premier League soccer match at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke, England, Sunday April 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

FILE - In this Wednesday, May 26, 1999 file photo Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson kisses the trophy after winning the Champions League final soccer match at the Nou Camp Stadium in Barcelona, Spain. Manchester United beat Bayern Munich 2-1. Manchester United said Wednesday May 8, 2013 that manager Alex Ferguson is retiring at the end of season. (AP Photo/Adam Butler, File)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ? Alex Ferguson is retiring at the end of the season, bringing a close to a trophy-filled career of more than 26 years at Manchester United that established him as the most successful coach in British football history.

"The decision to retire is one that I have thought a great deal about and one that I have not taken lightly," the 71-year-old Scotsman said in a statement on Wednesday. "It is the right time."

The club, which is owned by the American Glazer family and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, did not immediately announce a successor.

The early bookmakers' favorites for the job are David Moyes, whose contract at Everton expires at the end of the season, and Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, the former Chelsea boss who craves a return to England.

Since taking charge at Old Trafford in 1986, Ferguson has won a total of 38 trophies, including 13 Premier League championships, two Champions League titles and five FA Cups.

"It was important to me to leave an organization in the strongest possible shape and I believe I have done so," Ferguson said. "The quality of this league winning squad, and the balance of ages within it, bodes well for continued success at the highest level whilst the structure of the youth setup will ensure that the long-term future of the club remains a bright one."

Ferguson reversed a previous plan to retire at the end of the 2001-02 season.

After United secured its latest Premier League title two weeks ago ? extending the club's record English championship haul to 20 ? Ferguson declared that he had no retirement thoughts.

But now he has just two more league matches left in charge of the club he has turned into one of the world's biggest sports powers.

Ferguson has previously said only health problems would force him to relinquish the job, and it emerged over the weekend that he requires hip surgery. However, the retirement statement did not mention health issues.

Ferguson will continue to loom large at United as he will remain as a club director and ambassador.

"His contributions to Manchester United over the last 26 years have been extraordinary and, like all United fans, I want him to be a part of its future," joint chairman Avie Glazer said.

Talk of Ferguson leaving first surfaced following the club's golf day on Tuesday. When the official announcement came it prompted an outpouring of tributes from inside and outside the game.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Twitter that Ferguson's "achievements in the game place him without doubt as one of the 'greats'."

Former United striker Michael Owen said Ferguson's record "will surely never be eclipsed."

"What an act to follow," Owen tweeted.

The announcement even grabbed the British media spotlight from the buildup to the State Opening of Parliament, where Queen Elizabeth II, who knighted Ferguson in 1999, was setting out the government's planned legislation.

Ferguson has played a high-profile role campaigning for the Labour Party.

"Proud man. Great manager. Staunch Labour Party supporter," Labour Party leader Ed Miliband tweeted. "Sir Alex Ferguson will never be forgotten."

Tributes crossed the political divide, with Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, a member of the Conservative Party, praising Ferguson for his "enthusiasm for our national game."

Ferguson has defined the modern era of success at United, resuscitating the fortunes of a club that was floundering when he arrived more than a quarter of a century ago, having won a European title at modest Aberdeen in Scotland.

While it took time for Ferguson to impose his leadership at Old Trafford, directors showed a degree of patience rarely afforded to current managers.

Ferguson eventually produced his first trophy in 1990 ? the FA Cup ? and in 1993 the club won its first topflight title since 1967.

Since then, he has turned United into a European power and one of the world's wealthiest sports clubs. In addition to Champions League titles in 1999 and 2008, United has also won four League Cups and the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup.

"In my early years, the backing of the board, and Sir Bobby Charlton in particular, gave me the confidence and time to build a football club, rather than just a football team," Ferguson said. "Over the past decade, the Glazer family have provided me with the platform to manage Manchester United to the best of my ability."

Before United was listed on the NYSE last year, the club warned that "any successor to our current manager may not be as successful as our current manager."

"A downturn in the performance of our first team could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain coaches and players," United said in July.

___

Rob Harris can be reached at http://twitter.com/RobHarris

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-05-08-SOC-Man-United-Ferguson/id-5794d8d7c0a94825a44c570c59408503

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