Facebook unveils revamped online reserve site

PALO ALTO, California - Facebook is phenomenon a revamped inner site written to assistance people stay protected whilst surfing online.

Facebooks "Safety Center," that facilities new collection for parents, teachers, teenagers and law enforcement, is the initial vital try from the amicable networking site and the four-month-old tellurian reserve advisory board.

The house is stoical of Internet reserve groups Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, WiredSafety, Childnet International and The Family Online Safety Institute.

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Some new facilities of the reserve core embody 4 times some-more contentstaying safe, such as traffic with bullying online, an interactive portal and a easier design.

The participation of passionate predators is a complaint for amicable networking sites and their users.

Previously, Facebook, formed in Palo Alto, California, has helped identify, and has infirm accounts of, purebred sex offenders. In 2008, Facebook pronounced it concluded to support 49 Attorneys General to strengthen kids opposite Internet predators.

Click for associated contentStudy: One-third snooplovers" texts, e-mails16-year-old accuses mother of Facebook slanderYour Facebook profile: An open entice to crime?

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Stock investors on postponement

NEW YORK -- Investors incited discreet Monday forward of the Federal Reserves assembly on seductiveness rates.

Major batch indexes sealed narrowly churned after trade reduce for majority of the day. An researcher ascent of Wal-Mart Stores helped lift the Dow Jones industrial normal by about eighteen points.

Investors will be seeking to the Feds matter that follows the assembly currently for clues about the liberation and the executive banks plans for seductiveness rates. Policymakers will expected keep the Feds benchmark rate nearby zero.

The Dow rose 17.46, or 0.2 percent, to 10,642.15, the top close given Jan. 19. The Standard & Poors 500 rose 0.52, or 0.1 percent, to 1,150.51. The index is at the top turn given Oct. 1, 2008. The technology-dominated Nasdaq fell 5.45, or 0.2 percent, to 2,362.21.

The dollar rose opposite majority alternative vital currencies. Gold prices additionally rose. Crude oil fell $1.44 to solve at $79.16 per tub on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Britains FTSE 100 fell 0.6 percent, Germanys DAX index fell 0.7 percent, and Frances CAC-40 lost 0.9 percent. Japans Nikkei batch normal rose less than 0.1 percent.

Falkland Islands oil row: Hillary Clinton stairs in to Argentina event

Hillary Clinton "prepared to mediate" in Falklands rowSpanish oil association to cavalcade nearby Falklands

U.S. cabinet member of state Hillary Clinton is due to encounter with Argentina"s boss among accusations of a impugn to Britain over America"s warding off to await the UK in the Falklands oil training row.

Mrs Clinton is to encounter Cristina Ferndandez de Kirchner in Uruguay on Mar 1, Argentina"s envoy to the U.S. has announced.

Hopes are high in Argentina that Mrs Clinton will meddle on the country"s interest in the row with Britain over the doubtful territory.

High hopes: U.S. cabinet member of state Hillary Clinton, left, is due to encounter with Argentine boss Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, right, in Uruguay on Mar 1

Lack of support: Barack Obama and his mother Michelle at a rite at the White House last night. America has not offering the await to the UK in the Falklands oil training row

Respected Argentine journal La Nacion quoted State Departmentsources that claimed Mrs Clinton was "prepared to mediate" in the row.

America"s miss of await for Britain was last night blamed on theUK"s preference to redeem supportive U.S. comprehension on a terrorsuspect.

President Barack Obama was indicted of being "feeble" by unwell toback London in the event with Argentina over the doubtful islands,despite the "special relationship".

More...DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Falklands tests the special relationshipBritish security services have "dubious jot down on human rights", says justice statute ministers attempted to suppress

Mrs Clinton and Mrs Kirchner are assembly in Uruguay as they attend the presidential coronation there of Jos� Mujica.

Argentina already has the await of Latin America and the Caribbean in the row with Britain, and informal leaders are approaching to press the box with Mrs Clinton.

Argentina"s hilly attribute with Obama

Relations in in in in in between Buenos Aires and Washington given Barack Obama came to energy have been less than "special".

Argentine boss Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is pronounced to be in Mr Obama"s bad books after refusing to encounter with the U.S. partner cabinet member of state for the region, Arthur Valenzuela, in Dec of last year.

She is additionally the usually vital Latin American personality not to have met with the U.S. boss given he came to power.

However hopes are high in Argentina for her assembly with Hillary Clinton in Uruguay subsequent week.

London and Buenos Aires are at contingency over UK organisation Desire Petroleum"s preference to cavalcade for oil 60 miles north of the Falklands.

Geologists guess there are up to 60billion barrels of oil in the seabed.

TheArgentine supervision has tabled a UN fortitude condemning the plan. Ithas additionally cumulative subsidy from 32 South American nations ancillary itsclaim that Britain has assigned the islands illegally given 1833.

But notwithstanding Argentina"s sabrerattling, comparison U.S. officials demand Washington"s on all sides on the oil training is neutral.

It is additionally "taking no position" on the issue of government of the islands in the South Atlantic.

A comparison MP and a reputable unfamiliar process think-tank claimedWashington"s on all sides was "payback" for the British courts grouping thedisclosure of tip CIA files on Binyam Mohamed.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. pronounced it was "deeply disappointed" thatForeign Secretary David Miliband had been told by Court of Appealjudges to tell closely-guarded report about the formerGuantanamo Bay prisoner.

The writings minute fact display MI5 knew that Mohamed, aBritish citizen, had been tortured by U.S. spies after he was detainedin Pakistan in 2002.

This week the White House has refused to validate the UK"shistoric government over the islands and the right to try for oilin the waters.

Stickingpoint: The British preference to redeem comprehension informationregarding the woe of Binyam Mohammed, above, is pronounced to be behindAmerica"s miss of await for the UK

Last night, the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based foreignaffairs think-tank, pronounced Mr Obama"s on all sides was related to annoy at therelease of the tip files.

Executive executive Alan Mendoza said: "The Obama administration"sdecision to omit the approved rights of the Falkland islanders isdisgraceful.

"It can usually be encouraged by dignified debility in the White House or a unnoticed enterprise to retaliate Britain for the Binyam Mohamed box and the avowal of U.S. comprehension documents.

"The decision, whilst feeble, is unsurprising. For the past year, Mr Obama has followed a unfamiliar process trail that punishes allies and democracies whilst permitting brute peremptory nations similar to Iran and North Korea to aspire to their objectives."

The critique was echoed by Tory MP Patrick Mercer, the authority ofthe Commons" terrorism sub-committee. "The U.S. on all sides on theFalklands positively seems to be a notice shot that says to Britain:"Don"t disaster us around as well most or we could have hold up problematic"," hesaid.

Last week, it was suggested that a discussion to symbol 60 yearsof UK and American counterclaim comprehension pity had been cancelledafter the Mohamed judgment. It was to have been hold at the U.S.Embassy in London.

Relations in in in in in between the UK and U.S. nosedived last summer over thedecision by the Scottish authorities to redeem the Lockerbie bomberAbdelbaset Al Megrahi behind to Libya.

The row in in in in in between Argentina and Britain centres on the Ocean Guardian, that is training for oil off the Falkland Islands

Yesterday it was suggested that a Spanish association is additionally set to proceed training for oil nearby the Falklands.

Repsol is to begin training by Dec a small 200 miles off the Argentine seashore - "well inside of Argentine waters", a orator claimed.

Last year, Repsol paid for Argentine association YPF - the greatest in isolation oil and gas association in Latin America.

Why right away for Argentina?

Until now, in isolation oil companies have been heedful of training in Argentine waters, analysts have said.

Despite Argentina"s enviousness of large oil pot found off the coastof Brazil in new years, the nation has done small bid toexplore the probability of such a value trove along the own coast.

That might in piece be since companies are heedful of Mrs Fernandez"sgovernment, that has nationalised a vital airline and seized billionsin in isolation grant funds, analysts told the New York Times.

Most analysts still hold that Mrs Kirchner"s main ground fortaking such a clever mount in the brawl is political.

With electionscoming up subsequent year and her recognition flagging at home, she is hopingto measure domestic points by stirring up the inhabitant honour ofArgentines over the islands.

The orator told the BBC it will be exploring a "few" wells a small 150 miles from where the Ocean Guardian is drilling.

In 1982, 255 British and 649 Argentine soldiers died when Britain took troops movement to redeem the islands after the Argentine invasion.

Yesterday General Sir Peter de la Billiere, a former UK commander in chief who is vicepresident of the Falkland Islands Association, released a "hands-off"warning to Argentina.

He pronounced the nation would humour the "most intolerable losses" if it followed up the tactful skirmishes with troops action.

Sir Peter said: "We have demonstrated the goal to do the islanders" wishes and await them if they are threatened.

"I can see no reason or fact or domestic will in the UK to do anything alternative than that.

"We did not lay down 255 lives only to give up and travel out a couple of years later."

Last night, a Foreign Office orator denied there was a couple in in in in in between the U.S. on all sides on the Falklands and the Mohamed case.

Argentina"s accusations over the Falklands have been compared to "the box of the lost girlfriend".

"Argentina lost the girlfriend, andnow she is going out with somebody else," Federico Mac Dougall, aneconomist and domestic researcher at the University of Belgrano in BuenosAires, told the New York Times..

He added: "And together they might verywell set upon it abounding with oil."

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Poland anguish genocide of boss in craft crash

Robin Henry &

Hamas gunmen glow on Israeli infantry

By Adrian Blomfield in Jerusalem 439PM GMT twenty-six March 2010

The assault came as Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli budding minister, signalled for the initial time given reception a sauce down from US President Barack Obama on Tuesday that he would reject American final to hindrance Jewish construction a whole in easterly Jerusalem.

At slightest one Israeli infantryman was bleeding after his car was struck by an armour-piercing space station nearby the Palestinian locale of Khan Younis, in the south of the Gaza Strip. There were unconfirmed reports that dual Hamas fighters were killed.

Israel targets Hamas weapons bureau in overnight strike Two Israeli policemen shot passed in West Bank Israel vows jagged reply to Gaza space station attacks Israeli infantryman reportedly killed as ceasefire breaks down in Gaza Palestinians rush homes as Israeli infantry allege in to Gaza Israel prepares for ceasefire but threatens full-scale invasion

After months of family satisfaction following the finish of Israel"s troops descent in Jan last year, there has been an torrent in space station attacks from Gaza over new days, one of that killed a Thai newcomer operative in a hothouse north of the enclave last week.

In a growth that will disturb Israel, Hamas certified the forces were concerned in yesterday"s clash. Responsibility for the space station attacks of the past week has been claimed by Islamist groups mostly against to Hamas, that has tranquil Gaza given 2007.

Shortly prior to Mr Netanyahu convened a tip event of his middle cabinet, a matter was expelled from the budding minister"s bureau indicating that Israel would give no belligerent on the allotment issue, that has caused the biggest chasm in the family with the United States for most years.

"The budding minister"s on all sides is that there is no shift in Israel"s process on Jerusalem that has been pursued by all governments of Israel for the past 42 years," the matter read.

Enraged by an Israeli preference to set up 1,600 Jewish homes in East Jerusalem, prisoner by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War but seen by Palestinians as their destiny capital, Mr Obama called on Mr Netanyahu to retreat the move and have a array of certainty construction gestures to restart assent talks.

While defying Mr Obama"s key demand, a orator for the budding apportion pronounced that he was rebuilt to take "additional stairs to allege assent talks".

But a absolute pro-settlement run organisation inside of the Knesset, Israel"s parliament, urged Mr Netanyahu not to go even that far.

Breast cancer screens dont save lives: investigate

Kate Kelland, Health and Science Correspondent LONDON Tue March 23, 2010 8:38pm EDT Factbox Factbox: Breast cancer screening discipline in Europe, U.S.Tue, March twenty-three 2010

A Greek breast cancer patient, listens to her alloy after a radiological healing hearing in an Athens sanatorium Oct 29, 2008.

Credit: Reuters/Yannis Behrakis

LONDON (Reuters) - Nordic scientists pronounced on Wednesday they had found no justification that screening women for breast cancer has any outcome on genocide rates, adding to an already extreme general discuss about slight testing.

Health

In a investigate published in the British Medical Journal, researchers from Denmark and Norway pronounced reductions in breast cancer genocide rates in regions with screening were the same or essentially not as big than in areas where no women were screened.

"Our formula are identical to what has been noticed in alternative countries with nationally orderly programs," pronounced Karsten Jorgensen of the Nordic Cochrane Center in Copenhagen, who led the research. "It is time to subject either screening has delivered the betrothed outcome on breast cancer mortality."

A row blew up in the United States in last Nov after open health officials on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force questioned the worth of screening mammograms for women underneath 40 and referred to raising the annual screening age to 50.

Cancer doctors and advocacy groups laid open the move, observant the changes would meant some-more women would die from breast cancer. Some lawmakers pronounced they might be used to allotment healthcare.

Breast cancer is the majority usual cancer in women worldwide, accounting for around sixteen percent of all womanlike cancers. It kills around 519,000 people globally each year.

Jorgensen pronounced that nonetheless breast cancer screening programs change by country, Denmark was a great benchmark and his team"s commentary should surprise the debate.

In Denmark, women are screened each dual years from age 50, whilst in the United States mammograms are right away endorsed each one to dual years for women elderly 50 plus, and in Britain the process is for women over 50 to be screened about each 3 years.

Critics of drawn out screening programs contend they can be some-more damaging than beneficial if the additional sanatorium time and costs they require, joined with the highlight and be concerned of fake alarms, are not outweighed by the good of preventing some-more deaths.

In Britain, for example, experts contend around 7,000 women get an nonessential breast cancer diagnosis when screening picks up tumors that would never have caused them any problems.

Jorgensen pronounced his investigate showed this risk-benefit change was not being strike in Denmark, and he speculated the incident would be the same in alternative grown countries.

Evidence right away suggests that for each 2,000 women who are screened over 10 years, usually one stands to have her hold up saved by the mammogram program, he said, since the risk of removing an nonessential breast cancer diagnosis is 10 times that.

"We need to have women wakeful that the possibility they will good from the module is really small," he pronounced in a write interview.

Jorgensen and his group compared annual changes in breast cancer deaths in dual Danish regions with screening programs opposite non-screened regions opposite the rest of Denmark.

In women expected to good from screening (those elderly 55 to 74 years) breast cancer mankind fell by 1 percent a year in screened areas and by 2 percent a year in non-screened areas, the researchers found.

In women as well immature to good from screening (aged 35 to 54 years), breast cancer mankind declined by 5 percent a year in screened areas and by 6 percent a year in non-screened areas during the same period.

(Editing by Myra MacDonald)

Health for acne crude associations between acne and high intake of chocolate and chips and low intake of vegetables

Darling faced forces of ruin from No 10

Alistair Darling has described how the "forces of ruin were unleashed" opposite him by Gordon Browns aides after he likely that the retrogression would be the majority serious in 60 years.

In a straightforward interview, the Chancellor pronounced that Mr Browns close allies began to short opposite him after he finished the meaningful prophecy in the summer of 2008. His acknowledgment follows claims finished in a book by the journalist, Andrew Rawnsley, that spinners close to the Prime Minister attempted to criticise Mr Darling following his comments, that valid to be accurate.

It is the initial time that Mr Darling has oral about the ordeal, that saw his comments splashed opposite the front of newspapers and was the Governments majority apocalyptic notice to date about the border of the monetary crisis.

At the time, aides from No 10 were vicious of him and warned the prophecy could repairs the economy further.

Nobody likes the sort of lecture that goes on, Mr Darling told Sky News. The forces of ruin were unleashed. He did not expose the aides involved, but when he was presented with the names of ashamed spinner, Damian McBride, and an additional former adviser, Charlie Whelan, he replied: Of course, there were people observant things. In a transparent appropriate at Mr McBride, who left his post at No.10 after he was unprotected as carrying stoical a array of invented smears about Tory MPs, he added: Frankly, my most appropriate answer for them is, I"m still here, one of them is not.

However, whilst the Chancellor certified to carrying a little bad days with Mr Brown, he pronounced that he had never been bullied. Of course, Gordon and I have a little really strong exchanges, he said. I cant suppose any full of health attribute in between a budding apportion and a chancellor where they dont have differences from time to time.

Mr Darling pronounced that he outlayed a miserable integrate of days after creation his prophecy about the astringency of the downturn during an talk in Scotland.

It was a week end you could have finished without. I do not know because the briefers did what they did. One day may be they will explain, he said. What I do know is, unfortunately and the not a good source of pleasure, but what I pronounced did spin out to be true.

Speculation was abundant last summer that Mr Brown was unfortunate to reinstate Mr Darling with the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls. However, it is thought that Mr Darling pronounced he would renounce rather than be changed to an additional department.

Gene might be between majority successful factors in Down syndrome

In his PhD thesis, The molecular bases of neuropathology in Downsyndrome: the purpose of DYRK1A, Azkona argues that this disaster in neurone delivery could be at the back of the complaint that persons with Downsyndrome have per visual-spatial memory.

Persons with Downsyndrome customarily have good problems with memory; this being precisely one of the characteristics that differentiates them from alternative people. Particularly important is the bad genius they have for maintaining report perceived orally, but additionally that connected with visual-spatial mental recall should be taken in to account. This subject has frequency been dealt with to date and Azkona motionless to take up the challenge. Starting with this differential phenomenon, he has small by small free the complaint until he came up with the DYRK1A gene.

To proceed his research, Azkona evaluated the psychomotricity of persons with Downsyndrome as well as their swell as they got older, utilizing a exam well known as the drumming test. As was expected, it was proven that, in the short term, persons with Downsyndrome have poorer visual-spatial memory; he additionally resolved that they take longer in you do the tests than those not carrying the set of symptoms and sufferers do not make use of as in effect cognitive strategies as non-sufferers.

It is believed that the base of this complaint is in the executive piece of the brain; some-more concretely, in the delivery in in between the hippocampus and a specific piece of the brain. It would appear that cholinergic neurons, that should pledge this transmission, bear alterations in those persons with Downsyndrome, on top of deteriorating with age. The DYRK1A gene is thought to have majority to do with this and Azkona formed his supposition on this for his investigate work.

Communication in in between cholinergic neurons the key

There is justification that the superexpression of the DYRK1A gene might change the transcription of the DNA (the routine that synthesises proteins from DNA). Azkona reliable the justification with an examination with a transgenic rodent that had superexpression. This would without delay affect cholinergic neurons and means repairs standard of Downsyndrome with mental recall and the guidance process.

Thus, in the perspective of Azkona, normalising the sip of the DYRK1A gene might be one of the majority earnest healing strategies in the investigate of Downsyndrome. Likewise, in his investigate he has underlined the efficiency of the drumming test, that measures psychomotricity and that was used at the commencement of the process. According to Mr. Azkona, it has been profitable in last the characteristics of the changes that start in the visual-spatial mental recall and of the swell of these changes in persons pang from the set of symptoms as they age. This is because he believes that it can additionally action to acknowledge early neurodegenerative changes and the probable goods of therapy.

Garikoitz Azkona Mendoza (Donostia-San Sebastian, 1977) is a connoisseur in Veterinary Science. He wrote his PhD topic underneath the citation of Jos Vicente Lafuente and Mara Dierssen from the Department of Neurosciences at the Faculty of Medicine and Odontology (University of the Basque Country). He is now operative at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, and additionally awaiting to do post-doctorate work with Doctor Cornelius Grossteam at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Monterotondo (Rome). In sketch up his thesis, he collaborated with the Grupo de Fenotipación Neuroconductual de Modelos Murinos de Enfermedad at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona. He additionally carried out a little of the experiments at the Department of Biochemistry in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Obesity May Protect Against Repeat Heart Problems

While plumpness puts people at risk for a total host ofchronic illnesses, together with heart disease, theres a slightest one incident inwhich additional pounds crop up to yield a health advantage.

Oddly, once someone has already had a heart attack, plumpness seems to conferprotection opposite serve heart problems, a new investigate suggests.

The formula show that in between 1,231 heart disaster patients(those who have already had a heart attack), underweight, normal weight andoverweight (but not obese) people had a 76 percent enlarge in risk ofsudden cardiac genocide compared with portly patients.

Sudden cardiac death, that kills up to 330,000 Americanseach year, occurs when the heart unexpected stops beating. This is opposite froma heartattack, that happens when red blood upsurge to the heart is interrupted.

The findings, presented Mar sixteen at the American College ofCardiology Annual Scientific Session, supplement to a flourishing physique of investigate on thisphenomenon, well known as the "obesityparadox." Several studies have come to the same obscure conclusion: Obesepatients with heart disease appear to do improved and live longer than skinnierpatients.

The formula even astounded the researchers. "When westarted this investigate we were anticipating the interpretation would oppose the obesityparadox," pronounced investigate writer Bonnie Choy, a second-year healing tyro atthe University of Rochesters School of Medicine and Dentistry.

And the commentary hold loyal even when they pennyless the datadown and carefully thought about underweight, normal weight and overweight people in apart categoriesinstead of lumping them all in one group, Choy said.

"We still the saw an different attribute in between BMIand remarkable cardiac death." BMI, or physique mass index, is a comparative measure of weightto height, and is deliberate an indicator of how most physique fat a chairman has.The researchers tangible portly as someone with a BMI of thirty or greater.

No one knows because plumpness seems to move benefits in thiscase, though multiform ideas have been tossed around. For instance, the possiblethat portly people have a genetic value when it comes to flourishing heartfailure, the University of Rochester researchers suggest.

"Obese patients are tough on their bodies; most dont eatright, dont exercise, and most smoke," pronounced investigate researcher Eric Hansen,a second-year healing tyro at the University. "If their bodies aresurviving this bad diagnosis afterwards maybe they are improved equipped, from agenetic standpoint, to live with heart failure."

On the flip side, thinner people with heart disease competence begeneticallyprone to building heart problems, given their heart condition arose despitetheir weight.

In addition, alternative factors, similar to scarring from a previousheart attack, might means some-more problems over the short tenure than plumpness causesover the prolonged term.

The students conducted the investigate with Dr. Ilan Goldenberg, aprofessor of cardiology.

Top 10 Amazing Facts About Your Heart Does Your Heat Really Stop When You Sneeze? Obesity Paradox: When Fat Only Seems Healthy

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FOREX-Yen rises broadly; Europes debt woes harm euro

Tue Mar 9, 2010 4:00pm EST Related News Yen firm, euro and pound hurt by fiscal worriesTue, Mar 9 2010FOREX-Yen gains broadly on risk aversion; dollar higherTue, Mar 9 2010

* Risk aversion and repatriation flows boost yen

Currencies

* Ratings agency comments weigh on sterling, euro

* China"s commitment to buy Treasuries helps dollar (Adds details, updates prices)

By Vivianne Rodrigues and Nicholas Olivari

NEW YORK, March 9 (Reuters) - The yen gained broadly onTuesday amid Japanese repatriation flows, while the eurodeclined on concerns that peripheral euro zone economies couldface debt problems similar to those of Greece.

Appetite for risk had been boosted by Friday"sstronger-than-expected U.S. employment report, pushing the yendown to two-week lows versus the euro and the dollar.

Comments from Fitch Ratings on Portugal"s austeritymeasures on Tuesday, however, prompted a comeback for the yenand triggered further selling in the euro zone commoncurrency.

The dollar was supported after China said it was committedto buying U.S. Treasuries. For details see [ID:nLDE6281JZ] and[ID:nBJC002514].

"The combination of today"s risk-averse trading andrepatriation of yen has been the key driver over the last 12hours," said Camilla Sutton, currency strategist at ScotiaCapital in Toronto.

Traders said Japanese exporters were in the market buyingyen fairly actively, with further demand for the Japanesecurrency likely in the run-up to fiscal year-end on March 31.

"The feeling is that we are beginning to see fiscalyear-end repatriation flows for Japan. The yen will remain infavor over the next few weeks as Japanese corporates bringmoney back home," said RBC currency strategist Adam Cole inLondon.

In late afternoon trading in New York, the dollar JPY=was trading down 0.4 percent at 89.93 yen.

The yen was up about 0.2 percent against the Canadiandollar JPYCAD=R, 0.9 percent against the Swiss francJPYCHF=R, 0.6 percent against the euro JPYEUR=R and 0.9percent against the pound JPYGBP=R.

Higher-yielding currencies such as the Australian dollaralso fell against the Japanese currency. Aussie/yen AUDJPY=Rslipped 0.2 percent.

Analysts at the Bank of Tokyo/Mitsubishi also noted that anincentive this year with Japanese corporations not having topay the difference between local tax rates abroad and in Japanwhen funds are repatriated may play a greater role in bringingfunds home in March. But the bank cautioned the impact of theincentive on the currency may be temporary.

Further yen gains could also be limited by speculation thatthe Bank of Japan may take additional steps to ease monetarypolicy. The BOJ is in the spotlight after the Nikkei newspaperreported on Friday that the central bank was examining easingagain and may decide on such a move when it meets on March16-17.

CHINA"S COMMITMENT

China, the world"s biggest holder of foreign exchangereserves, renewed its commitment to the U.S. Treasury market onTuesday but said it would be wary of substantially boosting itsgold holdings.

"If China is not diversifying their reserves into gold,then there is no realistic alternative to absorb their demandoutside of U.S. dollars," said Kathy Lien, director of researchat GFT in New York.

The pound was under widespread pressure, dropping to aone-week low versus the dollar GBP= after ratings agencyFitch said Britain"s sovereign credit profile haddeteriorated.

Earlier, a Moody"s Investors Service report saying Britainfaces a difficult balancing act in deciding how and when toreduce support for the banking sector had also weighed on thepound. [ID:nLDE6271OB]

Against the dollar the pound was down around 0.5 percent at$1.4990.

The euro was down around 0.3 percent against the dollarEUR= at $1.3595, continuing to struggle in the face of debtconcerns in euro zone countries such as Greece and Portugal.

Fitch Ratings said on Tuesday it still has a negativeoutlook on Portugal"s AA ratings and was studying details ofthe country"s new austerity measures announced Monday.

"Even though Fitch also stated that the contagion risk toPortugal and Spain from Greece is not great, there aresufficient worries in the market concerning EMU to keep theeuro "on the back foot"," said FOREX.com analysts in a note.

Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said onTuesday in Washington his country was taking necessary steps toget its budget under control but said the issue was also aEuropean one. [ID:nWEN1451]

Greece has been a drag on the euro in 2010, which has lost5 percent against the dollar so far this year and 8.1 percentagainst the yen. (Additional reporting by Neal Armstrong in London; Editing byJames Dalgleish)

Currencies

SEC accuses Americas Prophet of financier rascal

Thu Mar 4, 2010 1:17pm EST

By Grant McCool

Currencies&&&&Regulatory News&&&&Funds News&&&&ETFs News

NEW YORK, March 4 (Reuters) - Sean David Morton, a psychicand self-described "America"s Prophet," apparently did not seeinvestigators coming when he touted investments.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Morton,51, on Thursday on civil fraud charges, accusing him offraudulently raising more than $6 million from more than 100investors for Delphi Investment Group in 2006 and 2007.

"In soliciting these individuals, Morton claimed that hewould use his psychic expertise to provide investment guidanceto his investment team, and falsely touted his historicalsuccess in psychically predicting the various rises and fallsof the market," the complaint filed in Manhattan federal courtsaid.

The U.S. market regulator"s lawsuit said Morton and hiswife Melissa Morton, 42, diverted investor money, including atleast $240,000 to their own non-profit religious organization,Prophecy Research Institute (PRI).

It said Morton enticed investors through a monthly DelphiAssociates Newsletter, a web site and public appearances in NewYork City and elsewhere. He also broadcasts on a nationallysyndicated radio show with an average audience of nearly 3million listeners, the SEC said.

It quoted from a July 20, 2006 newsletter, which said: "Ihave called ALL the highs and lows of the market, giving EXACTDATES for rises and crashes over the last 14 years."

Morton is representing himself and could not immediately bereached for comment by phone or email at his Hermosa Beach,California, organization Heaven Earth LLC.

Morton hosted "financial survival" workshops at the MountShasta Resort in California in September 2007, where he toldprospectives investors he could make them "piles of money,"according to the complaint.

Morton placed investor"s money in shell companies Vajra, 27Investments and Magic Eight Ball, controlled by him and hiswife. She was also named as a defendant in the complaint.

"While Morton promised investors that all of their fundswould be used to trade foreign currencies, in fact, he investedonly about half with foreign currency trading firms," the SECsaid.

The Mortons are defendants in two pending private civilactions, the SEC said. The market regulator is asking the courtto order disgorgement of any ill-gotten gains and fines undersecurities laws.

The case is SEC v Sean David Morton et al, U.S. DistrictCourt for the Southern District of New York, No. 10-1720. (Reporting by Grant McCool, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Currencies Regulatory News Funds News ETFs News

WRAPUP 2-Greece might take some-more debt stairs as EU revisit looms

Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:21pm EST Related News Germany, France, Dutch to buy Greek bonds: MEPSat, Feb 27 2010UPDATE 2-Germany, France, Dutch to buy Greek bonds-MEPSat, Feb 27 2010France, Germany to help Greece raise money-reportSat, Feb 27 2010Greek PM to meet Merkel, Obama amid debt crisisFri, Feb 26 2010WRAPUP 5-Greek PM to meet Merkel, Obama amid debt crisisFri, Feb 26 2010

* Greek minister says new steps may be announced soon

Currencies&&&&Bonds

* EU economic commissioner Rehn to visit Athens on Monday

* Germany"s Merkel says no decision on aid has been taken

* But French minister says options being considered

(Adds Merkel saying no decision on aid, Rehn"s schedule ofmeetings in Athens)

By Renee Maltezou

ATHENS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Greece may soon announce new steps to cut its budget deficit, a government minister said onSunday, amid signs that Athens might be nearing a deal withEuropean Union governments to ease the Greek debt crisis.

Economy Minister Louka Katseli said Prime Minister GeorgePapandreou would review Greece"s fiscal plans, after an EUmission to Athens last week decided that the country"s austeritymeasures were not strong enough to reassure financial markets.

"If more measures are to be taken, they will be announcedsoon," Katseli told state television. "The red line for everyonein this government is that the measures are effective, bringingadditional revenues, and that they are socially just."

EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn was due to visitAthens on Monday for talks with Greek officials about thecrisis, which has rocked Europe"s debt market and underminedinvestors" confidence in the common euro currency.

The market has been speculating that Rehn"s visit, ifsuccessful, could move EU governments closer to announcing someform of emergency aid for Greece in exchange for a pledge byAthens to take fresh budget steps.

A German member of the European Parliament, JorgoChatzimarkakis, said on Saturday that Germany, France and theNetherlands would buy Greek bonds in the deal, using state-runbanks such as Germany"s KfW and France"s Caisse des Depots.

It was unclear how Chatzimarkakis, who is not a high-profilepolitician in Germany, might know of such a plan. His commentsechoed a similar report on Saturday in major Greek newspaper TaNea, which quoted unnamed sources.

GERMANS, DUTCH SAY NO DECISION MADE

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a televisioninterview on Sunday that she was grateful the Greek governmentwas planning "very courageous" steps to curb its budget deficit.

She repeated comments, first made last week, that the eurowas in its toughest period since its launch in 1999 -- possiblyan effort to prepare German public opinion, which is stronglyagainst aiding Greece, for intervention by Berlin in the crisis.

But Merkel stressed no decision had been taken on financialassistance to Greece, and that Berlin continued to expect Athensto take whatever steps were necessary to resolve its problems.

"There have been absolutely no other decisions taken. Iwould like to say that quite clearly," Merkel said. "Greece hasto do what"s necessary for Greece. But that is also importantfor all of us."

The Dutch government said there were no plans at present tobuy Greek bonds, and that the top priority for the Netherlandswas to ensure the stability of the euro.

"We don"t want to spend taxpayer money to save the Greeks,"said Jan Kees de Jager, appointed as finance minister lastTuesday in a caretaker government that will govern untilelections on June 9.

The Greek finance ministry and the European Commissiondeclined to comment on the reports of an aid deal.

But there were other signs of intensified diplomatic effortsto resolve the crisis. Papandreou said on Friday he would visitBerlin for talks with Merkel on March 5, and Deutsche Bank ChiefExecutive Josef Ackermann met Papandreou in Athens on Friday.

French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said on Sundaythat her government and others were studying options to tacklethe crisis.

"I have no doubt that Greece will be able to refinanceitself, using means which we are currently exploring, and forwhich we have a number of propositions.

"It would involve private partners or public partners orboth," Lagarde said, declining to give further details.

German and French media reports have suggested governmentsin the 16-country euro zone might offer aid worth a total of 20to 25 billion euros ($27 billion to $34 billion) to Greece.Officials have declined to comment on the size of any aid plan.

Both Greece and EU governments face growing pressure to actfrom the debt market, which fears Athens might lose its abilityto borrow at affordable rates as a funding crunch approaches.

Greece has said its funding needs are met until mid-March,and it will need to refinance about 20 billion euros of debtmaturing in April and May. It is preparing to tap the euro debtmarket with its second bond issue this year.

Rehn was due to meet Papandreou at 1415 GMT on Monday,Papandreou"s office said. Rehn was also expected to meet Katseliat 1000 GMT and Greek Labour Minister Andreas Loverdos at 1500.

Any progress towards an aid plan for Athens could boost theeuro, as well as bond prices and banking stocks in Greece andother indebted countries on the euro zone"s southern periphery.

But any rally by the euro might be brief, because investorswould also worry that a dangerous precedent was being set forGermany and other rich states in the zone to take on theliabilities of poorer ones. (1 euro = $1.36) (Additional reporting by Matthias Sobolewski and ErikKirschbaum in Berlin, Reed Stevenson in Amsterdam, AstridWendlandt in Paris and Foo Yun Chee in Brussels; Writing byAndrew Torchia; editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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