North Korea says to enter "state of war" against South Korea: KCNA

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday it was entering a "state of war" with South Korea in a continuing escalation of tough rhetoric against Seoul and Washington after coming under international sanctions for its nuclear test.

"From this time on, the North-South relations will be entering the state of war and all issues raised between the North and the South will be handled accordingly," a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency said.

KCNA said the statement was issued jointly by the North's government, ruling party and other organizations.

North Korea has been threatening to attack the South and U.S. military bases almost on a daily basis since the beginning of March, when U.S. and South Korean militaries started routine drills, and has ordered its armed forces on the highest alert.

But the impoverished state has kept a joint industrial zone that is the source of hard currency where hundreds of South Korean workers and vehicles cross enter daily after crossing the rival Koreas' heavily armed border.

Few believe North Korea will risk starting a full-out war.

The two Koreas have been in a technical state of war because their 1950-53 conflict ended under an armistice and not a peace treaty, although Pyongyang earlier in March declared the truce no longer valid.

(Reporting by Sung-won Shim; Editing by Jack Kim)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-says-enter-state-war-against-south-001304441.html

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Pistorius bail restrictions eased

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? A judge in South Africa says Oscar Pistorius, who is charged with murdering his girlfriend, can leave South Africa to compete in international competition, with conditions.

Judge Bert Bam says the Olympic and Paralympic athlete must provide authorities with his travel plans at least a week before he leaves the country. He must also return his passport to the court within 24 hours of returning to South Africa

Pistorius' lawyers said in the North Gauteng High Court on Thursday that he had no immediate plans to compete, but might eventually need to run at track meets again to earn money.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pistorius-bail-restrictions-eased-110834108--oly.html

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MLB polishes At Bat 13 on iOS and Android ahead of Opening Day, brings app to BlackBerry Z10

With the 2013 season looming just around the corner, it's only natural for Major League Baseball to make sure its various applications on different platforms are all ready to go come this weekend. And as it did with MLB.tv on Xbox Live a couple days ago, MLB's now also updated the At Bat Android and iOS apps, leaving behind the spring training features from last month and making room for ones that are tailored for this year's Opening Day and forward. For subscribers, this means things such as multi-platform live audio, more video highlights, a virtual archive of classic games and a revamped news section within the apps. What's more, MLB has kept its promise of bringing At Bat 13 to the BB10 crowd, giving BlackBerry Z10 owners the ability to download the app starting today. Clearly, it's that time of the year again, that time where your Yankees-cheering friends tell you all about how A-Rod, when fit, is the best player in the game. Or, if they're Giants fans, how they really, really, hope the tale of Samson's hair won't apply to Tim Lincecum.

Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment, Software, Mobile

Comments

Source: MLB

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/mlb-at-bat-13-opening-day-updates/

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Turkey, Israel to work out compensation

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) ? Turkey's deputy prime minister says Turkish and Israeli officials will meet next week to work out the amount of compensation to be paid to the victims of a raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed eight Turks and a Turkish-American in 2010.

Israel apologized for the botched raid last week and agreed to compensate the injured and relatives of the dead.

Turkey accepted the apology but said it wanted to ensure the victims were compensated and Israel remained committed to the easing of restrictions of goods entering Gaza before restoring full diplomatic relations.

Bulent Arinc said Friday an Israeli delegation will travel to Turkey next week. He says the amount of compensation to be requested will be worked out in consultation with experts and the families' lawyers.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-israel-compensation-112455422.html

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Ebay forecasts doubling of its PayPal business in three years

March 28 (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy, playing for the first time since losing his world number one ranking earlier this week, got off to a shaky start at the Houston Open on Thursday where he dropped three shots over his opening eight holes. The 23-year-old Northern Irishman, who was replaced atop the world rankings by Tiger Woods this week, struggled to find his rhythm on an ideal day for low scoring at the Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas. He bogeyed the par-four second hole and made a double-bogey seven on the eighth hole to limp to the turn at three-over. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ebay-forecasts-doubling-paypal-business-three-years-200225594--sector.html

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CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin: 'DOMA is in trouble' | The Raw Story

By David Edwards
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 13:31 EDT

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After attending oral arguments about the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin came to the conclusion that the federal government?s ban on same sex marriage ?is in trouble.?

Speaking to CNN cameras outside the court, Toobin noted that the justices ?are obviously very deeply split, but I think DOMA is in trouble.?

?And I think it?s in trouble because [Justice] Anthony Kennedy was repeatedly concerned that the Defense of Marriage Act violates states? rights,? the CNN analyst explained. ?Anthony Kennedy, who is as we all know the swing vote this court, is someone who is concerned about gay rights.?

?He was clearly very concerned that the Defense of Marriage Act was invading the province of the states to define marriage. That?s a state function usually. And that would certainly be suggesting that he was going to strike down the law. And certainly the other liberals ? the four Democratic appointees looked like they were going to vote to strike it down.?

As Toobin was explaining that the plaintiff in the case, Edith Windsor, had sued the federal government because she was forced to pay $363,000 in estate taxes when her same sex partner died, the veteran CNN analyst found himself being struck in the head by a piece of the network?s lighting equipment.

?I find that I?m thinking more clearly now,? he joked.

Last year, Toobin had incorrectly speculated that the high court would strike down President Barack Obama?s signature health care reform law.

?I?m not in the business of making predictions,? he told CNN host Ashleigh Banfield on Tuesday following oral arguments on California?s Prop 8 ban on same sex marriage.

Watch this video from Fox News? Fox & Friends, broadcast March 27, 2013.

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Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/27/cnn-legal-analyst-jeffrey-toobin-doma-is-in-trouble/

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Sonic Vitamins: The most powerful Brain Entrainment ... - Get self-help

Having tried out so many Brain Entrainment products over the years, when I run into something that works well, I like to let others know about it. The reason is that Brain Entrainment is quick and instant, unlike most of the self-help programming, which takes weeks and months to work (or in many cases ? not work!) It?s important that when you read through a self-help review, I feel, that the person who is reviewing the programme, has actually used the programme.

Brainwave Entrainment is a quick win for me, as I get to write about it within hours and days and not months. I think you?ll like Brain Entrainment for very similar reasons. You know it works ? and the proof is in the eating.

I?ve?loaded this one up onto my iPod permanently, and cannot recommend it more.

There are two main providers?I?ve?settled on. The one is EOC Institute, which to my mind (if you excuse the pun) makes the most sophisticated recordings available. Their programme called ?Equisync? is probably the most sophisticated Brainwave Entrainment?mp3?available. Their range is limited, and so I started looking around, testing a few other providers. Sonic Vitamins is really exciting. Their range is as broad as it is deep.

Start out with Siesta Shot.?I?ve?loaded this one up onto my iPod permanently, and cannot recommend it more. I use it on weekends, in between getting more chores done and relaxing or going out.

The programme starts off with what sounds like helicopter blades whirring around you. There?s a lot going on in the background at this stage, working to bring you down. The helicopter effect gets slower and slower, 20mins in as you?ll just lolling off to sleep, they sound like brushes, or feet wiping on an outdoor?fiber?mat. That?s the last thing you notice, until 30mins later when the brushing speeds returning to the helicopter effect (which by now you realise are the same sound just at different speeds).

This programme has three significant benefits over other Brain?Entrainment?programming?I?ve?tested:

• It?s cheaper
• You are guaranteed to fall asleep for a little while
• A short while after awakening, you are filled with new energy and will be surging awake for hours to come ? you will feel brighter and livelier. (Sounds like a clich?, but I?m quite serious.)

Sonic Vitamins? Siesta Shot was the fifth programme?I?ve?tested so far, and it is by the best example of how effective and powerful Brainwave?Entrainment?can be.? While I appreciate other programmes like cool Instant Zen track and the very curious Happiness Lift, it was my Siesta Shot that really sold me on the entire range ? and led me to review Sonic Vitamins so highly.

For about Brainwave Entrainment click here.

Source: http://www.selfhelpable.com/sonic-vitamins-powerful-brain-entrainment-sleep-programme/

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Space shuttle Enterprise lands in historic places registry

NASA

NASA's space shuttle Enterprise, seen here during a test flight in 1977, was added to the National Register of Historic Places this month.

By Robert Z. Pearlman
Space.com

The?Enterprise, NASA's original prototype space shuttle, is now more than just a historic spacecraft. It is a historic place, too.

Located at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City, the test orbiter has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, becoming the first of NASA's retired space shuttles to receive the distinction.

"We are extremely proud to be the home of the space shuttle Enterprise," Susan Marenoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid, said in a statement. "It is an honor to receive this distinction from the National Park Service."

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the United States' properties that are considered worthy of preservation. Authorized in 1966 as part of the National Historic Preservation Act, the register is part of a national program to coordinate and provide support for public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America's historic and archaeological resources.

The space shuttle Enterprise is a full-scale test craft that was used for flight trials inside the atmosphere and tests on the ground, and paved the way for the subsequent space-worthy orbiters to launch into orbit. In 2012, Enterprise was transferred to its permanent home on board the Intrepid, a converted World War II aircraft carrier that is a National Historic Landmark. [See photos of Enterprise at the Intrepid]

Prior to landing in Manhattan, Enterprise was displayed by the Smithsonian at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the Virginia annex to the National Air and Space Museum.

Enterprise's exhibit on the Intrepid's flight deck debuted to the public in July 2012. Its environmentally controlled, air-supported structure was open for only three months when Hurricane Sandy damaged the pavilion beyond repair. The shuttle also sustained minor damage to its tail.

A protective cover and scaffolding was erected above and around Enterprise to assist with the repairs to the orbiter. That temporary shelter was being taken down this week, revealing the repaired Enterprise in preparation for a new display structure to be raised around it.

The new space shuttle pavilion is expected to open to the public in early summer.

"We look forward to creating an exciting showcase of the extraordinary history of Enterprise, so that it may continue to educate and inspire the next generation of innovators for years to come," Marenoff-Zausner said.

The Intrepid's application for Enterprise to be considered for the National Register of Historic Places was prepared in September 2012, with letters of endorsement from New York Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as Rep. Carolyn Maloney and astronauts Robert Crippen, Fred Haise and Richard Truly.

"I am pleased to offer my support for a nomination of the space shuttle Enterprise, OV-101, to the National Register of Historic Places," wrote Truly, who served on board the USS Intrepid as a naval aviator before being selected as a NASA astronaut and piloting Enterprise. "I am proud to be one of only four astronauts to fly this historic spacecraft and I can personally attest to its historic significance."

Enterprise was granted Historic Place status on March 13.

Enterprise is not the only structure from space history to be listed in the registry. The iconic large countdown clock and flag pole located at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida were granted Historic Place status as a combined entity in 2000. In addition, the Saturn V rockets on display in Houston, Texas and Huntsville, Ala. are both registered structures.

Since its creation in 1966, more than 1.4 million buildings, sites, districts, structures and objects have been added to the National Register of Historic Places, providing a link to the United States' heritage at the national, state and local levels.

See shuttles.collectspace.com?for continuing coverage of the delivery and display of NASA's retired space shuttles.

Follow collectSpace on Facebook?and onTwitter at @collectSpace. Copyright 2013 collectSpace.com. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2013 Space.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Wall Street soars on upbeat economic news

JeeYeon Park , CNBC ? ? ? 55 min.

Stocks closed near their best levels Tuesday, with the Dow posting a new closing high and S&P 500 finishing less than 2 points from its closing high, lifted by a handful of encouraging economic reports that pointed to an improving economy and as investors seemed to temporarily overlook worries in the euro zone.

(Read More: American Dream Is Back, So Are Stocks: CNBC Survey)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared more than 100 points, led by Boeing and American Express, wiping out all of the previous session's losses.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq also finished near session highs. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, slumped below 13.

(Read More:Sell in May? Why it May Not Happen)

All key S&P sectors were ended in positive territory, led by health care and energy.

"From a fundamental perspective, while the dominant domestic theme has heretofore been better-than-expected economic data boosting investor confidence in the earnings outlook, despite sluggish first-quarter guidance and fears of fiscal drag, many are now beginning to lock in gains realizing that the flipside of stronger growth is that QE tapering is potentially drawing closer, Chairman Bernanke's assurances to the contrary notwithstanding," wrote Alec Young, global equity strategist at S&P Capital IQ. "After all, markets are forward looking."

In Europe, Fitch put Cyprus on rating watch negative, saying the shock from the country's banking system could damage the domestic economy and thus public finances. But Wall Street was unfazed by the announcement.

Banks in Cyprus will be closed until Thursday, and will then be subject to capital controls to prevent a run on deposits. Cyprus's Finance Minister Michael Sarris told BBC radio big depositors in Cypriot banks could lose about 40 percent of their deposits but an exact figure had yet to be decided. Banks are due to reopen on Thursday and will be subject to capital controls to prevent a run on deposits.

(Read More: Why It's Important to Keep Cypriot Banks Shut)

Still, investors seemed less fazed over Cyprus. European shares ended higher, snapping their thee-day losing streak.

"We're more optimistic about Cyprus than we were a couple days ago, but it's going to continue to be unpredictable and if nothing else, even if it does get resolved, it's a reminder of just how fragile the situation in Europe is," said Matthew Kaufler, portfolio manager of the Federated Clover Fund of the day's economic data.

Goldman Sachs rose after the financial giant and Berkshire Hathaway amended the warrants Berkshire holds as part of the lifeline it gave Goldman during the financial crisis.

Meanwhile the Federal Reserve ordered Citigroup to improve its anti-money laundering controls, after several units of the bank were subject to similar orders in 2012.

Netflix rallied to lead the S&P 500 gainers after Pacific Crest raised its price target on the movie-streaming company to $225 from $160.

Apple fluctuated after Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster called consensus estimates for the tech giant's March and June quarters too high, but said new product launches mean investors will look to the second half of the year for opportunity. In addition, Munster said he believes Apple will increase its dividend to around $14 a share from the current $10.60.

Boeing said the first round test of its new battery system for its 787 Dreamliner went according to plan, putting the jet one step closer to returning to service.

Children's Place slumped after the kids' apparel retailer issued a downbeat earnings outlook for the current quarter and fiscal year.

On the economic front, the S&P/Case Shiller home price 20-city index soared 8.1 percent compared to a year ago, kicking off the year with the biggest year-over-year increase since 2006. But new home sales declined 4.6 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000 units, according to the Commerce Department, missing estimates. Homebuilders were in the red, led by Beazer and DR Horton.

Consumer confidence index dropped in March, according to the Conference Board as Americans turned more pessimistic about economic prospects in the short term.

But durable goods orders climbed in February as demand for transportation equipment rebounded, according to the Commerce Department, topping expectations.

"It's been a mixed bag and a continuation of what we've seen all along," said Kaufler. "The key takeaway is that the economy is on the mend, but in a very slow way?it's a slow grind."

Treasurys eased their gains after the government auctioned $35 billion in 2-year notes at a high yield of 0.255 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 3.27.

?By CNBC's JeeYeon Park (Follow JeeYeon on Twitter: @JeeYeonParkCNBC)

? 2013 CNBC LLC. All Rights Reserved

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What's Worrying Millennials? Pretty Much Everything

Rachel Evans of Wheaton, Maryland, can tell you precisely when she reached her peak stress level recently: A customer at the pizza shop where Evans works was frustrated at the long line and took it out on her. Then, regretting her sharp tongue, the customer apologized, adding, ?And I?ve bet you?ve got your high school homework to do after you get home.? In fact, Rachel is 29, has a B.A. and a masters in social work, and has been looking for a job for so long she finally took on some babysitting and a shift at the pizzeria to help pay the bills after getting married late last year.

Rachel is hardly the only Millennial?usually defined as adults ages 18 to 33?who?s stressed to the breaking point. A recent survey from the American Psychological Association (APA), titled ?Stress in America,? found that Millennials reported an average stress level of 5.4 on a 10-point scale, exceeding the national average of 4.9. Of the four generations included in the survey, Millennials ranked highest; ?Mature? adults (67 and older) ranked lowest.

Why Is It So Hard for Young Adults to Find Mental-Health Help?

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Other findings of the survey:

?????? Nearly half of Millennials (49 percent) do not believe or are not sure that they are doing enough to manage their stress;

?????? Few say they get stress-related support from their healthcare provider (just 17 percent say their provider gives them support for stress management); and

?????? Only 23 percent think that their healthcare provider supports them a "lot or a great deal" in their desire to make healthy lifestyle and behavior changes.

And what are the causes of so much tension and worry? According to the survey, work easily topped the list (76 percent), followed, not surprisingly by money (73 percent). Relationships were a stressor for 59 percent of Millennials. ?

Relief doesn?t look to be in the immediate picture for many Millennials. On the work front, according to Generation Opportunity, a nonpartisan millennial advocacy group, while unemployment for the nation as a whole was 7.7 percent in February, it was more than double that?16.2 percent?for young adults ages 18 to 29. For those with a job, but stressed by a killer workload, a dead-end position, and/or bosses, the APA offers resources for dealing with job-related stress.

A Harvard School of Public Health panel convened to talk about the APA's "Stress in America" survey noted the huge public health impact of so much worry: It's linked to heart disease, asthma, ulcers and beyond. One expert on the panel likened the effects of chronic stress on the heart to cigarette smoking.

The Surprising Sleep-Suicide Connection

It?s easy to see why the burden seems heavy. In addition to the dire unemployment rate, people in their 20s carry an average of $45,000 in debt, largely from college and graduate school, according to Our Time, an advocacy group for young Americans. Our Time says the solution is lowering the cost of higher education, but that?s an idea that is of course much too late for people already in debt. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling offers tips for keeping credit strong while paying back loans and other debt.

Fast-Acting Antidepressant Eases Depression in Hours?Not Weeks

Antonia Baum, M.D., a triathlete and psychiatrist in Chevy Chase, Maryland, says that something as simple as daily exercise?which doesn?t have to cost much, or anything?can be a big help in cutting stress. ?Baum goes so far as to take some of her patients for a jog or walk during therapy sessions. It doesn?t really matter what type of activity you do. ?Any form of exercise that gives you discipline and structure can be a positive,? she notes. ?In addition to physiologic changes that occur, you get your blood flowing, and your oxygen level increases to every part of your body, including your brain, which creates a sense of well-being and being powerful and strong.? And that's got to be a good counterpoint to overwhelming stress.

Are you a young adult weighted down by worry and stress? How do you cope?

Related Stories on TakePart:

? Yep, Hoarding is Officially a Serious Mental Health Problem

? Blood Test for Depression Proves It's Not All In Your Head

? Is College a Huge Waste of Money?

---

Fran Kritz is a?freelance writer specializing in health and health?policy and lives in Silver?Spring, Maryland. Takepart.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/whats-worrying-millennials-pretty-much-everything-171311340.html

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BoE's King says global crisis "far from over"

In his new cover story for New York magazine, Joe Hagan offers the most in-depth look at the Today?show ratings?disaster that has created Matt Lauer's weeks-long attempt at image rehabilitation, and it's now clear that the defining moment that brought the morning show crashing own to Earth ? the exit of Ann Curry ? was something of a cross between the fourth circle of Hell and?and running with the Heathers?in high school: Curry got pranked, she got her clothes made fun of, she was prevented from reaching out to Robin Roberts, and her legacy lives on as a ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boes-king-says-global-crisis-far-over-180418323--business.html

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Now, Android app that warns you when you are stressed

Now, a new Android app has been developed that can log stressful moments in a users' life, a report has said.

Dirk Trossen, a senior researcher in the computer laboratory at the University of Cambridge, developed the Android Remote Sensing App (AIRS), which can help people manage pressure and improve their general health.

The app uses all the sensors built into mobile devices to measure physical changes.

It also records environmental noise and tracks calls and text messages.

One can also track moods expressed through emoticons and use attached monitors to provide pulse and heart-rate data.

Trossen explained that the data feeds into software developed by Dana Pavel at Essex University that allows users to create a story-inspired visualization on their computer.

There are over 60 values the app can record, including surrounding noise level; social activity, as monitored by texts and calls; changing environmental conditions, measured through air pressure as well as light level; and even posture, measured by the phone's accelerometer, he added.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report_now-android-app-that-warns-you-when-you-are-stressed_1815493

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Government supporters clash with protesters in Venezuela

By Deisy Buitrago and Efrain Otero, Reuters

CARACAS - Police fired tear gas in downtown Caracas on Thursday as anti-government student protesters clashed with supporters of late President Hugo Chavez in an increasingly volatile atmosphere ahead of next month's election.

Several hundred students were marching to the election board's headquarters to demand a clean vote when they were blocked by government supporters who hurled stones, bottles and eggs at them, a Reuters witness said.

Some of the students threw stones back, other witnesses said.

"We were holding a peaceful march. ... All we want is democracy," said law student Eduardo Vargas, 19, whose eye was injured in the incident. "We're all Venezuelans. We just want a fair vote."

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Police fired tear gas toward the 150 or so government supporters and formed a cordon between the two sides.

It was the first outbreak of violence since an election was called on April 14 for the South American OPEC nation following Chavez's death from cancer two weeks ago.

Both candidates, acting President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Henrique Capriles, have been trading personal accusations as they rally supporters for the vote.

One onlooker, Gustavo Malave, a 78-year-old who works for one of the socialist "community councils" set up during Chavez's 14-year rule, blamed the students for starting the trouble.

"The clash began because the opposition started throwing stones," he said. "I support Chavez and Maduro. Chavez set this course, and it's going to continue for 40 or 50 years."

Before the clash, the students had been marching to the election headquarters singing the national anthem and carrying signs including "Free and fair elections" and "Nicolas is a liar."

"The students are saying to the world and to the country that we are in the street. We want transparent and free elections," said one student leader, Victor Fernandez.

Maduro at an evening campaign rally called the students "a small group of recalcitrant right-wing people."

"None of us can ... be provoked by those tiny groups that make a living off hatred," he said.

He said the group had links to two U.S. diplomats expelled on the day of Chavez's death on charges they were attempting to conspire with the Venezuelan military.

"I want you to know that those two men directly gave orders and instructions and money to this same group," he said.

That charge follows a flurry of recent accusations against U.S. authorities including a charge that the State Department is seeking to kill Capriles to spark a coup.

Washington denies the accusation.

With sympathy over Chavez's death galvanizing government supporters, Maduro, 50, a longtime socialist stalwart, is favorite to win next month's vote.

Two polls published this week put the former bus driver ahead of Capriles by more than 14 percentage points.

Capriles, a 40-year-old state governor, accuses Maduro of being a nonentity who is exploiting the emotion around Chavez's death. He wants voters to focus on daily problems confronting Venezuelans ranging from potholes to high crime rates and corruption.

Capriles, a centrist politician who says Brazil's free-market economics with strong welfare policies is his model for Venezuela, lost to Chavez last year by 11 percentage points.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

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Five things MMA fans should watch for at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

You've likely heard your friends and family talk about a big tournament that starts today. Surely, they were talking about the NCAA Divsion I wrestling tournament, which is happening this weekend in beautiful Des Moines, Iowa. Fighters such as Randy Couture, Phil Davis, Chael Sonnen, Josh Koscheck, Johny Hendricks, Tyron Woodley, Urijah Faber and many, many more UFC stars made their name on the mats first. Fight fans can watch wrestling all weekend on the ESPN family of networks, and here is what to watch for:

History could be made: Kyle Dake from Cornell is a three-time national champion, and he won each championship in a different weight class. If Dake wins again this year, he will be the first four-time champion with every title at a different weight class. But to win, he will have to get through Penn State's David Taylor, the returning champ at 165 lbs.

A change in the way the finals will air: Traditionally, Saturday night's finals start at 125 lbs. and work up to the heavyweight match as the "main event." This year, with so much interest in a potential Dake-Taylor match-up, the bouts will start at 174 lbs., and snake their way through the weight classes to end up at 165 lbs.

You aren't seeing double in Ohio State singlets: The Buckeyes have two no. 1 seeds in brothers Hunter and Logan Stieber. At 133, Logan is looking to repeat his 2012 NCAA championship. Younger brother Hunter took sixth last season, but earned the top seed with a record of 31-0.

Mizzou's big and little threat: The Tigers made history this year by beating Iowa for the first time in history, and they want to keep up their winning ways. Alan Waters is the no. 1 seed at 125 lbs., the smallest weight at the tournament, and Dom Bradley is no. 1 at heavyweight, giving Missouri bookend threats for national titles.

Penn State looking for three-peat: With stars like Taylor and Ed Ruth returning, Penn State is looking for their third straight national team title. They walked in ranked first, but will face challenges from Iowa powered by three-time national champ Matt McDonough, Oklahoma State with Jordan Oliver, Minnesota, Missouri, and Cornell, a school who has perfected the art of peaking at the right time.

Click here for more information on when and where you can tune in. If you have questions while watching, tweet me here as I'll be at the Wells Fargo watching the action.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/five-things-mma-fans-watch-ncaa-division-wrestling-160849715--mma.html

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Obama arrives in West Bank on second day of Middle East trip

Just 24 hours after President Obama met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian National Authority, welcomed the president to Ramallah, in their first meeting in over a year. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.

By John Newland, Staff Writer, NBC News

President Barack Obama spoke critically of Israeli settlement activity in Palestinian territories and reaffirmed his commitment to the creation of "an independent and sovereign state of Palestine" in a Thursday news conference in the West Bank.?

"We cannot give up on the search for peace, no matter how hard it is. ... Too much is at stake," the president said during the joint news conference with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas?on the second day of his first official trip to Israel.

Obama reaffirmed the "difficult" goal of a two-state solution, adding that Israel's program of settlements was unhelpful and did not "advance the cause of peace."

When asked whether he thought a halt to further settlement activity was required before peace talks could begin in earnest, Obama demurred.?

"If the only way to even begin the conversation is that we get everything right from the outset ? then we?re never going to get to the broader issue, which is how you actually structure a state of Palestine that is sovereign and contiguous," the president said.

"The core issue right now is how do we get sovereignty for the Palestinian people and ensure security for the Israeli people," he added. "If we solve those two problems, the settlement problem will be solved."

Obama said that had been the focus of the talks he had just conducted with Abbas, which lasted about an hour and occurred just before the news conference, during which Obama praised Abbas for his leadership and sharply criticized rival group Hamas for the "misery" of Palestinians in Gaza.

Oliver Weiken / EPA

President Barack Obama embraces Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas upon his arrival at the presidential compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday.

He sounded hopeful about Abbas and the Palestinian Authority and reiterated U.S. willingness to help.

"The United States is deeply committed to the creation of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine," he said, adding, "Simply, Palestinians deserve a state of their own."

For his part, Abbas said he had "renewed confidence" in U.S. assistance with the peace process after meeting with Obama.

"We have conducted a good and useful round of talks," he said through an interpreter.

In calling for an end to Israeli construction of settlements in Palestinian territories, Abbas warned that continued building of the sites was causing Palestinians, particularly the younger generation, to lose hope that Israel and a sovereign Palestine could peacefully co-exist.

When young Palestinians see the settlements, he said, "they do not trust the two-state solution anymore, and this is very dangerous" for the future.

Earlier, Obama had been greeted cordially by Abbas, and the two hugged, after his helicopter touched down in Ramallah.

Despite the discussions and positive speeches,?little actual progress on the peace process?was expected during the trip.?

On Tuesday in Ramallah, Palestinian police scuffled with scores of demonstrators protesting Obama's visit, and?two rockets?that may have been a show of protest were fired into southern Israel close to the border with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip early Thursday.

Obama began the second day of his trip with some virtual time travel.

After viewing the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, Obama toured a technology exhibition at the Israel Museum to have a look at cutting-edge products being developed in the country, including a potentially revolutionary battery that uses air and water to release energy stored in aluminum.

The makers say it could power a car that would have to stop only for occasional water fill-ups.

Amos Ben Gershom / Israeli Government via EPA

President Barack Obama with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) inspect a display of the Dead Sea Scrolls at a museum in Jerusalem, Thursday.

Obama seemed to show great interest in the battery, as well as some of the other new technologies on display, and despite the tensions surrounding his visit, he managed to interject a bit of humor.

He watched intently as a robot nicknamed "the snake" -- developed at Israel's prestigious Technion institute to help rescue workers reach nooks and crannies where people are trapped -- began wriggling on the display table.

"My wife would not like this," he said.

He seemed less interested in some exhibits than others. While viewing the "Mobileye" system designed to warn drivers of imminent roadway dangers, he asked if the system would frequently produce loud beeps as it did in the exhibition hall and speculated that it could be an irritant.

The president appeared eager to move on when asked if he wanted to watch a further demonstration of the device.

"Oh," he said, before politely standing, arms-crossed, and watching a developer operate a driving simulator. The president joked that that the developer was "a bad driver" before strolling off.

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On the Brink: Palestinians,?Israelis?lukewarm on visit

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This story was originally published on Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:53 AM EDT

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