Earl Smith is the man behind a military patch that President Obama prizes

AUSTIN — That February morning in 2008 found Barack Obama decidedly out of sorts. He was locked in one battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination that showed no signs of ending — and another with a vicious cold that felt the same way. As he rode the service elevator in the backway of a convention hotel here, the snowy-haired African American operating it turned...

Read More..

SNCF to launch grant framework for social entrepreneurs

SINGAPORE: To facilitate the growth of co-operatives, the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF) will launch a comprehensive grant framework that gives budding social entrepreneurs the support they need to set up new co-operatives to deal with social needs that have yet to be met.Existing co-operatives will also be able to use the grant to improve productivity, expand their...

Read More..

Rahul Gandhi gets bigger role in Congress, appointed party vice-president

JAIPUR: Rahul Gandhi was formally elevated to the number two position in the Congress party on Saturday after being appointed its vice-president, but his role in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls would be decided later. The anointment of the 42-year-old leader nine years after he entered politics was formalised at the meeting of the party's highest policy making body, the Congress working committee (CWC),...

Read More..

Attack at Algeria Gas Plant Heralds New Risks for Energy Development

The siege by Islamic militants at a remote Sahara desert natural gas plant in Algeria this week signaled heightened dangers in the region for international oil companies, at a time when they have been expanding operations in Africa as one of the world's last energy frontiers. (See related story: "Pictures: Four New Offshore Drilling Frontiers.")As BP, Norway's Statoil, Italy's Eni, and...

Read More..

Te'o Denies Involvement in Girlfriend Hoax

Notre Dame star linebacker Manti Te'o told ESPN that he "never, not ever" was involved in creating the hoax that had him touting what turned out to be a fictional girlfriend, "Lennay Kekua.""When they hear the facts, they'll know," Te'o told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap in his first interview since the story broke. "They'll know that there is no way that I could be a part of this.""I...

Read More..

Earl Smith is the man behind a military patch that President Obama prizes

AUSTIN, Tex. — That February morning in 2008 found Barack Obama decidedly out of sorts. He was locked in one battle with Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination that showed no signs of ending — and another with a vicious cold that felt the same way. As he rode the service elevator in the backway of a convention hotel here, the snowy-haired African American operating it...

Read More..

Football: 'Guardiola to City' talk did not faze Mancini

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Roberto Mancini on Friday said that he was never concerned about the prospect of Pep Guardiola taking his job at Manchester City, despite speculation before the Spaniard joined Bayern Munich.Guardiola, the former Barcelona coach, was said to be lined up for a move to Eastlands should Mancini fail to deliver a trophy this year, despite leading the club to the...

Read More..

Lalu bats for Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate

KOLKATA: RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav today batted for Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to be the Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2014 general elections, and said Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi's "dream of becoming PM will never come true". "Modi's prime ministerial dream is not going to come true... His dream of coming to Hastinapur will never materialise," he said, retorting,...

Read More..

First Human Contact With Large Emperor Penguin Colony

One of the largest emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica was discovered last month by a team from the International Polar Foundation's Princess Elisabeth station.The penguin colony had previously been identified through satellite imagery by researchers from the British Antarctic Survey. The penguins themselves didn't show up very clearly, but their excrement stains on the ice did.Expedition...

Read More..

A nomination fight at ATF; McDonough’s swearing skills; fed offices brave the snow (read this roundup)

Acting ATF Director Todd Jones is President Obama’s pick to permanently lead the agency. (Charles Dharapak - AP) Gunning for a confrontation — Seems President Obama is picking a nomination fight. ... The Senate for six years has blocked nominees to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, but Obama named a new director Wednesday in an effort to strengthen...

Read More..