Dodge Engines Now Added for Sale Online by UsedEnginesSale.com

Dodge engines are now added online for sale at UsedEnginesSale.com. This company has recently launched its website and has added these Chrysler based motors for sale to the public and to the trade industry.

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
UsedEnginesSale.com announces the acquisition and sale of the Dodge engines series online. This measure is designed to offer more selections in the preowned secondary market. More information can be found at

http://www.usedenginessale.com/dodge/dodge-ram-engines.
These motors have been acquired through reputable sources and are offered in preowned condition to vehicle owners and those representing companies. This new inventory is inspected before sale is made to assure buyers of the quality before installation is made.
Chrysler produces the Dodge series as well as the Ram, Durango and other brands that have sold millions of units in the U.S. This line of vehicles represents one of the most successful automakers and the used units that are now in stock are OEM editions. This means that these are genuine motors and not crate rebuilds. This inventory addition is designed to provide Chrysler produced variants to the public.
The launch of the company website has helped bring more selections to buyers that live in areas of the country that has shortages of preowned motors. The range of units that are now in stock include the Dodge series as well as the Ford, Chevrolet and Jeep editions that are equally popular.
The late 2012 launch of the company website online is designed to help position this company for more direct sales in 2012. The news announcement for launch can be found at this link http://www.prweb.com/releases/used-engines/used-engines-for-sale/prweb10232069.htm.
A new shipping policy has been enacted to go along with the launch online. Instead of billing customers for freight charges, a no cost policy is now offered to those that place orders online or by phone. This removal of freight charges is designed to boost sales and to help reduce the final selling price of the motors that are in stock. This no cost policy is applicable only to the 48 continental states.
About Used Engines Sale Company
The Used Engines Sale Company launched in 2012 to provide more variety in the preowned motors market for buyers online and offline. By adding domestic and foreign editions for sale, this company is now able to reach more car owners, mechanics and others that replace various types of a used motor. The Used Engines Sale Company has enabled its low pricing structure to help lower that cost of engine replacements. This company is staffed by experienced auto industry professionals that work daily to assure customer confidence in the inventory that is shipped inside the United States.

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Matt Lechner and Cliff Fiering Open Outsource Office in Atlanta

Outsource looks to start 2013 strong, announcing the opening of its latest office in Atlanta, GA. Outsource is one of the leading companies in network cabling staffing, and this newest branch is being headed up by Matt Lechner and Cliff Fiering, who both relocated to Atlanta to spearhead the new effort.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
Outsource looks to start 2013 strong, announcing the opening of its latest office in Atlanta, GA. Outsource is one of the leading companies in network cabling staffing, and this newest branch is being headed up by Matt Lechner and Cliff Fiering, who both relocated to Atlanta to spearhead the new effort.
This will be the 17th office location for Outsource, and more are on the horizon. Los Angeles houses Outsource's headquarters, but there are offices spread all across the country -- in Arizona, Boston, Chicago, Texas, Washington, and more. The newest additions in Oklahoma City and Atlanta are already making business connections and finding placements for companies in their areas. Outsource has been providing structured cabling and systems integration staff since 1998 and is one of the most highly regarded companies in its field.
Lechner and Fiering are top associates who will make the Atlanta office another valuable Outsource location. Lechner has been with Outsource for several years and has no intention of leaving. He said he “looks forward to growing with the company" and that he's "with Outsource for the long haul." Fiering has a degree from Virginia Tech in Market Management and has worked as a recruiter for the past few years. He joined Outsource a little over a year ago and has proved to be exceptionally talented at finding security and fire technicians.
Outsource is a premier staffing organization specializing in supplying skilled Audiovisual, Automation, and Building Technologies technicians. They also offer staff trained in Data Center maintenance, Electrical, Solar, Telecommunications, and Wiring Installation. Technicians provided by Outsource will always be reliable and experienced, with over 80% field tested by the company. The majority of Outsource installers have already been on payroll for about 800 hours, which means that they have worked with a number of other clients and received promising reviews.
Working with more than 400 clients every year, Outsource is keeping busy and has a promising future ahead. In the last year alone, Outsource placed 7000 personnel and helped their client companies to hire 1500 new employees. Outsource also does business with every nationwide Structured Cabling Contractor and every major Systems Integrator in the U.S. Atlanta is the latest in many expansions to come for this quickly growing company.

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How to Rent Your First Home Guide Published Online by Peace of Mind Rental Homes

How to rent your first home guide is now published online by Peace of Mind Rental Homes. This property management company has released this information to help new renters learn the basics of renting a house for the first time.

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
Peace of Mind Rental Homes has released a new how to rent your first home guide online. This published guide offers a tutorial for a new renter that is transitioning from apartment or condominium style living. This guide offers information to help first timers to understand the rental process and how to overcome obstacles. More information can be found at http://www.forrentjacksonville.com/how-to-rent-your-first-home.
College students are among the largest demographic of people to live on their own according to university research. Those that choose to live without a roommate must go through the process of selecting a suitable living space as well as handling the lease contract.
The published guide now available introduces these types of renters to what it is like to rent houses instead of other housing styles.
A recent update to the Peace of Mind Rental Homes company website has made it possible to search all available properties. A new search tool has been included online that takes away many of the questions that are asked at a showing. The addition of brand new property photos, complete monthly rent information and other information is now offered online using the new search tool.
The in-person showings that normally require scheduling in advance have also been updated. A new virtual showings form has been added to help those interested in viewing a property. This form now makes it possible to view any available home for rent in 15 minutes. This measure has eliminated the delays that can happen when setting up a showing for an available rental home.
Individuals and families that want to take advantage of these new services can visit the redesigned company website at http://www.forrentjacksonville.com and search the available properties.
About Peace of Mind Rental Homes
The Peace of Mind Rental Homes company is an expert property management firm that owns and operates more than 100 properties in the Jacksonville, FL area. As one of the fastest growing companies in the area, this company offers no credit check applications for those that search for immediate vacancies. The 2012 relaunch of the Peace of Mind Rental Homes company website has made it easier for men and women to search for available properties. With lower than average rent prices and a team of experts, this company is expected to continue its growth into 2013.

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Mobile Marketing for Businesses Guide Published Online by Marketer's Black Book

Mobile marketing for businesses guide has been published online by Marketer's Black Book. This new guide is designed to offer an introduction into this way to market as a business owner and resources are provided to provide a quick start method.

Sacramento, California (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
Marketer's Black Book has published a new mobile marketing guide for businesses online. This guide is offered for no cost and provides an introduction into this marketing method. Companies that have not explored app creation, distribution and monetizing strategies could benefit from accessing this new guide. More information can be found online at http://marketersblackbook.com/mobile/why-mobile.
Traditional ways to market products and services include radio, television and print advertising. These methods have been used for decades to reach paying consumers that help to build brands.
While these strategies work well when used correctly, the growing amount of users in the mobile industry has changed the way that some companies are reaching out to consumers offline and online.
A brand new YouTube channel has been launched to provide an additional resource from this company at http://www.youtube.com/marketersblackbook.
The new guide published online explores the growth in the cell phone industry and how business has changed in the past decade. The development and distribution of applications that are packaged or downloaded for cell phone usage is one area that is covered in this new guide. A business owner, entrepreneur or website owner that has not used these ways to market yet could find these strategies useful.
The MarketersBlackBook.com website offers business training and income generation strategies through online and offline programs. Basic strategies for business expansion are offered entirely online at no cost and more advanced programs can be accessed through in-person seminars or online webinars.
The digital marketing strategies that are taught are expected to be enhanced in the first quarter of 2013. The experts that own and operate MarketersBlackBook.com have been invited to the Traffic and Conversion Summit in San Francisco, CA taking place on January 18th through 21st. A bonus has been put together for companies planning to attend this intensive event. More information can be found here online.
About Marketer's Black Book
Marketer's Black Book offers expert entrepreneur and business strategies to those growing or expanding a business online. The experts that own and operate this company are successful in many industries online and offline. The 2010 creation of the company website has helped it grow into a trusted resource in just 24 months that is trafficked by thousands each week. The Marketer's Black company frequently holds online and offline seminars to help provide the latest strategies that are available to increase income generation methods online.

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GMC Engines for Sale Now Marked Down for Online Orders at EnginesforSale.org

GMC Engines for sale now marked down for online orders at EnginesforSale.org. This group of General Motors engines is now sold at cheaper prices for those that prefer to make purchases online for replacements.

Bridgeport, Connecticut (PRWEB) December 22, 2012
EnginesforSale.org announces the mark down of its GMC engines for sale online. This new move is expected to help those that buy motors for replacement or for resale to the public. The makes and models of this inventory can be ordered online to receive the new discounted pricing. More information about this price reduction can be found at this link http://enginesforsale.org/gmc/used-gmc-engines-for-sale.
The GMC brand of vehicles are part of the best selling pickup truck and SUV line that is produced by General Motors. The Chevrolet series uses many of the same engine types to help build consumer confidence and reliability across each brand.
The Vortec motor series is one of the popular variants and this series is now in stock and eligible for the new reduced pricing online.
Inventory additions have taken place at the company warehouse throughout the year. New partnerships have been reached with distribution companies and wholesalers that supply preowned motors. One of the ways that the EnginesforSale.org company has changed its sale policy is with pre-shipment inspections. Every motor that is ordered and shipped now undergoes a process of inspection mechanically and visually to assure customers of the quality.
The upgrades to the company policies have also resulted in more variety for the various types of brands apart from the GMC series. Nearly all classic and late model brands are now represented in the company inventory to provide one of the largest inventories online for buyers.
The first phase of the expansions that have taken place this year can be accessed in the news release available at http://www.sfgate.com/business/prweb/article/Chevy-Engines-for-Sale-Now-Discounted-Online-by-4126100.php.
These measures are designed to go along with the company policy of no cost shipping when orders are sent inside the 48 continental U.S. states. This shipment policy applies to phone orders and online orders.
About Engines for Sale Company
The Engines for Sale Company provides preowned motors in domestic and foreign builds to the public and to the automotive industry. The 2012 launch online of the company website opened up new markets for consumers to find motors for Ford, Chrysler, Chevy, GMC, Dodge and import editions online. The company expansions have helped to provide more variety for buyers online and offline. The Engines for Sale Company is staffed with auto industry experts that control the acquisition, inspection and shipment process for all engine buyers that use this online resource to purchase replacements.

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Conservation Partners Restore San Dieguito River Habitat

ESCONDIDO, Calif., Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Daily commuters may have noticed exciting activity happening near the San Dieguito River recently. Helicopters have been airlifting out wildfire-burned logs and other debris since September, capping a multi-year effort to restore the river back to health – complete with native vegetation and restored habitat for various wildlife species.
Federal, state and local conservation agencies and partners have pooled their resources to invest nearly $4 million to restore wildfire-burn zones, remove invasive plants, and improve habitat for endangered species. A number of innovative conservation techniques have been incorporated including using helicopters to remove debris so as to not damage an identified Native American archaeological site nearby. 
"Driving past the wildfire damage in 2008 gave me great inspiration to restore this area back to a healthy and productive state," said Shea O'Keefe, biologist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  "Over the next year, we worked together with a number of partners to create a restoration plan and raise funds to complete the necessary work."
Using Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) funding, provided through the 2002 Farm Bill, NRCS was able to invest $650,000 of the total restoration cost, between 2009-2012, to remove invasive arundo plants and wildfire-scorched eucalyptus trees, and eventually re-vegetate sections of the San Dieguito River riparian corridor with native plant species.  This work improved habitat for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and Arroyo Toad, amongst other endangered and common wildlife species.
Large sections of the San Dieguito River riparian corridor, spanning from Julian to Rancho Santa Fe, were damaged in the 2007 Witch Creek Fire. NRCS initially approached the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy organization to identify five project areas that would provide the greatest restoration benefit. Additional partners, including California Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Transportation, San Diego Gas and Electric and the San Diego Joint Power Authority, provided technical and financial assistance to complete work on 500 total acres.

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Premier Organization for Hispanic Business Professionals Announces New Members to the Board of Directors

DALLAS, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) recently announced the election of three new members to their national board of directors: Anthony Lopez, President and General Manager, Medical Solutions, Ansell; Julio Rocha, principal /senior financial advisor, Financial Advisor Group; and Thomas Savino, independent management consultant.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110831/DC60133LOGO)
NSHMBA Chief Executive Officer Manny Gonzalez commented on the new appointments, "I believe that Anthony Lopez, Julio Rocha and Thomas Savino will be significant additions to our board of directors. Through their valuable business experience, definitely our newest board members will make valuable contributions to help us continue our mission to increase the number of Hispanics graduating from master's business degree programs."
Anthony Lopez is President and General Manager of Ansell Medical Solutions, as well as Senior Executive Leader for the Latin America Region for Ansell Industrial, Specialty Markets and Medical Solutions. With more than 30 years of experience, Lopez is recognized as a strategic thinker with a proven record for bringing about positive and empowering change.
Lopez holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College and a M.S. in Engineering Management/Business from the University of Dayton. He is the author of the Legacy Leader series of books.
Julio Rocha is the founder and senior financial advisor at Rocha Financial Group. Rocha has a passion for entrepreneurship and volunteerism and it's evidenced by 13 years of experience as a financial advisor and community leader.
Rocha uses his business development, sales and investment know-how through leadership positions at several community organizations, including the Hispanic Business Council, Orlando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Former Orlando Chapter President and Officer at NSHMBA.
Rocha is a graduate from University of Central Florida with a B.A. in Behavioral Science and a Financial Planning Certificate and holds an MBA from Rollins College.
Thomas Savino is an independent manager consultant at Jersey Coast Properties. With more than 26 years of vast experience in internal consulting and project management in major consulting firms like Mckinsey & Co., New York, NY. Savino is a problem solver who utilizes management, finance, marketing and knowledge management experience. Accomplished in client relationships and complex business process analysis.
Savino graduated from Boston University, BS in Public Relations in 1985 and holds a MBA in Finance from Fordham University in 1994.

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SEIU 32BJ: Luxury Developer Placed on Santa's Naughty List

Santa and Helpers Pay Surprise Visit to Luxury Developer Who Landed on This Year's Naughty List
- Santa Warns TF Cornerstone About Substandard Conditions for Workers at Some of its Luxury Residential Buildings -
NEW YORK, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Santa and his helpers today visited the Park Avenue South headquarters of TF Cornerstone, one of the fastest-growing real estate developers in the city, to warn the company's owners of its landing on this year's "Naughty" list for undercutting area standards for New York's working people. Standing outside Cornerstone's headquarters at 387 Park Avenue South, a costumed Santa and his helpers held aloft a poster-sized sign showing Cornerstone on this year's "Naughty" list.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121220/DC33484)
"Cornerstone charges $5,000 for two-bedroom apartments," said Larry Engelstein, Executive Vice President of 32BJ SEIU, which represents 70,000 building service workers in New York. "It can afford to provide its service workers safety training, retirement security and advancement opportunities that are up to industry standards. That's what's expected in our city, that's what responsible landlords have been paying for decades."
Cornerstone would have to pay just $2 per hour more for its service workers to have the same opportunities, training and retirement security as other building service workers in the city, said Alex Vargas, an organizer for 32BJ.
"That's all, just $2 per hour per worker, and Cornerstone could stop this destructive race to the bottom that is hurting our city's working families," Vargas said.
With 125,000 members in eight states and Washington, D.C., including 70,000 in New York, 32BJ SEIU is the largest union of property service workers in the country and the largest private sector union in the states.

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HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Learning about oral health can be informative and fun at the same time. The Pennsylvania Dental Association's (PDA) website features a section specifically designed for kids, and we encourage you to check it out. The Kids' Corner, www.padental.org/kidscorner , is an excellent resource for children of all ages and features the lovable Topher Tooth. It includes interactive games and activities, information on brushing and flossing, answers to frequently asked questions, nutritional information and more. The Kids' Corner is a valuable resource not just for children, but for parents, teachers and dentists gearing up for National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM) in February. In the Games and Activities section, children will learn how to keep their teeth and gums healthy through a variety of interactive games. Children can explore a dental laboratory, run an experiment to earn a certificate of achievement, test their knowledge of oral health facts on a game show, join Marty on a visit to the dentist and test their memory skills. In the Brushing and Flossing section, Topher Tooth teaches children about the importance of good oral hygiene, how to correctly brush and floss their teeth and how to prevent cavities. In the Nutrition section, Topher Tooth offers children several tips on good nutrition, such as limiting sugary snacks and beverages. Children often have questions about their oral health, such as why they need braces and how they work to straighten teeth. Topher Tooth provides children with answers to frequently asked questions in a language that is easy to understand. PDA's website also contains additional resources for children and parents. PDA encourages you to visit the NCDHM sections for dentists, teachers and students at www.padental.org/ncdhm . Are you a teacher gearing up for NCDHM this February? PDA has free online resources designed to help you educate your students about the importance of good oral health. This year, for the first time, the lesson plan and activity sheets are only available to download at the Teachers' Corner at www.padental.org/teacherscorner. You will be able to get all of the pieces of the lesson plan you've enjoyed over the years, and the colorful classroom posters are still available for you to request via our website. PDA is still sponsoring its annual poster contest for third-grade students. All Pennsylvania third-grade students are eligible to participate in the contest and we are awarding cash prizes to the first, second and third place winners. Visit www.padental.org/ncdhm for the complete list of poster contest rules or for more information on NCDHM.

Policymakers Must Take A Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As January 1 quickly approaches, LeadingAge, a not-for-profit association for aging services providers with more than 6,000 members nationwide, is urging members of Congress to act before the end of the year to prevent automatic spending reductions, known as sequestration.
LeadingAge fully recognizes the seriousness of the federal budget situation and the need to bring the budget back toward a healthy balance between spending and revenues. But if sequestration occurs, a "fiscal cliff" will mean that federal funding for aging services programs will be cut substantially.
According to a report by the Office of Management and Budget, sequestration will have the following impact on aging services:
The report estimates the cut in Section 202 housing funding at 8.2%, amounting to $31 million.
Section 811 housing for people with disabilities would get an 8.2% cut, amounting to $14 million.
The Administration on Aging, which manages Older Americans Act programs, would get an 8.2% cut, amounting to $121 million.
Medicare reimbursement to health care providers will be cut by 2%. These cuts will amount to an $11 billion cut in Medicare spending.
Medicaid is one of the few federal programs that would be exempt from the automatic spending cuts.
The people that LeadingAge serves depend on Medicare, Medicaid, federal affordable housing programs, and Older Americans Act home- and community-based services for essential long-term care, shelter, nutrition and other services that enable them to age with dignity.
Shifting costs from the federal to state governments or from government programs to consumers and health care providers is not the answer to the federal budget dilemma. Policymakers must address the root causes of excessive spending in ways that will effectively reduce its growth.
Additionally, LeadingAge is concerned about proposals to address the fiscal cliff that include restrictions on income tax deductions, including the one for charitable contributions. LeadingAge members rely heavily on private philanthropy to fund the services they provide for elders.
"The federal budget situation is dire and the need for shared sacrifice to address it is clear," says Larry Minnix, president and CEO of LeadingAge. "However, we must not balance the nation's checkbook on the backs of vulnerable seniors.

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Kids' Corner a Valuable Resource for Children's Oral Health

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Learning about oral health can be informative and fun at the same time. The Pennsylvania Dental Association's (PDA) website features a section specifically designed for kids, and we encourage you to check it out. The Kids' Corner, www.padental.org/kidscorner , is an excellent resource for children of all ages and features the lovable Topher Tooth. It includes interactive games and activities, information on brushing and flossing, answers to frequently asked questions, nutritional information and more.
The Kids' Corner is a valuable resource not just for children, but for parents, teachers and dentists gearing up for National Children's Dental Health Month (NCDHM) in February.
In the Games and Activities section, children will learn how to keep their teeth and gums healthy through a variety of interactive games. Children can explore a dental laboratory, run an experiment to earn a certificate of achievement, test their knowledge of oral health facts on a game show, join Marty on a visit to the dentist and test their memory skills.
In the Brushing and Flossing section, Topher Tooth teaches children about the importance of good oral hygiene, how to correctly brush and floss their teeth and how to prevent cavities.
In the Nutrition section, Topher Tooth offers children several tips on good nutrition, such as limiting sugary snacks and beverages. Children often have questions about their oral health, such as why they need braces and how they work to straighten teeth. Topher Tooth provides children with answers to frequently asked questions in a language that is easy to understand.
PDA's website also contains additional resources for children and parents. PDA encourages you to visit the NCDHM sections for dentists, teachers and students at www.padental.org/ncdhm .
Are you a teacher gearing up for NCDHM this February? PDA has free online resources designed to help you educate your students about the importance of good oral health. This year, for the first time, the lesson plan and activity sheets are only available to download at the Teachers' Corner at www.padental.org/teacherscorner. You will be able to get all of the pieces of the lesson plan you've enjoyed over the years, and the colorful classroom posters are still available for you to request via our website.
PDA is still sponsoring its annual poster contest for third-grade students. All Pennsylvania third-grade students are eligible to participate in the contest and we are awarding cash prizes to the first, second and third place winners. Visit www.padental.org/ncdhm for the complete list of poster contest rules or for more information on NCDHM.

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Music, roses at singer Jenni Rivera's memorial

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) — Jenni Rivera's "celestial graduation" was marked by festive music, heartfelt speeches in Spanish and English and passionate chants of "Jen-ni! Jen-ni!"

Rivera's children and famed singers Olga Tanon and Joan Sebastian performed during the nearly 2 ½-hour Christian-themed memorial service Wednesday at the Gibson Amphitheatre, where thousands of fans gathered to salute the "Diva de la Banda" who died in a plane crash Dec. 9.

One fan, Veronika Flores, drove nearly eight hours from her home in Woodland, Calif., near Sacramento, to be united with other fans at the service.

"I just came to say goodbye to a Latina woman, La Gran Senora," she said, invoking the name of one of Rivera's most beloved songs.

Mexican singers Marco Antonio Solis and Ana Gabriel and actors Lou Diamond Phillips and Kate del Castillo were also among the guests at Wednesday's service.

A red casket sat onstage amid a sea of white roses as images of Rivera played on three big screens. Family members embraced and kissed the casket at the conclusion of the service, and thousands of fans lined up to lay more white roses atop it.

While most of the speeches and songs were delivered in Spanish, Rivera's children spoke in English, often directly to their late mother.

"We're not here to mourn the death," said son Michael, 21. "We're here to celebrate the life and graduation of a singer, an entertainer, a diva, a fighter, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and more than anything, a mother — the best mother."

He then called for 27 seconds of silence for the victims of the massacre in Newtown, Conn.

Rivera's youngest child, 11-year-old Johnny, was heartbreakingly poised as he said, "The person that everyone's talking about is my mom."

"Mama, I've been crying so much these last few days. I miss you so much," said the little boy, wearing a red bow tie like many of his family members. "I hope you're taking care of my dad and I hope he's taking care of you, too."

Rivera's second husband, Juan Lopez, died in 2009. The couple divorced in 2003.

Rivera's brothers and sisters spoke lovingly of the singer, calling her "the queen of queens," ''perfectly imperfect" and an "eternal diva." Her father said Rivera's "happiness, smile and care for the public will never be forgotten." He then performed a song he wrote about his daughter, a woman who rose from humble roots to become "la Diva de la Banda."

One of Rivera's brothers said his sister "made it OK for women to be who they are. Jenni also made it OK to be from nothing with the hopes of being something."

The family asked that Latin radio stations play Rivera's song "La Gran Senora" at noon Thursday in her honor.

The service was closed to most media, although a broadcast of the proceedings was made available. A reporter from The Associated Press obtained entry to the venue.

The burial will be private.

Rivera's last album before her death, "La Misma Gran Senora," topped the Latin albums chart this week, selling 27,000 copies — the best sales week for any Latin album this year. Rivera also holds three spots on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Rivera and six other people died Dec. 9 in a northern Mexico plane crash that remains under investigation. Rivera, a mother of five children and grandmother of two, was 43.

Rivera sold more than 15 million copies of her 12 major-label albums. Her soulful singing style and honesty about her tumultuous personal life won her fans on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. She was also an actress and reality TV star.

Born in Los Angeles, Rivera launched her career by selling cassette tapes at flea markets. By the end of the 90s, she won a major-label contract and built a loyal following.

Many of her songs deal with themes of dignity in the face of heartbreak, which Rivera spoke of openly with her fans.

She had recently filed for divorce from her third husband, was once detained at a Mexico City airport with tens of thousands of dollars in cash, and publicly apologized after her brother assaulted a drunken fan who verbally attacked her in 2011.

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Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy welcome a baby boy

NEW YORK (AP) — Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy's "Homeland" just got bigger.

Danes' rep confirms the couple welcomed a baby boy named Cyrus Michael Christopher.

People.com first reported Monday's birth.

It's the first child for 33-year old Danes and 37-year-old Dancy. They were married in 2009.

There's no word yet whether the new mom will attend the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 13. She's nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series for her work on Showtime's "Homeland."

Up next, Dancy stars in NBC's "Hannibal," an adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon.

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$66M Kinkade estate dispute secretly settled

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — After a rancorous public showdown, a secret settlement has been reached in the dispute between Thomas Kinkade's widow and girlfriend over the late artist's multi-million-dollar estate.

The San Jose Mercury News reports Wednesday (http://bit.ly/Wq5kti ) that it's unclear who will inherit Kinkade's Monte Serrano mansion and his warehouse of paintings.

The dispute between his widow Nanette Kinkade and girlfriend Amy Pinto erupted after the 54-year-old artist's death in April.

In a statement, lawyers say the women kept the artist's message of "love, spirituality and optimism" in their amicable resolution.

Pinto began dating Kinkade six months after his marriage of 28 years imploded. The Kinkades were legally separated when he died.

Pinto later produced two disputed handwritten wills that said Kinkade would leave her $10 million and his home.

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Miss USA Olivia Culpo is crowned Miss Universe

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A 20-year-old Boston University sophomore and a self-described "cellist-nerd" brought the Miss Universe crown back to the United States for the first time in more than a decade when she won the televised contest Wednesday.

Olivia Culpo beat out 88 other beauty queens to take the title from Leila Lopes of Angola during the two-hour competition at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Culpo wore a tight navy blue mini-dress with a sequined bodice as she walked on stage for the competition's opening number. Later in the night, she strutted in a purple and blue bikini, and donned a wintery red velvet gown with a plunging neckline.

Culpo's coronation ends a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC. An American had not won the right to be called Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.

Culpo was good enough during preliminary competitions to be chosen as one of 16 semifinalists who moved on to compete in the pageant's finale. Her bid lasted through swimsuit, evening wear, and interview competitions that saw cuts after each round.

She won over the judges, even after tripping slightly during the evening gown competition. Telecasters pointed it out but also noted her poised recovery.

Minutes before the middle child of five was crowned, she was asked whether she had she had ever done something she regretted.

"I'd like to start off by saying that every experience no matter what it is, good or bad, you'll learn from it. That's just life," she said. "But something I've done I've regretted is probably picking on my siblings growing up, because you appreciate them so much more as you grow older."

Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, came in second, while Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third.

All the contestants spent the past two weeks in Sin City, where they posed in hardhats at a hotel groundbreaking, took a painting lesson, and pranked hotel guests by hiding in their rooms.

Culpo was the first Miss USA winner from Rhode Island when she took the national crown in Las Vegas in June.

She grew up in Cranston with two professional musicians for parents and has played the cello alongside world-renowned classical musician Yo-Yo Ma. On her Miss Universe page, she said she hopes to pursue a career in film or television, and cites Audrey Hepburn as a role model because of her "generosity, intelligence and grace."

With Culpo's promotion, Miss Maryland Nana Meriwether becomes the new Miss USA.

The Miss Universe pageant was back in Las Vegas this year after being held in Sao Paulo in 2011. It aired live on NBC and was streamed to more than 100 countries.

Organizers had considered holding the 61st annual Miss Universe in the popular Dominican Republic tourist city of Punta Cana, but Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart said that country's financial crisis proved to be too much of an obstacle.

The panel of 10 judges included singer Cee Lo Green, "Iron Chef" star Masaharu Morimoto and Pablo Sandoval of the San Francisco Giants.

Asked on the red carpet whether he found playing in the World Series or judging the beauty pageant to be more difficult, Sandoval said both were hard.

Sharply dressed women and men, including a large contingent from South America, held banners and cheered on their favorite contestants.

The pageant started as a local revue in Long Beach, Calif., organized by Catalina Swimwear. It is not affiliated with the Miss America pageant and unlike that contest, does not include a talent section.

Contestants in the pageant cannot have been married or have children. They must be younger than 27 and older than 18 by Feb. 1 of the competition year.

As Miss Universe, Culpo will receive an undisclosed salary, a wardrobe fit for a queen, a limitless supply of beauty products, and a luxury apartment in New York City.

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'Breakfast at Tiffany's' added to US film registry

WASHINGTON (AP) — "Breakfast at Tiffany's," ''Dirty Harry" and "A League of Their Own" will be preserved for their enduring significance in American culture by the Library of Congress, along with "A Christmas Story" and some pioneering sports movies.

They are among 25 selections the library is inducting Wednesday into the National Film Registry. Congress created the program in 1989 to preserve films for their cultural or historical significance. The latest additions bring the registry to 600 films that include Hollywood features, documentaries, independent films and early experimental flicks.

The newest movie chosen for preservation is 1999's "The Matrix," noted for its state-of-the-art special effects and computer-generated animation with a style that drew on Hong Kong action films and Japanese anime to change science fiction filmmaking, curators noted.

The oldest film being preserved, "The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Title Fight," dates back 115 years to 1897. Film curators said the boxing movie helped establish the film industry as a successful business, drawing on the sport's popularity and controversy to generate $750,000 in income. Boxing was illegal in many states at the time but had been made legal in Nevada, which hosted the fight. The film, with a running time of about 100 minutes, became the longest movie ever produced at the time, showing the full course of the fight.

Another pioneering sports film, "They Call It Pro Football" from 1967, was chosen for how it changed the way football was portrayed on screen. Before then, football films were mostly highlight reels. National Football League commissioner Pete Rozelle decided the success of the NFL depended on its television image, to capture the struggle of football and not just the end result on the scoreboard.

The Librarian of Congress makes the selections each year after conferring with members of the National Film Preservation Board and receiving public nominations. To be considered, the films must be at least 10 years old.

"These films are not selected as the 'best' American films of all time, but rather as works of enduring importance to American culture," said Librarian of Congress James Billington in announcing the selections. "They reflect who we are as a people and as a nation."

They also include some unforgettable characters.

Audrey Hepburn landed the lead in 1961's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" even though writer Truman Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe for the part. Film critics and the audience decided Capote was wrong and hailed Hepburn's portrayal.

"A League of Their Own" from 1992 received many public nominations for the film registry over the years. With a cast that included Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell, it told the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Numerous public nominations also were received for "Born Yesterday" from 1950 and "A Christmas Story" from 1983. Both were chosen this year. Other Hollywood features on the list include "Anatomy of a Murder" from 1959 and "3:10 to Yuma" from 1957.

Each title named to the registry will be preserved in the library's Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, built partially in a bunker in Culpeper, Va., or through collaborations with other archives or studios.

Documentaries chosen this year include "The Times of Harvey Milk," made in 1984 about San Francisco's first openly gay elected official who was assassinated in 1978, and "Samsara: Death and Rebirth in Cambodia" from 1990 about the struggle to rebuild after Pol Pot's rule.

This year's selections include some firsts in film history. The 1914 film "Uncle Tom's Cabin," based on the anti-slavery novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, had been adapted earlier for movies with white actors in the lead roles. But this version was the first feature-length U.S. film to star a black actor when Sam Lucas was chosen for the part.

The library will also preserve the first "Kodachrome Color Motion Picture Tests" from 1922. The two-color film features leading actresses posing and miming for the camera to demonstrate the new color film. Before then, to show film in color, black and white images either had to be hand-painted or colored with a stenciling process. Inventors, including scientists at Kodak, began experimenting with ways to create true color film.

The Kodachrome test shown at Paragon Studios in New Jersey was the first publicly demonstrated color film that would attract interest from the American film industry. Later Technicolor would become the industry standard.

"Most every major Hollywood film from 1922 through the end of the silent era would have either a Kodachrome color sequence in it or Technicolor color sequence as a way of attracting audience interest," said Pat Loughney, chief of the library's audio visual preservation campus. "It's a technical, historical achievement, but it's important to the progress of inventive work that made motion pictures successful."

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Japan's hawkish Abe claims the win, but not a mandate

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party may have secured a convincing victory on Sunday, but it can hardly claim a mandate.

The vagaries of the Japanese electoral system and the sheer number of party choices on offer left the LDP with about 30 percent of the popular vote, in an election that saw a postwar low turnout of 59.3 percent.

The incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe responded with a dose of humility, conceding that the LDP had simply benefited from widespread anger with the outgoing Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) administration.

"Our victory this time does not mean trust in the LDP has been completely restored,” he said. “Rather, it was a decision by the public that they should put an end to the political stagnation and confusion over the past three years, caused by the DPJ's misguided political leadership.”

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Even with control of two-thirds of the lower house as part of an expected alliance with the much smaller New Komeito Party, analysts say Mr. Abe does not have carte blanche to push his right-wing agenda: revising Japan’s pacifist Constitution to give the military a greater role, higher defense spending, and the development of uninhabited islands at the center of a dispute with China.

“This wasn’t a foreign policy election,” says Robert Dujarric, director of contemporary Asian studies at Temple University. “As in many countries, it was about the economy. “Abe clearly has very hawkish instincts, very conservative ones; but, that said, you are not going to see more money for the military.”

'HAWKISH ABE'

Abe, who will be installed as prime minister on Dec. 26, is known for his strong nationalistic stance. (Read more about Abe's tough line here)

He quickly brought one of the country’s biggest flashpoints with China back to the surface upon election and restated Japan’s claim to the Senkaku islands – known by the Chinese as the Diaoyu. However, he also promised to work “persistently” to improve Sino-Japanese relations.

Though Abe has also angered South Korea by denying that evidence exists for Japan’s use of Asian women as sex slaves before and during the war, Mr. Dujarric believes he will rein in his nationalist tendencies, much as he did when he was prime minister from 2006 to 2007.

“It’s not clear that you will see a dramatically different foreign policy, because the LDP is not united behind Abe’s hawkish stance,” he says. “It’s a very broad church, and includes hawks and people you could almost describe as pacifists.”

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China issued a more measured response to Abe’s victory than might have been expected, given the rancor surrounding the territory scuffle of recent months.

"We think the most pressing issue is that Japan must show sincerity and take practical steps to appropriately deal with the present situation and work hard to resolve the issue and improve relations between the two countries," Hua Chunying, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, told reporters in Beijing.

In the 48 hours since his victory, Abe’s focus has been almost exclusively on Japan’s economy, stagnant for two decades and now in its fourth recession since 2000.

His prescription includes a return to deficit spending on public works, ending deflation, and weakening the yen to help battered exporters.

A verdict on Abe’s first few months in office will come earlier than he would have liked, with upper house elections slated for next summer. If he fails to make progress on his economic pledges and succumbs to his nationalist instincts, the criticism at home could be every bit as harsh as that from Beijing and Seoul.

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NBC's Richard Engel released in Syria, a journalist danger zone

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NBC News Chief Correspondent Richard Engel and three members of his production crew were released safely from captivity last night, five days after being kidnapped in Syria, the news network reports. It is unclear who is responsible for the kidnapping, but the episode highlights the dangerous nature of reporting in war-torn Syria, a country the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) dubbed the deadliest place for journalists this year.

NBC reports that Mr. Engel’s captors have not been identified but are “not believed to be loyal to the Assad regime.” Engel and his team went missing after crossing into Syria from Turkey last week, and there had been no communication with the network – neither requesting ransom nor laying claim for the kidnapping – while the team was in captivity.

After entering Syria, Engel and his team were abducted, tossed into the back of a truck and blindfolded before being transported to an unknown location believed to be near the small town of Ma’arrat Misrin. During their captivity, they were blindfolded and bound, but otherwise not physically harmed, the network said.

Early Monday evening local time, the prisoners were being moved to a new location in a vehicle when their captors ran into a checkpoint manned by members of the Ahrar al-Sham brigade, a Syrian rebel group. There was a confrontation and a firefight ensued. Two of the captors were killed, while an unknown number of others escaped, the network said.

Engel and his team have since re-entered Turkey and say they were unharmed in the incident, NBC reports.

Syria’s conflict began in March 2011 after a government crackdown on protests calling for President Bashar al-Assad to step down. The violence has spiraled into a bloody civil war that has claimed the lives of close to 40,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands of people, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

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But, according to The Wall Street Journal, “the multiplying of militias on both sides of the conflict has quickly and vastly complicated the scenarios for how fighting might end or a political transition may be negotiated, and what may come next after the end of the regime.”

"The civilian militias to come out of this conflict are going to make Hezbollah [in Lebanon] look like a walk in the park," Joseph Holliday, a senior research analyst at the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, told the Journal. Syria is not simply seeing a faceoff between government forces and rebel fighters, but the involvement of Al Qaeda-linked fighters and Iranian militants have also been noted.

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CPJ projects that 2012 will be the deadliest year yet for journalists, with 67 journalist deaths registered through mid-December alone. The high numbers are in large part attributed to the conflict in Syria and how it has impacted local and international journalists trying to report there. Four international journalists were killed in Syria in 2012, but the majority of the 28 journalists killed there this year were local reporters, largely working online.

“This feels like the first YouTube war,” BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Wood told CPJ. “There’s a guy with a machine gun and two guys next to him with camera phones.” Mr. Wood added that local journalists are facing multiple risks. “We’ve seen pro-regime journalists targeted by rebels – it is well known. But opposition journalists say the regime is intent on targeting them as journalists.”

The number of fatalities related to the Syrian conflict approached the worst annual toll recorded during the war in Iraq, where 32 journalists were killed in both 2006 and 2007.

Paul Wood … who covered Iraq and numerous other wars, said the Syrian conflict “is the most difficult one we’ve done.” Bashar al-Assad’s government sought to cut off the flow of information by barring entry to international reporters, forcing Wood and many other international journalists to travel clandestinely into Syria to cover the conflict. “We’ve hidden in vegetable trucks, been chased by Syrian police – things happen when you try to report covertly.”

With international journalists blocked and traditional domestic media under state control, citizen journalists picked up cameras and notepads to document the conflict – and at least 13 of them paid the ultimate price. One, Anas al-Tarsha, was only 17 years old. At least five of the citizen journalists worked for Damascus-based Shaam News Network, whose videos have been used extensively by international news organizations.

Engel is an experienced reporter who reported on the Iraq war in its entirety and has “covered wars, revolutions and political transitions around the world over the last 15 years,” according to NBC. But there are many factors making reporting by inexperienced journalists in high-risk countries like Syria increasingly common today.

In addition to the rise of Internet journalism, there are other factors like “relatively cheap flights to some of the world’s trouble spots” and “shrinking budgets for foreign news” that “have dramatically reduced barriers to entry for would-be foreign correspondents,” reports the BBC.

For organisations working to improve the safety of journalists it’s a cause for increasing concern.

“There’s something of a worrying trend developing,” says Hannah Storm, director of the International News Safety Institute. “I’m hearing it from people that have recently graduated. I’m seeing it on Facebook. And I see it sometimes when I talk to students in universities.

“It feels like now in places like Syria there are more and more people in their early or mid-20s with little or no experience - but with an overriding enthusiasm which makes them want to go out there and make a name for themselves, without taking the realities on board.”

Many of these young reporters are working as freelancers, which can create an additional risk. Freelance reporter Austin Tice has been missing since August when he was kidnapped near Syria’s capital, Damascus. The Monitor reports that the number of journalists kidnapped has gone up, and "with the rise in the number of reporters operating in dangerous places like Syria – and with many parties seeing value in targeting them – many expect the threat to persist,” reports the Monitor. However, while all journalists reporting in conflict zones can expect to face threats, the increasing number of freelancers can make working in places like Syria “particularly acute, as they are often operating without significant institutional backing and experience.”

"More and more of those journalists are freelancers because of the nature of the changing field," El Zein says, referring to the rise in the number of freelancers reporting in dangerous places, traditionally more a world for journalists on the staff of major publications.

"Especially in Syria, the risks are very high for journalists, and a freelancer going in there without any support structure – it can be very risky and daunting."

The Christian Science Monitor’s Tom Peter has been in and out of Syria over the course of the past few months and noted other distinct differences in reporting from Syria compared to other conflict zones in the past. “With Aleppo just a two-hour drive from Kilis [Turkey], many journalists have opted to drive into Syria each morning and return to Turkey to write stories and sleep. Not only is it safer, but electricity and Internet access are a sure thing,” he writes.

The commute made my job of writing and filing stories easier, but it also made for a surreal reporting experience. In one afternoon, I might find myself taking cover as windows blew out around me in a bombing. By that evening, I'd be back in Kilis getting my hair cut in a barbershop where a miscommunication led to an accidental mud facial mask.

I've always thought the hardest part of conflict journalism is the anxiety you feel before and after an assignment. When you're navigating a war, you're too busy to think about the what-ifs. Commuting in and out every day creates one of the strangest cycles of stress and decompression I've ever experienced.

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For Brits, Newtown shooting brings reminders of Dunblane

The massacre at Sandy Hook  elementary school has sent a particular chill down the spines of Britons, particularly those old enough to remember the 1996 massacre of 16 children and their teacher by a lone gunman at a Scottish school.

But while that tragedy catalyzed Britain’s evolution into a country with some of the toughest gun laws in the world, the cultural divide between the US and Britain may prove too wide to help Americans looking across the pond for guidance in the wake of Newtown.

The killings on March 13, 1996, in the town of Dunblane, Scotland, in many ways as close-knit a community as Newtown, spurred a radical overhaul of British gun laws. Subsequent measures introduced by governments of both Conservative and Labour hues culminated in a ban on handguns and automatic weapons, as well as an onerous system of ownership rules involving hours of paperwork, criminal reference checks, and mandatory references designed to reduce as far as possible the likelihood of guns falling in the wrong hands.

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The result has been a success, if figures Britain’s Home Office announced in January are anything to go by. They noted that last year saw the seventh consecutive annual fall in offenses that involved firearms. The 11,227 recorded last year was also a decrease of 13 percent on the previous year, while supporters of gun control have expressed contentment that the murder rate from guns is going in the right direction.

But Britain is not without its gun-control debate, albeit a different one than in the US. Britain’s public, politicians, and law enforcement officials traditionally view firearms very differently to their US counterparts. A Washingtonian notion of an armed civilian populace is absent, while a majority of police are opposed to being routinely armed on duty. The debate is not about balancing individual rights versus public safety, but about how to best tackle crime rooted in poor communities.

“The main problems around gun use here are associated with the development of [black] markets, including the drug market, which require or fall back on some element of violence,” says Roger Grimshaw, research director at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.

Noting that "gun crime" offenders and their victims in the UK are likely to be male; disproportionately from African, Caribbean, and Black British backgrounds; and come from economically deprived communities, Dr. Grimshaw's think tank advocates social and economic solutions – rather than criminal justice ones – to this type of illegal use of firearms.

IMPACT ON KILLING SPREES

As for outbreaks of killing sprees such Dunblane and the question of whether gun laws have made repetitions less likely, Grimshaw points out that such incidents are extremely difficult to predict, adding that there are difficulties in drawing conclusions on the basis of a relatively small number of incidents.

Since Dunblane, the most high-profile episode of a similar nature was a 2010 killing spree by a taxi driver who shot dead 12 people over the course of several hours at different locations in Cumbria, a scenic northwestern English county. A report by British policing's most senior firearms-licensing specialist proposed further restrictions on gun ownership and mandatory liaisons between mental health services before the granting of firearms licenses.

Dereck Bird, the gunman who carried out the killings using a weapon which he legally owned, bore grudges against colleagues and feared he was about to be imprisoned for tax offenses, but had no diagnosed history of mental health problems. In comparison, warnings that Thomas Hamilton, the Dunblane killer, was a danger to children were ignored for many years by the authorities.

Advocates for greater gun control in the UK meanwhile accept that the likelihood of another incident like Dunblane or Cumbria can be never be eliminated, but argue that it is a matter of eliminating the risk where possible.

Gill Marshall-Andrews, chair of the Gun Control Network, says: “If you look at what was happening to this country at the time of Dunblane in 1996, at that time pistol shooting was the fastest growing sport in the UK and we were going down the American road. Since then, gun laws have been tightened and homicides are very, very low.”

SMALLER GUN LOBBY

Still, she asserts that much more can be done to limit the likelihood of gun holders carrying out killings, such as introducing annual checks with doctors, spouses, and the police in relation to alcohol or drug abuse, depression, and domestic violence.

Such measures, for now, are not at the top of the mainstream political agenda, although Ms. Marshall-Andrews suggests that events in the US may have an impact on public opinion.

Politically, British proponents of greater gun control face nothing like a powerful political lobbying organization on a par with the National Rifle Association. Still, criticism of gun control measures introduced over recent decades have come from sportspeople and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, a lobbying organization which has 129,000 members.

It organized shooters to lobby MPs when they debated the possibility of tighter firearms laws in the wake of the Cumbria shootings, and last year welcomed the government's rejection of calls for greater gun control such as the centralized storage of firearms and further restrictions on shotgun licensing.

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In Venezuela, the future of Chavismo is tested

When Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chávez, won a clear victory in presidential elections  in October, it was hardly surprising: The opposition had mounted its strongest campaign ever. But over the course of his 14 years in power, Mr. Chávez  has remained widely popular and been re-elected on four separate occasions – no matter oil prices, world politics, or who is in charge in Washington.

Now, Venezuela is facing the very real possibility that Chávez, who is in Cuba recovering from surgery after being diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer, might have to step down. So the test came yesterday, in the form of regional elections for 23 governors.

Almost all the states during Sunday's election went with the ruling Socialist Party (PSUV). The results are viewed as a litmus test for a future presidential race, if Chávez can no longer run Venezuela. To many, it shows that Chavismo, as Chávez's political and social movement is called, is alive and well.

“There is now evidence that Chavismo can survive without Chávez,” says Miguel Tinker-Salas, a Latin America studies professor at Pomona College and author of several books on Venezuela.

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'NOT JUST ABOUT CHáVEZ'

In 23 state elections yesterday, 20 governorships were won by Chávez allies, while only three went to the opposition, which had previously held eight. Among the biggest losses were opposition stronghold and oil-rich Zulia state, and Tachira state.

Some have surmised that Chávez allies were voted in by Venezuelans as a message of sympathy and support for Chávez the man, but Maria Artiga, a homemaker in one of the poor neighborhoods of Caracas called Petare, says the results show that it’s not just about Chávez.

"Chávez has done so much in los barrios, people want a governor that represents him,” Ms. Artiga says. "I think some people are voting in part to support him while he recovers, but most are voting to support his political program."

The staying power of that political program could be tested very soon. If Chávez is unable to stand for his inauguration on Jan. 10, a new election will be called within 30 days. He has named Vice President Nicolas Maduro as his preferred candidate.

No member of Chávez’s party has the same kind of brand name or popularity as Chávez himself. Carmen Carreño, who works as a messenger for the government, says she supports Mr. Maduro but worries about life post- Chávez, noting levels of corruption among many within the PSUV, especially at the local level.

“If Chávez is around keeping an eye [on things,] things will stay the same,” Ms. Carreño says. “But without Chávez, things will change."

And in the context of a potential new presidential election, yesterday’s race was not an outright loss for the opposition. Maduro would most likely stand against Henrique Capriles, who lost to Chávez in the presidential race in October but crucially retained his position as governor of Miranda state during Sunday's election, boosting morale among his supporters. He beat Elias Jaua, a former vice president.

"I'm extremely happy we at least held on in Miranda. Capriles has now beat two vice presidents, with all the resources and advantages they have,” says Jorge Mellet, a leather salesman, who came to celebrate Capriles’s victory outside of his party headquarters in Caracas. The other vice president he's referring to is current National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello.

However, Mr. Mellet adds, "certainly, losing Zulia and Táchira hurts, we have to revise and improve where we failed."

SINKING ROOTS

It is unclear how these regional elections would translate into a Maduro vs. Capriles stand-off, but analysts see an advantage for the PSUV.

“This is the first time in 14 years Chávez was not actively campaigning for candidates that support his cause,” says Mr. Tinker Salas. “There is a degree of institutionality that we have not seen previously.... The PSUV has sunk enough roots at the regional level that they now have a party apparatus.”

Christopher Sabatini, editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly in New York, also says that the results will favor the PSUV in a national election scenario because of the resources that states in PSUV control now wield. “It gives the PSUV a tremendous amount of political machinery and state access for when a presidential election comes again,” Mr. Sabatini says, in terms of “patronage and ‘get out the vote’ campaigns.”

Others are less clear about what Sunday’s race says for the future of Chavismo.

Eloy Torres, a political analyst at Santa María University in Caracas and a former PSUV administrative diplomat in Cuba and Russia, says he didn’t see a “show of force” by the PSUV because of high abstention rates. Yesterday's election saw about 54 percent of eligible voters turn out to vote, compared with 80 percent for presidential elections in October. This lack of turnout occurred, he says, despite government handouts and vast resources used to help encourage voters.

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After grenade attacks, Kenya wants Somali refugees in camps

After a spate of grenade attacks linked to Somali Islamist militants over the past 14 months, Kenya has ordered all refugees in its urban areas to move to established refugee camps, which the government says is necessary for security but international organizations argue could violate the refugees' rights.

In a Dec. 13 measure seen as uniformly targeting Somali refugees, the government said it was ending urban stays for all refugees inside its border and the mandatory registration of any other refugee who enters the country henceforth. The Kenyan government advised the United Nation High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and other refugee organizations to cease, with immediate effect, the provision of services to all refugees in Kenyan cities and towns, and transfer them to Dadaab and Kakuma camps.

“We bring to an end of refugees living in urban areas. That will be followed by repatriation of the refugees back to Somalia,” Sora Katelo, the acting commissioner of refugee affairs in Kenya’s ministry of immigration, told a news conference on Thursday.

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“Their legal documentation has ceased to function in urban areas. So if they continue staying in urban areas, they will be doing so illegally.”

700,000 REFUGEES IN KENYA

The Somali migrants are required to move to the town of Dadaab, which hosts the world’s largest refugee complex, near the Somali border. The expansive “city of tents” in northeastern Kenya is the home of over 500,000 people who fled war and hunger in their war-torn country.

The over-crowded Dadaab complex of three camps – Ifo, Dagahaley, and Hagadera – also lacks enough services, and experiences serious security issues itself. A string of attacks involving explosives and guns have also occurred there, with the latest taking place on Friday near a voter registration center inside the camp.

International organizations working with refugees have criticized Kenya’s decision as a contradiction to the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

The groups say they have been negotiating with the government since Friday, with UNHCR, the lead agency, saying it hoped the rights of the 700,000 refugees in Kenya, most of whom are from Somalia, will be protected.

Kenya’s refugee policy requires all people migrating into the country live in established camps, but thousands of Somali refugees have been living in the capital, Nairobi, and towns like Garissa in the northeast. The government is believed to have made special exceptions for some to leave the camps in order to attend schools, seek medical attention, or join family members already living in cities across Kenya.

ESCALATING ATTACKS

Government officials say the measure is necessary in order to avoid future violence and attacks, which have recently been on the rise. Officials say they are convinced Somali militants, including some refugees, are involved in the smuggling of explosives and weapons that are being used to attack security officers, civilians, religious centers, and aid workers in Kenya.

“We hope to arrive at a position where the government[’s] concerns are addressed and the rights of the refuges are protected,” says Emmanuel Nyabera, the UNHCR-Kenya spokesperson.

The attacks – which have targeted churches, the police, public transportation, and most recently, a mosque – have escalated since October 2011 when Kenya sent its troops into Somalia. Soon after troops entered the war torn country to pursue Al-Shabab, the Islamist militants threatened retaliatory attacks on Kenyans.

Analysts say the attacks are reminiscent of those enacted by Nigerian Islamist militants, Boko Haram. According to Maalim Mohammed, Garissa county commissioner, Al-Shabaab has offered $8,000 rewards for the killing of any Kenyan security officer.

“The higher the rank, the higher the pay,” Mr. Mohammed told citizens gathered for Independence Day celebrations on Dec. 12 in Garissa.

'URGE KENYA TO RECONSIDER'

In the latest attack, on Sunday, one person suffered injuries after a grenade was hurled from a speeding vehicle at a crowd outside Al-Hidaya Mosque in a Nairobi suburb.

This is the second time an attack has occurred near the mosque in Eastliegh, a suburb known as “Little Mogadishu” because of its large concentration of Somali refugees and Kenyans of the Somali tribe. An Anglican Church was attacked there in September, killing one child.

After a previous attack on the Al-Hidaya Mosque on Dec. 8, the police arrested nearly 600 Somali nationals who were in Nairobi without identification documents. These individuals were nearby when the attack took place and were deemed to be in the country illegally, thus they were treated as suspects in the attack, according to local police.

“It is not every Somali who is involved in the attacks. [The] majority are involved in genuine business, so we urge Kenya to reconsider [their policy] decision. Our children are also going to school here [in towns],” says Ahmed Abdi, a Somali refugee in Nairobi.

This policy comes on the heels of a previous request in September when President Mwai Kibaki appealed to the UN to relocate Somali refugees to areas liberated by African Union troops, providing humanitarian assistance to them while inside their home country of Somalia.

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