Coast Guard’s Allen expects BP plan to catch more oil

June 13 (Reuters) – U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, the Obama administration’s point man on the BP (BP.L) (BP.N) Gulf of Mexico oil spill, said on Sunday he expected the company to offer a plan later in the day to capture more of the gushing oil.

Speaking on CBS’s “Face The Nation,” Allen said: “We hope to get an answer on that later on today, in fact we will get an answer.”

(Reporting by Alan Elsner; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Family friend says the Gores just ”grew apart” after 40 years of marriage

New York, June 4 (ANI): Washington Post journalist Sally Quinn, a longtime friend of the Gores, said Al and Tipper just grew apart after 40 years of marriage.

Quinn told CBS” “The Early Show” on Wednesday that she had never heard any rumors of infidelity and thinks the pair just “grew apart.”

“They were sort of nomads in a way. They went back to Tennessee, but they didn”t really live there,” the New York Daily News quoted Quinn, as saying.

“Al traveled a lot. They sort of migrated to the West Coast, where Tipper has an apartment, and Al has a lot of business. But he was traveling all the time. And, I think, their interests just diverged,” she added.

Quinn also said Tipper may have wanted to branch out on her own.

“It may be that she”s just tired of being the wife, and wants to be someone who can accomplish something on her own,” Quinn said.

Although Quinn believes neither of the Gores was unfaithful, she is deeply upset by the couple”s split.

“The interesting thing is, that usually when something like this happens, you get a sense of glee, people that are saying, ”I told you so,” or ”I knew it” or whatever,” she said. “I have only encountered sadness.”

The Gores announced their separation in an e-mail to friends on Tuesday, writing the split was “a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together following a process of long and careful consideration.” (ANI)

Reliance Media to form JV with CBS Corp – report

May 31 (Reuters) – Reliance Media World (RELW.BO), part of India’s Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, will form an equal joint venture with U.S.-based CBS Corp (CBS.N) to launch television channels, the Economic Times reported on Monday.

Stocks | Mergers & Acquisitions | Cyclical Consumer Goods

The companies have reached an agreement on the joint venture and an announcement is expected this week, the newspaper said, citing a person familiar with the development. Officials at Reliance Media and CBS could not immediately be reached for comment.

The newspaper said the joint venture would start operations from January next year and would launch a slew of channels, starting with those featuring syndicated content from CBS, owner of the most-watched U.S. television network.

For full story click on (www.economictimes.com) (Writing by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan)

Americans fed up with Washington, Obama, Republicans and Democrats: Poll

Washington, May 26(ANI): A new poll has revealed that Americans are frustrated with nearly everyone in Washington, including President Barack Obama, Congress, and the Democratic and Republican parties, and have become increasingly pessimistic about what the future holds.

According to the CBS News poll, seven in ten Americans are dissatisfied with the way things are going in Washington, including 22 percent who say they are “angry” about the situation.

The poll further highlighted that the president’s job approval rating has fallen to 47 percent, and Americans no longer say he shares their priorities for the country.

The percentage that says Obama shares their priorities has fallen to 45 percent, a drop of 13 points from October, while the percentage who say that he ‘does not’ has risen to 47 percent, up from 38 percent seven months ago.

It also found that just 15 percent overall approve of the job being done by Congress.

Meanwhile, opinions about the Republicans and Democrats are at or near historic lows, as 55 percent of those surveyed hold unfavorable views of Republicans, and 54 percent hold unfavorable views of Democrats. (ANI)

Charlie Sheen to stay on ”Two and a Half Men” for two more years

Washington, May 18 (ANI): Charlie Sheen has extended his association with hit TV show ‘Two and a Half Men’ for another two years, it has emerged.

The actor reportedly demanded around 2 million dollars an episode. Warner Bros. initially offered substantially less than half that amount, but went up considerably when the actor did not agree.

“Charlie is very happy,” TMZ quoted a source, as saying.

Meanwhile, Sheen released a statement, saying: “To put a fitting end on the two-and-one-half months of whirlwind speculation, I”m looking forward to returning to my CBS home on Monday nights.”(ANI)

Obama tells New York Times scribe he’s levitating!

Buffalo (New York), May 14 (ANI): Undertaking a tour of Industrial Support Inc., a Buffalo company, US President Barack Obama saw what amounted to a hovercraft, a board that levitates on bed of compressed air.

He put New York Times reporter Sheryl Stolberg on the board and as the device was fired up, Stolberg appeared to levitate an inch or so off the ground and traveled in circles near his feet.

The president was overjoyed with this. “you”re levitating!” he exclaimed, reports CBS.

He then went to a station where plastic soda bottles are “shot” across the room using compressed air.

The bottle-rocket device is used in high school science classes for students to figure out the distance a bottle will travel. (ANI)

Shahzad used “Hawala” system to get money: Sources

New York, May 14 (ANI): Law enforcement sources have told CBS News that Times Square bomb suspect Faisal Shahzad used the “hawala” system to collect money for his attack.

They said that he concealed the movement of money by using couriers and bypassing banks or other financial institutions.

The hawala system is a courier system used by terrorists and criminals to conceal the flow of money without raising red flags among law enforcement. It”s a type of informal banking system frequently used by family and tribes – at times legitimately.

Law enforcement sources said it”s unclear whether Shahzad used the hawala system in part or totally in obtaining financing for the attack.

As investigators probe a possible link between Shahzad and the Pakistani Taliban, one of the critical aspects is confirming the flow of money – who handled the money, who were the facilitators, to determine if they were associates or members of the Pakistan Taliban. (ANI)

MRI shows Woods is down with inflamed neck joint

New York, May 13 (ANI): An MRI has revealed that golfer Tiger Woods has an inflamed neck joint that causes pain and makes it hard to turn his head.

Woods had to withdraw from the final round of The Players Championship on Sunday after a week in which he was seen stretching and rolling his neck.

The CBS quoted Woods as saying on his website that his neck had been bothering him since before he returned from a five-month layoff at the Masters, and that it was not related to the November 27 car accident when he ran into a tree, setting off revelations of infidelity.

“I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I”m physically able,” Woods added.

Woods said treatment would include physical therapy, such as soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medicine. He said the prognosis was for a full recovery, and while the layoff is not expected to be long, rehab can vary.

“I want to practice, I want to play, I want to compete, but this (neck) is not allowing me to do the things that I need to do on my golf swing to hit the proper shots. I need to get to where I can do that again,” he said. (ANI)

Clinton says she shares a “great relationship” with Obama

New York, May 10 (ANI): US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton claims she shares camaraderie with former political opponent President Barack Obama. She also speaks of her amazement when offered the job.

“I ran hard against him, he ran hard against me,” she told CBS”” “60 Minutes”.

“He won. I lost. And then, he asked me to work for him on behalf of our country. Now? “We have a great relationship,” she insisted.

She says she was taken aback at being offered the position of Secretary of State and initially turned it down, “Just ridiculous, I absolutely did not believe it,” she said.

“When he raised it, I said, ””Well, there are so many other people you should consider. I really don””t think I wanna do that. I””m not interested in doing it,’” she added.

Though the charismatic Obama finally managed to convince her otherwise, “He turned out to be very persuasive,” she said of Obama””s pitch.

Since then, Clinton has traveled to 54 countries, flying the equivalent of 16 laps around the globe.

“There was just so much when I walked in this door,” she said. “There was not only these really high expectations about the President and, to some extent, myself, about what that meant, but you just can””t say, ””Okay, we””re here … immediately adopt a new positive view toward us.”” It takes a lot of hard work to make that real,” New York Daily News quoted her as saying. (ANI)

Five hidden dangers of Facebooking

Washington, May 10 (ANI): An expert in online privacy has drawn attention to the five dangers of sharing information on social networking site Facebook.

Joan Goodchild, senior editor of CSO (Chief Security Officer) Online, claims marketing efforts by the company often results in a compromise on account holders’ privacy, reports CBS News.

Goodchild noted five risks of using Facebook on ‘The Early Show on Saturday Morning.’ They are:

1.Your information is being shared with third parties

2. Privacy settings revert to a less safe default mode after each redesign

3. Facebook ads may contain malware

4. Your real friends unknowingly make you vulnerable

5. Scammers are creating fake profiles

Earlier this week, 15 privacy and consumer protection organizations filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, alleging that the site manipulates privacy settings to make users” personal information available for commercial use. (ANI)

The Pill one of the most significant medical advances of last 50 years: US poll

Washington, May 8 (ANI): Over half of Americans think that the birth control pill has been one of the most significant medical advances of the last half century, a new CBS poll found.

Most Americans say “the pill” has had an impact on American society and on women’s lives in particular, and credit it with helping women enter the work force.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the birth control pill in 1960 and today 52 percent of Americans consider it as one of the most significant medical developments of the last 50 years.

According to the poll, conducted on May 4th and 5th, four in five Americans think the birth control pill has had at least some effect on American society overall, including 41 percent who say it’s had a great deal of impact.

Even more, 54 percent, think the birth control pill has had a great deal of impact on women’s lives in particular, reports CBS News.

Most Americans say women’s lives were changed for the better because of the birth control pill.

Only a quarter think it made no difference, and even fewer say the pill made women’s lives worse.

Men (59 percent), women (54 percent), and women who have ever taken the pill (54 percent) say that women’s lives were improved as a result of the birth control pill.

In fact, Americans think the birth control pill helped women enter the work force— 57 percent say the pill made it easier for women to have jobs and careers outside the home.

On the other hand, 53 percent of younger Americans say the birth control pill had no effect on the ability of women to work outside the home.

Among working women, 55 percent say the birth control poll has made it easier for women to enter the workforce.

The poll finds public concerns about the safety of the birth control pill have diminished over time. (ANI)

Iowa senator demands Congress probe on how Shahzad became U.S. citizen

Washington, May 7 (ANI): The Republican Senator from Iowa, Charles Grassley, has sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking for the “Alien” file on Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad and his family members and for everyone who has been a reference or a sponsor for the terror suspect.

Keen to know how Shahzad was granted American citizenship, Senator Grassley wants to know if this file was in the hands of the official who approved Shahzad”s citizenship.

An Alien or “A” file includes visa and travel history, financial and personal information as well as any derogatory information from law enforcement.

According to CBS News, Grassley also wants Shahzad”s arrival forms that he filled out each time he re-entered the United States and whether or not he sponsored other individuals to become citizens.

CBS news reported Wednesday that Faisal Shahzad had appeared on a Department of Homeland Security watch list between 1999 and 2008 because he brought 80,000 dollars of cash into the United States.

Grassley wants the documents by May 11, 2010. (ANI)

Family photo shows Shahzad posing near scene of Times Square terror attempt

New York, May 6 (ANI): Accused Times Square terrorist Faisal Shahzad posed for photos like a typical tourist during a 2008 visit with family and friends to the site of his attempted car bombing.

A photo obtained by CBS News shows the suspect standing with a group of people less than 100 yards from the W. 45th St. spot where he parked an explosives-laden Pathfinder.

According to the New York Daily News, the picture was taken between 18 and 24 months ago, and shows Shahzad with wife Human Mian and a half-dozen other unidentified people.

CBS News says the suspect is easily identifiable amidst the neon lights of Times Square, standing on a traffic island just a short distance north of the NYPD”s Times Square station.

The photo surfaced as the Taliban denied any ties to the Times Square car bomber. (ANI)

Times Square bombing is a reaction to US drone attacks: Qureshi

Islamabad, May 5 (ANI): Pakistan Foreign Minister Mahkdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi believes the attempted Times Square bombing is a reaction to U.S. drones targeting Taliban followers along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“This is a blow back. This is a reaction. This is retaliation. And you could expect that. Let”s not be naive. They”re not going to sort of sit and welcome you eliminate them. They”re going to fight back,” CBS News quoted Qureshi, as saying.

Qureshi was speaking as police in Pakistan police confirmed the arrest of two people, one of whom, Tauseef Ahmed, is believed to have travelled to the U.S. to meet Faisal Shahzad. Both were arrested in Karachi, Pakistan.

CBS News has also learned that Shahzad may have spent at least four months training at a terrorist camp – raided in early March by Pakistani forces.

Though Pakistan is a key ally to the U.S., the country is still seen as a fertile training ground for militants.

Faisal Shahzad comes from a wealthy and educated family. His father is a retired high-ranking Air Force officer. But the failed plot will no doubt put new pressure on Pakistan to crack down on insurgents within its borders. (ANI)

Coffee may help cut uterine cancer risk

Washington May 4 (ANI): Two cups of coffee a day can lower the risk of uterine cancer, claims Mayo Clinic research.

Uterine cancer is the most common cancer for women”s reproductive organs.

According to the American Cancer Society, last year, 42,160 new cases were diagnosed, and it caused 7,780 deaths.

The research found that, among the 20,000 women who participated, those who drank more than two-and-a-half cups of coffee daily were less likely to develop uterine, or endometrial, cancer as compared to women who did not drink coffee at all, reports CBS. (ANI)

Things you should never mention in your resume

Washington, Apr 26 (ANI): You might be a self-motivated worker and even a team player, but writing these on your resume does more harm than good to your chances of getting a job.

There are five popular catch phrases that should never make it into your resume, reports CBS News.

Talking on ‘The Early Show on Saturday Morning’, career adviser Liz Ryan, CEO of AskLizRyan.com, spotlighted the things you shouldn””t call yourself on a resume – at least, not without backing up the description with concrete examples.

In fact, she said that those examples could speak for themselves, without your actually using the terms you should avoid.

Ryan said that the underlying idea in writing a resume is to stand out, and using terms everyone else does hardly accomplishes that.

Revealing some of the typical or cliche phrases used in resumes, Ryan said: “’Results oriented professional’ is probably the biggest one used, and it””s meaningless! You””re talking about yourself, so why go into this weird robotic language that doesn””t describe much about yourself? For example, you might say, ‘I got into journalism, because l like to tell compelling stories’. But you wouldn””t say ‘I have a proven track record in the newsroom.’”

“Lines such as: ‘Bottom line-orientated,’ ‘proven track record of success” (as opposed to a proven track record of failure?!) are SO redundant. Yes, employers are looking for qualities like those, but it””s not telling them this. ‘Proven track record?’ It””s proven because it””s a track record and of course it””s successful, because why boast about failures? So they don””t describe you.

“Don””t just tell someone you””re special, give examples of what you do and what you enjoy. Anyone who says he or she has ‘excellent communication skills’ evidently doesn””t! Because, if you had them, you wouldn””t use trite words to describe those skills,” she added.

When asked how should one better describe his or skills, she said: “It should be done in teeny-tiny mini-stories. Instead of saying strong communication skills, say you built the company””s newsletter from scratch. That fits within a bullet point and it says a lot about you. And the phrase built from scratch is colloquial, so employers like that because it says you””re comfortable in your skin. It””s better to tell a little story that is more colourful than just a regular cliche. It””s grabbier than the common and trite phrases.”

“Saying you ‘work well under pressure’ as a journalist in a newsroom isn””t as smart as saying ‘kept calm during daily coverage of earthquake crisis’ – that way, prospective employers see it in their head, and that makes it graphic, visual, and they want to meet you. You””re coming through the language on the page. So again saying you””re ‘financially savvy’ won””t be as effective as saying ‘spent four days tracking down a financial leak’. Using that approach is more of a right brain approach (as opposed to the left brain): It makes your heart beat faster and gets an emotional reaction to your skills,” she added.

Ryan further said: “Instead of saying mundane lines like ‘excellent working with customers,’ we can say ‘saved our biggest client who was ready to leave’ It””s not stating you have potential ability, it””s giving concrete examples of when your skills have worked. Don””t say you have ‘strong negotiation skills’— give examples of things you have already done.

“You really have to do the work make the world””s shortest story about yourself. It cannot be a paragraph, but it starts by not standing back and saying what you think of yourself. Employers read all the time: ‘My friend says “I use my time effectively, I””m a team player,’ etc. ‘Tell what you did already’. (ANI)

Cyber attack targeted Google password system

Washington, Apr 20(ANI): The mysterious cyber attack against search engine giant Google last year reportedly included an attempt to hack a vital company-wide password system, which controls user access to most of Google’s web services, e-mail and business applications.

The program, code named Gaia, was attacked in a lightning raid, taking less than two days last December, CBS News quoted a source, saying.

However, Gmail users’ passwords do not appear to have been stolen, and the company quickly initiated security changes to its networks, the source added.

Gaia is intended to enable users and employees to sign in with their password just once to operate a range of services.

The new details seem likely to increase the debate about the security and privacy of vast computing systems such as Google’s, which store personal information of millions of individuals and businesses.

When news of the attack initially became public, it led to a row between Google and China, ultimately resulting in a decision by the company to reroute search queries to its Hong Kong site. (ANI)

Obama wants to rachet up international pressure on Iran

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama intends to “rachet up pressure” on Iran over its nuclear program and believes Tehran is becoming increasingly isolated, he said in an interview aired on Friday.

Obama’s interview with CBS was taped earlier this week. (Reporting by Alan Elsner)

Obama wants to increase pressure on Iran

(Reuters) – President Barack Obama intends to “ratchet up pressure” on Iran over its nuclear program and believes Tehran is becoming increasingly isolated, he said in an interview aired on Friday.

Barack Obama

Obama’s interview with CBS was taped earlier this week.

“The idea is to keep turning up the pressure,” Obama said.

He reiterated that if Iran obtained the ability to manufacture nuclear weapons, even if it did not actually make them, this would destabilize the Middle East and trigger a regional arms race.

“We’re going to ratchet up the pressure and examine how they respond but we’re going to do so with a unified international community,” Obama said.

He said the Iranian government had become increasingly isolated internationally since he took office in January 2009.

Obama discussed Iran and other issues with Chinese President Hu Jintao for about an hour on Thursday.

“President Obama underscored the importance of working together to ensure that Iran lives up to its international obligations,” the White House said in a statement after the telephone call.

Officials will begin discussing a new round of sanctions against Iran at the United Nations next week.

Iran says its nuclear program is designed to produce electricity and is entirely peaceful.

(Reporting by Alan Elsner)

Michelle Obama most popular US First Lady ever

Washington, April 1 (ANI): U.S. First lady Michelle Obama is more popular than her predecessors Laura Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton were after a year in the White House.

The President’s wife’s approval ratings are blooming at 78 percent, higher than her recent predecessors at similar points in their husband”s presidency.

Comparatively, Laura Bush rated at 74 percent, and Rosalyn Carter rated at 59 percent. Hillary Clinton rated at 58 percent and Nancy Reagan at 57 percent.

Michelle has boosted her image by focusing on issues such as childhood obesity and encouraging innovative ways for kids to get exercise.

“I love the way that Mrs. Obama has stressed the simple things that people can change to make a huge difference in their lives,” CBS News quoted Katherine Tallmadge of the American Dietetic Association, as saying.

“Things like eating more vegetables. Having a garden and being more physically active.

“They may seem like simple things but study after study show they”re effective things,” Tallmadge added. (ANI)