Steelers could part ways with receiver Hines Ward
AHN Sports Staff Pittsburgh, PA, United States (AHN Sports) – The Pittsburgh Steelers might be looking to usher in a new era at wide receiver. According to a report, the team is going to cut ties with veteran wide receiver Hines Ward. The NFL Network reported the upcoming move citing unnamed sources. Ward has a roster-bonus deadline coming up on March 1. Ward lost his starting spot this past season and has said he was willing to take a pay cut. “I plan on playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers and going from there,” Ward said during Super Bowl week On his Facebook page Ward posted Saturday that he’s already told the Steelers he wants to work on restructuring his contract so he can remain with the team. The franchise’s all-time leading receiver, Ward is 35 and is on the books to make $4 million next season. He had 46 receptions for 381 yards and a pair of touchdowns, his lowest totals since he was a rookie. Article © AHN – All Rights Reserved
Hundreds arrested in Occupy Oakland protests; Alabama groups seek less drastic ways to influence
Occupy Oakland protestors burn an American flag found inside Oakland City Hall during an Occupy Oakland protest on the steps of City Hall, Saturday, January 28, 2012, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Beck Diefenbach) On Saturday some 300 people affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement in Oakland, Calif., were arrested during a chaotic day of protests that saw demonstrators break into City Hall and burn an American flag. A look today at some of the Facebook pages and websites managed by Alabama groups that identify with the movement indicates more constructive efforts at influencing government are being discussed within the organizations here. Still, a visitor who posted on the Occupy Birmingham Facebook page on Sunday cited the California events and urged restraint. “I am glad to see that Occupy Birmingham is not burning the American flag like your compatriots at Occupy Oakland,” said Johnny Creel, whose own Facebook pages says he is a city resident. “… I am confident that Occupy Birmingham espouses non-violent protest.” The Occupy Tuscaloosa Facebook page included links to online video from the events in Oakland on Saturday without commentary. The arrests in Oakland came after police fired tear gas and bean bags to disperse hundreds of people, some of whom threw rocks and bottles and tore down fencing outside a nearby convention center, The Associated Press reported. It was the most turbulent day of protests there since November, when Oakland police forcefully dismantled an Occupy encampment. An exasperated Mayor Jean Quan, who faced heavy criticism for the police action last fall, called on the Occupy movement to “stop using Oakland as its playground.” “People in the community and people in the Occupy movement have to stop making excuses for this behavior,” Quan said. Protesters clashed with police throughout the day, at times throwing rocks, bottles and other objects at officers. Police responded by deploying smoke, tear gas and bean bag rounds, City Administrator Deanna Santanta said. “These demonstrators stated their intention was to provoke officers and engage in illegal activity and that’s exactly what has occurred today,” Santana said. Alabama’s Occupy groups in recent months have supplemented their initial launches on Facebook with websites. The Birmingham group’s website encourages participation in a protest to oppose a proposed coal mine on the Black Warrior River’s Mulberry Fork in Walker County. The University of Alabama is a major owner of land and mineral rights sought by the mining company Shepherd Bend, LLC. Opponents say the proposed 1,773-acre strip mine would discharge wastewater 800 …
Euro, rich-poor gap proved key issues at Davos
The mountain resort of Davos pictured during the last day of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The overarching theme of the Meeting, that took place from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29 was “The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models”. (AP Photo/Keystone/Laurent Gillieron) The mountain resort of Davos pictured during the last day of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. The overarching theme of the Meeting, that took place from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29 was “The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models”. (AP Photo/Keystone/Laurent Gillieron) Workers remove material during the last day of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, in Davos, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012. (AP Photo/Keystone/Jean-Christophe Bott) Buy AP Photo Reprints DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) â” Europe’s crippling debt crisis dominated the world’s foremost gathering of business and political leaders, but for the first time the growing inequality between the planet’s haves and have-nots became an issue, thanks largely to the Arab Spring uprisings, the Occupy movement and other protests around the globe. The mood at the end of the five-day meeting in Davos was somber, and more than 2,500 VIPs headed home Sunday concerned about what lies ahead in 2012. Plenty of champagne flowed in this alpine ski resort â” but the atmosphere was flat and the bubbling enthusiasm of some past World Economic Forums was noticeably absent. Despite some guarded optimism about Europe’s latest attempts to stem the eurozone crisis, fears remain that turmoil could return and spill over to the rest of the world. And there were no answers to the widening inequality gap, but a mounting realization that economic growth must include the poor, that job creation is critical, and that affordable food, housing, health care and education need to part of any solution. Just before the forum began, the International Monetary Fund reduced its forecast for global growth in 2012 to 3.3 percent from the 4 percent pace it projected in September. Many other economic forecasters also predict a slowing economy, including New York University’s Nouriel Roubini, who is widely acknowledged to have predicted the crash …
Blood found at home where Maine tot was last seen (AP)
WATERVILLE, Maine – Investigators say they’ve found blood inside the Maine home where a toddler was reported missing six weeks ago. State police spokesman Steve McCausland says the blood was found in the basement early in the investigation into Ayla Reynolds’ disappearance from her father’s home in Waterville. Her father, Justin DiPietro, says Ayla was not in her bed when he checked on her the morning of Dec. 17. McCausland says the blood is troubling and police believe DiPietro and two other adults at DiPietro’s home that morning “have not given us the full story.” The blood is being analyzed to determine whose it is, but McCausland doesn’t know when the results would be available. Ayla was 20 months old when she disappeared. WCVB-TV in Boston first reported the discovery of the blood. Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter , become a fan on Facebook
Giants’ front four set to go after Pats QB Brady (AP)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Defense for the New York Giants starts with the front four. Stopping the run and forcing the opposition into passing situations will let loose possibly the best group of pass rushers in the NFL. It was the formula the Giants used in 2008 in pounding Tom Brady and stunning the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in the Super Bowl — and the game plan hasn’t changed for next weekend’s title game rematch in Indianapolis. The Giants (12-7) want Brady on edge every time he passes. Throw a ball. Expect to be hit. Even the threat of being hit might be enough to influence a play. And that just might be the difference with a ring at stake. “Look at `07. That was pretty much the reason why we were in the game, because we kept him off-rhythm,” defensive end and captain Justin Tuck said. “Obviously he is the main reason why (they) are successful. The way to kill the snake is to take off his head. The way to kill an offense as potent as that one is making sure you take care of Brady. Our defensive front will put a lot of pressure on itself to make sure that we do our best to get after him.” The Giants finished tied for third in the NFL in the regular season with 48 sacks, including 11 in victories over the Jets and Cowboys in winning the NFC East title. They have added nine more in their three playoff wins. What makes the pass rush so formidable is that it’s not only four guys. The Giants’ line is eight deep. All Pro Jason Pierre-Paul led the team with 16 1/2 sacks in his second season, while Osi Umenyiora added nine in only nine games. Tuck and backup defensive end Dave Tollefson had five apiece, Chris Canty added four and fellow tackle Linval Joseph had two. There’s also linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, who had 3 1/2 sacks playing as a lineman in passing situations. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell says not only does his line get to the quarterback, they get on each other. When the linemen hold their meeting, it’s more than a review of the game or practice — it’s trash-talking time. “We compete amongst each other and if Justin gets a sack, I want two,” Pierre-Paul said. “If I want two, then Osi wants three. Basically you can say that we are greedy but in a good way, to help our team out. We try to get there quick enough …
Goldman executives get access to restricted stock (Reuters)
(Reuters) – Top Goldman Sachs Group Inc executives received previously restricted stock awards that are now worth $47.7 million, according to regulatory filings, though the executives are still limited in selling most of their Goldman stock. Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein, Chief Financial Officer David Viniar, Chief Operating Officer Gary Cohn and top investment banker and vice chairman John Weinberg each received 45,497 shares worth $5.1 million, based on Goldman’s closing price of $111.77 on Friday. Seven other executives each received previously awarded shares worth $2.8 million to $5 million, according to Form 4 filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Among those executives are vice chairmen Michael Evans and Michael Sherwood, as well as Goldman’s legal chief, Gregory Palm, its accounting chief, Sarah Smith, and compliance chief Alan Cohen. The stock awards became unlocked on Wednesday, but the 11 executives did not immediately sell those shares. They did sell an additional $20.2 million worth of Goldman stock at $107.44 apiece to cover tax obligations. The transactions took place on Wednesday, when executives received access to the previously restricted stock. Starting in 2009, Wall Street banks began shifting more of their bonus awards into stock that executives are required to hold for multi-year periods in an effort to align incentives with long-term performance. In 2011, some of those payments started coming due, leaving compensation costs stubbornly high for big investment banks, even as they cut jobs and bonus pools due to weak business. Last year, Goldman paid $12.2 billion in compensation costs, down 21 percent from 2010, and reduced its payroll by 2,400 jobs. Yet because revenue fell even more, compensation as a percentage of revenue rose to 42.4 percent from 39.3 percent the previous year. (Reporting By Lauren Tara LaCapra; editing by Andre Grenon) (Corrects story to make clear that Goldman Sachs executives cannot immediately sell all of the shares received from a previous award) Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter , become a fan on Facebook
Celebrity pot busts put tiny Texas county on map (AP)
SIERRA BLANCA, Texas – Nestled among the few remaining businesses that dot a rundown highway in this dusty West Texas town stands what’s become a surprise destination for marijuana-toting celebrities: the Hudspeth County Jail. Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg and actor Armie Hammer have been among the thousands of people busted for possession at a Border Patrol checkpoint outside town in recent years, bringing a bit of notoriety to one of Texas’ most sparsely populated counties. “Once I was in Arizona, and when I said where I was from, they said, `That’s where Willie Nelson was busted,’” said Louise Barantley, manager at the Coyote Sunset souvenir shop in Sierra Blanca. Hudspeth County cameos aren’t only for outlaws: Action movie star Steven Seagal, who’s already deputized in Louisiana and Arizona for his reality show “Steven Seagal Lawman” on A&E, has signed on to become a county officer. Locals already have found ways to rub shoulders with their celebrity guests. Deputies posed for pictures with Snoop Dogg after authorities said they found several joints on his bus earlier this month. When Nelson was busted here in 2010, the county’s lead prosecutor suggested the singer settle his marijuana charges by performing “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” for the court. Nelson paid a fine instead, but not before county commissioner Wayne West played one of his own songs for the country music legend. West acknowledged he’s a big fan of Nelson and wanted to capitalize on a golden chance to perform for such a noted “captive audience.” “Willie loved the song, he is a real outgoing individual” he added. The once-thriving town of Sierra Blanca began to shrink to its current 1,000-person population after the construction of nearby Interstate 10 — a main artery linking cities from California to Florida — offered an easy way to bypass the community. Now the highway is sending thousands of drug bust cases Sierra Blanca’s way, courtesy of a Border Patrol checkpoint just outside of town where drug-sniffing dogs inspect more than 17,000 trucks, travelers — and tour buses — daily for whiffs of contraband that may have made its wait inland from the border. Hudspeth County Sheriff Arvin West, younger brother of the musically inclined commissioner, said his office handled about 2,000 cases last year, most of them having to do with drugs seized at the checkpoint. Border Patrol agents say people busted with small amounts of pot often say they have medical marijuana licenses from California, Arizona or New Mexico — three states along I-10 that, unlike Texas, allow for medicinal pot prescriptions — and claim…
Private creditors: Deal with Greece close (AP)
ATHENS, Greece – Officials say talks between Greece and private creditors on halving the country’s privately held debt load have ended and a deal is very close. A statement from creditor representatives Charles Dallara and Jean Lemierre says the two sides are “close to the finalization of a voluntary (private sector involvement) … We expect to conclude next week as discussions on other issues move forward.” The statement Saturday also refers to “the framework expressed publicly earlier this week by Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker in his capacity as Chairman of the Eurogroup.” This means that the creditors have accepted an interest rate below 4 percent for the new bonds that will be issued by Greece in place of the old ones. Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos represented the Greek government throughout the talks. Follow Yahoo! News on Twitter , become a fan on Facebook
Germans float direct EU control over Greek budget (AP)
BERLIN – Germany is proposing that debt-ridden Greece temporarily cede sovereignty over tax and spending decisions to a powerful eurozone budget commissioner before it can secure further bailouts, an official in Berlin said Saturday. The idea was quickly rejected by the European Union’s executive body and the government in Athens, with the EU Commission in Brussels insisting that “executive tasks must remain the full responsibility of the Greek government, which is accountable before its citizens and its institutions.” But the German official said the initiative is being discussed among the 17-nation currency bloc’s finance ministers because Greece has repeatedly failed to fulfill its commitments under its current euro110 billion ($145 billion) lifeline. The proposal foresees a commissioner holding a veto right against any budgetary measures and having broad surveillance ability to ensure that Greece will take proper steps to repay its debt as scheduled, the official said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks are confidential. Greece’s international creditors — the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank — already have unprecedented powers over Greek spending after negotiating with Athens stringent austerity measures and economic reforms in return for the first bailout. The so-called troika of creditors is currently negotiating another euro130 billion rescue package for the heavily indebted country. German news magazine Der Spiegel on Saturday cited an unnamed troika official as saying Greece might actually need a euro145 billion package because of its prolonged recession. The German proposal, first reported by the Financial Times, is likely to spark controversy in Greece. Despite the quick rejection from the EU Commission, Germany’s demand underlines the frustration of the eurozone with Greece’s slack implementation of the promised reforms, spending cuts and privatizations. During every verification mission last year, the troika found huge implementation shortfalls, which in turn increased gaps in Athens’ budget and intensified the need for a second bailout. A powerful budget commissioner would further diminish the political leeway of Greece’s government, just as politicians there are gearing up for an election set to take place this spring. A government official in Athens said a similar proposal had been floated last year but got nowhere. Greece would not accept such a measure, he added. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because no formal proposal has been made by the EU or Germany yet. The unprecedented and sweeping powers for creditors would …
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