France: Ex-head of breast implant firm charged (AP)

MARSEILLE, France ? French authorities have filed preliminary charges against the former head of a now-defunct company accused of supplying potentially faulty breast implants affecting thousands of women.

A judge in the southeastern city of Marseille placed Jean-Claude Mas, the founder and former chief of Poly Implant Prothese, under investigation for "involuntary injury," defense lawyer Yves Haddad said Friday.

The judge's decision to release him on euro100,000 ($130,000) bail caused indignation among women who regard themselves as his victims.

"It's an upteenth insult to the victims that he's still free," Alexandra Blachere, who heads an association of PIP implant recipients, said on BFM-TV.

Mas was arrested Thursday. He was ordered by investigating judge Annaick Le Goff to stay in France and not meet with any other former PIP executives, the lawyer said.

The suspect PIP implants have been removed from the marketplace in several countries in and beyond Europe amid fears that they could rupture and leak silicone into the body.

The preliminary charges mean investigating magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but give them more time to probe to decide whether to recommend it go to trial.

Mas, 72, was arrested at his residence in a Mediterranean coastal resort town as part of a judicial investigation into manslaughter and involuntary injury. PIP's former No. 2, Claude Couty, was also detained.

Police investigators searched the Mas residence and held him for questioning for seven hours before he was transferred to Marseille to meet with the investigating judge.

Mas did not speak to reporters after being released on bail.

"Mr. Mas was finally able to express himself before the judge. He is relieved to have been able to do so," Haddad said. "The magistrate judged that for now there's no reason to charge him for manslaughter because for the moment, there's no sign of evidence of this crime."

"Calm must return to this case," he added.

On the sole charge of involuntary injury, Mas risks a maximum one year in prison if convicted. That isn't sufficient to allow Le Goff to order him held in custody before trial.

In an Oct. 13 transcript of his accounts to investigators in Marseille ? a copy of which was viewed earlier this month by The Associated Press ? Mas claimed the victims were after money.

According to the account, Mas insisted the silicone gel presented no health risk and said the victims "were filing complaints just to receive money ... they are fragile people or people who are only in it for the money."

A lawyer representing some 50 French women said Friday his clients are horrified at the idea that Mas may end up enjoying the Rivera sun.

They "don't see Jean-Claude Mas in a villa, his feet in the water, on the French Riviera," Laurent Gaudon said.

The arrests ended weeks of speculation about whether investigators would be able to assemble enough evidence to detain Mas ? whose location was known to authorities ? or any other possible suspects on legal grounds.

Mas had run PIP until the company was closed in March 2010.

France's Health Safety Agency has said the suspect implants ? just one type of implants made by PIP ? appear to be more rupture-prone than other types. Investigators say PIP sought to save money by using industrial silicone, whose potential health risks are not yet clear.

PIP's website said the company had exported to more than 60 countries and was one of the world's leading implant makers. The silicone-gel implants in question are not sold in the United States.

According to estimates by national authorities, more than 42,000 women in Britain received the implants, more than 30,000 in France, 9,000 in Australia and 4,000 in Italy. Nearly 25,000 of the implants were sold in Brazil.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_france_breast_implants

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Government loses appeal on solar

25 January 2012 Last updated at 08:12 ET

The government has failed in an appeal against a decision which blocked its attempts to reduce solar subsidies.

The Court of Appeal case involved the government's move to halve the payments made to households with solar panels, which it says are unsustainable.

However, the government has said it will seek leave to take the case to the UK's Supreme Court.

Under the feed-in tariffs programme, people in Britain with solar panels are paid for the electricity they generate.

The rulings will not affect households that have installed panels before the changes on 12 December.

Solar businesses and campaigners had warned thousands of jobs could be lost as a result of the proposed tariff cut.

"We want to maximise the number of installations that are possible within the available budget rather than use available money to pay a higher tariff to halve the number of installations," said Energy and Climate Change secretary Chris Huhne.

Employers' group the CBI said the government should abandon its legal battle.

"The judgement should be used to draw a line under this saga, which saw the government scoring a spectacular own goal and confidence in the renewables sector undermined," said director general John Cridland.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Damian Kahya Business reporter, BBC News

---

The latest twist in the legal battle over solar subsidies will leave consumers more confused than ever.

When the government announced that subsidies would be halved from 12 December, it prompted a rush of installations, but not everyone beat the deadline.

However, that cut has now been declared unlawful by two courts.

It means consumers may still be able to get the higher rate on installations finished since 12 December, at least until the government's new cut-off period of 3 March.

With the 43p tariff one of the most generous in the world, many may be tempted to take a punt.

But with legal action now moving to the Supreme Court, consumer group Consumer Focus is warning consumers to ensure they can still afford the lower, 21p rate, before investing.

If not, the government may yet win its case and consumers who have installed panels since 12 December would be caught short.

Confusion

The decision, and the government's intention to launch a second appeal, will lead to widespread uncertainty for consumers and installers.

It means consumers cannot know what subsidy they will receive for any panels installed since 12 December.

The previous tariff was just over 43p per kilowatt-hour generated.

The new tariff of 21p per kilowatt-hour had been expected to come into effect from 1 April.

But in October, the government said the cut would take place ahead of schedule, with the reduced rate paid to anyone who installed solar panels after 12 December.

The government announced a consultation on the proposals, which closed on 23 December - 11 days after the decision was to have been implemented.

The High Court ruled that changing the tariffs in this way was "legally flawed", a decision the Court of Appeal has now upheld.

The change had particularly upset industry, as it affected projects which may already have been commissioned, but not installed.

"This decision has very important implications for the whole renewable energy sector in the UK," said Ben Warren, a partner at Ernst and Young.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

The future of the feed in tariff beyond April 2012 is now hugely uncertain?

End Quote Ben Warren Ernst and Young

"It is a clear message that retrospective adjustment of support is not acceptable,"

Appeal

The government has put a contingency plan in place which would see the current tariff, of 43p, remain in place until the start of March, when the tariff will reduce to 21p.

This means consumers can have certainty that any installations past 3 March will attract the lower rate.

However, the Supreme Court appeal means people installing panels now, or who have installed panels since 12 December, will not know what rate they will get until the legal process is over.

The government claims paying the higher rate between December and March would cost the scheme ?1.5bn over 25 years.

The tariff for surplus electricity exported to the national grid remains 3.1p per kilowatt-hour paid in addition to the tariff, and is unaffected by the changes.

Money shortage

There is also uncertainty about the sustainability of the reduced rate - as a rush of installations now may use up the scheme's remaining budget.

"The future of the feed in tariff beyond April 2012 is now hugely uncertain. Government and industry now need to work together to create a sustainable solar industry in the UK," added Mr Warren.

The Renewable Energy Association has called for the overall budget to be increased.

"The government's action and the subsequent court case had together thrown the solar industry into a state of extreme uncertainty," said chief executive Gaynor Hartnell.

"We now want to put this behind us as swiftly as possible, and work with government and supporters to secure a larger budget for small-scale renewable energy generation," she added.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/business-16721328

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Bethenny Frankel to NY mag: ?I?m a little over myself, to be honest.?

In this week?s?New York?magazine, contributing editor Jessica Pressler visits Bethenny Frankel at her Tribeca home to talk about the possibility of more babies, the new season of her show, and about reality TV in general:   On filming her show this season: ?This has been the longest season. It?s been six months. I?m going to [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/bethenny-frankel-to-ny-mag-im-a-little-over-myself-to-be-honest/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bethenny-frankel-to-ny-mag-im-a-little-over-myself-to-be-honest

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PFT: Raiders reportedly hire Allen as head coach

Earlier today, we suggested that folks thinking about buying an NFL jersey should consider waiting until April of this year, when the switch flips from Reebok to Nike.? But with a Nike exec saying in October 2010 that the company plans on ?changing the NFL jersey dramatically,? the league is now saying otherwise.

?Logos are controlled by teams and the NFL,? league spokesman Brian McCarthy told PFT by email this morning.? ?That will not change.? Teams have to apply to league to make changes to logos and colors.

?We anticipate new uniform technology (i.e., performance-driven, lighter materials).? That?s what Nike?s [Charlie] Denson was referring to in his interview in 2010 regarding changes.?

So, apparently, the jerseys will look the same, barring any changes that would be made in the ordinary course of changing jerseys.? Of course, the shift to Nike could cause some teams to decide to make the change.

Last year, for example, Seahawks president Peter McLoughlin said that the team will use the occasion to re-do their duds.? ?There will be no changes for ?11, for the upcoming season,? McLoughlin told Dave ?Softy? Mahler of KJR.? ?2011 is the final year for the Reebok deal with the NFL, and starting in 2012 we?re going to be going with a Nike jersey and a Nike design.? So we?ve actually met with Nike, and I think we were the first NFL team to meet with them, and we had a fascinating session with them.? Pete Carroll was in the room, John Schneider, all kinds of people, and we?re looking at all kinds of new designs, and new kinds of jerseys, and we?re talking about a throwback for sure.? So there?s a lot of creative stuff in the works right now.?

Thus, we won?t know for sure the team jerseys that will look different until the new jerseys are unveiled.? The league says that?ll happen in late April, in connection with the 2012 draft.

As to players changing jersey numbers, McCarthy said that the policy won?t change.? Players wanting to change their numbers will have to submit requests to the team, and the team will then pass the requests along to the league.? Still, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello separately tells PFT that the requirement that a player who changes his number refund Reebok for the unsold inventory of jerseys bearing the prior number will go away in conjunction with the changeover.

So if, for example, Adrian Peterson wants to change his number (as he said he wants to do on his Twitter page), he won?t have to write a check to Reebok.

The bigger takeaway is that Nike won?t be unleashing haphazardly a new array of alternative looks and designs.

We think.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/24/report-raiders-to-hire-dennis-allen/related/

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Beijing begins measuring tiny air pollutants (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? Beijing began disclosing the amount of tiny pollution particles in the air on Saturday, in a move that could improve disclosure but alarm a public barely resigned to the capital's choking smog.

The new measurement of particles of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, or PM2.5, comes after growing attention to air quality in Beijing, one of the world's most heavily polluted capitals, from Chinese as well as foreigners.

"So that the people can form a relatively complete understanding of the Beijing air quality, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center will publish hourly 2.5 data from January 21," the center said on its website, www.bjmemc.com.cn.

On Saturday, a clear crisp day that contrasted with the thick smog earlier in the week, the Beijing Center reported between 0.003 micrograms-0.062 microgram per cubic meter of PM2.5 particles in the air, Xinhua said.

"It shows that the government is responding to popular concerns about air pollution," said Steven Andrews, an environmental consultant who has studied Beijing air pollution since 2006.

"It's a recognition by the government that the way it was monitored and reported in the past didn't reflect people's perception of how serious the problem is."

The data will be collected from a monitoring station in the Chegongzhuang area of the second ring road, which encircles the center city, the Xinhua news agency said.

Chinese experts had earlier criticized as "unscientific" a single monitoring point on the roof of the U.S. Embassy, which releases hourly air quality data via a widely followed Twitter feed.

China previously disclosed readings only of pollutant particles that are 10 micrometers in diameter or larger. Doctors warn that the tiny floating PM 2.5 particles can settle in the lungs more easily and cause respiratory problems and other illnesses.

Earlier in the week, the U.S. Embassy labeled the air pollution in Beijing as hazardous after its PM2.5 reading topped its maximum reading of 500 micrograms per cubic meter.

A reading of 250 or above over a 24-hour period is hazardous, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian said in December that China would begin nationwide collecting of PM2.5 data from 2016.

While Beijingers complain, serious soil and water pollution also plagues the rest of the country.

On Saturday, firefighters in the southern region of Guangxi sprayed 80 tons of aluminum chloride, a neutralizing agent, into the Longjiang River after levels of the heavy metal cadmium were found to be three times the official limit, Xinhua said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/china/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120123/hl_nm/us_beijing_airpollutants

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Bryce Dallas Howard gives birth to daughter (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Bryce Dallas Howard and her husband, Seth Gabel, welcomed their second child on Thursday, with the baby girl's grandfather, filmmaker Ron Howard, announcing the happy news on Twitter.

"Beatrice Jean Howard-Gabel Born Jan 19 2012 8lbs 6oz Bryce & Baby B are spectacular Daddy Seth & brother Theo are beaming ear to ear :-)," the filmmaker tweeted Saturday evening.

Bryce Howard and her actor husband who appears on the series "Fringe" also have a 4-year-old son, Theo. Howard has spoken publicly in the past about her struggles with postpartum depression after his birth in 2007.

The most recent big-screen appearances for Howard, 30, were in "50/50" and as a member of the ensemble cast of "The Help." She also appeared in "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse." Her movie career began with uncredited bit parts in films by her director-producer father.

"Beatrice's arrival is hugely exciting for our family," Ron Howard tweeted. "Thanks for all the kind tweets folks."

(Reporting by Sheri Linden)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_bryce_dallas_howard_gives_birth_daughter184047867/44264918/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/bryce-dallas-howard-gives-birth-daughter-184047867.html

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Destiny Lopez: Latinas and Cervical Cancer Prevention

A friend of mine was diagnosed with high-risk HPV when she was 22 years old. It was caught through a routine Pap test, and when a biopsy found the cells to be precancerous, she got the care she needed right away. Who knows what might have happened if she had waited any longer to have a screening?

Stories like this are all too common in our community. Latinas have the highest cervical cancer rates in the country and the third highest death rate from cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a very common sexually transmitted infection. There are hundreds of HPV types, but two of them, types 16 and 18, are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. HPV is so common that most sexually active people should expect to be exposed to it and, if not vaccinated, infected by HPV at some point in their lives. There aren't any symptoms for high-risk types of HPV, so most people who have or have had HPV don't know it. Women usually learn they have it only after the results of an abnormal Pap test.

The good news is that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers: when caught early, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent. During National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (January), it is important to remind women that the keys to combating cervical cancer are getting the HPV vaccination before sexual intimacy and getting routine screenings. Cervical cancer takes many years to develop, so regular Pap tests will help detect any precancerous or abnormal cells early enough to allow cervical cancer to be prevented.

The HPV vaccine is a major breakthrough in the fight to prevent cervical cancer and should be considered a routine, normal part of health care. It is a safe and effective FDA-approved vaccine that prevents most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has included the HPV vaccine in its list of recommended vaccines for girls aged 11-12 years and recommends that all girls and women ages nine to 26 get the vaccine. The American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Planned Parenthood support the CDC recommendation that girls get the HPV vaccine.

In addition to routine cervical cancer screening, the best way to protect young women from cervical cancer is to make sure they get vaccinated before they are at risk of infection. Vaccination before a person is at risk for HPV infection means vaccination must occur before sexual intimacy -- even before skin-to-skin contact. It's also extremely important to use condoms for intercourse, as they greatly reduce the risk of HPV.

Unfortunately, due to unequal access to health care, Latinas are more likely to develop and die of cervical cancer because they are less likely to have access to early screening and early treatment or be able to pay for the HPV vaccine. Planned Parenthood health centers offer affordable health care and confidential services like HPV vaccinations and Pap tests to women and teens. Many health insurance companies cover the vaccine, and some programs allow people without insurance to be vaccinated for little to no cost.

As the nation's leading women's health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood encourages every woman to visit her health care provider regularly to receive a preventive checkup that includes a cervical cancer screening. Planned Parenthood is serious about eliminating cervical cancer. In fact, in 2010, Planned Parenthood health centers provided nearly 34,000 HPV vaccinations and 770,000 Pap tests, which identified about 94,000 women who may be at risk of developing cervical cancer.

For more information on cervical cancer, HPV, and cancer screenings in English and Spanish, or to locate a Planned Parenthood health center, visit plannedparenthood.org and plannedparenthood.org/esp. The new year is the perfect time to focus on your health and schedule a checkup. With both the HPV vaccine and routine checkups, we can protect our health and that of the women in our lives.

Destiny Lopez is the director of Latino engagement for Planned Parenthood Federation of America

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/destiny-lopez/latinas-and-cervical-canc_b_1220018.html

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