Republicans, Democrats jockey before Supreme Court health-care ruling

The political world is waiting for the Supreme Court to hand down its ruling on President Obama?s sweeping reform of the health-insurance system. A decision could come as early as Monday. ?

By Linda Feldmann,?Staff writer / June 17, 2012

Supporters of health care reform rally in front of the US Supreme Court in Washington on March 27, 2012, as the court continued hearing arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama.

Charles Dharapak/AP

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The political world is on pins and needles, waiting for the Supreme Court to hand down its ruling on President Obama?s sweeping reform of the health-insurance system. A decision could come as early as Monday. ?

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At the White House, on Capitol Hill, in the Romney campaign, and inside interest groups, political players are preparing contingencies for the range of possible outcomes at the high court ? from full affirmation of the law, to full rejection, to something in between.

Tough questioning from some justices, especially ?swing? justice Anthony Kennedy, has led some observers to believe the individual mandate to purchase insurance ? or even the entire law ? could be ruled unconstitutional. But no matter how the court decides, the stakes are high, as Election Day draws closer.????

Publicly, Mr. Obama and his surrogates express confidence that the court will uphold the Affordable Care Act. Implementation is proceeding on schedule, they say. Still, at the White House correspondents? dinner in April, the president joked: ?In my first term, we passed health care reform. In my second term, I guess I?ll pass it again.?

How much do you know about health-care reform? Take our quiz!

Administration officials have been attending meetings with groups that support his reform, strategizing about how to respond when the court rules.?

?The best way to demonstrate public outrage or public celebration about the decision is to stage an event that shows average people actually responding to the news,? said a May planning memo obtained by Bloomberg News from an official at the Herndon Alliance, a coalition that supports Obama?s reform.

At a White House forum June 11 for seniors, a top Obama aide made clear that she?s thought about the ?what ifs.?

The changes already in place ?are terribly important to people?s lives, now,? said Cecilia Munoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She spoke of the popular provisions that pay for the coverage gap for prescription drugs under Medicare and allow young adults up to age 26 to stay on their parents? insurance.

Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have both been gaming out scenarios. The House Republican leadership put out talking points on what to say if the Supreme Court throws out some or all of the law.??

?Unless the court throws out the entire law, we need to repeal what is left of Obamacare and enact common-sense, step-by-step reforms that protect Americans? access to the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at a lower cost,? said the memo.

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King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's cautious reformer

RIYADH (Reuters) - The death of his brother Crown Prince Nayef on Saturday means Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah is confronted with the need to name a new successor for the second time in less than a year.

Nayef, thought to be 78, died in Geneva, eight months after Crown Prince Sultan, his predecessor as the heir to rule a Middle East kingdom that puts great emphasis on stability.

"The passing of Crown Prince Nayef came a bit unexpectedly. But my sense is that talking about overall policy in terms of oil policy for example, in terms of foreign policy, whether regionally or internationally, we will have continuity," said Asaad al-Shamlan, a political science professor in Riyadh.

However, King Abdullah - thought to be 89 - knows his successor will face an array of challenges, from ushering in a new generation of royal leaders to managing volatility across the Middle East and long-term imbalances in the Saudi economy.

"Unemployment is a very important challenge and diversity of the economy is another. But the external issues are the obvious ones. Syria, Iraq, regional issues with Iran," said Hossein Shobokshi, a columnist based in Jeddah.

At stake is the future direction of the world's top oil exporter and Washington's premier Arab ally, which under King Abdullah has mounted a series of cautious changes aimed at reconciling the country's strict Islamic traditions with the needs of a modern economy.

Crown Prince Nayef was often seen as opposed to some of those changes, but it is not clear how any successor might push economic, social or even political reform inside the kingdom.

Plain spoken and avuncular, King Abdullah was born in the court of his father, King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, in the early 1920s, when the capital Riyadh was a small oasis town ringed by mud-brick walls at the centre of an impoverished but rapidly growing kingdom.

By the time he became de facto regent in 1995 when his predecessor King Fahd had a stroke, he was known to foreign diplomats as devout and conservative with strong ties to the kingdom's Bedouin tribes.

That reputation was soon blown away by the then crown prince's reforming zeal as he tried to trim the indulgent habits of his large ruling family and address the alarming problem of youth unemployment by liberalizing the economy to stimulate private sector growth.

After the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi, and an al Qaeda bombing campaign against Westerners inside the kingdom, he also took on the conservative clergy who had promulgated an intolerant Islamist message in schools and mosques.

The reforms were slow and only partly successful, but they skewed the dynamic of Saudi policy towards gradual change and made King Abdullah a popular leader among an increasingly young population where 60 percent of Saudis are under the age of 30.

Yet while moving to open up the economy and press for social change, he has left the political system largely untouched.

Apart from introducing elections for town councils that hold little real power, his only major political reform has been to set up a council of the ruling family to make the royal succession more orderly.

ARAB UPRISINGS

When the "Arab Spring" rippled across the Middle East, King Abdullah was staunchly opposed to the pro-democracy protests in neighboring countries, reflecting Saudi concerns that the fall of old allies might create opportunities for regional rival Iran and al Qaeda.

Meanwhile, the king's order to spend $110 billion on social benefits, new housing and new jobs helped to avert any significant pro-democracy unrest in Saudi Arabia.

In recent years activists who have demanded change through petitions ended up in jail, and political parties and public demonstrations are banned.

Yet even among those Saudis who called on social media for a "day of rage" to protest against the lack of democracy, the king has appeared to remain popular.

In a ruling family known for lavish excesses, King Abdullah's fondness for retreats at his desert camp has distinguished him from Saudi princes who prefer to spend summers in Mediterranean palaces.

One of his first acts as king was to rein in spending on the royal family, demanding princes start paying for phone bills and air tickets rather than treating state bodies as a personal valet service.

His plain speaking and efforts to overcome a stutter acquired after he was punished as a child have further cemented his straightforward, old-fashioned image.

When he visited Saudis living in slum-like conditions shortly after becoming king, he was applauded for a first public recognition by the state that poverty existed.

King Abdullah has also aimed to improve the position of women in his ultra-conservative country, trying to offer them better education and employment prospects and saying they will be allowed to take part in municipal elections in 2015.

He said women would be selected as members of the next Shura Council, the appointed body that advises the government on new laws.

Women are still barred from driving and must seek the approval of a male "guardian" to work, travel abroad, open a bank account or undergo surgery in some cases.

In recent years, the king's foreign policy has increasingly focused on efforts to contain what the Sunni Muslim monarchy sees as the rising influence of Shi'ite Muslim power Iran across the Middle East.

In March, Saudi Arabia sent troops to Bahrain to support the island's Sunni Muslim monarchy against an uprising by the Shi'ite majority.

It was an unpopular decision among Saudi Arabia's own Shi'ite minority, but many of the sect's leaders in the kingdom said that King Abdullah has done more than his predecessors to reduce discrimination.

Riyadh feared that the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 had already altered the regional balance of power, giving Iran more sway from Beirut to Baghdad.

Those concerns were underpinned by Iran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is aimed at making atomic weapons.

In a 2009 diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks, King Abdullah was quoted repeatedly as urging the United States to "cut off the head of the snake" by attacking Iran.

(Reporting by Angus McDowall; Editing by Sami Aboudi and Ralph Gowling)

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PST: Netherlands-Portugal preview

Come 4:45 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, the Netherlands? Euro 2012 nightmare will be over. They?ll either be eliminated and can fade from the spotlight or they?ll be in the quarterfinals, which is exactly how far they got in 2008. Having lost their first two games, the Dutch are fortunate the knockout round is still in frame.

They need to beat Portugal, and they need some help from Germany, but given how they?ve performed to this point, their play needs a major turnaround before they can get tangled in scenarios. The Dutch have trailed for 73 percent of the tournament. They?ve never led and they?ve only scored one goal, all of which is consistent with how they?ve actually played. Their attack has underperformed, their defense has been terrible, and their midfield seems incapable of providing a link to attack.

All of which would play perfectly into Portugal?s hands if the Seleccao went through with a draw. And they might. If Germany beats Denmark, one point sends Portugal through, though there is a chance the Portuguese will have to play for ?a win.

Against Germany, we saw even the most fluid of teams need a blunt option to break through an ensconced Portugal defense. After an hour, the Germans changed tacts, went to the air, and got their goal. Does the Dutch attack have that kind of versatility?

We?ll find out at 2:45 p.m. Eastern on Sunday when the Netherlands-Portugal kicks off simultaneously with Germany-Denmark. There are a number of scenarios where Portugal advances, almost all of which require help. The most simple way to the quarterfinals: Collect more points than the Danes.

Here?s your playlist:

Side 2: Portugal vs. Netherlands

5. Change of one sort

Dutch fans want to see Klass-Jan Huntelaar and (to a much lesser extend) Rafael van der Vaart start. It looks like?ll get part of their wish. Huntelaar looks set to be named to the XI, though it?s unclear who will be dropped.

Most assumed it would be captain Mark van Bommel, but at a Saturday press conference, coach Bert van Marwijk implied van Bommel?s presence before the press (having also attended the presser) told the media all they needed to know. That seems to leave three options.

• Destroyer Nigel de Jong could be sat through the same logic that called for van Bommel?s exclusion.
• Ibrahim Afellay could be benched, with Wesley Sniejder going left (as he done before in this tournament), or
• Arjen Robben, subbed out on Wednesday, could be the shock exclusion.

Oh, and then there?s the obvious: Huntelaar could come in for Robin van Persie, with van Marwijk leaving the system unchanged. It?s obvious, if unlikely.

6. Something to protect us

The defense has been terrible, particularly at fullback. They?re getting no help from their midfielders or wingers, and most disconcerting, Bert van Marwijk has almost no other options. There is, after all, a reason an 18-year-old with no significant international experience is starting at left back.

The Netherlands? best defense is going to be offense: Holding the ball, dictating play, being patient. If that doesn?t work, they need to be willing to play a more open game, even if that means needing three or four goals to win. Given the talent Portugal can throw at the Netherlands? fullbacks, they many have no choice but to engage in a shootout.

7. Choosing between two minds

There is the possibility Portugal doesn?t try to exploit that advantage as much as they should. In fact, it?s more probability than possibility. Portugal?s approach is always more conservative than their talent, and given how Paulo Bento set up his team against Germany, we should expect defensive midfielder Miguel Veloso parked ?six yards in front of his defense, with fellow midfielders Raul Meireles and Joao Moutinho only scarcely higher. It?s not that much different than how Greece plays.

Against Denmark, Portugal played like a team cognizant of an attacking game and scored three goals. They?re clearly capable. Instead of looking at the Dutch as a team to be feared, they need to see a flawed defense with fullbacks that can be exploited. They need to be aggressive.

8. The new best thing

All the focus on Cristiano Ronaldo?s failures have allowed Nani?s Wednesday?performance to fly under the radar. It?s not fair, given ?the other Portugal winger? put in the best wide performance we?ve seen this tournament. His passing was exceptional, as was his work shutting down Simon Poulsen on Portugal?s right flank.

On Sunday, Nani will be up against Jetro Willems ? the 18-year-old PSV defender who had only two international appearances prior to the tournament. Forced into action because of Erik Pieters? injury, Willems was constantly abused by Thomas M?ller and Germany, leading many to say it would have been better for van Marwijk to put midfielder Stijn Schaars in defense.

Now Willems gets Nani ? a bigger one-on-one threat than M?ller, and somebody who?s arguably out-performed the German attacker through two rounds.

It?s an advantage that could render Cristiano Ronaldo?s performance irrelevant.

ProSoccerTalk is doing its best to keep you up to date on what?s going on in Poland and Ukraine.?Check out the site?s Euro 2012 page?and look at the site?s previews, predictions, and coverage of all the events defining UEFA?s championship.

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Sam Donaldson on the Daily Caller (Little green footballs)

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Video: Will Romney change his stance on immigration?

>> from "time," marco rubio sent out a statement there's a brought support for agreement that we should figure out kids whourp undocumented through no fault of their own. today's announcement will be welcome news for many of these kids desperate for an answer,i it's a short-term answer. governor barbour says i just have a different upon that he he would espouse. i think the democrats on the left will try to make him sound lien anti-immigrant, which he is not. haley barbour differs with policy he says mitt romney has presented, but you have a lot of people who wonder where does romney assistant? and what is the exact language to even compare to what we've heard from the president.

>> this is highlighting the differing opinions within the gop, and to see it pouring out now is fascinating. romney has to live with a lot of statements he made, especially in the primary that would -- that was pretty tough on the immigration issue. you hear rubio come in really as the voice of reason.

>> but what is his voice of reasoning? what is the language from his proposed d.r.e.a.m. act. as wednesday it, we have the exact legislative language here, and romney would only say he would be well to review it, it's not as if there's something there to say yea or nay to.

>> there's not that much difference with the proposals ever since it was proposed. it's always been about what can we do for this group of people? they were brought to america as kids, they didn't make an informed decision to break a law and to come here.

>> they didn't enter the country under their own will.

>> right. 24er7 brought in by family in most daze. the writer of our cover story this we're, jose vargas, his mother sent him to the u.s. when he was 12 to live with his grandparents. he found his green card was fake when he turned 16. it's always been about this group of people, you can do an executive order that's going to be temporary, senator rubio can propose a variation of the d.r.e.a.m. act, perhaps something that doesn't give the past to citizenship that a lot of people would like to see, but accomplishes a lot of the same thin things.

>>> president obama 66%, governor romney 23%, but i do want to go back to the remark, in response to this, say there are millions of americans who are unemployed and to justify allowing illegal immigrants to work he feels is wrong on the administration's -- when you say you are out of work because of this illegal immigrant in this country, because of this child between the age of 16 and 30, you were out of work, and that sometimes results in some of the hostility sadly that we have seen when this conversation is brought up, but even marco rubio , senator republican, says that something needs to be done. everyone says there needs to be something done.

>> the biggest difference between marco rubio and the president's plans is marco rubio did have a plan for legal residency, so it was more of a long-term plan. i think that is why it still resonates. the president's plan is only two years.

>> so is mark rho rubio's plan? rubio says the president is offering a short-term answer, if you're saying rubio has a long-term answer, then is that a better plan?

>> i think so. at the end of the day , what you don't want to do is cede band-aid effects. instead you want to address it. what happens, though, it does deflate a lot of the rubio plan, because the president came out first. he's also saying at the heels of the supreme court deciding arizona 1070 , which basically gives the states the opportunity to discuss and to decide what immigration policy should be stateside, which i think is a little bit concerns and ants daunting that congress says, wait, wait, wait, mr. president you can't make the decision, that's congress. s.

>> back to the comparison, senator rubo saying there should be a long-term -- if latino voters see this as a band-aid will that cure the enthusiasm problem?

>> no, i think because the president came out first, it allowed him to use his presidential pulpit to say i'm creating policy in the absence of congress moving. that's where he's actually able to move ahead. he's going to be the buzz on the spanish language television and even on msnbc. he came out first. that's where romney gets deflate deflated. now, back to your question regarding lamar smith , i think that's a very good question, because what the president should have done is come out first, six or seven months ago, where the latino voters would have remembered what he did for the community and the moderate independent voters, who's on the fence, who is frustrated economically where they are, basically this would not -- this would have been a moot point, but the fact we're less than 150 days from the election and not addressing the economy and looking at perhaps catering to a population, may put him in a difficult position.

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Scientists Discover A Stem Cell That Causes Heart Disease | Health ...

UC Berkeley scientists published a report this week in the journal Nature Communications saying that they have isolated a type of stem cell that causes heart disease in later life.

The research is profound because it contradicts much of the generally accepted theories of what causes arterial hardening, and the concept may also relate to many other diseases could the associated stem cells be pinpointed.

What senior author Song Li, a bioengineering professor at UC Berkeley and a researcher at the Berkeley Stem Cell Center, and his team have uncovered is a dormant stem cell in blood vessel walls, that seems to sit inactive for most of a person's lifetime, before coming to life and causing less functional cells to begin to grow. Li says these new types of cells that start growing in later life, are the root cause of arterial hardening and clogging that are associated with deadly strokes and heart attacks.

Originally, it was thought that the smooth muscle cells in the arteries lining become scarred over time, and this leads to the narrow and brittle arteries that play a major part in causing cardiovascular disease. Not so says Liu: Essentially, what the scientists are saying is that the smooth muscle cells are not to blame. Rather a different kind of stem cell, that Li calls multipotent vascular stem cells, kicks in, and begins growing cells that look much like the smooth muscle cells, but don't function correctly. The cells were not found previously, because there are so few of them, that they were hard to isolate.

Li continues:

"We call them sleeping beauty or sleeping evil cells, because they don't do anything when they're dormant. The stem cells stay quiescent for decades before they start to grow and they make the blood vessels harden."

It almost sounds like something from Blade Runner, where the replicant humans have been deliberately designed to deteriorate and die at a much faster rate than the natural ones. What purpose would it serve the body under standard evolutionary terms to have cells activating later in life that effectively lead to its demise? With the arteries poorly formed, with wrong cell types, the blood flow becomes slowed and can then stopped completely. This causes strokes or heart attacks, depending on the location of the blockage. Strokes and heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death in the United States.

Creating drugs or other genetic treatments to shut down these stem cells or even deactivate them while a person is still young has the potential in the future to prevent arteriole hardening, reverse the damage already done, and even make this type of cardiovascular disease a thing of the past. Perhaps the futuristic Woody Allen movie "Sleeper" where people smoke tobacco and eat a high fat diet because it's healthier is not so far fetched after all.

Li backs up his theory by pointing out that the current ideas, of smooth muscle cells in the artery walls, "dedifferentiating", or basically reverting back to an earlier stage of development and causing the scaring and degeneration seen in hardened arteries, actually had no fundamental proven mechanism to back it.

Li traced the lineage of the cells back to the multipotent vascular stem cells, which are able to form several types of cell, including the smooth muscle cells.

Dr. Deepak Srivastava, director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease at UCSF, who provided mouse tissue samples to the UC Berkeley scientists but was not involved in the research commented on the dramatic findings:

These findings shift the paradigm ... If the new data holds up, the target for treating vascular disease may be very different than what we've been aiming at ... Maybe the reason we've met with limited success in treating heart disease is because we've been going after the wrong target."

It is worth noting, of course, that the research is ground breaking and will need to be repeated and confirmed by other research teams, and Li did most of his work on mouse rather than human tissue. Nonetheless, it is an impressive work and one that will soon give drug companies a target to begin preventing growth of these negative "death" cells.

Interestingly, the stem cells that form arteries are also capable of becoming nerve, cartilage, bone and fat cells, suggesting why arteries become brittle or even filled with fat deposits. Li says that trying to attack the problem with diets and lower cholesterol is just attacking the symptoms, much like trying to stop a runny nose when you have a cold.

The research is certainly eye opening, and when we think back 100 years to some of the more outlandish scientific theories that have long since been discarded, it doesn't require much stretch of the imagination to realize that there must still be theories taken to be practically a fact, that are at best misleading or at worse plain wrong. In the spirit of a true scientist, Li has reminded us that we have so much more to understand about our existence.

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Katy Perry's 'Wide Awake' Video Is About Her 'Journey'

The clip will premiere during 'MTV First: Katy Perry' at 7:53 p.m. ET this Tuesday, June 19, on MTV.
By Kara Warner, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Katy Perry
Photo:

We only have to wait a few more days until the world premiere of Katy Perry's latest music video for her newest hit single, "Wide Awake." Perry is bringing the anticipated clip to MTV on Tuesday via "MTV First: Katy Perry."

Perry has said the song, along with certain aspects of the video, is all about her journey of self-discovery during the past year. Of her inspiration for the song and the video, Perry told MTV News, "I just wanted to tell a story about myself going through this journey, maybe sometimes trying to get out of the maze. There's good parts; there's bad parts. Of course, there has been a lot of things that went on last year that I had to get through and overcome. I think what probably kept me going is just the purity of my belief in music."

Judging from what we saw in the recent teaser trailer, "Wide Awake" is all wrapped up in a fairytale or at least in a fairytale-like setting. Perry appears to be playing the princess, and along her journey encounters a poisoned strawberry, a curious cat, Prince Charming and a young girl.

Make sure to tune into MTV this Tuesday, June 19, at 7:53 p.m. ET for the worldwide premiere of the clip, followed by an exclusive 30-minute interview with Katy and MTV's Sway Calloway on MTV.com, during which Perry will discuss all the details about the song, which she wrote for her upcoming 3-D concert film, "Katy Perry: Part of Me."

The "Wide Awake" video will also debut on VH1, Logo and TeenNick, in addition to MTV.com, VH1.com and LOGOtv.com. Perry's fans around the globe will be able to stream the video online at KatyPerry.MTV.com.

Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" video premieres at 7:53 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 19, on MTV!

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• Katy Perry Is 'Wide Awake'

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What Should I Consider When Buying a Home? - Nashville Real ...

Are you currently contemplating buying a new home? Whether you are buying your first home or are looking to expand or downsize the house you have now, this is a very exciting time in your life. However, you must not go blindly into the buying process. There are a few things that you should consider before buying a new home. Below is a video to help you know what to do and consider when buying a new home.

Most people start the buying process to find Real Estate in Bellevue TN that they love. However, it is important to first know your budget. One thing that you should do in order to prepare for buying a home is to find a local mortgage company that you like and trust. There are many reasons getting pre-approved is important when buying a home. First, when you get pre-approved you will know up front what you can afford. This allows you to find the perfect home in your price range. Secondly, it looks good when approaching a potential seller. It tells the seller that you are serious about buying their home and puts you in a similar situation to cash buyers.

I am sure that if I say to think about your dream home you could conjure up a picture in your mind of an elaborate home that has everything your heart could desire. When we begin to think about the reality of a new home, most everyone has a good idea of what they want in their dream house. Sit down with your family and talk about specific criteria that you want in your future home. Some things to consider include:

? Location
? Number of bedrooms / bathrooms
? Type of home (detached, condo or townhouse)
? Floor plan
? Type of neighborhood
? Other specifics of the home

When you do this, you will be able to see what you want out of your future home. Bring this list to a realtor and have them put your specific criteria into the system. You will be updated automatically when a home meets your criteria. This is a great way to begin the search for your new home. Being on top of the properties becoming available is important as many great deals fly off the shelf quickly.

One other thing to consider is that the Realtor in spring hill Tennessee that you choose is going to be on your side. Find someone that is willing to put your best interest first. Let them be your guide in the process of buying a home.

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Video: Massive blaze grows bigger in Colorado

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Africa in the dock as new ICC prosecutor takes over

The Hague:?Newly inaugurated International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda takes over 15 cases being probed in seven different countries, all of them in Africa:
?
Kenya
Two leading presidential candidates, Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, are among four prominent Kenyans the ICC ruled should face trial for crimes against humanity over deadly post-election violence in 2007 to 2008 in which at least 1,100 people died. Prosecutors were given the court's permission in March 2010 to investigate the violence.
?
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast ex-president Laurent Gbagbo on November 30, 2011 became the first former head of state to be transferred to the ICC. He faces four counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and inhuman acts, over post-election violence from December 2010 to April 2011, which the UN said cost about 3,000 lives. Gbagbo had refused to concede defeat in November 2010 polls.
A hearing to determine whether he should go to trial will be held in August.
?
Libya
Since June 27, 2011 Seif al-Islam Kadhafi has been subject to an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity committed during the rebellion which took place from February 15 last year and eventually toppled the regime of his father Moamer Kadhafi, who was then killed.
The ICC has been involved in a tug-of-war with Tripoli over whether Seif al-Islam should be tried in a Libyan court or in The Hague.
Seif al-Islam was arrested on November 19 and the ICC had given Libya extra time to mull whether he should be handed over, saying it did not have to do so while contesting the ICC's jurisdiction.
Libya detained four ICC staff who visited Seif last week, accusing one of them of carrying a secret camera and attempting to pass him a coded letter from his former right-hand man Mohammed Ismail, who is on the run.
On November 22 the ICC announced it was formally dropping the case against his father after seeing his death certificate.
?
Sudan
Six people, including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, face an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the western region of Darfur.
A civil war that broke out in 2003 has claimed some 300,000 lives according to UN figures, while Khartoum puts the figure at 10,000. In 2010, the ICC added a genocide charge against Bashir. Two arrest warrants have also been issued against a former minister and a militia leader.
?
Democratic Republic of Congo
The ICC reached a milestone with the end of its first trial in August, 2011, against former militia chief Thomas Lubanga, convicted in March this year of war crimes for enrolling child soldiers in 2002-03. The prosecution has asked for a 30 year sentence against the former warlord.
Congolese militia leaders Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui, accused of crimes against humanity and war crimes, have been before the court for an attack on a village in 2003.
The prosecutor has also asked for arrest warrants for Rwandan rebel chief Sylvestre Mudacumura and Congolese warlord, Bosco "Terminator" Ntaganda.
?
Central African Republic
Former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba has been in detention in The Hague since 2008, suspected of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by his Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) rebels in the neighbouring Central African Republic between October 2002 and March 2003. Bemba's troops supported CAR President Ange-Felix Patasse against a rebellion led by Francois Bozize, now the country's president.
?
Uganda
The ICC in 2005 issued arrest warrants against Joseph Kony and other top commanders of the notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) for crimes against humanity and war crimes including the enlisting of child soldiers and sexual slavery, committed between 2002 and 2004. Kony's arrest recently became the subject of an intense Internet campaign.
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Rubio, Portman Challenge Obama?s Understanding of His Country

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Moody's may lower European sovereign debt ratings

NEW YORK (AP) ? Moody's Investors Service said Friday that it may consider downgrading debt ratings for some eurozone nations if Spain seeks a bailout for its banking sector or Greece ends up dropping the euro as its national currency.

The ratings firm said it is assessing the implications of a bailout for Spain and is prepared to make rating changes to reflect any heightened risk for Spain's government creditors.

There's growing speculation that Spain could decide within days or weeks to ask the European Union for a bailout for its banks, which have been crippled by soured real estate investments.

If Spain ends up asking for aid, that would make it the fourth country in the 17-member eurozone to do so since the EU debt crisis broke out.

Under Moody's rating scale, Spain now has a rating of "A3," which is still investment-grade. But the outlook is "negative," which means there's at least a 40 percent chance Moody's will downgrade its ratings for Spain.

Moody's said Spain's banking problem is largely confined to that country and not likely to spill over to other eurozone nations, with the exception of Italy ? where the European Central Bank has already stepped in to buy government bonds as a way to help lower the country's borrowing costs.

More nations in the region could be at risk of a ratings downgrade should Greece walk away from the euro, Moody's said.

A shrinking economy, untenable debt and a political backlash against austerity measures have made it increasingly likely that Greece could cease using the euro. Moody's notes that would lead to substantial losses for investors in Greek securities.

Some experts estimate a new Greek currency would lose half or more of its value relative to the euro, driving up inflation and sapping the purchasing power of the average person in Greece.

At the same time, the country's economic output would drop, putting more people out of work where one in five is already unemployed. The prices of imported goods would skyrocket, putting them out of reach for many.

If Greece stops using the euro, that could threaten the euro's continued existence, Moody's said.

The ratings firm said nations at most risk of seeing their credit standing harmed by Greece's departure are: Cyprus, Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain. Moody's already holds a negative outlook on those five countries.

Beyond those, Moody's said it would review sovereign ratings for all eurozone nations.

Associated Press

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Liberia seals Ivory Coast border after UN attacked

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) ? Ivorian government forces vowed Saturday to hunt down those responsible for an ambush that killed at least seven U.N. peacekeepers, while Liberia sealed its border amid fears that the gunmen had used the country to stage the cross-border attack.

Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said the president had ordered the immediate deployment of the armed forces to the border in the wake of Friday's attack near the Ivorian town of Tai, which also left at least eight civilians dead and sent hundreds of people fleeing the area.

Human Rights Watch has said that militants have staged several cross-border attacks from Liberia, leaving at least 40 people dead in the last year. The violence has been blamed on mercenaries and militiamen who fought for ex-Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo and then fled across the porous border into Liberia's forests, following his arrest last year.

In a report released Wednesday, the human rights group had accused the Liberian government of failing to respond to the presence of armed groups on the border, or to the recruitment of child soldiers.

Liberian Defense Minister Brownie Samukai said efforts were being made to prevent the use of Liberia's territory as a launching ground for attacks. "We all are surprised by the deterioration of the situation in Tai," said Samukai, adding that it was difficult to yet establish the nationalities of those involved.

Ivory Coast was brought to the brink of civil war when Gbagbo refused to cede power after losing a November 2010 election. The United Nations estimates at least 3,000 people were killed in the six months of violence that followed, and more than 60,000 Ivorian refugees remain in neighboring Liberia.

Gbagbo was arrested with the help of U.N. and French forces in April 2011, and is now facing charges of war crimes at The Hague. Friday's attack marked an unprecedented assault on U.N. peacekeepers, who have been in the country since 2004.

"This is the first time we have ever had such a type of attack in Ivory Coast. It's a very tough time for the whole mission here right now," said Sylvie van den Wildenberg, acting spokeswoman for the U.N. mission in Ivory Coast.

An Ivorian Cabinet official who was briefed on the matter said President Alassane Ouattara requested helicopter gunships from the U.N. and expected them to arrive by Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Ivory Coast's deputy defense minister Paul Koffi Koffi said government forces, along with Liberian and U.N. forces, will launch an operation on June 15 to find the men responsible, whom he described as "militiamen or mercenaries."

Koffi Koffi said they could not respond sooner because it would take time to gather equipment and prepare the forces.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms," saying he was "saddened and outraged" about the deaths of the peacekeepers, all from Niger. He urged the Ivory Coast government to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Bert Koenders, the U.N. envoy to the West African nation, said the peacekeepers were part of a patrol south of the town of Tai, an area the U.N. mission recently reinforced because of threats of attacks against the civilian population. The ambush involved a large group of armed men, a U.N. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

"Their colleagues are still in danger," Ban told reporters. "Even tonight, after the attack, more than 40 peacekeepers remain with the villagers in this remote region to protect them from this armed group."

Van den Wildenberg said several vehicles were on a reconnaissance patrol near the village of Para on the southern axis of Tai to follow up on "rumors of movement of armed people in the area and threats on the security of civilians."

"There were several vehicles on the patrol and the leading vehicles were strongly hit," van den Wildenberg said. "The area is densely forested and very tough terrain."

Western Ivory Coast has remained particularly unstable following Gbagbo's arrest, and Human Rights Watch said earlier this week that armed groups in Liberia who supported Gbagbo have killed at least 40 civilians in cross-border raids into Ivory Coast since July. The deaths have all been near Tai, Human Rights Watch said.

"In the four cross-border attacks since June 2011, the motivation appears to have been both political vengeance and related to land conflict ? issues that overlap in Ivory Coast's volatile west. Those killed or whose houses were burned predominantly belong to ethnic groups that largely voted for president Ouattara," the group said in its report.

Matt Wells, West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch, told the AP that the organization hasn't confirmed details of the attack but "pro-Gbagbo militants have conducted repeated raids from Liberia into this region of Ivory Coast."

"The Gbagbo camp often resorted to inciting rhetoric against U.N. personnel during the Ivorian crisis, though today's deadly attack is the first of its kind during the recent Ivorian crisis," Wells said

"Liberian and Ivorian authorities need to quickly work together to bring to account those involved in this heinous act," he said.

At the end of April, the U.N. said there were about 9,400 peacekeeping troops, 200 military observers and 1,350 international police in the mission along with civilian staff. Over 40 countries are contributing military personnel.

___

Associated Press writers Laura Burke in Accra, Ghana; Germain Ndri in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

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Samuels and Ramdin repel England

A suicide bomber dressed in a burqa blew himself up near a French patrol in Afghanistan on Saturday, killing four soldiers and wounding five, one of the deadliest attacks on the French contingent in months, as the Taliban step up a spring offensive. The attack occurred in the mountainous Kapisa province in the east of the??

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BPW Career Center: Real Estate/Property Management jobs, Seattle ...

Position Summary:

Assist the Asset Managers in overseeing apartment assets in King, Pierce & Snohomish County by helping implement financial, cash flow, leasing & capital strategies to meet short term or budgeted goals.
Learn the different facets of property management to include marketing, leasing, administrative duties, maintenance duties, financial reporting, forecasting, and underwriting. Would include working side by side with the office and maintenance staff at select buildings as well as spending time with the Asset managers.
Assist the Asset Managers in evaluating current staff, unit appearance and curb appeal at all assets by shopping the buildings and writing up a detailed evaluation. Looking for a fresh set of eyes to provide constructive feedback and specific action items that would enhance the performance and appearance of these assets.
Assist the Asset Managers in fully understanding the markets where the assets reside. Would include shopping all comps currently listed on the market surveys as well as other surrounding communities in order to make recommendations on what properties need to be added/removed from the current surveys.
Assist the Asset Managers in evaluating current marketing in place, both online and in print, for all assets in the portfolio. Provide valuable written feedback on areas of improvement, effectiveness of current marketing sources, strength of online presence and recommendations for improvement. Take time to research and find new or unexplored marketing avenues that ultimately would drive more traffic to our assets.
During course of internship, there may be several big picture topics (i.e. local economic outlook, future apartment construction, military impact in Pierce County, impact of social media, Gen Y demographics, family formation statistics, job growth in tri-county area, etc) to research, analyze, and provide written and oral feedback on.
Expectation is for individual to be willing to work hard, not afraid to get their hands dirty and willing to be flexible and self-motivated in a dynamic and always changing work environment.
FLSA Status: Exempt
Supervisory Responsibilities: No

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

1. Work closely with Asset Managers to understand key strategies for the apartment communities owned and/or managed by the company.
2.
Work closely with property managers and leasing agents to provide direction for and oversight of business plans, budgets, and forecasts.
3. Work closely with maintenance supervisors and technicians to understand day to day duties, including turning units, completing work orders, upgrading fixtures & hardware, and cleaning grounds.
4. Help analyze current business plan for select properties.
5. Work closely with Asset managers to review/prepare/analyze monthly financial reports, capital logs, accounts payable, checkbooks and forecasts.
6. Work closely with Asset and Investment managers in preparation of the 2013 capital binders.
7. Perform site inspections at all properties, noting any deferred maintenance or necessary capital improvements.
8. Provide pre-acquisition input and assistance for Asset Managers in due diligence process, including shopping comps, providing rent information, review of financial and operational assumptions, and compiling due diligence items requested by bank or ownership.
9. Provide input on lease ups, renovations and/or struggling assets as requested.
10. Respond to analysis and information requests in a timely manner.
11. Become a market expert for each property and participate in the development of marketing, leasing and resident retention programs tailored for each property.
12. Review and evaluate rent structure for each property based on market analysis and ownership objectives.
13. Assist the Asset Managers in meeting with third party contractors and vendors and reviewing multiple bids for capital projects.
14. Research and compare different siding and roofing options to include pricing, pros/cons and recommendations.
15. Willingness to work flexible schedule when required and overnight travel.
16. Perform routine office tasks necessary for the operation and presentation of information.
17. Exhibit genuine concern and respect for peers & onsite personnel and always conducts oneself appropriately and professionally.
18. Report to work regularly and on time.
19. Assist in other duties as needed and directed.
20. Maintain a positive attitude and be a team player.

Qualifications:

Special Licenses and/or Certificates:

None but a Licensed Real Estate Agent would be desirable

Education and/or Experience:

Experience in property management/leasing/operations desirable but not required.
Working towards a BA or BS degree in business, economics, finance, real estate, or other related field.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have knowledge of: Internet Explorer; Microsoft Excel; Microsoft Outlook; Microsoft Word; Windows Operating System and be proficient in typing.

Other Skills and Qualifications:

Highly organized, self motivated and able to handle multiple priorities and tasks.
Strength of character and flexible style to work successfully with a range of people from peers, property staff, contractors, and vendors.
High level of integrity, honesty, and respect for others in both their personal and business relationships.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THIS JOB DESCRIPTION, IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME AND I UNDERSTAND MY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS STATED HEREIN.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________
Employee Signature Date

Prepared By: Josh Obendorf & Frank Kim Prepared On: 4/12/12
Approved By: Approved On:

Exhibit A
General Competencies Required:

Intellectual: Organization:

demonstrates attention to detail conserves organizational resources
identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences
gathers and analyzes information skillfully promotes a harassment-free environment
develops alternative solutions treats people with respect
uses reason, even when dealing with emotional topics strives for personal and organizational excellence
assesses own strengths and weaknesses inspires the trust of others
displays critical/creative thinking works ethically and with integrity
possess necessary expertise to accomplish all tasks follows policies and procedures
seeks self improvement completes tasks correctly and on time
learns new skills to improve job performance supports organization's goals, values, and policies

Interpersonal: Self Management:

strives for continuous improvement and solicits customer feedback to improve service completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan
timely response to requests for information, service, and assistance observes safety and security procedures; reports unsafe conditions
maintains confidentiality displays willingness to make decisions
demonstrates a positive and productive attitude measures self against standard of excellence
displays self-control and keeps emotions under control, even under pressure follows instructions and responds to management directions
remains open to others' ideas and tries new things uses equipment and materials according to policy
speaks clearly; listens and gets clarification takes responsibility for own actions
exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views prioritizes and plans work activities
able to read and interpret written information manages competing demands; uses time effectively
writes clearly, accurately, and concisely is consistently at work and on time

Leadership:

looks for ways to improve and promote quality; makes recommendations for improvements able to deal with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events
positive role model; exhibits confidence in self and others accepts responsibility; follows or exceeds organizational standards
demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness uses resources effectively and efficiently
teaches, coaches, inspires, mentors, empowers others anticipates and plans accordingly
exhibits sound and accurate judgment and logical reasoning works to improve team and organizational climate

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Rollins out as R.V. baseball coach

River Valley High's head baseball coach Billy Rollins was asked to reapply for his position by a school administrator recently.

The Appeal-Democrat learned of the news on Tuesday and Rollins confirmed his dismissal on Wednesday evening.

School administrators chose not to speak on the issue.

"It's a personnel matter, and I don't have a comment at this time," said River Valley athletic director Will Dawson.

Dawson asked that questions be directed to Principal Tom Reusser. Reusser did not return phone calls from the Appeal-Democrat.

Rollins was confused and distraught after receiving the news, but he certainly didn't take the time he had as the skipper for the past three years for granted.

"I'm proud of the success we had at the program while I reigned," Rollins said. "We were the first male sport to win a playoff game."

The Falcons finished the 2012 season with a 21-8 record and rallied to beat Whitney 6-5 on May 14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division III opener at River Valley. It was the first playoff win for the baseball program.

The Falcons lost 12-1 to Placer three days later.

Under Rollins, River Valley went 52-33 overall and reached the postseason in all three seasons.

But for Rollins, coaching wasn't just about wins and losses.

"I cherished each relationship I had with the players, coaches and opposing coaches over the past six years," said Rollins, who served as a junior varsity coach for three seasons before being named head coach of the varsity team in 2010.

He replaced Todd Artist, who served as Rollins' assistant for the past two years.

"I was disappointed when I received news that the position would be reopened," Rollins said.

As of Thursday, there had been no word on who will replace Rollins.

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Chinese police detain Tiananmen Square veteran's relatives

A protester lights a candle to mourn Chinese activist Li Wangyang's death. Relatives of the Tiananmen Square protester have been detained by police after questioning circumstances of his alleged suicide. Photograph: Vincent Yu/AP

Relatives of a Tiananmen Square protest veteran have been detained by police after raising concerns that he died in strange circumstances, a rights group has said.

Li Wangyang was found dead in a hospital ward in Shaoyang, central Hunan province, on Wednesday, two days after the anniversary of the brutal crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy protests. He had a noose around his neck and local officials said he had killed himself.

But thousands of people have signed an online petition calling for an investigation into his death after relatives said his feet were on the floor when he was found and questioned whether he was physically able to hang himself given his ill health.

Li, 62, had spent more than 22 years in jail for his role in the protests in Beijing, but was released last year. He was blind, had severe hearing difficulties and was being treated for poor health.

Human Rights in China said police had taken Li's sister Li Wangling and her husband Zhao Baozhu to a hotel and were holding them there, citing an unnamed source who said the couple felt isolated and feared for their safety.

Earlier this week Zhao told the Los Angeles Times: "[Li] could barely hold a bowl without his hands shaking ? how could this happen when there were security guards watching him? We have many questions."

The source told the group police had agreed to delay the cremation of Li's body and allow the couple to watch the postmortem. But they have been unable to contact Guangzhou rights lawyer Tang Jingling since hiring him to represent them. Tang's current whereabouts are unknown, the group added.

"HRIC is deeply concerned about the safety of Li's sister and brother-in-law and urges that the authorities immediately restore their personal freedom and ensure the right of Li's family to retain legal representation of their own choosing," the group said in a statement. Calls to police in Shaoyang were not answered.

Li was jailed for instigating counter-revolutionary propaganda after co-founding the Labour Autonomous Union to support the student protestors in 1989. When he was released in 2000 he sued for compensation ? earning himself another lengthy sentence for the same crime.

In his last interview, with Hong Kong cable television, Li described being tortured but said he had never regretted supporting the students. "Even if I were beheaded, I would not regret it. For democracy and the survival of the country, the ordinary man should take responsibility," he said.

"I believe in the future China will be on the path of freedom and democracy and the implementation of a multi-party system. The date is not so far away."

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Holder appoints two attorneys to lead leak investigations

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MacLaine earns AFI honor for her many lives

Shirley MacLaine arrives at the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on Sunday June 7, 2012 in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9pm on TV Land. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Shirley MacLaine arrives at the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on Sunday June 7, 2012 in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9pm on TV Land. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Shirley MacLaine attends the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on Sunday June 7, 2012 in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9 p.m. on TV Land. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Meryl Streep, left, and Shirley MacLaine arrive at the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on Sunday June 7, 2012 in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9 p.m. on TV Land. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Shirley MacLaine, left, and Julia Roberts attend the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on June 7, 2012 in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9 p.m. on TV Land. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Shirley MacLaine, left, and Meryl Streep attend the AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine at Sony Studios on Sunday June 7, 2012 in Culver City, Calif. The AFI Lifetime Achievement Honoring Shirley MacLaine airs on June 24, 2012 at 9pm on TV Land. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

CULVER CITY, Calif. (AP) ? It's not just a single life that gets toted up when Shirley MacLaine receives a career award. It's all her lives ? past, present and future.

MacLaine earned the American Film Institute's life-achievement award Thursday night with friends and colleagues praising her accomplishments in this life ? and cracking jokes about the reincarnation believer's other lives.

Co-stars Julia Roberts, Jack Nicholson, Jack Black, Sally Field, Meryl Streep and others contributed to the loving roast of MacLaine, along with such friends, co-workers and admirers as Katherine Heigl, Don Rickles, Morgan Freeman and 1972 Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.

"Tonight we're here to honor a person I have known, a person I have loved my whole life," said MacLaine's younger brother, Warren Beatty, the 2008 recipient of the AFI honor.

Some stars lovingly ribbed MacLaine for her belief that she has lived many past lives. Black, MacLaine's co-star in her current comic drama "Bernie," presented a hilarious reel of himself congratulating the actress at career honors from prehistoric times to the Elizabethan era to U.S. colonial days.

"This is not the first lifetime-achievement award she's won over the ages," Black said.

Carrie Fisher, who wrote the 1990 comic drama "Postcards from the Edge" that starred MacLaine and Streep, joked that MacLaine "is actually some future person's past life. Can you imagine that lucky bastard?"

Nicholson, MacLaine's fellow Academy Award winner from 1983's "Terms of Endearment," said MacLaine loves her audiences and "is the only person outside of the clergy promising them eternal life."

The 40th recipient of the annual AFI honor, MacLaine received the best-actress Oscar for "Terms of Endearment" and was nominated four other times for such films as 1958's "Some Came Running," 1960's "The Apartment" and 1977's "The Turning Point."

The awards show, held in a historic Sony Pictures soundstage where MGM shot "The Wizard of Oz," will air June 24 on TV Land.

The ceremony featured taped segments with MacLaine recalling colorful episodes from her career, clips from her films such as "Sweet Charity," ''Being There," ''Guarding Tess" and her debut in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Trouble with Harry," and a segment on her collaborations with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and their Rat Pack pals.

"Downton Abbey" co-star Elizabeth McGovern introduced a clip of MacLaine's upcoming guest appearance on the British drama series, with MacLaine playing McGovern's mother.

MacLaine made a grand entrance to the dinner that preceded the show, taking the stage then working her way through the crowd with hugs and kisses for Beatty and wife Annette Bening, Streep, Rickles, Jennifer Aniston and others.

Streep presented the award to MacLaine, saying the actress cut a path for other women in Hollywood by doing much of her best work in middle age, when good female roles typically dry up.

"Some performers are just indelible. We fall early and we fall hard for them, and we follow them for the rest of our lives," Streep said. "That's our Shirl. That's you, babe."

Accepting the award from Streep, also a past winner of the AFI prize, MacLaine paid respect to the Jacks in her life, including Nicholson, Black and "The Apartment" co-star Jack Lemmon.

She also had fond words for all of the leading men she has known, "those I made love to on the screen and those I made love to off the screen. I swear, I remember only half."

MacLaine thanked the women who shared her dinner table for the evening, among them Streep and "Steel Magnolias" co-star Field, saying they had been her "other half of the sky, my sustaining belief that women who speak the truth will make the world a better place."

And she put in her own wisecrack about the prospects of future lives.

"For all of the over-achievers in this room, we should relax and enjoy it," MacLaine said, "because if we don't do it now, we'll do it next time."

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Online:

American Film Institute: http://www.afi.com

Associated Press

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