FAA falls short on plan to aid fatigued workers

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Aviation Administration told a government watchdog nearly two years ago that it was prepared to let air traffic controllers sleep or rest during work shifts when they weren't directing aircraft. It still hasn't happened.

When the FAA proposed new limits on airline pilots' work schedules to prevent fatigue last year, it rejected its own research recommending that pilots be allowed to take naps during the cruise phase of flight - typically most of a flight when the plane is neither climbing nor descending - so that they are refreshed and alert during landings.

For besieged Libyan city, the sea is sole lifeline

ABOARD THE IONIAN SPIRIT (AP) -- This Greek passenger ferry streamed toward the besieged Libyan port city of Misrata on Wednesday, its mission to deliver 500 tons of food and medical supplies and spirit away 1,000 people fleeing weeks of heavy shelling by forces loyal to ruler Moammar Gadhafi.

The ferry is part of a flotilla of ships, fishing trawlers and tug boats that have become the lifeline for the last significant rebel-held city in western Libya as it tries to hold out against a crippling siege that has dragged on for more than 50 days, devastating the city of 300,000.

They brave sailing into a port that is under frequent shelling - some of the smaller vessels have been fired on with rockets or chased by government warships.

Democratic report: carcinogens injected into wells

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Millions of gallons of potentially hazardous chemicals and known carcinogens were injected into wells by leading oil and gas service companies from 2005-2009, a report by three House Democrats said Saturday.

The report said 29 of the chemicals injected were known-or-suspected human carcinogens. They either were regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act as risks to human health or listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

Super rich see federal taxes drop dramatically

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Still scrambling to file your taxes? You'll probably take little consolation in hearing that the super rich pay a lot less taxes than they did a couple of decades ago. And nearly half of U.S. households pay no income taxes at all.

The Internal Revenue Service tracks the tax returns with the 400 highest adjusted gross incomes each year. The average income on those returns in 2007, the latest year for IRS data, was nearly $345 million. Their average federal income tax rate was 17 percent, down from 26 percent in 1992.

Over the same period, the average federal income tax rate for all taxpayers declined to 9.3 percent from 9.9 percent.

A Consumer's Guidebook to Health Care Modernise

The six-month day of remembrance] of the personation of the health care overtake, many of the law's provisions will be in effect. Most consumers, however, won't see any changes until later Jan. 1, once their new health insurance plan year gets.

Meanwhile, employees will be driving set for drops "open registration" point, while they selection their health coverage for the being class. Additionally, folks who purchase their ain health insurance will be exploring their picks. Medicare benefactive roles will be able to alter their coverage future these class if they need.

Here's a deal how the law involves folks who get their coverage at work, buy their own health insurance or are entered in Medicare.

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Multiple Problems Delay Benin Vote Again

The presidential poll in the small West African country of Benin has been delayed for a second time this year, as the electoral commission works to add more than one million voters to its electronic voters lists.

Benin was first scheduled to have a presidential poll in late February, but logistical problems, including concerns that more than one million people were left off the voting roll, have now pushed the vote to March 13.

The head of the electoral commission, Joseph Gnonlongorun, blamed the delay on not being given enough time to prepare.

UNICEF Launches Annual Aid Appeal

The United Nations children's agency is launching its global annual appeal for funding for women and children caught in various crises. Within that appeal, the agency called for donors to contribute $303 million to projects in eight countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, with the bulk going to Ethiopia, Somalia, and Zimbabwe.

UNICEF's regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Elhadj As Sy, told reporters human-made and natural disasters are taking their toll in East and Southern Africa.

Britney Spears Strips Down For V Magazine

source : Britney Spears Strips Down For V Magazine
Sulfurous and half-clothed on the cover of V Magazine, Britney Spears announces, "The b***h is back and improve than ever!" The furious pop singer, whose seventh studio album, 'Femme Fatale,' lands March 29, dialogue openly closer to her album, boys and fame, bringing that she has moved past the media scrutiny that plagued parts of her career.

"I attempt to blocking it all out and not pay tending to anything they write on me in the magazines or internet. I'm done with that," Spears told V Magazine. "I've determined to ever ramain admitedly to myself and ne'er permit what others say about me switch who I am. It's a actually crucial lesson that took me a long time to learn."

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Newspapers, GOP call for congressman to resign

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- A photo of Rep. David Wu wearing a tiger costume and other unusual revelations about his mental health are increasing pressure on the seven-term Oregon Democrat to step down.

But the lawmaker says he's not quitting even as an editorial in one of the state's largest newspapers and the state Republican chairman called for his resignation.

Wu said this week that it was "unprofessional and inappropriate" to send pictures of himself wearing a tiger costume to staff members while he was in the middle of a heated campaign last year. He also acknowledged taking two tablets of a pain killer that were given to him by an unnamed campaign donor.

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World Leaders React to Mubarak Resignation

With the resignation of Hosni Mubarak as president of Egypt and the transition of presidential powers to the military, leaders across Europe have called for a quick transition from military to democratic rule. And in cities across the Middle East, celebrations erupted in support of Egypt's anti-government protests that brought down the man who had ruled Egypt for three decades.

As the protesters who had been calling for Mubarak to resign celebrated their victory in Cairo's Tahrir Square, leaders across the world marked this milestone in Middle East history.

Since the protests began late last month, Western leaders had walked a tightrope, calling for democratic reform, but stopping short of openly calling for Mubarak, a long-time ally in the region, to resign.

Facebook May Be Worth $60 Billion, Sources Say

Facebook was exploring Thursday a tender offer up to $1 billion of its employee shares, after being approached by a number of big institutional investors about investing in the company, according to sources close to the situation.

The new approximate valuation of the company would be $60 billion, sources said, a significant increase to a recent $1.5 billion investment round by Goldman Sachs and its international clients that had pegged the social networking behemoth at $50 billion.

The reason behind the move would be to allow Facebook employees to take gains from their privately-held shares, since the company is not likely to have an initial public offering (IPO) for at least a year.

Weekly Jobless Claims Drop to 3-Year Low

WASHINGTON -- The number of people applying for unemployment benefits plunged last week to the lowest level in nearly three years, boosting hopes that companies will step up hiring this year as the economy strengthens.

Applications sank by a seasonally adjusted 36,000 to 383,000, the lowest point since early July 2008, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Unemployment applications reflect the level of layoffs, but also can indicate whether companies are willing to hire.

Applications are well below their peak of 651,000, reached in March 2009, when the economy was deep in recession. Applications below 425,000 tend to signal modest job growth. But they would need to dip consistently to 375,000 or below to indicate a significant and steady decline in the unemployment rate.

French Government Under Pressure Over Tunisia Decisions

The French government has come under fire for supporting Tunisia's former regime and not embracing anti-government protesters in the Arab world. The criticism has particularly targeted France's foreign minister, with calls for her to leave.

French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie is facing demands for her to resign over alleged connections with the regime of former Tunisian strongman Zine el Abidine Ben Ali. There were reports she used a private plane of a close Ben Ali associate. Alliot-Marie also sparked outrage here and in Tunisia last month when she suggested France could help train Tunisia's hated police force.

Google Launches Voice-to-Tweet Workaround for Egypt

Google launched a special service to allow people in Egypt to send Twitter messages by dialing a phone number and leaving a voicemail, as Internet access remains cut off in the country amid anti-government protests.

"Like many people we've been glued to the news unfolding in Egypt and thinking of what we could do to help people on the ground," read a post on Google's official corporate blog on Monday.

The service, which Google said was developed with engineers from Twitter, allows people to dial a telephone number and leave a voicemail. The voicemail is automatically translated into an audio file message that is sent on Twitter using the identifying tag #egypt, Google said.

Tea Party, key GOP group not sold on Orrin Hatch

Is Sen. Orrin Hatch as "good as it gets" when it comes to Republicans?

The Club for Growth PAC, a group of fiscal conservatives, doesn't think so and is taking exception to a Tea Party leader who said the Utah senator is a conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan and "as good as it gets."

The club played a role in taking down Hatch's home-state colleague Robert Bennett last year, spending $182,000 to help deny Bennett the GOP nomination for re-election.

While Chris Chocola, the club's president, won't say if the group and its political action committee will target Hatch in the 2012 elections, but it sounds like Hatch should be on notice.

Lady Gaga: ‘Born This Way’ Coming in February!

Ready for fresh song from Lady Gaga?

The 24-year-old pop star declared on her Twitter page that "Born This Way" will premiere on February 13, on the record album of as is name issuing May 23! Lady Gaga Born This way

"I'm beautiful in my style, 'cause God does no faults, I'm on the correct track baby, I was Born This Way," Gaga teased. "Don't hide yourself in rue, just love yourself and you are set. I'm on the correct track baby, I was Born This Way."

ARE YOU EXCITED to hear Lady Gaga's new tunes?

Menounos Bikini Babe

Opt to sphere in the new year in sunny Florida, Maria Menounos was dotted magnificent her athletic and excelent beach body in Miami on Friday afternoon (December 31).

Clothed in an oh-so-hot black bikini, the TV personality romped around the sandy seashore while involvement in a match of football with "No Ordinary Family" actor Michael Chiklis.Maria Menounos Bikini Beach

Tweeting about the active outing, Miss Menounos wrote, "Beach football today w/@MichaelChiklis…paparazzi had some fun! Wish the bikini shots are smooth"

Getting more than she hoped for, the brunette beauty ruined up offering up a few bikini malfunction shots before concluding out her beach football festivities and heading back to the hotel to ready for the NYE 2011 parties.

Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Reunite for New Duet Track

Miley Cyrus is reportedly attending conjoin Nick Jonas once again for a studio plan (Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas Reunite). The "Hannah Montana" actress antecendently joined forces with him and his Jonas Brothers bandmate in 2009 song "Before the Storm" which comes along among "Lines, Vines and Trying Times" stuffs.

"coming back to the studio w/ Miley Cyrus & Nick Jonas on 1/14," tweeted Shakur Green who once worked with Miley in her "The Time of Our Lives [Walmart EP]". He in addition wrote, "Can't release any other info about the project other then it's going to be one of the top albums of 2011."

"We are entierly recording 7-10 records. She has other producers she doing work with besides myself!" the music producer went on spilling more beans on the joint record. "I will share this info: It's attending be a double disk couple album!"