NYC Mayor Bloomberg: Whites stopped 'too much,' minorities 'too little'

http://www.qstarnews.com/a/articlete...clenumber=2669

"The New York Post reported today, that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has got himself into controversy making a racially charged statement. The mayor made a statement suggesting that police stop and frisk whites too often and do not stop and frisk minorities often enough.

The Post story reported, ?"I think we disproportionately stop whites too much and minorities too little. It's exactly the reverse of what they say," Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show, in response to the City Council passing two bills aimed at reining in the controversial policing tactic.?"

Source: http://talk.baltimoresun.com/showthread.php?332179-NYC-Mayor-Bloomberg-Whites-stopped-too-much-minorities-too-little&goto=newpost

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US unemployment benefit applications fall to 346K

Job seekers line up to register to attend a job fair held in Atlanta, Thursday, May 30, 2013. The Labor Department reports on the number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits for the first time last week, Thursday June 27, 2013. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Job seekers line up to register to attend a job fair held in Atlanta, Thursday, May 30, 2013. The Labor Department reports on the number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits for the first time last week, Thursday June 27, 2013. (AP Photo/John Amis)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 346,000 last week, evidence that the job market is still improving modestly, despite signs of slower growth.

The four-week average, a less volatile figure, declined 2,750 to 345,750, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's near the five-year low of 338,000 that the average touched last month.

Applications are a proxy for layoffs. Since March, they have fluctuated between 340,000 and 360,000, a level consistent with steady hiring. Employers added 175,000 jobs in May, almost matching the average monthly gain for the past year. The unemployment rate was 7.6 percent, down from 8.2 percent a year earlier.

Steady job gains could help the economy expand later this year. Growth was only 1.8 percent at an annual rate in the first quarter, the government said Wednesday, down from a previous estimate of 2.4 percent.

The main reason for the lower estimate was consumers spent less than previously thought.

A separate report Thursday showed that consumer spending rose 0.3 percent in May, after falling by the same amount in April. Incomes rose 0.5 percent, the most in three months, the Commerce Department said.

Still, the report revised spending lower in several months earlier this year, causing some economists to lower their forecasts for the April-June quarter.

Nearly 4.6 million people received unemployment benefits in the week ended June 8, the latest data available. That's about 23,000 more than in the previous week.

Slower growth could mean the Federal Reserve may delay its plans to slow its monthly bond purchases, economists said. Those purchases are intended to keep long-term interest rates low.

Chairman Ben Bernanke rattled financial markets last week when he said the Fed would slow its purchases if the economy continued to strengthen. But the Fed may not be able to follow through until growth accelerates from the first quarter's pace. Some economists think that may not happen until the final three months of the year.

Some economic reports this week have been encouraging. U.S. factories are fielding more orders. Higher home sales and prices are signaling a steady housing recovery.

Spending at retail businesses rose in May, a sign that solid job growth has encouraged Americans to open their wallets. And the improving job market has lifted consumer confidence to its highest point in 5? years.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-27-US-Unemployment-Benefits/id-5a62a240da7c42f0b5b2b2ce1b59631e

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Heart failure tied to higher cancer risk: study

By Genevra Pittman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with heart failure are also more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, according to a new study that followed older adults with and without heart problems.

The findings don't prove that heart failure, when the heart can't pump enough blood to the rest of the body, causes cancer. Researchers said more studies are needed to determine what might explain the link.

"People have not really considered any association of heart failure and cancer together, at least not developing cancer after diagnosis," said Dr. Adrian Hernandez, a cardiologist at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

But Dr. Sudhir Kushwaha, who worked on the study at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said the association makes sense, because a lack of blood and oxygen could create problems in many organs.

"The (heart failure) patient should be aware or alert to any new symptoms that might develop," he told Reuters Health.

Close to six million Americans have heart failure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include trouble breathing and fatigue.

For the new study, the researchers matched 961 newly-diagnosed heart failure patients with people of their same age and gender that didn't have the disease.

A similar proportion of those participants - 22 to 23 percent - had already had cancer. There were 596 cancer-free study pairs, who the researchers then followed, starting when participants were an average of 73 years old.

Over the next eight years, 244 people still in the study were diagnosed with cancer, including colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and blood cancers.

After accounting for certain disease risks such as people's weight and whether they smoked, Kushwaha and his colleagues calculated that heart failure patients were 68 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than their heart failure-free pairs.

Although people with heart failure were sicker in general - with more diabetes and high blood pressure, for example - that didn't explain their greater cancer risk, the study team wrote in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Kushwaha's group said there are a few possible explanations for the link, all of which need more study. Certain heart drugs could increase cancer risks, or stress and inflammation from heart failure itself might play a role, as could lack of oxygen.

It's also possible the link can be explained by people with heart failure seeing their primary care doctors more often and thus getting more screening tests, researchers said.

"Sicker people tend to be seen in medical encounters all the time ? they get more lab tests, more people ask them whether they want to be screened," said Dr. Jersey Chen, a cardiology researcher from Kaiser Permanente's Mid-Atlantic Permanente Research Institute in Rockville, Maryland.

"That may explain why the difference seems to be this high," Chen, who wasn't involved in the new research, told Reuters Health.

Kushwaha, however, said that explanation was unlikely - both because the difference in cancer rates took a couple of years to show up, and because people without heart failure still saw their doctors regularly.

According to Hernandez, who didn't participate in the study, the next step will be to follow people with and without heart failure, taking into account exactly how many tests they receive.

Chen agreed that type of data is needed to figure out the underlying association.

"I wouldn't make patients worry about this, that either they have a higher risk of cancer right now or that they should change their medications or treatments," he said.

"I think it's way too preliminary to invite those kinds of clinical changes."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/d1cHYE Journal of the American College of Cardiology, June 25, 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/heart-failure-tied-higher-cancer-risk-study-183547945.html

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House Spent About $2M of Taxpayers' Money on Coffee, Pastries

The Sunlight Foundation found that the House of Representatives spent nearly $2 million on coffee and food in 2012??

Most Americans start their day with at least one cup of coffee, maybe paying $2 to $5, but many might be surprised to know they also treat their members of Congress to some joe and a bagel or two, as well.

The Sunlight Foundation, a watchdog group advocating for government transparency, crunched the numbers for ABC News and found that the House of Representatives spent nearly $2 million on coffee and food in 2012 for events in and around the Capitol.

"Congress is spending an awful lot of money to entertain their members," said Bill Allison, the foundation's editorial director. "[It's] coffee and doughnuts and then some very nice catering places in Washington, D.C., as well."

The money is part of lawmakers' representational allowances, which can be used to pay for everything from sending mail to constituents to entertaining visitors. The foundation did not know who the visitors were.

Although lawmakers were paring back, Allison said, they hadn't changed certain rules when it came to food and drink.

"Catering companies can get as much business from the House as they have in the past," he said.

The Sunlight Foundation found that expensive catering was truly a bipartisan effort, with leaders hosting their own members. Republican House Speaker John Boehner spent $64,000. Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spent $61,000. and No. 2 Democrat Steny Hoyer spent $52,000.

The biggest spender in the House was No. 3 Republican Kevin McCarthy of California. On his Facebook page, pictures of meetings include fruit, bagels, croissants and coffee.

McCarthy's 2012 grand total - $95,000, with an additional $4,000 being spent on bottled water - was enough to pay the salaries of two mid-level staffers on Capitol Hill.

"That's a couple of jobs for the average American," Allison said.

McCarthy declined an ABC News request for an interview.

When ABC News approached him as he walked down a hallway in the Capitol to ask about the nearly $100,000 spent to cater meetings and dinner, he responded: "You noticed. We cut it out."

Actually, what ABC News noticed were the leftovers from a meeting McCarthy had just attended. A staffer even offered a bagel.

While McCarthy said he was making cuts, his office did not provide any numbers.

Allison said Americans should ask their leaders to buy their own coffee and pastries.

"We are in an age of austerity and sequestration and budget cuts," Allison said. "It seems like if you are looking for places to cut, the entertainment budget would be the first one you would go to."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/house-spent-2m-taxpayers-money-coffee-pastries-234433803--abc-news-politics.html

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Dashcam catches road rage in Los Angeles

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2dc57d67/l/0Lvideo0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C5230A6442/story01.htm

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T-Mobile leak hints Lumia 925 and Xperia Z may launch on July 17th

T-Mobile customers may have to sit tight for a little while longer if they're planning to pick up a Nokia Lumia 925 or Sony Xperia Z. TmoNews has reportedly obtained a roadmap from the UnCarrier that has the two smartphones launching on July 17th alongside an unidentified (though likely budget-oriented) handset. While pricing isn't mentioned for the Xperia Z, the Lumia 925 is expected to cost $100 down with a $579 full price. The apparent leak gives us a date to mark on our calendars, although we won't base our lives around it -- carriers tend to change schedules at the last minute, after all.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sony, Nokia, T-Mobile

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Source: TmoNews

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/FateWmEUqko/

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The Next Wave of Computing is Perceptual | Intel? Developer Zone

Perceptual computing seems to be on a lot of people?s minds lately. From a quest to find the Ultimate Coder to the worldwide Intel Perceptual Computing Challenge to a free Perceptual Computing SDK, there are plenty of opportunities for developers to get involved in this cutting-edge exploration of how humans interact with computers.

If you can visualize controlling your computer merely by using your voice or a wave of your hand, rather than a mouse, a keyboard, or even a touchscreen, then you can see just the beginnings of what perceptual computing is capable of. Perceptual computing focuses on natural human interactions with machines in addition to those familiar control apparatuses many of us have literally grown up with: facial recognition, voice commands, gesture swiping, etc.? Responsive computing that is individually tailored to an individual?s unique needs is really what perceptual computing is all about.

There?s a lot of really exciting stuff going on in this space, and in this article, we?re going to focus on just a few of some of the more inspiring and innovative explorations that developers are taking on.

My, Oh Myo

One of the more interesting waves of development that is coming out of the perceptual computing movement is new user interfaces. How about a wearable armband that tracks your arm?s muscle movements and controls your computer via a series of gestures?? Watch the video of Thalmic Labs? Myo device below:

As you can see from the video, the Myo works with devices that you already have in your home or office. Presentations can be controlled with a flick of the wrist, video games reach a whole new level of interaction, and browsing the web and watching videos is a completely different experience. More about this intriguing device:

?What sort of precision does the MYO have?

The MYO detects gestures and movements in two ways: 1) muscle activity, and 2) motion sensing. When sensing the muscle movements of the user, the MYO can detect changes down to each individual finger. When tracking the position of the arm and hand, the MYO can detect subtle movements and rotations in all directions!

How quickly does it detect gestures?

Movements can be detected very quickly - sometimes, it even looks like the gesture is recognized before your hand starts moving! This is because the muscles are activated slightly before your fingers actually start moving, and we are able to detect the gesture before that happens.? ? Myo FAQ

Use the Force, Luke

Ever wanted to control something with your thoughts, Jedi-style? A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota has put together a four-blade helicopter that can be controlled with the electrical impulses generated by our minds:

More about this amazing technology and how it works:

?The team used a noninvasive technique known as?electroencephalography?(EEG) to record the electrical brain activity of five different subjects. Each subject was fitted with a cap equipped with 64 electrodes, which sent signals to the quadcopter over a WiFi network. The subjects were positioned in front of a screen that relayed images of the quadcopter's flight through an on-board camera, allowing them to see the course the way a pilot would. The plane, which was driven with a pre-set forward moving velocity, was then controlled by the subject's thoughts.? ? LiveScience.com, ?Tiny Helicopter Piloted by Human Thoughts?

The lead researcher on this project, Bin He, realizes that there are many more uses for this new human-computer interface, including helping those suffering from paralysis:

"Our study shows that for the first time, humans are able to control the flight of flying robots using just their thoughts, sensed from noninvasive brain waves," said Bin He, lead scientist behind the study and a professor with the University of Minnesota's College of Science?and Engineering. "Our next goal is to control robotic arms using noninvasive brain wave signals?.with the eventual goal of developing brain-computer interfaces that aid patients with disabilities or neurodegenerative disorders."

Gesture recognition and Wi-Fi

You?ve probably heard of smart houses, right? Researchers in the University of Washington department of computer science and engineering are going a few steps further with that concept, linking existing wireless technology that most people have in their homes with gesture recognition:

"Forget to turn off the lights before leaving the apartment? No problem. Just raise your hand, finger-swipe the air and your lights will power down. Want to change the song playing on your music system in the other room? Move your hand to the right and flip through the songs. University of Washington computer scientists have developed gesture-recognition technology that brings this a step closer to reality. They have shown it's possible to?use Wi-Fi signals around us to detect specific movements without needing sensors on the human body or cameras. By using an adapted Wi-Fi router and a few wireless devices in the living room, users could?control their electronics?and household appliances from any room in the home with a simple gesture." ? Washington.edu, ?Wi-Fi signals enable gesture recognition throughout entire home?

Watch a video of this technology in action below:

This technology, called WiSee, doesn?t require a complex installation of cameras or sensors in every room; it merely uses existing technology (wireless signals) in a completely new and innovative way. All sorts of household tasks could conceivably be simplified using this technology.

What?s next in perceptual computing?

Innovating on existing technology seems to be a theme with all three of the projects highlighted in this article, with new ways for humans and computers to interact at the forefront. What do you think is coming next in perceptual computing? Share with us in the comments.

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Source: http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2013/06/25/the-next-wave-of-computing-is-perceptual

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Two Parodies (Unqualified Offerings)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Start spamming your friends today for an early shot at Jay-Z's new album

Samsung is teaming up with rapper Jay-Z to bring 1 million copies of his upcoming album "Maga Carta Holy Grail" a few days before it goes on sale, and the Android app that'll do it for you is now available for download.

You'll need to have the Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4 or Galaxy Note 2 to participate. And then you'll need to log in using either Facebook or Twitter. And then you'll have to spam share content from the app with your friends. At 12:00:01 a.m. July 4, 1 million lucky fans will get the record that might or might not leak early anyway, a full three days before the official July 7 release.

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/YyYKOds1NZ8/story01.htm

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Best Care: Certified Home Health Aide Agency ... - Fitness center ...

Want the Best in home health care, Best Care is the best option for you. Best Care is a less expensive and more effective way to provide health services for those needing Certified Nursing Assistants For Veterans for assistance or supervision, yet not requiring hospitalization. Best Care aims to make it possible for people to remain at home rather than use residential, long-term, or institutional-based nursing care.

Best Care is Private Nursing and Certified Home Health Aide Agency that renders services in the client?s own home. Our services may include some combination of professional health care services and life assistance services. Caring for a loved one is a big physical and emotional drain for the family especially since they are not trained medically. The actions of taking care of the elderly come out of love, respect and concern, yet cannot match those of a professional Certified Nursing Assistants For Veterans in Florida. The nurses are trained to attend to every needs of the patient. A home care provider can ease this strain, take some of the burden off the shoulders of the family who often feel guilty themselves for not being able to do what they need to without feeling a little negative about it. Home care nursing will allow you to match the certain medical requirements. Home Health Care is a less expensive and more effective way to provide health services for those needing assistance or supervision, yet not requiring hospitalization. The Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, Home Health Aides and Companions contracted with Best Care?s clients strive to provide healing environments where patients and families learn to care for themselves.

The actions of taking care of the elderly come out of love, respect and concern, yet cannot match those of a professional and Certified Nursing Assistants For Veterans. The nurses are trained to attend to every needs of the patient. A home care provider can ease this strain, take some of the burden off the shoulders of the family who often feel guilty themselves for not being able to do what they need to without feeling a little negative about it. Our Caregiver services available at home, in hospital or nursing homes include Nurse?s Aide, Live-In Nurse?s Aides, Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Hospital/Home Care Coordinator, Nurses Case Managers, Critical Care Registered Nurses, Medical Social Workers, Baby Nurses and Specialty nursing for Oncology, Enterostomal Therapy. We operate 7 days a week, 24-hours a day.

One of the best qualities of being a Certified Home Health Aide Agency is that we have multi-lingual caregivers that speak many different languages. Certified Nursing Assistants For Veterans, Best Care developed a new and exciting program for qualified veterans and surviving spouses seeking financial assistance for home health care. Best Care?s registry introduces customers with a health care team with Certified Nursing Assistant Florida. All caregivers are carefully screened with drug, criminal and license background checks. Home nursing services are often requested by family or friends of a person who is finding it difficult to cope at home. Many elderly people find it difficult to identify when it is time to ask for a little extra help to assist them. Our registered nurses strive to provide healing environments where patients and families learn to care for themselves.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/best-care-certified-home-health-aide-agency-florida-6641962.html

About the Author

Home Health Care is a less expensive and more effective way to provide Certified Nursing Assistants for Veterans or for those needing assistance or supervision, yet not requiring hospitalization. Best Care is one of the largest family-owned Certified Home Health Aide Agency in South Florida.

Source: http://fitness-center-in.tlgj-host.com/2013/06/23/best_care_certified_home_health_aide_agency_florida_ezine_ready/

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Source: http://jeraldbeasley.typepad.com/blog/2013/06/best-care-certified-home-health-aide-agency-fitness-center.html

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Main Electrical Panel, Subpanels and Circuit Breakers in Home Wiring

Main electrical panel, subpanels, circuit breakers, fuse, receptacles and electrical meter are all components of a home electrical wiring system. Once electricity enters your home through the meter, it is distributed to the house via the main electrical panel, subpanels and circuit breakers or fuse.

Here is explanation on how electricity is branched to the house and all the electrical appliances, lights, receptacles, appliances through electrical wiring.

What is Main Electrical Panel and Subpanel?

The main electrical panel is mounted just beside the electric meter. It receives the 3 electrical wires (2 Hot and 1 Neutral) and routes electricity to the subpanels through the home electrical wiring. The main panel also includes device (Often circuit breaker) to disconnect power supply to the house in case of emergency.

// ]]>

What is a Circuit Breaker?

A circuit breaker is basically a switch that may be shut off manually or may get tripped automatically by any failure in the home electrical wiring system (short circuit). Breakers often get tripped because of short circuit or overload. An electrical fuse is an alternative to circuit breaker.

What is Amperage of a Breaker?

Maximum amperage delivered by a service panel at one time is marked on the main breaker. A 100-amp main is good enough for all electrical need for most homes; however, 15-amp and 200-amp are also installed in many homes. These can handle plenty of capacity. 60-amp or less is not recommended.

Circuit breakers are rated for the type of wire and load required by its circuit. For most home lighting and receptacle circuits, 15-amp and 20-amp is good. Larger-capacity circuit breakers are used for higher wattage home appliances or appliances that need 220v outlet such as air conditioner, electric ovens, electric water heaters, electric clothes dryers etc. These large breakers are often connected to secondary panels (subpanels) that have their own set of circuit breakers. These subpanels may be mounted away from the main panel.

Note that supply of electricity and electrical wiring may differ geographically. Different countries in the world have different norms and rules. For example, in Europe, there are two types of power supply: single phase and three phase. Also it is not necessary for each socket to have electrical grounding. In the UK, each socket has two wires ? one live and one neutral and an earth.

Again it is different in the US and Japan. Voltages and amps requirements to install and maintain electrical installations may differ geographically. Please check your local codes for help.

Conclusion

All circuits in a house should have electrical grounding for safety. Receptacles in kitchen, bathroom, and outdoor receptacles need to be properly grounded under the norms of GFCI ? Circuit breaker and receptacle-type GFCIs may be installed in your home by a qualified electrician. Receptacle type GFCIs may be installed by knowledgeable consumers familiar with electrical wiring practices who also follow the instructions accompanying the device. When in doubt about the proper procedure, contact a qualified electrician. Do not attempt to install it yourself. This is because these areas are more prone to moisture and there need for more safety and precaution.

Home Electrical Panel

Related Posts:

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1. What is Energy Star?
2. How to Use Less Electricity at Home & Save Electricity Bill
3. How to Save Electricity ? Tips and Guide to Saving Electricity
4. How to Save Energy and Money at Home
5. Alternative Lighting Solutions for Home and Office
6. How to Save Electricity at Home ? 5 Easy and Simple Energy Saving Tips to Cut Down Electricity Consumption and Slash Electricity Bill
7. How to Cool Home without Air Conditioning or Air Conditioner
8. 10 Easy Energy Saving Tips to Cut Energy Costs at Home and Office
9. Glossary of Home Electrical Terms

Source: http://www.freediyhomeimprovement.com/2013/06/24/main-electrical-panel-subpanels-and-circuit-breakers-in-home-wiring/

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Legal Aid Antipathy, MoD Worries and Scrutinising Surveillance ...

Welcome back to the UK Human Rights Roundup, your regular grape and strawberry?fondu?of human rights news. The full list of links can be found here. You can also find our table of human rights cases here and previous roundups here. Links compiled by Adam Wagner, post by Sarina Kidd.

This week, important figures criticise the legal aid reforms, the MoD may have to watch their back, surveillance activities threaten to challenge a number of laws and secret ?justice? is slammed once again.

Supreme Success for UKHRB rounder-upper

Daniel Isenberg (the other contributor of the UKHRB roundup)?has won the 2013?UK Supreme Court Blog essay competition. In his essay he discusses dissent and collegiality amongst Supreme Court judges. The first runner up, Michael Green, writes about the place of dissent in the future of common law.

Legal Aid and strong dissent

This week, the President of the Supreme Court weighed in on the Legal Aid debate. Lord Neuberger is concerned that a new legal aid regime with a costs structure, ?will drive out the best lawyers ? because good lawyers save money. Jim Duffy ?discusses this move further?on UKHRB.

Another notable weigh in has come from the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC. After failing to express support for the reforms when responding to a letter of protest sent by 145 specially appointed Government lawyers, Mr Grieve stated that the ?policy in this area is owned by the Lord Chancellor and not me? and that ?I will endeavour to ensure, as far as I can, that the decision he reaches in due course is a fully informed one?.?Jack of Kent describes such a response as ?astonishing stuff? and notes that ?it would seem that the Lord Chancellor cannot convince even the government?s own senior law officer of the merits of the criminal legal aid proposals?. More coverage in the Independent and Mail on Sunday, which also reports on Nick Clegg?s intervention.

Meanwhile, Mark Elliot, at Public Law for Everyone, briefly looks at three Legal Aid developments, including that of the Attorney-General?s response.

Highly recommended: Ilegality has ?compiled a list of personal blogger responses to the reforms, which date from the 9 April 2013.

Ministry of Defence to watch their back

In a landmark Supreme Court decision, it has been decided that families of soldiers killed in Iraq can pursue damages against the government. The judges ruled that families could make damages claims under human rights legislation and sue for negligence. BBC legal affairs correspondent, Clive Colman, describes the ruling as a ?major shift? which could now lead to more claims being made against the MoD.

Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, argues that the decision will cause military chiefs to live in fear of being sued. It seems that he is also considering a revocation and that the decision ?strengthens the case for Britain quitting the ECHR?.

The ruling came about after the human rights court ruled that jurisdiction can exist whenever a state exercises authority and control over an individual, therefore allowing the Supreme Court to overturn a previous decision. Joshua Rozenberg notes that ?this is an important advance in the law but one that can be seen as the logical extension on British service personnel abroad to respect both English law and international humanitarian law?.

See the UKHRB posts here and here.

Surveillance Concerns

In an excellent Guardian article, Anya Proops of 11KBW?discusses the legal repercussions of the recent revelations on the NSA?s PRISM surveillance program. She notes that an interference with privacy rights will not be lawful for Article 8 (right to privacy and family life) purposes if it is disproportionate, that is, ?the state cannot lawfully use a surveillance sledgehammer to crack a small albeit socially offensive nut.? She also discusses how NSA machinations will interact with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 and concludes that if we fail to properly survey the state?s burgeoning state activities there will be a ?loss of personal liberty in the face of an increasingly data bloated and overweening state.?

The Guardian also?reports that senior figures inside British intelligence have been alarmed by GCHQ?s secret decision to tap into transatlantic cables in order to engage in the bulk interception of phone calls and internet traffic. Defenders have insisted that the programme heavily filters the mass of data so that only that relating to legitimate targets is analysed, but Nick Davies explains that there are doubts about the effectiveness of this. First, according to a UK source, ?written definitions for targeting are very elastic They are wide open to interpretation? and that ?there is further room for interpretation when human analysts become involved in using the filtered intelligence to produce what are known as ?contact chains?. Further, if the wrong government comes into power, abuse could follow due to the lack of independent scrutiny.

Abu Qatada finally off?

The King of Jordan has endorsed a treaty with the UK, which has subsequently been passed by the British Parliament. Once it receives Royal Assent, this should mean that the cleric, Abu Qatada, will leave ?for Jordan. Abu Qatada has indicated that he will not challenge deportation if the treaty is passed because the document guarantees him a fair trial. The Home Office has revealed that the 8 year legal fight to deport the cleric has cost taxpayers more than ?1.7m so far.

Secret ?Justice?

A decision by the Supreme Court to quash a HM Treasury Order has a number of interesting implications. In 2009, the Treasury made an Order, pursuant to the Counter Terrorism Act 2008, that all persons operating in the financial sector should not ?enter into, or?continue to participate in, any transaction or business relationship? with Bank Mellat, which shut down the bank?s UK operations. Judges have criticised the Government for not substantiating the need for a closed hearing in, with Lord Hope stating that by permitting a closed hearing without express Parliamentary approval the majority have ?crossed the Rubicon? and that ?secret justice at this level is not really justice at all?.

The Court?s reasoning also goes further than the European Courts in sanctions cases, and there are interesting dissents on various issues such as whether the statutory scheme displaces common law fairness and whether the reasons were disproportionate.

The UKHRB also has two posts on this matter here and here.

In other News

• BBC 4?has initiated the ?Neuberger experiment??in which the President, with the help of law students at Durham University, attempt to discover whether male and female judges really do judge differently. This is in response to the criticisms over the fact that there are 12 judges in the Supreme Court but only one, Lady Hale, is a woman.
• Dimitrina Petrova?discusses how the recent?Eremia?decision?as an important milestone in domestic violence jurisprudence . She explains, for example, how Article 14 ECHR has moved forward and further away from a ?formal equality? approach, and in the direction of recognising what she describes as ?institutional sexism?.
• The DPP, Keir Starmer QC,?has published?final guidelines for prosecutors on the approach that should be taken in cases involving communications sent via social media.

Case Comments

• Eutopia Law discusses how the recent CJEU ruling in ZZ v SSHD is to be welcomed ?for a clear steer to States as to the scope of disclosure in cases involving national security.? The court had been asked to consider the provisions for non- disclosure to appellants facing deportation contained in the procedural rules which govern the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in light of EU law.
• The recent case of Nencheva and Others v Bulgaria rules that Bulgaria, in the mid 90s, breached Article 2 (right to life) in their treatment of 15 physically and mentally disabled young people.. The victims, who lived in a care home, died from the effects of the cold and shortages of food, medicines and basic necessities. The manager of the home had tried several times to alert the public institutions that funded the home to no avail.Over at the European Courts blogspot, this case is discussed along with a number of other recent cases. One is that of Gun and Others v Turkey, in which the applicants complained of the sentence and fine imposed on each of them for taking part in an illegal demonstration to mark the anniversary of the arrest of the head of the PKK terrorist organisation.

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New IRS chief: Inappropriate screening was broader

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The head of the Internal Revenue Service says inappropriate screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status was broader and lasted longer than was previously disclosed.

Danny Werfel told reporters Monday that after becoming acting IRS chief last month, he discovered inappropriate and wide-ranging criteria in lists screeners use to single out groups for careful examinations. He did not specify what terms were on the lists.

Werfel's comments suggest the IRS may have been targeting groups other than tea party and other conservative organizations for tough examinations to see if they qualify. The agency has been under fire since last month for targeting those groups.

Werfel said he has suspended use of those lists. Investigators have previously said agency officials abolished targeting of conservative groups in those lists in May 2012.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/irs-chief-inappropriate-screening-broader-191736127.html

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Hillary Clinton would like to see a woman U.S. president

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton has fed speculation that she might run for the White House in 2016 by telling an audience in Canada that she would like to see a woman president in the United States in her lifetime.

"Let me say this, hypothetically speaking, I really do hope that we have a woman president in my lifetime," Clinton told a private audience in Toronto. "And whether it's next time or the next time after that, it really depends on women stepping up and subjecting themselves to the political process, which is very difficult."

Clinton, a Democrat who was secretary of state under President Barack Obama, a former senator from New York and is the wife of former President Bill Clinton, is said to be undecided whether to seek the presidency in 2016.

Many Democrats and Republicans in the United States are expecting her to run, although the 65-year-old Clinton has said she needed to rest after four years as a globe-trotting secretary of state.

Polls have indicated she is far and away the most popular potential Democratic candidate for 2016, and that most Americans would prefer her to several possible Republican contenders.

Clinton picked up an endorsement on Tuesday from Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, who announced she is supporting a group encouraging Clinton to run for the White House.

McCaskill, who backed Obama over Clinton in the Democratic primaries in 2008, became the first member of Congress to announce her support for Clinton.

She praised the political action committee called Ready for Hillary for using the Internet to build support in the hope that Clinton will run.

Last week Clinton started her official Twitter account, describing herself as, among other things, a "wife, mom, lawyer, women & kids advocate." She alluded to her future as "TBD" - to be determined.

In her speech in Toronto, delivered on Thursday and posted on YouTube on Friday, Clinton said electing a woman president would "would send exactly the right historic signal to girls, women as well as boys and men. And I will certainly vote for the right woman to be president."

(Reporting By Steve Holland; editing by Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hillary-clinton-see-woman-u-president-205335237.html

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AT&T cuts smartphone prices in half, jumps on the discount bandwagon

If you're looking for a new smartphone, this is apparently the weekend to go shopping. Following Radio Shack's promise to chip in a $100 Google Play credit with purchase an HTC One and Walmart's deep iPhone discounts, AT&T has quietly tacked on a 50% discount for phones under $199. This puts devices like the HTC One, Samsung's Galaxy S4 (and the S4 Active), the Note II, both of BlackBerry's latest handsets and iPhone 5 at an enticing $100. Naturally, Ma Bell has attached the usual hooks: the deal necessitates a new 2-year agreement or contract renewal, and in-store purchases require a trade-in device to activate the discount. Not a bad deal if you're hankering for new hardware -- just make sure you don't walk away with buyer's remorse.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, AT&T

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WikiLeaks: Snowden going to Ecuador to seek asylum

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

FILE - In this June 21, 2013 file photo, a banner supporting Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, is displayed at Central, Hong Kong's business district. The Hong Kong government says Snowden wanted by the U.S. for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has left for a "third country." The South China Morning Post reported Sunday, June 23, 2013 that Snowden was on a plane for Moscow, but that Russia was not his final destination. Snowden has talked of seeking asylum in Iceland. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Admitted leaker Edward Snowden circled the globe in evasion of U.S. authorities on Sunday, seeking asylum in Ecuador and leaving the Obama administration scrambling to determine its next step in what became a game of diplomatic cat-and-mouse.

The former National Security Agency contractor and CIA technician fled Hong Kong and arrived at the Moscow airport, where he planned to spend the night before boarding an Aeroflot flight to Cuba. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government received an asylum request from Snowden, and the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said they would help him.

"He goes to the very countries that have, at best, very tense relationships with the United States and do not value press freedoms whatsoever," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., adding that she feared Snowden would trade more U.S. secrets for asylum.

"This is not going to play out well for the national security interests of the United States," she added.

The move left the U.S. with limited options as Snowden's itinerary took him on a tour of what many see as anti-American capitals. Ecuador in particular has rejected the United States' previous efforts at cooperation, and has been helping WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, avoid prosecution by allowing him to stay at its embassy in London.

Snowden helped The Guardian and The Washington Post disclose U.S. surveillance programs that collects vast amounts of phone records and online data in the name of foreign intelligence, but often sweeping up information on American citizens. Officials have the ability to collect phone and Internet information broadly but need a warrant to examine specific cases where they believe terrorism is involved.

Snowden has been in hiding for several weeks in Hong Kong, a former British colony with a high degree of autonomy from mainland China. The United States formally sought Snowden's extradition from Hong Kong but was rebuffed; Hong Kong officials said the U.S. request did not fully comply with their laws.

In a statement, the Justice Department said it would "continue to discuss this matter with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel."

A State Department official said the United States was in touch through diplomatic and law enforcement channels with countries that Snowden could travel through or to, reminding them that Snowden is wanted on criminal charges and reiterating Washington's position that Snowden should only be permitted to travel back to the U.S.

The White House would only say that President Barack Obama had been briefed on the developments by his national security advisers.

Russia's state ITAR-Tass news agency and Interfax cited an unnamed Aeroflot airline official as saying Snowden was on the plane that landed Sunday afternoon in Moscow. The report said he intended to fly to Cuba on Monday and then on to Caracas, Venezuela.

U.S. lawmakers scoffed, and warned that all countries helping Snowden to evade trial were hurting their relationship with the U.S.

"The freedom trail is not exactly China-Russia-Cuba-Venezuela, so I hope we'll chase him to the ends of the earth, bring him to justice and let the Russians know there'll be consequences if they harbor this guy," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

Upon his arrival, Snowden did not leave Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. One explanation could be that he wasn't allowed; a U.S. official said Snowden's passport had been revoked, and that special permission from Russian authorities would have been needed.

"It's almost hopeless unless we find some ways to lean on them," said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.

With each suspected flight, efforts to secure Snowden's return to the United States appeared more complicated if not impossible. The United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, but does with Cuba, Venezuela and Ecuador. Even with an extradition agreement though, any country could give Snowden a political exemption.

"As we have seen of late, I think 10 percent of Snowden's issues are now legal, and 90 percent political," said Douglas McNabb, an expert in international extradition and a senior principle at international criminal defense firm McNabb Associates.

The likelihood that any of these countries would stop Snowden from traveling on to Ecuador seemed unlikely. While diplomatic tensions have thawed in recent years, Cuba and the United States are hardly allies after a half century of distrust.

Venezuela, too, could prove difficult. Former President Hugo Chavez was a sworn enemy of the United States and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, earlier this year called Obama "grand chief of devils." The two countries do not exchange ambassadors.

U.S. pressure on Caracas also might be problematic given its energy exports. The U.S. Energy Information Agency reports Venezuela sent the United States 900,000 barrels of crude oil each day in 2012, making it the fourth-largest foreign source of U.S. oil.

Assange's lawyer, Michael Ratner, said Snowden's options aren't numerous though.

"You have to have a country that's going to stand up to the United States," Ratner said. "You're not talking about a huge range of countries here."

That is perhaps why Snowden first stopped in Russia, a nation with complicated relations with Washington. U.S. lawmakers warned those relations would grow more perilous if Moscow does not cooperate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is "aiding and abetting Snowden's escape," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

"Allies are supposed to treat each other in decent ways, and Putin always seems almost eager to put a finger in the eye of the United States," Schumer said. "That's not how allies should treat one another, and I think it will have serious consequences for the United States-Russia relationship."

It also wasn't clear Snowden was finished with disclosing highly classified information.

"I am very worried about what else he has," said Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a California Democrat who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she had been told Snowden had perhaps more than 200 sensitive documents.

Ros-Lehtinen and King spoke with CNN. Graham spoke to "Fox News Sunday." Schumer was on CNN's "State of the Union." Sanchez appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press." Feinstein was on CBS' "Face the Nation."

___

Associated Press White House Correspondent Julie Pace and Associated Press writers Matthew V. Lee and Frederic J. Frommer in Washington, Lynn Berry in Moscow, Kevin Chan in Hong Kong and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.

___

Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-23-NSA-Surveillance-Snowden/id-f5aa805d79c94ffea3678ee3856c69e2

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Family seeks answers in death near Hernandez home

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez drives from his home late Thursday morning, June 20, 2013, in North Attleborough, Mass. Hernandez had a connection to homicide victim Odin Lloyd, of Boston, whose body was found in an industrial park near the athlete's home. Family and officials were mum on the nature of their relationship Thursday, two days after police visited Hernandez' home. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGAZINES OUT.

New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez drives from his home late Thursday morning, June 20, 2013, in North Attleborough, Mass. Hernandez had a connection to homicide victim Odin Lloyd, of Boston, whose body was found in an industrial park near the athlete's home. Family and officials were mum on the nature of their relationship Thursday, two days after police visited Hernandez' home. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGAZINES OUT.

Massachusetts State Police dig for evidence Thursday, June 20, 2013, at the sight in an industrial park in North Attleborough, Mass., where the body of Odin Lloyd, of Boston, was found earlier this week. New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had a connection Lloyd, but family and officials were mum on the nature of their relationship Thursday, two days after police visited Hernandez' home. (AP Photo/The Sun Chronicle, Mark Stockwell) MANDATORY CREDIT. MAGAZINES OUT.

FILE - In this May 29, 2013, file photo, New England Patriots' Aaron Hernandez kneels on the field during NFL football practice in Foxborough, Mass. Hernandez is being sued in South Florida by a man claiming Hernandez shot him in the face after an argument at a strip club. The lawsuit comes as police in New England investigate Hernandez's possible connection to the death of a semipro player. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

BOSTON (AP) ? At least one company yanked an endorsement deal from New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Friday as puzzled family members of a friend found slain a mile from Hernandez's home sought answers about how he died.

Police have searched in and around Hernandez's sprawling home in North Attleborough, not far from where the Patriots practice, but a court clerk said that as of Friday afternoon no arrest warrants had been issued in the case. The Bristol County district attorney has not released any information, other than saying the death of semi-pro football player Odin Lloyd was being treated as a homicide.

A jogger found Lloyd's body in an industrial park Monday. Family members said Friday that Lloyd had been dating Hernandez's fiancee's sister for about two years. They said the two men were friends who were together the night Lloyd died.

Police in nearby Providence, R.I., said they had assisted Massachusetts state police and North Attleborough police with activity related to the Hernandez investigation at a strip club named Club Desire. It was unclear if they believed Lloyd and Hernandez might have been at the club in the days before Lloyd died. A reporter was escorted out of the club Friday afternoon before she could speak with employees or patrons.

Family members have said Lloyd, 27, was never in trouble.

"I want the person that killed my son to be brought to justice," said Lloyd's mother, Ursula Ward. "That's my first-born child, my only boy child, and they took him away from me. ... I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world. And if money could bring him back I would give this house up to bring my son back. Nothing can bring my son back."

Family members said they had heard from Lloyd's girlfriend but not from Hernandez after Lloyd's death. They are anxiously awaiting an arrest in the case.

"We're just hoping for justice," cousin Marsha Martin said. "We don't want Odin to have died in vain."

Hernandez's attorney Michael Fee has acknowledged media reports about the state police search of his Hernandez's home but said he wouldn't have any comment on it.

Attleboro District Court clerk magistrate Mark E. Sturdy said three search warrants were issued in the investigation earlier in the week but have not been returned, meaning they're not public. He said no arrest warrants had been filed in state courts by the time court closed at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Hernandez was gone from his home for most of the day Friday, including when two state police officers knocked on his door. He returned home with his attorney around 5 p.m.

Patriots spokesman Stacey James has said the team does not anticipate commenting publicly during the police investigation. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was waiting for the legal process to take its course.

CytoSport, a Benicia, Calif.-based company that makes Muscle Milk and other supplements for athletes, said Friday it was ending Hernandez's endorsement contract, effective immediately, because of the investigation.

The Patriots drafted Hernandez out of Florida in 2010. Since then, he has combined with Rob Gronkowski to form one of the top tight end duos in the NFL. He missed 10 games last season with an ankle injury and had shoulder surgery in April but is expected to be ready for training camp. Last summer, the Patriots gave him a five-year contract worth $40 million.

Hernandez said after he was drafted that he had failed a drug test while with the Gators and had been upfront with NFL teams about the issue.

Earlier this week, a man filed a lawsuit in South Florida claiming Hernandez shot him in the face after they argued at a strip club there.

Alexander Bradley's lawsuit accuses Hernandez of negligence, among other things, suggesting that the shooting may have been accidental. Bradley said he lost his right eye and suffers many other lingering effects from the shooting.

A spokeswoman for the Palm Beach County sheriff's office said Friday that investigators would need to speak with Bradley to move forward with a criminal investigation and cannot rely on the claims he made in his lawsuit. The spokeswoman, Teri Barbera, said Bradley repeatedly refused to cooperate in the criminal probe after he was shot in February, telling detectives he didn't know who shot him.

Hernandez's attorney did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

___

Associated Press writers Curt Anderson in Miami, Michelle R. Smith in Attleboro, Rodrique Ngowi in Boston and Erika Niedowski in Providence, R.I., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-21-Hernandez-Police/id-629bc2838f7b477f80c6a8f512671692

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EU finance ministers fail to agree on bank rules

Netherlands' Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, left, talks with France's Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, right, and Sweden's Finance Minister Anders Borg during a European finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Netherlands' Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, left, talks with France's Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici, right, and Sweden's Finance Minister Anders Borg during a European finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Germany's Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble arrives for a European finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble, left, talks with his French counterpart Pierre Moscovici during a European finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Ireland's Finance Minister Michael Noonan, left, talks with Denmark's Economy Minister Margrethe Vestager during a European finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

LUXEMBOURG (AP) ? European Union finance ministers negotiating almost around the clock broke up unsuccessful talks on Saturday on how to downsize or close banks without letting taxpayers foot the bill and faced a danger that the divisive issue could undermine trust in Europe's ability to stabilize its financial system.

Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan said that the negotiations he chairs would need another "full meeting" next Wednesday to bridge fundamental differences between the 27 member nations and warned "there is no guarantee it will reach conclusion."

Despite 19 hours of intricate negotiations, several ministers hinted at the prolonged impasse between the members of the 17-nation eurozone and the EU's ten other members like Britain that are not part of the currency union.

"It is principally an issue of the non-euro and the euro" nations, Noonan said.

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici voiced confidence that ministers will be able to broker a deal at the emergency meeting which comes only hours ahead of a summit of EU leaders to assess the brittle financial state of the union.

"I have no doubt we will reach a deal," Moscovici said.

An agreement on the rules would have been an important step to stabilizing Europe's financial system and establish a so-called banking union, which aims to give the supervision and rescue of banks to European institutions rather than leaving weaker member states to fend for themselves. It is a key part of the EU plans to restore financial and economic stability to the region.

The ministers at their meeting in Luxembourg sought to decide on new rules determining the order in which investors and creditors would have to pay for bank restructurings. A key stumbling block was who to hit hardest: Should losses be limited to banks' shareholders and creditors, or should small companies and ordinary savers holding uninsured deposits worth more than 100,000 euros ($132,000) also be included?

The most controversial issue, however, proved to be how much leeway member states should be granted in making decisions on winding down banks. Some countries like Britain don't want to be bound by rigid European rules. Other nations warned that too much flexibility would create new imbalances between the bloc's weaker and stronger economies and destroy the project of establishing a single set of rules that creates certainty for investors and restores trust in the financial system.

Moscovici said "90 percent of the work" was done, although France and others were still pushing for greater flexibility.

The ministers had vowed to resolve the issue by the end of June, thus the agreement on Wednesday's emergency meeting. Noonan however said the issue could spill beyond that, when Lithuania will take over the chairmanship of EU meetings.

Once the ministers finalize the legislation, they will then start negotiating the legislation with the European Parliament.

In addition to how much capital a bank must hold, the new European rules would also establish a minimum level of funds ? be it capital, bonds, or deposits ? that banks must have on their books to ensure that there's always enough privately held assets on which losses can be forced, thus shielding taxpayers from the burden of propping up the bank.

Following the 2008-2009 financial crisis, countries like Ireland, Britain and Germany each had to pump dozens of billions of fresh capital into ailing banks to avoid the financial system from collapsing.

Europe has already had to deal with problems involved in restructuring banks this year. Cyprus had to seek a rescue loan after it could no longer shoulder the cost of bailing out its banks.

An initial agreement with the island's European creditors and the International Monetary Fund sparked market fears since it exposed small savers with deposits under the 100,000 euro guarantee to losses.

The deal was rapidly overhauled, but holders of large deposits in some banks were forced to take harsh losses.

In the U.S., the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s rules specify that deposits larger than $250,000 might have to take losses in case of bank failures, but Europe still lacks a common rule.

The new rules being discussed Friday will also foresee the establishment of national bank restructuring funds, which will eventually be merged into a European resolution authority, one of three planned parts of Europe's banking union.

Another part will be centralized oversight of big banks anchored at the European Central Bank due to be operational next year. But the discussion on the third section, a jointly guaranteed deposit insurance, is only in its early stages.

"The banking union is built brick by brick," Moscovici said Friday.

At their meeting, the finance ministers also rubber-stamped a seven-year extension of maturities on the bailout loans for Portugal and Ireland, granting the countries more financial leeway.

On Thursday, the finance ministers of the 17 EU countries that use the euro agreed on broad guidelines on how to use the bloc's permanent bailout fund to inject fresh capital into ailing banks as a means of last resort to keep banks from failing.

Enabling the 500 billion euro ($670 billion) rescue fund to shore up struggling banks directly is another long-promised building brick of the banking union.

___

Follow Juergen Baetz on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jbaetz

Follow Raf Casert on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rcasert

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-21-Europe-Financial%20Crisis/id-2e033074d17b4152a22c3ba1e7e267d5

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