RIGA, Latvia (AP) ? Latvia's economy grew 5.6 percent last year ? the best performance among the 27-country European Union ? thanks to robust trade and manufacturing.
The national statistics agency said Monday that growth accelerated from 5.4 percent in 2011. In the fourth quarter of 2012, gross domestic product increased 5.1 percent.
Though Latvia is enjoying fast growth, it remains one of the poorest of the bloc's 27 members.
After several years of rapid expansion, the country's economy entered a deep recession in 2008 and had to be bailed out by international lenders such as the EU and the International Monetary Fund.
The Baltic state's center-right government hopes to phase in the euro in 2014, which would make it the 18th member in the currency union.
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Cardinals Angelo Scola of Milan and Odilo Scherer of Sao Paulo are the two most often-mentioned frontrunners in the conclave to elect the next Roman Catholic pope that opens on Tuesday.
But about a dozen names of "papabile" (possible popes) are circulating among Vatican watchers in Rome. The 115 cardinals can turn to other candidates if the favourites fail to build momentum towards the necessary two-thirds majority, or 77 votes.
Identifying trends is difficult because there are no declared candidates and electors are sworn to secrecy about their preparations for the conclave and what happens inside the Sistine Chapel while they vote.
A strong candidate could win a large minority of votes in the first voting round on Tuesday afternoon. But if he fails to build on it in subsequent voting rounds - two each in morning and afternoon sessions - the cardinals could look elsewhere.
Here are the dozen most frequently mentioned names:
TOP CONTENDERS
- Angelo Scola (Italy, 71) is archbishop of Milan, a springboard to the papacy, and the leading Italian candidate. An expert on moral theology, Pope Benedict moved him there from Venice - another papal launching pad - in 2011 in what some saw as a sign of approval. Scola was long close to the conservative Italian Catholic group Communion and Liberation, which Benedict also favoured, but has kept his distance in recent years. He is familiar with Islam as head of a centre for Muslim-Christian understanding, with wide contacts abroad. His dense intellectual oratory could put off cardinals seeking a charismatic preacher.
- Odilo Scherer (Brazil, 63) is the leading candidate from Latin America, where 42 percent of the world's Catholics live. Archbishop of Sao Paulo, the biggest diocese in the country, he is conservative there but would rank as a moderate elsewhere. His German family roots and stint working in the Vatican Curia give him important links to Europe, the largest voting bloc. Italian media say he enjoys support among Curia cardinals opposed to Scola. He is known for a sense of humour and tweets regularly. The rapid growth of Protestant churches in Brazil that woo away Catholics could count against him.
- Marc Ouellet (Canada, 68) is the Vatican's top staff director, as head of the Congregation for Bishops. An academic theologian of the Ratzinger school, he once said becoming pope "would be a nightmare". Well-connected within the Curia, the Vatican bureaucracy, he also has ties to Latin America from teaching there and now heading a Vatican commission on the region. Factors against him include his rough time as archbishop of Quebec, where his conservative views clashed with the very secular society there and he left apologising for any hurt he had caused. His bland speaking style is another drawback.
- Sean O'Malley (USA, 68) is the "clean hands" candidate if cardinals make settling the sexual abuse crisis a top priority. Appointed in 2003 to Boston, the third diocese in a row where he was called in to clean up after sexual abuse crises, he sold off Church properties to pay damages. He also shut down little-used churches despite strong protests, a sign of management mettle despite his humble appearance in the brown habit of his Capuchian Franciscan order. Conclaves have long been wary of picking a "superpower pope" from the U.S. but his calm authority and Franciscan humility have eased many of these concerns.
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES
- Timothy Dolan (USA, 63), archbishop of New York and head of the U.S. bishops, has made his Church a conclave player like never before. His humour and dynamism impress many in the Vatican, where both are often missing, and attract cardinals who want a strong manager and a charismatic preacher. His fans say Dolan would bring stricter American management to the Curia and a renewed self-confidence in standing up for orthodox Church teachings like opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. His detractors find him too informal, "too American," and fear he might use too stiff a broom to clean out the Curia.
- Leonardo Sandri (Argentina, 69) is a "transatlantic" born to Italian parents in Buenos Aires who rose to hold the third-highest Vatican post as chief of staff in 2000-2007. A "safe pair of hands", he is often seen as an ideal Secretary of State, or deputy to the pope, rather than pontiff. He has no pastoral experience and his Curia job overseeing Eastern Rite churches is not a power position in Rome. He recently said women should be given more leadership positions in the Church. One drawback could be that he is identified with John Paul's papacy, when sexual abuse cases were swept under the carpet.
- Luis Tagle (Philippines, 55) has a charisma often compared to that of the late Pope John Paul. Now archbishop of Manila, he cultivated close ties to Pope Benedict while working with him on a Vatican theologians commission, and his rapid rise to cardinal is seen as strong support from the now retired pope for him. Tagle has impressed other prelates by preaching at major Catholic meetings in recent years. Filipinos tell many stories of his humility, openness and generosity. But he only became a cardinal last November and conclaves are often wary of picking young men who could have very long reigns.
- Peter Erdo (Hungary, 60) ranks as a prime compromise option if the conclave's European majority fails to elect an Italian and fears letting the papacy go overseas. Two terms as head of a European bishops council and strong links with African church leaders signal Erdo's wide contacts. A canon lawyer by training and conservative in his views, he has also been a pioneer in the New Evangelisation drive to revive the Catholic faith, a priority mentioned by many cardinals in pre-conclave debates. On the minus side, he is not a dynamic preacher and has only an average record for management in his own archdiocese.
- Christoph Schoenborn (Austria, 68) is a former student of Pope Benedict who became Vienna archbishop after a sexual abuse scandal. A gifted polyglot preacher and editor of the Church's catechism, he was seen as "papabile" in the 2005 conclave but also too young at the time. He has openly criticised the Vatican's slow handling of abuse cases and supported cautious reforms, including more respect for gays in the Church. That could dent his support among some cardinals, as could an active dissent movement by some Austrian priests that he has chosen to talk with rather than discipline strictly.
ALSO MENTIONED
- Peter Turkson (Ghana, 64) is the top African candidate. Head of the Vatican justice and peace bureau, he is spokesman for the church's social conscience and backs world financial reform. The prospect of an "Obama moment" with the first pope from sub-Saharan Africa fascinates many Catholics, but Turkson faces formidable obstacles. He is seen as campaigning too openly for the post, breaking a strong Vatican taboo, and critics say his financial reform plan was naive. He upset many bishops by showing a sensational anti-Muslim video at a recent Vatican synod, raising doubts about his diplomacy and views on Islam.
- Joao Braz de Aviz (Brazil, 65), the former archbishop of Brasilia, brought fresh air to the Vatican department for religious congregations when he took over in 2011 and eased some strains created by his more dogmatic predecessor. He backs the support for the poor in Latin America's liberation theology, but not its leftist political activism. When he was made a cardinal last year, he said it was time for a non-European pope and his passport could help if the conclave needs a compromise candidate. He has kept a low profile in Rome and has not stood out as a dynamic preacher or energetic manager.
- Gianfranco Ravasi (Italy, 70) is Vatican culture minister and Bible expert who represents the Church to the worlds of art, science, culture and even to atheists. A brilliant preacher and writer, quoting everyone from Aristotle to Amy Winehouse, he is seen as a possible Italian alternative to Scola. Pope Benedict asked him to preach at Curia Lenten exercises this year, a sign of his approval. But the now retired pope has also discreetly criticised Ravasi's meetings with atheists as ineffective and his profile seems out of step with the preacher-manager that cardinals say they want to replace the theologian Benedict.
(Reporting By Tom Heneghan; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
NAIROBI (Reuters) - Western capitals on Saturday applauded Kenya's peaceful vote but avoided naming president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta, whose election they had said would complicate ties because of the charges of crimes against humanity he faces.
Foreign diplomats in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, had made it clear in the run-up to the poll that it could not be business as usual when dealing with Kenyatta if he triumphed in the poll, due to his indictment by the International Criminal Court.
"We stand with you at this historic moment and will continue to be a strong friend and ally of the Kenyan people," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement.
While Kerry congratulated "all those elected to office", he did not mention Kenyatta, who won more than half the vote. Kerry's words echoed a statement by President Barack Obama ahead of the March 4 election.
But Kenyatta's supporters may see them as a climbdown from the words of Ambassador Johnnie Carson, Washington's top diplomat to Africa, who before the vote cautioned that "choices have consequences" - seen as a clear hint about America's preferred outcome.
Western powers have a delicate path to tread in their dealings with Kenyatta, who is accused of organising tribal violence in the wake of the disputed 2007 election.
Citing the need for the organisers of the deadly fighting five years ago to be held to account, they are determined that the ICC process be seen through.
But they will be reluctant to jeopardise long-held diplomatic, trade and military ties with Kenya, the lynchpin of east Africa's regional economy and a key ally in the U.S.-led war against militant Islam.
Kenyatta said in his acceptance speech that he and his team would cooperate with all international institutions and that he expected the international community to respect Kenya's sovereignty.
He did not mention the ICC directly, but has previously said that he and his running mate, William Ruto who is also indicted, would cooperate with the court to clear their names.
The real test of Western resolve will come if Kenyatta turns his back on the tribunal, like Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.
A spokesman for the ICC, Fadi El-Abdallah, said: "Until now, Kenyatta has been cooperating with the court and we do hope this will continue."
Western diplomats have worked closely on coordinating their stances on Kenyatta. Statements from Brussels, London and Berlin all appeared to follow a similar formula and tiptoed around Kenyatta's name.
Germany said it expected Kenya to uphold its international duties. "This specifically includes cooperation with the International Criminal Court," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement.
A statement from Uganda's veteran president, Yoweri Museveni, highlighted the gulf between Western governments and many in Africa, where the ICC is frequently accused of an anti-Africa agenda.
"I am writing to congratulate you on the historic victory you achieved by winning the tightly contested presidential election," Museveni said, adding that the election "had redeemed the honour of Kenya and Africa".
I read recently that 30 percent of Minnesota's doctors are predicted to retire in the next decade... just?when we are likely to need more doctors than ever as Baby Boomers create the largest group of retirees this country has ever seen. This could create a health care crisis.
Researcher Arthur C. Nelson predicts another?potential crisis?for the?retiring Baby Boomer population...?a housing crisis?he calls the "Great Senior Sell-Off".
The housing boom in the 1990's and early 2000's was largely driven by Baby Boomers in their peak family and income years.?According to Nelson, 77 percent of new housing construction during that time was driven by this demand.
He predicts we could have another housing crisis in about another decade as?downsizers?become ready to sell off their large suburban homes and there isn't a ready supply of buyers for them. Although many households with children still will likely want such homes, there is a shift towards smaller, more energy efficient homes in more urban settings.
I know I see this all the time. Many families want more sustainable living, living closer to where they work and supporting local neighborhood eateries and businesses.
Add to this the shift we are seeing in demographics and we?could have a compounded?problem. Nelson fears that we are not doing a good job of educating minorities (who are becoming the new majority) to make the kinds of incomes required to buy the homes we've already built. He predicts this will create a crisis in the 2020s and 2030s for seniors who simply cannot sell their large homes.
Unlike our recent housing crisis, he predicts this one will peimarily affect America's aging grandparents and will mean many people will be 'aging in place' simply because they can't sell their homes.
Hmmm... sounds like it could be good to downsize sooner rather than later. I work with many Baby Boomers planning ahead and doing just that!
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? Plans to remake the 1981 cult horror film "Evil Dead" may have brought some initial skepticism, but with the original filmmakers behind the scenes and a fresh-faced director and cast to inject youthful enthusiasm, the South by Southwest festival crowd welcomed the reboot with open arms.
Sam Raimi, who directed the original, and Bruce Campbell, who starred in it, produced the new "Evil Dead." Fede Alvarez, a Uruguayan directing his first feature-length film, oversaw a small cast with Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Jessica Lucas, Lou Taylor Pucci and Elizabeth Blackmore.
The film reimagines the plot of the first Evil Dead but replaced the original five college students on vacation with five high school friends reuniting to help one of them kick a drug addiction. When they find the "Book of the Dead" in their cabin, a demon emerges to possess the students one by one until only one remains.
Gone is the iconic hero Ash, played by Campbell, with Alvarez taking a more ensemble approach that gives Levy and Fernandez equal time.
The mix of fire-hose blood spray, psychological terror and black humor, though, remain true to the campy original that boiled the horror movie genre down to its essence. Robert Tapert, who produced the original and the remake, said Evil Dead was intended for drive-in movies and crowded theaters, but most fans only discovered it on VHS or DVD years later.
"You need to see this with other people, where you can yell and scream. There needs to be a party atmosphere," he said, in explaining his desire to update it. Festival-goers at South by Southwest played right along, cheering, screaming and laughing in all of the right places.
Alvarez said Campbell recruited him to take on the project after years or rumors that he, Raimi and Tapert were planning to remake the low-budget, indie masterpiece t that launched their careers. Alvarez insisted on making the film without computer generated images, instead taking 70 nights to film it using many of the old-school special effects that Raimi used 30 years ago.
"A good movie is about showing real stuff, if you see something fake you wake up from the movie dream," he said. "The other reason was to make the movie timeless. Today's CGI looks great, but five years from now, you say, 'God, what was I thinking?'"
Levy, who stars in the television series "Suburgatory," called the weeks spent in special prosthetics and covered in slimy fluids "torture."
"It was a really long shoot and it felt like it went on forever," she said.
Raimi screened his low-budget 1981 film at the Cannes Film Festival and eventually signed a distribution deal, however the extreme violence and gore initially earned the film an X rating and it still carries an NC-17. The $375,000 movie grossed $2.4 million at the box office, but launched Raimi's career. He made two sequels with Campbell playing Ash, "The Evil Dead II" and "Army of Darkness." The film also spun off a video game, comic book and musical.
Raimi later directed Hollywood blockbusters including the first three "Spider Man" films, "The Gift" and the recently released "Oz The Great and Powerful."
Athletes start the New Zealand Ironman on March 2, 2013 in Taupo, New Zealand. (Phil Walter / Getty Images)
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David Villa of FC Barcelona duels for a high ball with Fabio Coentrao and Pepe (R) of Real Madrid CF during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Bernabeu on March 2, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (David Ramos / Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, is smacked on the head by Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith as he puts up a shot during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill / AP)
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Jason Porplyzia of the Crows attempts to take a mark on the shoulders of Corey Enright of the Cats during the round two AFL NAB Cup match between the Geelong Cats and the Adelaide Crows at Simonds Stadium on March 2, 2013 in Geelong, Australia. (Scott Barbour / Getty Images)
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Columbus Blue Jackets' Nick Foligno, right, fights with Chicago Blackhawks' Sheldon Brookbank during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Friday, March 1, 2013. (Nam Y. Huh / AP)
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Kyle Larson (32) goes into the catch fence as he collides with Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2), Parker Klingerman (77) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (Terry Renna / AP)
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Ronda Rousey, left, tries to pull an armbar on Liz Carmouche during their UFC 157 women's bantamweight championship mixed martial arts match in Anaheim, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Rousey won the first women?s bout in UFC history, forcing Carmouche to tap out in the first round. (Jae C. Hong / AP)
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Wanderlei Silva, left, defeats Brian Stann by knockout in their light heavyweight fight during the UFC on FUEL TV event at Saitama Super Arena on March 3, 2013 in Saitama, Japan. (Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC / Getty Images)
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Pumas' Luis Fuentes, top, heads the ball over Morelia's Aldo Leao during a Mexican soccer league match in Mexico City, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013. Pumas won 1-0. (Christian Palma / AP)
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Matt Smith of Oldham Athletic scores his team's second goal to make the score 2-2 during the FA Cup with Budweiser Fifth Round match between Oldham Athletic and Everton at Boundary Park on February 16, 2013 in Oldham, England. (Alex Livesey / Getty Images)
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Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, Mark Martin, driver of the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota, Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford, and Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Yellow Chevrolet, are involved in an incident during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Nick Laham / Getty Images)
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Florida linebacker Jon Bostic (1) hits Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) hard enough to dislodge his helmet in the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, in New Orleans. (Bill Haber, AP)
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Andy Jones of the United States competes during the Red Bull Cliff Diving qualifying round in the Hawkesbury River on January 31, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) passes the puck against the Phoenix Coyotes in the second period during an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (Rick Scuteri, AP)
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Jonathan Cassar competes in the senior men's free skate program at the U.S. figure skating championships in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. (Nati Harnik, AP)
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The Bungan suf life saving crew lose control of their boat during the Ocean Thunder Surf Boat Series at Dee Why Beach on February 2, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)
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St. John's forward Amir Garrett, top center, battles Georgetown players Otto Porter (22) and Jabril Trawick, behind, for a rebound during second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, in Washington. Georgetown won 68-56. (Richard Lipski, AP)
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Utah center Dallin Bachynski, left, and Colorado guard Askia Booker compete for a rebound in the first half during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013 in Salt Lake City. (Steve C. Wilson, AP)
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Daryl Jacob falls from Valoroso at the last in The Carling Johny Whitcombe Fan Club Novices' Steeple Chase at Wincanton racecourse on January 31, 2013 in Wincanton, England. (Alan Crowhurst, Getty Images)
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Madison Chock and Evan Bates compete in the Short Dance Program during the 2013 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at CenturyLink Center on January 25, 2013 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)
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Patrick Bordeleau #58 of the Colorado Avalanche lands a punch on Brad Staubitz #25 of the Anaheim Ducks as they engage in a fight at the Pepsi Center on February 6, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Doug Pensinger, Getty Images)
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Wisconsin's Tiera Stephen, left, fouls Penn State's Mia Nickson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, in Madison, Wis. (Andy Manis, AP)
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Nadine Browne (R) lands a right hook on Lauryn Eagle (L) during the Australian Female Lightweight Title bout at Sydney Entertainment Centre on January 30, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. (Matt King, Getty Images)
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Congo's Yves Diba beats out Mali's Samba Diakite for the ball during their African Cup of Nations Group B soccer match, in Durban, South Africa, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. (Rebecca Blackwell, AP)
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A surfer takes part in the Arnette Punta Galea Big Wave World Tour, on January 28, 2013 in the Northern Spanish Basque town of Getxo. 16 surfers took part during the five hours surf competition, riding 5 meters high waves. (Rafa Rivas, AFP / Getty Images))
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Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt (99) of the AFC pulls down New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (90) of the NFC after Pierre-Paul made an interception during the forth quarter of the NFL Pro Bowl football game in Honolulu, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. The NFC beat the AFC 62-35. (Marco Garcia, AP)
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Matt Hopper of Quins is upended during the LV= Cup match between Harlequins and London Welsh at Twickenham Stoop on January 26, 2013 in London, England. (Tom Shaw, Getty Images)
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Marcin Gortat #4 of the Phoenix Suns falls hard to the court after being fouled by Caron Butler #5 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half of the NBA game at US Airways Center on January 24, 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Clippers 93-88. (Christian Petersen, Getty Images)
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Tennessee's Taber Spani, right, keeps the ball in play as she collides with Vanderbilt guard Kady Schrann, left, in the first half of an NCAA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (Mark Humphrey, AP)
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San Jose Sharks center Tommy Wingels, right, is pressed up against the boards by Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek, of the Czech Republic, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013. (Marcio Jose Sanchez, AP)
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Villanova's Daniel Ochefu (23) reaches for a rebound as Ryan Arcidiacono (15) and Louisville's Chane Behanan watch during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, in Philadelphia. Villanova won 73-64. (Matt Slocum, AP)
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Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta (88) is tackled by New England Patriots outside linebacker Jerod Mayo (51) during the second half of the NFL football AFC Championship football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (Elise Amendola, AP)
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The shadow of a helicopter is projected over KTM rider Cyril Despres of France competes in the 12th stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally from Fiambala, Argentina, to Copiapo, Chile, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013. The race finishes in Santiago, Chile, on Jan. 20. (Victor R. Caivano, AP)
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Marco Tade, of Switzerland, falls as he competes in the men's moguls World Cup freestyle skiing event, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, in Wilmington, N.Y. (John DiGiacomo, AP)
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Alabama's Devonta Pollard falls onto Missouri's Laurence Bowers as they scramble for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 84-68. (L.G. Patterson, AP)
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Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide intercepts a pass intended for DaVaris Daniels #10 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the third quarter of the 2013 Discover BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on January 7, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
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Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein (7) dives for a touchdown as Oregon cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (14) defends during the first half of the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ross D. Franklin, AP)
I can't imagine there's a better first instrument for a kid than a ukulele. With its lilliputian body and only four nylon strings that tune to "My Dog Has Fleas," the humble uke just begs to be rocked by kindergartners like my daughter, Marigold. While I dream of her one day strumming "Aloha 'Oe" on the beloved Kamaka soprano ukulele I inherited from my maternal grandmother, I decided it might be fun for us to build a starter ax that is even easier to play (and less precious, you know, in case Goldie were to drop it).
It has some people saying: This is why we can't have nice things.
According to the student newspaper, the Columbia Spectator, ever since the dining halls at Columbia University were stocked with Nutella, students have been consuming "up to 100 pounds per day."
And by consuming, they mean eating but also "filling cups of Nutella to-go in Ferris Booth Commons and taking the full jars out of John Jay."
That's according to an email obtained the paper and sent by Vicki Dunn, executive director of Dining Services.
We get it: The Italian chocolate and hazelnut spread is delicious. But the Spectator reports that treat could be costing the school $5,000 a week or $250,000 a year.
The New York Times decided to get their hands dirty with this story. They talked to student council member Peter Bailinson, who told them that at this rate Nutella would cost the school more than replacing stolen or lost silverware and cups. (The school spends $50,000 a year on that.)
The Times reports, however, that officially the school told them the Nutella expenditures were "speculative and inaccurate," that the cost was exaggerated.
Bailinson, by the way, says all this brouhaha now has students worried that the Nutella could disappear from the dining halls for good.
We say: That's what you you get for having sticky fingers.
Cancer is one of the most dreaded diseases and no sustainable cure has yet been found for it. However, the scientists of Cancer Research Centre, UK now think that they can, with the help of other researchers in the field. And the method they are adopting? Gaming!
Yes, plain old online gaming is on the verge of becoming a life saver! Anyone with a smartphone and 5 minutes to spare will soon be able to investigate vital scientific data in the time as it takes to play a game on their mobile phone.
The first step is forty computer programmers, gamers, graphic designers and other specialists taking part in a weekend ?GameJam? to turn the charity?s raw genetic data into a game format for the future so-called ?citizen scientists?.
After the GameJam, which ran in London from March 1-3, an agency would turn the game concept into reality, and the team plans to launch it in mid-2013. According to the WHO?s cancer agency IARC, cancer kills more than 7.5 million people a year and the number of people with the disease worldwide is expected to surge by more than 75% by 2030.
CRUK?s scientists are working hard to identify the genetic faults that trigger cancer to try and find new ways of diagnosing and treating patients in a more targeted way based on their genetic profile.
According to the firm, the human eye can detect subtle changes that machines are not programmed to look for that could in turn lead to serendipitous discoveries providing clues to the causes and drivers of the disease.
With the collective power of hundreds of thousands of people across the globe helping the scientists to analyse this data, the community could drastically speed up research. Philip Su, The Engineering Site Director of Facebook London, says that his company believes the best way to solve a problem is by bringing smart people together to ?hack? a solution.
This approach, he says, is just as valid in the field of life sciences as it is in software engineering. And he is about to be proven right with this cancer cure project.
This product image provided by Roku shows the Roky 3. Roku is plugging headphones and several other new features into its latest set-top box for streaming Internet video to TVs, a move that amplifies its effort to upstage Apple?s better-selling player. The Roku 3 box going on sale Wednesday, March 6, 2013 also includes a more powerful search engine to find movies, TV shows and music more quickly and new menu for perusing the more than 750 online services available through the device. (AP Photo/Roku)
This product image provided by Roku shows the Roky 3. Roku is plugging headphones and several other new features into its latest set-top box for streaming Internet video to TVs, a move that amplifies its effort to upstage Apple?s better-selling player. The Roku 3 box going on sale Wednesday, March 6, 2013 also includes a more powerful search engine to find movies, TV shows and music more quickly and new menu for perusing the more than 750 online services available through the device. (AP Photo/Roku)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Roku is plugging headphones and several other new features into its latest set-top box for streaming Internet video to TVs, a move that amplifies its effort to upstage Apple's better-selling player.
The Roku 3 box going on sale Wednesday also includes a more powerful search engine to find movies, TV shows and music more quickly and new menu for perusing the more than 750 online services available through the device. The new model will be sold for $100, initially only at Roku's website and Amazon.com. Next month, it will expand into other retail outlets, including Costco and Best Buy stores. Prices for older Roku models with less horsepower start at $50.
The new player is the first update to Roku's line of set-top boxes since July 2011. In the interim, Roku last year introduced a finger-shaped device that plugs directly into high-definition ports, much like a flash drive fits into a personal computer's USB drive.
The ability to listen to video and music on headphones will probably be the Roku 3's biggest attraction, especially for households that already own one of the company's earlier boxes. Ear buds are included with the Roku 3, although any pair of headphones can be plugged into a jack on the side of the device's remote control. Just as with the set-top box itself, a Wi-Fi connection is required for the headphones to work. It's a feature unavailable on the Apple TV player that poses the main competition to Roku's streaming devices.
The Roku 3 introduces new navigation tools that will be automatically sent to previous versions of the box in a software update later this year. The redesign displays more information by stacking the channels vertically in rows of three instead of in single, horizontal row in the middle of the screen. The makeover means nine channel choices can be seen at a time instead of just five under the old format.
The new box also boasts a faster processor than previous models, an upgrade likely to appeal to people who want to use the device to play online video games on their TVs.
Although it's still a small company, Roku Inc. has emerged as a significant player in the steadily growing market for Internet video since it introduced its first set-top box nearly five years ago. Originally conceived within Netflix Inc. as a cheap and easy way to get Internet video on to flat-panel TVs, Roku now offers a wide array of entertainment options. Besides Netflix's Internet video subscription service, Roku boxes also connect to alternatives from Amazon.com and Hulu.com, as well as a variety of online music stations.
Most of the top Internet video services can also be seen through Apple TV, a set-top box that's similar to Roku's device. But Apple TV is better known, largely because it's made and sold by a technology powerhouse that operates more than 400 stores scattered throughout the world while the Roku players are made by a small, privately held company.
Although Apple Inc. doesn't provide precise figures, CEO Tim Cook has indicated to analysts that the company has sold more than 10 million of its streaming boxes. That includes more than 2 million Apple TV players sold during the final three months last year, up from about 1.4 million at the same time in 2011, Cook told analysts during a January conference call.
Roku will only say it expects to sell the five millionth device in its history by the end of this month. The company, which is based in Saratoga, Calif., said its annual revenue was about $150 million in 2011. Management declined to provide a revenue figure for last year.
Apple's revenue topped $156 billion during its last fiscal year ending in September, with most of the sales rolling in from its line-up of iPods, iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. Company co-founder Steve Jobs considered Apple TV to be a "hobby," a description that Cook has echoed. Before he died in October 2011, Jobs told his biographer Walter Isaacson that he had finally figured out how to build a TV that "would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices."
Those words have spurred recurring speculation that Apple intends to sell its own big-screen TV that would connect to the Internet and run on the same software as its iPhones and IPads.
Cook also hinted during his January discussion with analysts that the company may be ready to move beyond the Apple TV boxes. "I tend to believe that there's a lot we can contribute in this space," Cook said then. "And so we continue to pull the string and see where it leads us."
JERUSALEM // Palestinian children detained by the Israeli military are subject to widespread, systematic ill-treatment that violates international law, a Unicef report said yesterday.
The United Nations Children Fund (Unicef) estimated that 700 Palestinian children aged 12 to 17, most of them boys, are arrested, interrogated and detained by the Israeli military, police and security agents every year in the occupied West Bank.
According to the report, most of the youths are arrested for throwing stones. Israel says it takes such incidents seriously, noting that rock-throwing has caused Israeli deaths.
Unicef said it had identified some examples of practices that "amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Torture".
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said officials from the ministry and the Israeli military had co-operated with Unicef in its work on the report,
"Israel will study the conclusions and will work to implement them through continuing cooperation with Unicef, whose work we value and respect," he said.
According to the report, ill-treatment of Palestinian minors typically begins with the arrest itself, often carried out in the middle of the night by heavily armed soldiers, and continues all the way through prosecution and sentencing.
"The pattern of ill-treatment includes ... the practice of blindfolding children and tying their hands with plastic ties, physical and verbal abuse during transfer to an interrogation site, including the use of painful restraints," the report said.
It said minors suffered physical violence and threats during their interrogation, were coerced into confession and not given immediate access to a lawyer or family during questioning.
A spokeswoman for Israel's Prison Service said there were currently 307 Palestinian minors in Israeli custody, 108 of whom are serving a prison sentence. Most of them, 253, are between the ages of 16 to 18 and the rest are under 16.
German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer, maker of Aspirin, vowed Monday to fight a ruling by the patent authorities in India allowing a local company to produce and sell a generic copy of its anti-cancer drug Nexavar.
India's Intellectual Property Appellate Board has rejected an appeal by Bayer against the decision by a local patent authority to grant a license to generics manufacturer Natco Pharma, allowing it to copy Nexavar.
The patent authority allowed Natco to make copies of Nexavar on the grounds that Bayer's drug is too expensive for most people in India.
The license allows Natco to sell generic versions of the drug at a fraction of Bayer's price.
But Bayer said in a statement that it "strongly disagrees with the conclusions of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board."
"Bayer is committed to protecting its patents for Nexavar ? and will rigorously continue to defend our intellectual property rights within the Indian legal system," said a company spokesman in an emailed statement.
"We will pursue the case in front of high court in Mumbai with a writ petition."
The challenges faced by the Indian healthcare system had "little or nothing to do with patents on pharmaceutical products as all products on India's essential drug list are not patented," Bayer said.
One of the main barriers to access to medicines in developing countries such as India was the lack of adequate healthcare services and infrastructure ensuring that drugs would effectively bring treatment to those who need it.
"The order of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board weakens the international patent system and endangers pharmaceutical research," Bayer argued.
The limited period of marketing exclusivity made possible by patents ensures that the costs associated with the research and development of innovative medicines can be recovered, it said.
Bayer said it has a patient access programme in place in India for Nexavar, which "significantly reduces the cost of the monthly treatment."
On Thursday, Mar. 7, the CUNY Athletic Conference is hosting its annual Cheerleading Championship at the College of Staten Island beginning at 7:00pm.?
Doors open at 6:15pm with fans expected from all boroughs. Come early for priority seating.
Tickets are free, but need to be downloaded in advance. By attending this event, students are eligible to receive free tuition for a year. Check it out and get your tickets online.
We hope that you will wear your Dolphin Blue and join us as we cheer for our CSI Cheerleaders.
If you?re interested in joining the team, please save the dates:
Wednesday, Mar. 20: Interest Meeting, Sports and Recreation Center (Building 1R, Room 204) at 6:30pm Saturday, Apr. 20: Captain?s Cheer Clinic, Sports and Recreation Center (Building 1R) Auxiliary Gym from noon to 4:00pm.
Justin Bieber in London for his birthday on Feb. 28.
By Brandi Fowler, E! Online
Justin Bieber had a bit more to say about his " worst birthday " ever.
After the "Girlfriend" crooner's circus-themed 19th birthday celebration went awry Friday night in London, the Biebs took to Instagram on Sunday, bashing Cirque du Soir night club for shutting down his celebration early.
More details from Justin Bieber's "worst birthday"
"The funny moment when people believe I brought underage people to a club.. U think Will is letting his 14 year old in a club, I don't think so.. 2nd I love how the club wanted to give the press another reason to why we didn't stay at their weak a-- club so they wouldn't look bad for me walking in and right back out," Bieber wrote in a caption next to a black box. "i said m 'worst bday' but that was due to dummies pushing over my fans and being overly aggressive. Btw it wasn't the worst bday cuz all my friends from back home flew in I was just mad in the moment."
Bieber's birthday bash went sour after members of his entourage got into an apparent confrontation with the club's security, prompting his entire party to leave, a source told E! News.
Security thought some members of the superstar singer's crew looked rather young when they arrived to the club, and were refused entrance because of their age after they were asked to show their IDs.
The Biebs tweets "worst birthday" after confrontation with club security
"We, like all clubs in London, operate a strict age policy," a club spokesperson told E! News. "As a few of the members of the party were under the suitable age of 18, the security team at Cirque Du Soir, London, clearly explained this rule and refused entry to the club for anyone who could not provide us with adequate proof of age."
Prior to Bieber's Instagram posting, he returned to the restaurant where he grabbed dinner on his birthday, Indian restaurant Mint Leaf, sporting dark shades, a black hoodie, black leather pants, and bright red sneakers.
At least there's been one highlight during his trip to London.
Justin Bieber is all grown up. Check out his shirtless snaps!
According to the first reports from the fatal crash scene, a Williamsburg couple traveling to the hospital to have their first child was killed when the taxi they were in was involved in an accident on Kent Avenue in Brooklyn.?The accident occurred at about 00:30am Sunday morning 21 Adar 5773
Williamsburg residents Nosson and Raizy Glauber z?l, both 21, were killed in the fatal incident. Raizy was hurled from the vehicle and her lifeless body was found nearby, while Nosson was still alive, but in grave condition, dying a short time after.
The couple was heading to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. Earlier reports stated doctors were fighting to save the life of the baby.
UPDATE FROM AP:
A young Jewish Orthodox couple en route to a hospital to have their first child were killed in a car crash early Sunday, but their child survived.
Nathan and Raizy Glauber, both 21, were using a car service to go to the hospital when another vehicle crashed into the side of theirs at an intersection in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, said Hasidic community activist Isaac Abraham. Nathan Glauber was pronounced dead at Beth Israel Hospital, while his wife died at Bellevue, police said.
The couple?s son was delivered at the scene and was taken to a hospital in serious condition, said Abraham, who is also a neighbor of Raizy Glauber?s parents and lives two blocks from the scene of the crash.
The driver of the vehicle that hit the couple?s car fled, police said. No arrests have yet been made.
The condition of the car service?s driver is unclear, police said.
Abraham called the couple?s death ?a tragedy beyond (belief) just coming off a joyous holiday as Purim? as they were getting ready to welcome their first child.
(YWN World Headquarters ? NYC / AP)
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Contact: Phil Ciciora pciciora@illinois.edu 217-333-2177 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Research by legal and psychological scholars has shown that apologies can result in better outcomes for wrongdoers in a number of legal settings, especially when the party perceived as the victim receives the apology. But new research conducted by a pair of University of Illinois law professors examines the influence of apologies on a different kind of legal decision the decision of a bankruptcy judge to approve a debtor's proposed repayment plan.
Debtors who apologized were seen as more remorseful and were expected to manage their finances more carefully in the future compared to debtors who did not offer an apology, according to a study co-written by Jennifer K. Robbennolt and Robert M. Lawless, professors of law at Illinois. Robbennolt also is a professor of psychology.
"There is a fair amount of evidence that apologies can be beneficial in a variety of legal contexts for example, in criminal law and in tort law," Robbennolt said. "We found that apologies have effects on judges in bankruptcy cases that are similar to the effects that apologies have on individuals in those other legal contexts."
In the study, a pool of federal bankruptcy judges was presented with a hypothetical scenario where a married couple with two minor children asked the judge to approve (or "confirm," in bankruptcy parlance) a proposed debt repayment plan under Chapter 13 of the bankruptcy code. Judges were presented with a version of the facts in which the couple either did or did not offer an apology.
"When our respondent judges believed that the debtor was more remorseful, they were more likely to approve the debtor's repayment plan in bankruptcy," Robbennolt said.
The scholars say the research expands the examination of apologies to a legal setting where there is no clear victim, presenting a different context for how apologies operate.
"We didn't know much about how apologies might operate in the context of bankruptcy," Robbennolt said. "Bankruptcy is different from many other areas of law because the harm is often spread across many creditors, so there is no single victim. In addition, the debtor initiates the case, so the filing of a bankruptcy petition itself may be perceived as an acceptance of responsibility by the harm-doer, as a way of 'owning up' to an unmanageable financial condition."
Those characteristics of bankruptcy cases could dampen any effect of an apology. But judges who thought that the debtors felt remorse were more likely to confirm the debtors' proposed repayment plan, according to the study.
"Judges were more likely to think that the debtors had taken responsibility for their financial situation, felt more remorse and were better able to manage their finances going forward when they apologized," Robbennolt said.
The paper's findings have practical implications for bankruptcy lawyers, the authors say.
"Our findings suggest that bankruptcy is, at least in part, about forgiveness, and that expectations about the rehabilitation of the debtor play a role in bankruptcy decision-making," Robbennolt said. "Attorneys should pay attention to the ways that their bankruptcy clients can demonstrate remorse, whether that is through a formal apology or other opportunities for acknowledgement of responsibility and honest disclosure."
The study also has policy implications for the consumer bankruptcy system.
"While apologies are not part of the formal law of bankruptcy, they seemed to make a difference for judges," Robbennolt said. "The Bankruptcy Code directs judges to take into account whether the debtor will likely successfully complete the proposed repayment plan over a period of years, and remorse seems to appropriately influence those predictions."
At the same time, apologies also influenced judges' assessment of whether certain discretionary expenses were "reasonably necessary," an influence that is not contemplated by the law, Robbennolt says.
"In our hypothetical scenario, the apology did not directly affect how judges perceived the various expenses of the debtors," she said. "Judges' perception of the debtors' remorse, however, was related to how they viewed a claimed expense for their daughters' gymnastics fees, which were the most discretionary of the debtor's proposed expenses in our fictional narrative. And, perceptions of those fees turned out to have the largest effect on judges' confirmation decision."
Lawless, who also co-directs the Illinois Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science, which promotes interdisciplinary research and teaching at the intersection of law and the social sciences, says the study serves to remind bankruptcy judges and lawyers that borrowing and debt still have moral aspects, even in today's heavily commercialized credit markets.
"While the law still matters, our findings suggest, perhaps not surprisingly, that judges' decisions can be complex and multidimensional."
###
Editor's note: To contact Jennifer K. Robbennolt, call 217-333-6623; email jrobbenn@illinois.edu.
To contact Robert M. Lawless, call 217-244-6714; email rlawless@illinois.edu.
The article, "Bankrupt Apologies," is available online.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Phil Ciciora pciciora@illinois.edu 217-333-2177 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Research by legal and psychological scholars has shown that apologies can result in better outcomes for wrongdoers in a number of legal settings, especially when the party perceived as the victim receives the apology. But new research conducted by a pair of University of Illinois law professors examines the influence of apologies on a different kind of legal decision the decision of a bankruptcy judge to approve a debtor's proposed repayment plan.
Debtors who apologized were seen as more remorseful and were expected to manage their finances more carefully in the future compared to debtors who did not offer an apology, according to a study co-written by Jennifer K. Robbennolt and Robert M. Lawless, professors of law at Illinois. Robbennolt also is a professor of psychology.
"There is a fair amount of evidence that apologies can be beneficial in a variety of legal contexts for example, in criminal law and in tort law," Robbennolt said. "We found that apologies have effects on judges in bankruptcy cases that are similar to the effects that apologies have on individuals in those other legal contexts."
In the study, a pool of federal bankruptcy judges was presented with a hypothetical scenario where a married couple with two minor children asked the judge to approve (or "confirm," in bankruptcy parlance) a proposed debt repayment plan under Chapter 13 of the bankruptcy code. Judges were presented with a version of the facts in which the couple either did or did not offer an apology.
"When our respondent judges believed that the debtor was more remorseful, they were more likely to approve the debtor's repayment plan in bankruptcy," Robbennolt said.
The scholars say the research expands the examination of apologies to a legal setting where there is no clear victim, presenting a different context for how apologies operate.
"We didn't know much about how apologies might operate in the context of bankruptcy," Robbennolt said. "Bankruptcy is different from many other areas of law because the harm is often spread across many creditors, so there is no single victim. In addition, the debtor initiates the case, so the filing of a bankruptcy petition itself may be perceived as an acceptance of responsibility by the harm-doer, as a way of 'owning up' to an unmanageable financial condition."
Those characteristics of bankruptcy cases could dampen any effect of an apology. But judges who thought that the debtors felt remorse were more likely to confirm the debtors' proposed repayment plan, according to the study.
"Judges were more likely to think that the debtors had taken responsibility for their financial situation, felt more remorse and were better able to manage their finances going forward when they apologized," Robbennolt said.
The paper's findings have practical implications for bankruptcy lawyers, the authors say.
"Our findings suggest that bankruptcy is, at least in part, about forgiveness, and that expectations about the rehabilitation of the debtor play a role in bankruptcy decision-making," Robbennolt said. "Attorneys should pay attention to the ways that their bankruptcy clients can demonstrate remorse, whether that is through a formal apology or other opportunities for acknowledgement of responsibility and honest disclosure."
The study also has policy implications for the consumer bankruptcy system.
"While apologies are not part of the formal law of bankruptcy, they seemed to make a difference for judges," Robbennolt said. "The Bankruptcy Code directs judges to take into account whether the debtor will likely successfully complete the proposed repayment plan over a period of years, and remorse seems to appropriately influence those predictions."
At the same time, apologies also influenced judges' assessment of whether certain discretionary expenses were "reasonably necessary," an influence that is not contemplated by the law, Robbennolt says.
"In our hypothetical scenario, the apology did not directly affect how judges perceived the various expenses of the debtors," she said. "Judges' perception of the debtors' remorse, however, was related to how they viewed a claimed expense for their daughters' gymnastics fees, which were the most discretionary of the debtor's proposed expenses in our fictional narrative. And, perceptions of those fees turned out to have the largest effect on judges' confirmation decision."
Lawless, who also co-directs the Illinois Program on Law, Behavior and Social Science, which promotes interdisciplinary research and teaching at the intersection of law and the social sciences, says the study serves to remind bankruptcy judges and lawyers that borrowing and debt still have moral aspects, even in today's heavily commercialized credit markets.
"While the law still matters, our findings suggest, perhaps not surprisingly, that judges' decisions can be complex and multidimensional."
###
Editor's note: To contact Jennifer K. Robbennolt, call 217-333-6623; email jrobbenn@illinois.edu.
To contact Robert M. Lawless, call 217-244-6714; email rlawless@illinois.edu.
The article, "Bankrupt Apologies," is available online.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Mar. 4, 2013 ? Fermat's Last Theorem -- the idea that a certain simple equation had no solutions -- went unsolved for nearly 350 years until Oxford mathematician Andrew Wiles created a proof in 1995. Now, Case Western Reserve University's Colin McLarty has shown the theorem can be proved more simply.
The theorem is called Pierre de Fermat's last because, of his many conjectures, it was the last and longest to be unverified.
In 1630, Fermat wrote in the margin of an old Greek mathematics book that he could demonstrate that no integers (whole numbers) can make the equation xn + yn = zn true if n is greater than 2.
He also wrote that he didn't have space in the margin to show the proof. Whether Fermat could prove his theorem or not is up to debate, but the problem became the most famous in mathematics. Generation after generation of mathematicians tried and failed to find a proof.
So, when Wiles broke through in 1995, "It was just shocking to a lot of us that it could be proved," McLarty, said. "And we thought, 'Now what?' There was no new most famous problem."
McLarty is a Case Western Reserve philosophy professor who specializes in logic and earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics. He hasn't developed a proof for Fermat, but has shown that the theorem can be proved with much less set theory than Wiles used.
Wiles relied on his own deep insight into numbers and works of others -- including Alexander Grothendieck -- to devise his 110-page proof and subsequent corrections.
Grothendieck revolutionized numbers theory, rebuilding algebraic geometry in the 1960s and 1970s. He used strong assumptions to support abstract ideas, including the idea of the existence of a universe of sets so large that standard set theory cannot prove they exist. Standard set theory is composed of the most commonly used principals, or axioms, that mathematicians use.
McLarty calls Grothendieck's work "a toolkit," and showed, at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego in January, that only a small portion is needed to prove Fermat's Last Theorem.
"Most number theorists are like race car drivers. They get the best out of the car but they don't build the whole car," McLarty said. "Grothendieck created a toolkit to build cars from scratch."
"Where Grothendieck used strong set theory I've shown he could do with only a fraction of it," McLarty said. "I use finite-order arithmetic, where all sets are built from numbers in just a few steps.
"You don't need sets of sets of numbers, which Grothendieck used in his toolkit and Andrew Wiles used to prove the theorem in the 90s."
McLarty showed that all of Grothendieck's ideas, even the most abstract, can be justified using very little set theory -- much less than standard set theory. Specifically, they can be justified using "finite order arithmetic." This uses numbers and sets of numbers and set of those and so on, but much less than standard set theory.
"I appreciate the wholeness of the foundation Grothedieck created," McLarty said. " I want to take the whole thing and make it more usable to practicing mathematicians."
Mathematician Harvey Friedman, who famously earned his undergraduate, master's and PhD from MIT in three years and began teaching at Stanford University at age 18, calls the work a "clarifying first step," ScienceNews reported. Friedman, now an emeritus mathematics professor at Ohio State University, calls for McLarty's work to be extended to see if the theorem can be proved by numbers alone, with no sets involved.
"Fermat's Last Theorem is just about numbers, so it seems like we ought to be able to prove it by just talking about numbers," McLarty said. "I believe that can be done, but it will require many new insights into numbers. It will be very hard. Harvey sees my work as a preliminary step to that, and I agree it is."
McLarty will talk more about that specific result at the Association for Symbolic Logic North American Annual Meeting in Waterloo, Ontario, May 8-11.
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?Two people including a Moroccan rescuer died after a dinghy carrying illegal immigrants capsized in the Strait of Gibraltar, and two others remained missing Saturday, a maritime rescue spokesman told AFP.
Spanish rescuers located three of the five migrants who were on board the dinghy, one of whom had died, about five nautical miles from Tanger, Morocco.
The two survivors were suffering from severe hypothermia and were taken to Tarifa in southern Spain, rescuers said, adding that the search continued for the missing.
A Moroccan ferry that travels between Tanger and Tarifa had initially spotted the migrants? boat and reported? ?that five people had fallen into the water,? the spokesman said.
A member of the ferry crew died in an apparent attempt to help the migrants.
Attempts by Africans to reach the Spanish coast on makeshift boats and illegally enter Europe happen frequently and have increased in the past few months.
In October, at least 16 illegal migrants were found dead trying to reach Spain from Morocco.
[UPDATE IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
UPDATE FROM AP:
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Public release date: 4-Mar-2013
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