D. Boerse, NYSE stress European nature of deal in EU letter (Reuters)

FRANKFURT (Reuters) ? Top executives at Deutsche Boerse (DB1Gne.DE) and NYSE Euronext (NYX.N) sent a letter to European Commissioners emphasizing the "European" nature of a combined company, in a bid to salvage their deal after antitrust regulators threatened to block it.

The letter was sent by NYSE Euronext Chief Executive Duncan Niederauer and Deutsche Boerse chief Reto Francioni on January 13, and was addressed to European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and also copied to the remaining 26 commissioners, a copy of the letter seen by Reuters shows.

In it, executives from Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext expressed "profound concern" that blocking the takeover "would represent a serious missed opportunity at a critical juncture for Europe."

Earlier this month, European Commission antitrust regulators signaled they would recommend blocking a merger over concerns about creating a dominant player in derivatives, a source told Reuters.

Deutsche Boerse and NYSE have now focused their efforts to convince the so-called college of 27 commissioners that EU antitrust commissioner Joaquin Almunia's conclusions are wrong, and that approving the deal would help advance EU interests.

"The transaction will facilitate the effective implementation of European Union financial services regulation and offer a unique opportunity to deepen regulatory cooperation and reduce the risk of regulatory arbitrage," the letter said.

"If this combination is prohibited by the College of commissioners, the global consolidation of exchanges might very well shift the balance towards countries favoring 'light touch' regulation, which would severely endanger the European Commission's agenda," the letter continued.

In the letter Deutsche Boerse Chief Reto Francioni and NYSE Euronext head Duncan Niederauer said the new company would be domiciled in the European Union and be strictly under European supervision.

Furthermore, 80 percent of the governance of the company and

70 percent of the revenues would be generated within the European Union, the letter said.

"The new company would accelerate the integration of Europe's capital markets, and serve as the vanguard for the implementation of European Union and G20 regulatory reforms," the letter said.

The college of commissioners will give a formal ruling by February 9.

Both executives again emphasized that a review of the deal should look at the derivatives market from a global, rather than just European perspective, and should include the over-the-counter market.

"Contrary to the views expressed by the Directorate General for Competition, effective competition will continue to exist, in particular due to over-the-counter trading, the global nature of the derivatives market, and our strong global rivals.

"For instance, CME, the largest derivatives exchange in the world, competes with us directly in Europe, has more employees in Europe than NYSE Liffe and a larger interest rate derivative portfolio than our combined businesses."

The letter said Europe would be disadvantaged given that the U.S. had approved the merger of Chicago Mercantile Exchange with the Chicago Board of Trade in 2007 to create CME.

The European Commission has demanded Deutsche Boerse and NYSE sell either the Eurex derivatives arm or Liffe, a move that both exchanges have ruled out so far.

German union representatives on Wednesday said they would be pleased if the European authorities blocked the deal. "We had feared there would be grave consequences for Frankfurt as a financial centre if the deal succeeded."

(Reporting By Foo Yun Chee in Brussels; writing by Edward Taylor; Editing by Helen Massy-Beresford)

(This story is corrected in the second paragraph to reflect number of commissioners to 26, from 27)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120116/bs_nm/us_deutscheboerse_nyse

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Motorola planning 24-hour Droid RAZR Maxx longevity event for February 6th?

Motorola's own website has pointed to a January 26th launch for the long-awaited Droid RAZR Maxx, but it looks like February 6th is the date to really pay attention to. With battery life becoming an even more serious concern due to the proliferation of life-sucking 4G networks, it's become obvious that companies are finally placing those longevity statistics atop their priority list. Samsung itself has already promised to significantly improve battery life in its phones during 2012, and we're now hearing from a trusted source that Moto will be streaming a pretty unorthodox event in order to put its own RAZR Maxx to the test. We're told to expect a 24-hour marathon event, streamed out to the gaping masses, where the aforesaid handset will be powered on and presumably used for a full day -- it's like a David Blaine trick, but for phones. Might as well pencil in 2/6 if you're eager to see if this might actually meet your long-term demands.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Motorola planning 24-hour Droid RAZR Maxx longevity event for February 6th? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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White House Reportedly Locked Down After 'Smoking Objects' Found Near North Portico

The White House has been locked down due to "smoking objects" found near the North Portico, an agent at the scene told Politico. According to a source from Washington's WTOP, the incident was a "minor" situation and not an ongoing threat.

According to the Secret Service, the disruption was caused by an object appearing to be a smoke bomb that someone threw over the White House fence Tuesday night, NBC Washington reports. The incident took place during what witnesses said was an Occupy DC rally outside the White House that consisted of about 1,000 protesters.

No arrests have been reported.

President Obama was out to dinner with the First Lady to celebrate her birthday and was not in the White House at the time of the lockdown.

Per Reuters, Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie indicated that "appropriate measures" were being taken to clear the apparent smoke bomb. The report also explains that "members of the White House press pool were prevented from leaving the grounds."

This is a developing story... More to come...

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/17/white-house-lock-down_n_1211982.html

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Whole braised chicken in a pot

A whole braised chicken can feed a crowd or just two on a quiet winter afternoon.

It started snowing Saturday afternoon. The fat flakes were just enough to derange traffic and disrupt my plans to meet up with a friend for coffee. Instead, I spent the afternoon making marmalade, filling the house with steamy warmth and the scent of oranges.

Skip to next paragraph Christina Masters

Christina Masters is a Seattle-based food blogger. As The Rowdy Chowgirl, she writes about recipes, gardening, restaurants, food ethics, feeding the hungry, and more. She believes that food is never just food ? it is always part of a larger story that includes context, community and connections. An enthusiastic home cook, she favors local, seasonal ingredients prepared in simple, flavorful ways

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The snow continued Sunday morning, a thin blanket over rooftops and cars, obscuring the view of the lake, and stilling the sounds of the city.? The kitten watched the snow fall outside the window, at first trying to move his head fast enough to capture all of the enticing motion of dancing, drifting flakes.? Finally, he settled for a fixed and unwinking stare.

We bundled up and walked around the quiet, snow-dusted neighborhood, crunching on the thin layer of white underfoot, then returned to cuddle up under a blanket on the couch.

It doesn?t snow often in Seattle, but when it does it is best to give in gracefully and really have a snow day. Pare away any unnecessary errands or chores. Remember what is urgent and what is not. ?Use a bit of the extra time to cook something that takes a little longer than usual ? something savory that will simmer or braise gently all the long, grey afternoon, filling the house with the promise of a hot, hearty dinner. Get a hot cup of tea or cocoa and a blanket and a book.? Retreat to the couch. If an unscheduled nap happens while dinner is in the oven, all the better.

This whole braised chicken makes a good dinner party dish, but is also just right for a long winter afternoon when you have nothing special planned. The dough seal keeps the steam inside the pot, gently braising the chicken to an amazing degree of tenderness. The potatoes, carrots, and celery are traditional accompaniments for a Sunday roast, but here they are infused with the aroma of herbs and garlic. And there is plenty of garlic, but it is not overpowering, as the whole cloves cook in their skins and become sweet and caramelized. Serve with French bread, so that you can pop the garlic cloves out of their jackets and smear them all over the bread.

Whole Braised Chicken in a Pot
(adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan)

2 lemons, washed and quartered
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large potatoes, peeled and each cut into 8 same-sized pieces
2 medium onions,
2 shallots
8 carrots, trimmed, peeled, and quartered
4 celery stalks, trimmed, peeled, and quartered
4 garlic heads, cloves separated but not peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
3 rosemary sprigs
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine [editor's note: substitute cooking wine or add 1/2 cup more broth]
About 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
About 3/4 cup hot water

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the vegetables and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and saut? in batches until the vegetables are brown on all sides. Spoon the vegetables into a 4-1/2- to 5-quart Dutch oven or other pot with a lid and stir in the herbs and half the lemon quarters.

Return the skillet to the heat, add another tablespoon of oil, and brown the chicken on all sides, seasoning it with salt and pepper as it cooks. Place remaining lemon quarters in the cavity of the chicken, then tuck the chicken into the casserole, surrounding it with the vegetables. Mix together the broth, wine, and the remaining olive oil and pour over the chicken and vegetables.

Put 1-1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl and add enough hot water to make a malleable dough. Dust a work surface with a little flour, turn out the dough, and, working with your hands, roll the dough into a sausage. Place the dough on the rim of the pot ? if it breaks, just piece it together ? and press the lid onto the dough to seal the pot.

Slide the pot into the oven and bake for 55 minutes.

Use the point of a heavy knife or screwdriver as a lever to separate the lid from the dough.

Related post: Marmalade

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of food bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by The Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own and they are responsible for the content of their blogs and their recipes. All readers are free to make ingredient substitutions to satisfy their dietary preferences, including not using wine (or substituting cooking wine) when a recipe calls for it. To contact us about a blogger, click here.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/8L9xl1BIP9M/Whole-braised-chicken-in-a-pot

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Sunday Candidate Schedule (TIME)

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Facebook campaign wants all presidents named Havel

PRAGUE (AP) ? Vaclav Havel airport, Vaclav Havel library, Vaclav Havel street, Vaclav Havel school.

Numerous efforts to rename places to honor the former Czech president who helped bring down communism in his homeland have provoked a Facebook initiative designed to last generations: It demands that all the country's future presidents bear Havel's name.

Ridiculing the wave of renaming, the initiative calls on Parliament to adopt such a law. It also wants current President Vaclav Klaus, the late Havel's political archrival, to "immediately" take Havel's name.

"Something majestic has to bear the name of Vaclav Havel, something that will forever and ever exist beyond our mere mortal lives and that is the presidential office!," says the initiative, which has been joined by almost 6,000 people.

The Czech government is to discuss a plan to name Prague's state-owned international airport after Havel after more than 80,000 signed a petition in support.

Paris will open a new library with Havel's name next year and Gdansk ? the birthplace of Poland's Solidarity anti-communist movement has already renamed a street after the former dissident playwright, who led the 1989 peaceful Velvet Revolution that ended more than 40 years of Communist rule in then-Czechoslovakia.

Havel died Dec. 18 at 75.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-01-13-EU-ODD-Czech-Havel/id-6337a5905c264cd68d95e74394752c3b

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Tanker moored off Nome, gearing up fuel delivery (AP)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska ? A Russian tanker carrying much-needed fuel to Nome moored less than a half mile from the town's iced-in harbor Saturday evening, starting final preparations for delivering the diesel fuel and gasoline, the Coast Guard said.

The crew of the 370-foot tanker Renda is working to ensure the safe transfer of the 1.3-million gallons of fuel through a hose laid on top of the ice to the harbor, Coast Guard spokesman Kip Wadlow said.

The U.S Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which cleared a path through hundreds of miles of Bering Sea ice for the tanker, is moored nearby.

"We were able to successfully navigate that last bit of ice," Wadlow said in a phone interview from Nome. "We were able to get it pretty much right on the money, in the position that the industry representatives wanted to start the fuel transfer process."

Wadlow said he doesn't know how long it will be before fuel is flowing through the hose.

Crew must wait 12 hours to ensure that all the disturbed ice has refrozen. At that point, they will have to build some sort of road or pathway over the ice for the hose to rest on.

There has been a lot of anxious waiting since the ship left Russia in mid-December. It picked up diesel fuel in South Korea before traveling to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where it took on unleaded gasoline. Late Thursday, the vessels stopped offshore and began planning the transfer.

A fall storm prevented Nome from getting a fuel delivery by barge in November. Without the tanker delivery, supplies of diesel fuel, gasoline and home heating fuel Nome are expected to run out in March and April, well before a barge delivery again in late May or June.

Earlier Saturday, Sitnasuak Native Corp. board chairman Jason Evans provided details of the transfer process.

Once the hose is laid down, he said personnel will walk its entire length every 30 minutes to check it for leaks. Each segment of hose will have its own spill containment area, and extra absorbent boom will be on hand in case of a spill.

Evans said he hopes the crew will begin unloading the fuel by Sunday.

"It's kind of like a football game, we're on the five yard line and we just want to work into the goal line," said Evans, whose hometown is Nome.

Evans, however, cautioned that delivering the fuel is only half the mission.

"The ships need to transition back through 300 miles of ice," he said. "I say we're not done until the ships are safely back at their home ports (in Seattle and Russia)."

___

Online:

Coast Guard webcam, http://bit.ly/wEsemi

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120115/ap_on_re_us/us_nome_iced_in

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