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FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2006 file photo, police Chief Leonard Gallo talks with reporters at the East Haven, Conn., police station. Four East Haven police officers were arrested Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, on charges of harassing and intimidating Latino residents. An indictment refers to Gallo as an unnamed co-conspirator, accused of blocking efforts by the police commission to investigate misconduct. His attorney has denied the allegations and criticized prosecutors for including the reference to him when he is not charged. (AP Photo/The New Haven Register, Melanie Stengel, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2006 file photo, police Chief Leonard Gallo talks with reporters at the East Haven, Conn., police station. Four East Haven police officers were arrested Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, on charges of harassing and intimidating Latino residents. An indictment refers to Gallo as an unnamed co-conspirator, accused of blocking efforts by the police commission to investigate misconduct. His attorney has denied the allegations and criticized prosecutors for including the reference to him when he is not charged. (AP Photo/The New Haven Register, Melanie Stengel, File)
EAST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) ? A police chief under fire for his handling of anti-Latino abuse allegations that led to the arrests of four officers last week is retiring from office, the mayor said Monday, describing his departure as a "selfless act" intended to help the town heal.
Leonard Gallo, chief of the East Haven Police Department, has been chastised by federal civil rights investigators for creating a hostile environment for witnesses, and his lawyer has acknowledged that last week's indictment refers to him as an unnamed co-conspirator.
Gallo, 64, had been suspended as police chief in April 2010 after the FBI launched the criminal investigation, but he was reinstated to the post in November after his friend Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. took office.
"His decision to retire at this time is a selfless act, designed to assist in the healing process," said Maturo, who described Gallo as a devoted public servant who "performed admirably in both his personal and professional life."
The four officers, who were arrested Jan. 24 by the FBI, are accused of waging a campaign against Latino residents that included beatings, false arrests and harassment of those who threatened to report misconduct. They face charges including deprivation of rights and obstruction of justice; all of them have pleaded not guilty.
Maturo is also facing heavy criticism for saying last week that he "might have tacos" as a way to do something for the Latino community in the wake of the arrests. He later apologized for the remark.
Frederick Brow, chairman of the town's police commission, said Monday that the commission is preparing to vote Tuesday night on whether to recommend to the mayor that Gallo be fired. He said he believes Gallo should not be allowed to retire.
"It's been a general breakdown in control in that department for quite a while and it's time for Gallo to be terminated," Brow said.
He estimated that in retirement, Gallo would receive a severance lump sum of $130,000 to $150,000, plus an annual pension of $27,000 to $28,000. Brow said Gallo should not be rewarded for his conduct.
If the commission voted to recommend that Gallo be fired and Maturo agreed to fire him, Gallo would still get the pension but lose the severance pay, Brow said.
The FBI also is targeting additional suspects, and state officials say they are preparing for the possibility of widespread arrests that could cripple the town's police department.
An investigation by the U.S. Justice Department's civil rights division, which was separate from the criminal probe, noted concerns in a December report that Gallo had helped created a hostile environment for people who cooperated with federal investigators. It said Gallo had warned staff that the Justice Department had agreed to provide him with the names of individuals who cooperated with the investigation, even though that was not the case.
The federal indictment refers to Gallo as co-conspirator 1, accusing him of blocking efforts by the police commission to investigate misconduct. Gallo's attorney, Jon Einhorn, has denied those allegations.
Einhorn said Gallo is retiring because he does not want to be a distraction for the town, and his departure is not an admission of guilt. He said Gallo is the target of a lawsuit and could face charges in the criminal probe. He said his client will be vindicated and he does not believe criminal charges would be justified.
He said waiting until the end of the week will give the town time to settle on a retirement package for Gallo. Maturo said the retirement takes effect Friday, and a search for a new chief will begin immediately. Until a new chief is selected, Deputy Chief John Mannion will assume the duties.
More than 15,000 people have signed an online petition calling for Maturo to replace Gallo. The petition was started by Reform Immigration for America, the same group that sent hundreds of tacos to Maturo's office to protest his remark.
State Rep. Andres Ayala Jr., D-Bridgeport, said he and members of the state Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission met with Maturo on Monday morning, but he declined to elaborate. Ayala and commission members are calling for the resignations of Maturo and Gallo.
"I think it's the mayor's responsibility that the police department represent everyone in the community," Ayala said.
Maturo was mayor from 1997 to 2007 and was re-elected in the fall. After taking office in November, he reinstated Gallo, saying at the time that he did not believe the abuse allegations were true. The previous mayor, April Capone Almon, placed Gallo on administrative leave in April 2010.
___
Associated Press writer Dave Collins contributed to this report from Hartford.
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POMPANO BEACH, Fla. ? Mitt Romney isn't taking any chances.
A day before voting begins in Florida's Republican primary, Romney is running ahead of rival Newt Gingrich in polls. The former Massachusetts governor earned positive reviews during two debates. And Romney has put the former House speaker on the defensive over ethics and Freddie Mac.
"It's only when he can mass money to focus on carpet-bombing with negative ads that he gains any traction at all," Gingrich is complaining.
But instead of stepping back and refocusing on President Barack Obama ? as he did in Iowa when it became clear that Gingrich had lost ? Romney is ratcheting up his rhetoric and continuing his attacks until the very end. He hopes to close the Florida campaign strongly to push Gingrich as far back as possible.
"His record is one of failed leadership," Romney said of Gingrich Sunday night at a rally in Pompano Beach, in South Florida. And Romney challenged Gingrich to "look in the mirror" to figure out why the former House speaker has fallen back in Florida.
"His record is one of failed leadership. We don't need someone who can speak well perhaps or can say things we agree with, but does not have the experience of being an effective leader," he said.
Aides say Romney's attacks are partially a response to increasingly angry rhetoric from Gingrich, who on Sunday called the former Massachusetts governor "somebody who is a pro-abortion, pro-gun-control, pro-tax-increase liberal." Gingrich also accused Romney of lying. "I don't know how you debate a person with civility if they're prepared to say things that are just plain factually false," Gingrich said.
Romney's campaign on Sunday fired back immediately, starting with the candidate and continuing with statements from top surrogates who cast Gingrich's assault as an unfair attack on Romney's character.
"Mitt Romney is man of impeccable character," said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. "It offends me that Newt Gingrich would attack the character of Mitt Romney."
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty called the attacks "over the line."
Romney's supporters particularly defended his anti-abortion credentials following Gingrich's attack. Gingrich allies are also running radio ads attacking Romney's record on the issue.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi called Romney a "champion for pro-life values" as she introduced him at the rally. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen offered a similar defense during an earlier rally with the Cuban American community in Hialeah.
In what has become a wildly unpredictable race, the momentum has swung back to Romney, who just last weekend was staggered by Gingrich's victory in South Carolina. Romney has begun advertising in Nevada ahead of that state's caucuses next Saturday, illustrating the challenges ahead for Gingrich, who has pledged to push ahead no matter what happens in Florida.
An NBC News/Marist poll published Sunday showed Romney with support from 42 percent of likely Florida primary voters, compared with 27 percent for Gingrich.
To hang onto his lead, Romney continued to paint Gingrich as part of the very Washington establishment he condemns and someone who had a role in the nation's economic problems.
"Your problem in Florida is that you worked for Freddie Mac at a time when Freddie Mac was not doing the right thing for the American people, and that you're selling influence in Washington at a time when we need people who will stand up for the truth in Washington," Romney told an audience in Naples.
Gingrich's consulting firm was paid more than $1.5 million by the federally-backed mortgage company over a period after he left Congress in 1999.
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, trailing in Florida by a wide margin, skipped campaigning to be with his 3-year-old daughter, Bella, who was hospitalized. He planned to campaign in Missouri and Minnesota early this week.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul, who has invested little in Florida, looked ahead to Nevada. The libertarian-leaning Paul is focusing more on gathering delegates in caucus states, where it's less expensive to campaign. But securing the nomination only through caucus states is a hard task.
The intense effort by Romney to slow Gingrich is comparable to his strategy against Gingrich in the closing month before Iowa's leadoff caucuses Jan. 3. Gingrich led in Iowa polls, lifted by what were hailed as strong performances in televised debates. But his support dropped in the face of withering attacks by Romney, aided immensely by ads sponsored by a "super" political action committee run by former Romney aides.
But Romney aides say they made the mistake of assuming Gingrich could not rise again as he did in South Carolina. Romney appears determined not to let that happen again.
Romney has three events scheduled across the state Monday. He planned events in Jacksonville and the Tampa area. Gingrich has five planned events.
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. ? NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger earned his first major victory in almost six years by closing out the Rolex 24 at Daytona for Michael Shank Racing.
Allmendinger drove the final stint in the No. 60 Ford Riley, spending almost three hours behind the wheel at the end of the twice-around-the-clock endurance race. His team included IndyCar driver Justin Wilson, and Grand-Am regulars Ozz Negri Jr. and John Pew.
Ryan Dalziel was at the wheel for Starworks Motorsports' second-place finish, and Felipe Nasar was driving for Shank when he crossed the line in third. Ford swept the top three spots of the Daytona Prototype class.
The vaunted teams from Chip Ganassi Racing finished fourth and sixth after both cars had mechanical issues.
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PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Following is a list of winners at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, the top gathering for independent movies made outside of Hollywood's major studios.
Winners are grouped in categories for drama films and documentaries and in sections for U.S. films and world cinema.
U.S. DRAMA FILMS
Best Film, Jury Prize - "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Best Film, Audience Award - "The Surrogate"
Directing - Ava DuVernay, "Middle of Nowhere"
Screenwriting - Derek Connolly, "Safety Not Guaranteed"
Cinematography - Ben Richardson, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Special Jury Prize, ensemble acting - "The Surrogate"
Special Jury Prize, producing - Jonathan Schwartz, Andrea Sperling, "Smashed"
U.S. DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Best Documentary, Jury Prize - "The House I Live In"
Best Documentary, Audience Award - "The Invisible War"
Directing - Lauren Greenfield, "The Queen of Versailles"
Editing - Enat Sidi, "Detropia"
Cinematography - Jeff Orlowski, "Chasing Ice"
Special Jury Prize - "Love Free Or Die" (Tied)
"Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry" (Tied)
WORLD CINEMA, DRAMA
Best Film, Jury Prize - "Violeta Went To Heaven"
Best Film, Audience Award - "Valley of Saints"
Directing - Mads Matthiesen, "Teddy Bear"
Screenwriting - Marialy Rivas, Camila Gutierrez, Pedro Peirano, Sebastian Sepulveda , "Young & Wild"
Cinematography - David Raedeker, "My Brother the Devil"
Special Jury Prize, artistic vision - "Can"
WORLD CINEMA, DOCUMENTARY
Best Film, Jury Prize - "The Law In These Parts"
Best Film, Audience Award - "Searching for Sugar Man"
Directing - Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi, "5 Broken Cameras"
Editing - Lisanne Pajot, James Swirsky , "Indie Game: The Movie"
Cinematography - Lars Skree, "Putin's Kiss"
Special Jury Prize, film - "Searching For Sugar Man"
OTHER AWARDS
U.S. Short Film - "The Black Balloon"
World Short Film - "The Return"
Shorts, Jury Prize - "Fishing Without Nets"
Shorts, Audience Award - "The Debutante Hunters"
(Reporting By Christine Kearney)
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By msnbc.com staff and news services
Updated at 4:46 a.m.: The blast outside a hospital struck a funeral procession for Mohammed al-Maliki, a real estate agent who was killed with his wife and son on Thursday, a doctor and interior ministry official tells AFP news agency. Both speak on condition of anonymity.
Published at 4:17 a.m.: BAGHDAD -- Twenty-six people were killed on Friday when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-packed car in southeastern Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.
The attack occurred at 11:00 a.m. (3:00 a.m. ET) in the Iraqi capital's predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Zafaraniyah, police said. They said 53 people were wounded in the attack.
Hospital officials confirmed the death toll to The Associated Press.
All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
Insurgents have stepped up violence in Iraq since the U.S. military withdrawal last month. More than 200 people have been killed since the beginning of the year.
Msnbc.com staff and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The American Society of Hematology issued a policy statement Thursday opposed to the current NCAA mandate that requires schools to test athletes for sickle cell trait.
The policy statement conflicts with that NCAA testing policy that is not yet two years old. For decades, the association had not tested for sickle cell trait but changed its stance as part of a settlement of a lawsuit over the death of a Rice athlete in 2006.
The NCAA requires that all athletes be tested for the condition unless they provide prior test results or sign a waiver. In a Thursday press release, the hematology society contended that ?current scientific evidence does not justify screening.? It says that ?universal preventive interventions? make testing unnecessary.? The society stated further that the Army uses such measures as heat acclimatization, hydration and work-rest cycles to deal with all situations regarding exertional issues.
Scott Anderson, Oklahoma head trainer and noted expert on sickle cell trait, countered: ?Their [recommended] precautions are not working for individuals with sickle cell trait ??
Sickle cell trait is not a disease. It is a condition found in approximately eight percent of African-Americans and in a much smaller percentages of Caucasians.? Anyone with the condition can live a normal life. About two million Americans live with the trait. Problems occur when blood cells ?sickle? due to overexertion.
Thursday?s policy statement seems to make public a large disagreement between organizations on how to treat the affliction. The hematology society said its position is supported by the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, American Public Health Association and Association of Public Health Laboratories.
That differs from the approach taken by the NCAA, NBA, NFL and the military academies aside from the Army.
Oklahoma has had major award winners play with the condition. But because of Anderson and his research, afflicted athletes are acclimated to heat and exertion over a period of days at the beginning of spring and fall practice. Testing becomes a further safeguard.
Several high-profile deaths caused by the condition have occurred in recent years at Missouri, Florida State, Central Florida and Rice. ?
Anderson added that the NBA, NFL, Navy, Marines and Air Force do screen for sickle cell trait. In results published recently in Health Services Research Journal, it was estimated there would be one death in the NCAA if every athlete were tested over a four-year period. Without testing, the research concluded that seven players would die over a 10-year period.
Anderson said that 2011 was believed to be the most deadly year for athletes nationally regarding sickle cell trait since 2000. Not all of the deaths have been confirmed to be caused by sickle cell trait, Anderson added. It is known that sickle cell trait has been the leading cause of non-traumatic deaths among Division I college football players since 2000. The NCAA changed its policy in 2010 after lawsuit brought by the family of Rice football player Dale Lloyd. The association promised to require testing and increase awareness.
?When you look at kind of objectively, this was prompted by a lawsuit,? said Dr. Janis Abkowitz, president-elect of the hematology society. ?We?re not against the NCAA ? We hope that we could provide information to the NCAA in rethinking both the correctness of the initial policy, but also some of its downstream unintended policy.?
Dr. Abkowitz said the NCAA plans to extend its policy to Division II and Division III athletes, ?every high school kid that is interested in sport would be tested and confused.? She want on to call it a ?huge network of misunderstanding?. The society notified the NCAA before releasing its statement.
?We?re not out for a battle, we?re out to be helpful,? Dr. Abkowitz said.
In February 2010, Ole Miss player Bennie Abram died of complications resulting from sickle cell trait. The school, the NCAA and other entities are being sued by Abrams? family. The death took place just as the NCAA was changing its policy.
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Source: http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34585354?source=rss_blogs_NCAAF
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LAS VEGAS (Reuters) ? President Barack Obama pitched a plan on Thursday to boost U.S. use of natural gas and open more land for offshore drilling during a campaign-style tour aimed at bolstering confidence in his economic stewardship.
At a stop in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Democratic president sought to counter Republican criticisms of his energy policies as he proposed tax incentives for companies to buy natural gas trucks, which would help build demand for abundant domestic supplies of the fuel.
Republicans have hammered Obama on his handling of the energy issue, and were angered by his decision to block the Keystone XL Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline, which they say would have created jobs and reduced U.S. dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Obama said the United States needs an "all-out, all-in, all-of-the-above strategy" to develop energy resources at home and that doing so would create American jobs. Critics complain that Obama, gearing up for the November 6 election in which he is seeking a second term, favors a green agenda over traditional oil and gas energy development.
"A great place to start is with natural gas," Obama said during a visit to a UPS facility in Las Vegas, which received stimulus funding to invest in liquefied natural gas vehicles and build a public LNG refueling station.
"We've got a supply of natural gas under our feet that can last America nearly a hundred years," he said. "Developing it could power our cars, our homes, and our factories in a cleaner and cheaper way. The experts believe it could support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade."
Obama, seeing some improvement in his poll numbers, is touring five states - Iowa, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Michigan. The trip follows his State of the Union address on Tuesday in which he took a combative tone toward congressional Republicans and spoke of the need to reduce income inequality.
Obama's overall approval ratings had sagged amid voter concern over the lackluster economy, but his popularity has inched higher and in some recent surveys has climbed above the important 50 percent threshold.
In Tuesday's address to a joint session of Congress, Obama spoke of the nation's booming natural gas sector, which has grown dramatically in recent years as advances in technology have unlocked vast new reserves.
Later on Thursday, Obama will visit Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, where the Air Force is installing a one-megawatt solar panel system, and where last year it test-piloted jets that run on advanced biofuels.
A CLEAN ALTERNATIVE?
Increasing domestic natural gas consumption would benefit drillers, as U.S. natural gas prices have fallen sharply because of the growing glut and the relatively warm winter.
Using domestic natural gas as a cleaner alternative to importing foreign oil has been heavily promoted by Texas oil billionaire T. Boone Pickens and has attracted support from both sides of the aisle in Congress.
Still, Obama's natural gas truck proposal, which would need congressional approval, could face an uphill battle to make it into law. Republicans, campaigning on promises to cut government spending, would likely resist costly energy subsidies.
Similar measures aimed at expanding tax breaks for natural gas vehicles have failed to break through partisan gridlock, and conservative groups have opposed such legislation on the grounds that government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers in the energy sector.
Obama also announced that the Interior Department will hold the last scheduled offshore lease sale of the government's current five-year drilling plan in June, offering 38 million acres (15 million hectares) for development in the central Gulf of Mexico.
In December, the department held its first offshore lease sale since the massive BP oil spill in April 2010. Companies successfully bid more than $337 million for rights to drill in the Gulf.
Analysts said those results were a sign that drilling is rebounding in the Gulf after the administration temporarily shut down deepwater exploration after the BP disaster.
Still, oil and gas industry backers have complained that the administration has hindered drilling through slow permitting and a raft of new rules implemented since the 2010 oil spill.
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LONDON ? The "Friday Night Lights" are far beyond Taylor Kitsch now. These days, if he sees something bright on the horizon, chances are it is extraterrestrial.
"That's how I pick my roles," the 30-year-old British Columbian-born actor explained. "'Wait, is there aliens in it? Oh well, why am I doing it, why would you call me if there are no aliens in it?' That's basically how it goes."
He's joking, but it's true. Kitsch has leading roles in two big movies this year ? "Battleship" and "John Carter" ? that will see him leave the small town Texas football scene of the critically acclaimed "FNL" TV series for the big screen world of sci-fi.
First up is Disney's interpretation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel, released in March. "John Carter" sees Kitsch play a former military captain who is transported to Mars, a planet being torn apart by war.
It's directed by Andrew Stanton ? of "Finding Nemo" and "WALL-E" fame ? who is helming his first-live action movie.
Carter gets caught up in the conflicts and jumps into battle with a sword, loin cloth and plenty of muscle. Kitsch said Stanton insisted on a grueling regimen to get him mentally and physically prepared.
"It's the most boring diet you could think of, really, it was four months before and seven months during, so an eleven-month regimen with that. Good times," he told The Associated Press in an interview. "Training at 4:30 in the morning before you go to work, and then training for the four months before as well. And then during the day, you're training as well before takes."
But he said it was portraying Carter's feelings that really drained him.
"I'd say the emotion is probably the toughest thing especially, it's quite heavy some of the stuff he goes through," he said.
After that, it's Peter Berg's "Battleship," which also stars Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgard and features Rihanna in her movie debut. Loosely based on the classic naval combat game from Hasbro, it sees five ships take on another five ships from a different planet.
"Battleship" reaches U.K. theaters April 13 before hitting the U.S. in May.
The Canadian actor says he really enjoyed collaborating with his old "FNL" executive producer Berg on his "Battleship" role of naval officer Lt. Alex Hopper. There are still aliens but this time instead of a dusty planet there's a lot of ocean.
Kitsch says he found his sea legs pretty quickly, which was good because the crew spent several weeks shooting on the water and some scenes had him blown straight into the ocean.
"So many variables come into play, obviously time consuming, you're always fighting the light apparently when you're shooting outside," he noted.
Still, Kitsch was very happy with the result.
"It's seamless the way they've done it," he said.
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The parent company of United and Continental airlines says it lost $138 million in the fourth quarter because of the costs of integrating the two airlines.
Without special charges, United Continental Holdings Inc. says it would have earned $109 million, or 30 cents per share.
Analysts surveyed by FactSet had been expecting a profit of 13 cents per share.
Revenue rose more than 5 percent, to $8.93 billion, the same as analysts expected.
The company spent $170 million integrating the two airlines.
A year ago it lost $325 million because of integration costs. The companies closed the merger on Oct. 1, 2010.
Revenue for each seat flown one mile rose 8.2 percent as the company raised fares.
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WASHINGTON ? The Federal Reserve has slightly reduced its outlook for U.S. economic growth this year but is a little more optimistic about the unemployment rate.
The Fed expects the economy to grow between 2.2 percent and 2.7 percent in 2012, according to its updated economic forecasts released Wednesday. That's down from November's forecast of between 2.5 percent and 2.9 percent.
Many economists expect Europe will suffer a recession this year, which will slow U.S. growth.
Earlier Wednesday, the Fed noted the weak but growing economy when it said it doesn't plan to raise its benchmark interest rate until late 2014. And some members wanted to push that back even further, according to new interest rate projections released with the quarterly forecasts.
Still, the Fed said it expects unemployment to fall low as 8.2 percent. That's an improvement from November's bottom rate of 8.5 percent.
In December, the unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent ? the lowest level in nearly three years ? after the sixth straight month of solid hiring.
Inflation has been relatively tame and the Fed doesn't see that changing over the next three years.
And for the first time, the Fed offered an official target for inflation ? 2 percent ? in a statement of its long-term policy goals. It had previously indicated that inflation between 1.7 percent and 2 percent was acceptable.
The Fed did not specify a target for unemployment. But it said that unemployment between 5.2 percent and 6 percent would be consistent with its goal for a healthy economy.
The updated quarterly forecasts also showed that some Fed members wanted to extend the period of record-low interest rates beyond 2014. Eleven of the 17 members said they don't see interest rates rising until at least 2015. Only 10 members have a vote on the policy committee.
The Fed said record-low rates are still needed to help boost an improving but still sluggish economy. The extended timeframe is a shift from the Fed's previous plan to keep the rate low at least until mid-2013.
The economy is looking a little better, according to recent private and government data. Companies are hiring more, the stock market is rising, factories are busy and more people are buying cars. Even the home market is showing slight gains after three dismal years.
Still, the threat of a recession in Europe is likely to drag on the global economy. And another year of weak wage gains in the United States could force consumers to pull back on spending, which would slow growth.
Private economists forecast that the nation's economy to grow just 2 percent in the first three months of the year, in part because of the recession in Europe. For the year, they expect growth of 2.4 percent, according to a survey by the Associated Press. That's sluggish for a recovery. But it is better than last year's likely pace of below 2 percent.
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BANI WALID, Libya (Reuters) ? A bullet-scarred barracks, scorched and abandoned like the ageing tanks guarding its shattered gateway, was all that remained on Tuesday of what passed for the Libyan government's grip on Bani Walid.
But a day after townsmen put to flight a force loyal to the Western-backed interim administration in Tripoli, elders in the desert city, once a bastion of support for Muammar Gaddafi, dismissed accusations they wanted to restore the late dictator's family to power or had any ambitions beyond their local area.
"Allegations of pro-Gaddafi elements in Bani Walid, this is not true," said Miftah Jubarra, who was among dozens of leading citizens gathered at a local mosque to form a municipal council now that nominal representatives from the capital have fled.
"In the Libyan revolution, we have all become brothers," Jubarra told Reuters. "We will not be an obstacle to progress."
That might reassure the National Transitional Council, the body which won NATO backing to oust Gaddafi last year but which is now struggling to restore services and impose order on myriad armed groups. An official of the NTC's government in Tripoli insisted it saw no threat from the "limited local incident."
Yet the violence, 150 km (90 miles) south of the capital, was also symptomatic of major obstacles to Libyan hopes of a rapid transition to peace, democracy and oil-fueled prosperity.
Residents heard warplanes overhead late on Monday as NTC forces hastily drove south from Tripoli to take up positions 50 km from Bani Walid. But those troops had, as yet, no orders to move on the town, where Gaddafi loyalists fought rebel forces to a standstill before negotiating a surrender in October.
Interior Minister Fawzi Abd al-All told a news conference in Tripoli would "strike with an iron fist" anyone who posed a threat to Libyan security - but he also said there would be no NTC move against Bani Walid until it was clear what happened.
People in Bani Walid urged the NTC to keep back and the government official in Tripoli, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the interim administration was in no hurry to get mired in a dispute he characterized as a spat between local factions, rather than a counter-revolution.
"GREEN FLAGS" ABSENT
Though pro-government militiamen who fled on Monday spoke of their barracks being overrun by fighters flying the green flag of the old regime, Reuters journalists who toured the town of 75,000 on Tuesday saw little overt sign of such allegiances to Gaddafi, whose now captive son Saif al-Islam staged a last stand in Bani Walid before fleeing into the Sahara three months ago.
Rather than green flags, the most common banners flying were the red, green and black tricolor of the NTC.
Some graffiti spoke of lingering nostalgia for the Gaddafis in a town whose dominant Warfalla tribe fared well under him. But those willing to talk to reporters insisted the violence was no revanchist putsch but was provoked by local abuses allegedly committed by The May 28th Brigade, a militia loyal to the NTC.
"When men from Tripoli come into your house and harass women, what are we to do?" said Fati Hassan, a 28-year-old Bani Walid resident who described the men of May 28th as a mixture of local men and outsiders, former anti-Gaddafi rebels who had turned into oppressors when given control over the town.
"They were arresting people from the first day after liberation. People are still missing. I am a revolutionary and I have friends in The May 28th Brigade," said Hassan, who said he urged them to ease off. "The war is over now."
A sleep-deprived doctor at the poorly supplied local hospital in Bani Walid, as well as other residents of the town, said at least seven people were killed on Monday when tempers boiled over, and an eighth died of wounds on Tuesday.
It was unclear if this figure included four militiamen whose comrades in the NTC brigade said were killed.
Jubarra, who sat at the meeting of elders, gave details of the incident which, he said, caused patience to snap among the people of the town.
"On Friday, the May 28th Brigade arrested a man from Bani Walid. After Bani Walid residents lodged a protest, he was finally released. But he had been tortured.
"This caused an argument that escalated to arms.
"Bani Walid fighters took over the 28th May camp, confiscated weapons and pushed them out of the city," Jubarra explained to the elders, who sat in silence around him, many of them wrapped in traditional white woolen blankets.
SIGNS OF BATTLE
At the barracks once used by Gaddafi's army, which had been their headquarters, spent cartridge cases crunched under foot, testifying to an intense gunfight. A meter-wide hole in the perimeter wall showed where a rocket had blasted through. Local people said the two sides exchanged fire with anti-tank weapons.
Clearly conscious of the risk that the NTC, keen to assert an authority that has been ebbing in recent weeks as memories fade of the victory over dictatorship, local people were anxious to send a message to Tripoli not to hit back:
"We are asking the NTC not to escalate this issue by sending troops," Jubarra said, turning his from the assembled town elders gaze to address Reuters journalists directly.
Another of those gathered at the mosque to form a local government, Ali Zargoun, said they would reject any attempt by NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Libya's de facto head of state, to impose an authority on them: "If Abdel Jalil is going to force anyone on us, we won't accept that by any means."
Abdel Jalil was already having a bad week and has warned Libyans of a "bottomless pit" if trouble goes on in a country awash with guns. His deputy quit, bemoaning an "atmosphere of hatred" after being roughed up by disgruntled citizens.
And Abdel Jalil found himself besieged in his office by protesters in Benghazi, the seat of the revolt. They were complaining about delays in providing services for people in a country impatient to see its oil riches shared out more widely.
There is also growing dismay at progress toward an election due in June, with details still unclear on how the vote will be conducted and complaints of a lack of transparency from a body that includes many who held important positions under Gaddafi.
TENSIONS NATIONWIDE
While Bani Walid was and remains a particular headache for the NTC, it is not alone. Towns and cities across the country are being run with little reference to central authority and in a number of areas old scores and local frictions are being fought over by groups that were nominally allies in the revolt.
"The civil war has produced new conflicts that are far from settled and that have yet to play out, namely power struggles at the local level, and conflicts between local centers of power for influence at the national level," said Wolfram Lacher of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs who has been in the country researching post-Gaddafi Libya.
"Most of these are unlikely to develop into violent conflicts as in Bani Walid," Lacher said from Berlin. "But they will be playing out across the country in the coming months."
The government official acknowledged the difficulties. Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, he said: "As we all know, some regions are fragile in view of the vastness of the country and the presence of huge quantities of arms."
Among the issues being disputed is determining who will replace those who held power under Gaddafi, and who might be punished or otherwise held accountable for past abuses.
Many Libya watchers urge caution, however, in branding any of those competing groups as "Gaddafi loyalists," and few see any real threat of the late leader's exiled sons, or Saif al-Islam who is being held captive by pro-NTC fighters in the town of Zintan, becoming a focus for a fight back by the old guard.
Rather, the label "pro-Gaddafi" has tended to be applied to adversaries by groups keen to undermine their rivals' cause:
"We should be cautious regarding reports of Gaddafi loyalists," Libya expert Lacher said. "This may be one local party to the conflict trying to get other forces to intervene by painting its adversaries as pro-Gaddafi."
During clashes between rival militias since "liberation" was declared in October, Reuters journalists have often been told by both sides in various disputes that they are aligned with the NTC and are fighting the remnants of Gaddafi's troops.
Though there are those among the six million Libyans who yearn for the old days, and there is pro-Gaddafi graffiti in Bani Walid, as well as boisterous children ready to yell "Only Gaddafi!" at foreign journalists, many regard that as largely evidence of irritation with the NTC than of a serious threat to turn the clock back on Libya's "Arab Spring" revolution.
LOCAL PRIDE
Mustafa Fetouri, an academic and writer who comes originally from Bani Walid, saw this week's violence there as a matter of local pride, notably among elders of the Warfalla tribe, who felt ill used by the incoming powers in Tripoli - even though many Warfalla clansmen fought for the NTC during the war.
"It's tribal dignity not necessarily in support of the old regime," Fetouri told Reuters. "The (NTC's) goal is to teach the Warfalla a lesson ... It will be bloody and fruitless."
Many townspeople were keeping indoors on Tuesday, although markets were being held and life seemed relatively normal. Handfuls of armed local men manned checkpoints out the edges of the town, which sits in a desert ravine that proved hard for NTC forces to take during the fighting last September and October.
The fighters themselves were distinguishable from the motley forces loyal to the interim government only in that they did not wear the laminated identity badges distributed to NTC militiamen. They carried the same automatic rifles and drove the same pick-up trucks mounted with anti-aircraft guns that became the emblem of the chaotic war against Gaddafi's army.
Potential adversaries from men who describe themselves as part of the NTC's "national army" sat by the road closer to Tripoli. "We have received no orders to enter Bani Walid," said Mohammed al-Ajali, who said his unit had been sent there from eastern Libya on Monday to deal with the trouble in the town.
He had little patience for the protestations of the townsfolk that they were not counter-revolutionaries: "The solution for Bani Walid is to disarm them," Ajali said.
"I think 75 percent are Gaddafi supporters."
A Libyan air official said warplanes were being mobilized to fly to Bani Walid. But it was not immediately clear what the government in Tripoli could do. It has yet to demonstrate that it has an effective fighting force under its command.
(Additional reporting by Taha Zargoun in Bani Walid, Ali Shuaib and Hisham El-Dani in Tripoli, Alastair Macdonald in London and Christian Lowe in Algiers; Writing by Alastair Macdonald)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/wl_nm/us_libya
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Peace, Love, Pets...need we say more? A custom Embroidered design Available on Tote Bags, Blankets & Pet Apparel! Add a Name or Monogram to make it Truly Unique! Available on: Pet Hood ...
Peace, Love, Pets...need we say more? A custom Embroidered design Available on Tote Bags, Blankets & Pet Apparel! Add a Name or Monogram to make it Truly Unique! Available on: Pet Hood ...
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Source: http://www.eclecticcreationsllc.com/2012/01/22/peace-love-pets-pet-gear/
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20th Century Fox
"The Princess Briude" turns 25 this year, but it's not getting a remake.
By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
That article, I do not think it means what you think it means.
Twitter and the Internet went a little bit crazy Monday with rumors that 1987's beloved "The Princess Bride" was getting a remake. Links were posted to?this article on a site called FamilyVideo.com?claiming that Paul Rudd was going to play Cary Elwes' role of Westley, with "The Office" star Mindy Kalning as Buttercup, the role Robin Wright played.
Now more often than not, these remake rumors are true, and movie fans groan and complain at the thought of their favorite film being redone. But hold the groans -- this isn't happening.
A month ago, Rudd and Kalning did do a public table reading of the film in Los Angeles, meaning those actors (and Patton Oswalt and others) simply sat on a stage and read from the script.
Somehow that month-old news got twisted into a movie remake starring the table read cast. It's not true, but the joke quotes write themselves. ("You killed my remake rumor! Prepare to die!")
But maybe the flurry of interest in this classic film will inspire some fun events for its 25th anniversary, coming Sept. 25. Big-screen re-release, perhaps? Or a Bride Fest along the lines of Lebowski Fest? In?the meantime, have fun storming the castle, and don't get involved in a land war in Asia.
We?want to know your favorite quote from "Princess Bride." Tell us on Facebook.
Source: http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/23/10217139-princess-bride-remake-inconceivable
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(Reuters) ? Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors has been fined $25,000 for throwing a ball into the spectator stands during a game against the Dallas Mavericks, the National Basketball Association (NBA) said Saturday.
Favors was penalized for his actions with 24.8 seconds left in the third quarter of Utah's 94-91 loss to the NBA champions in Salt Lake City Thursday.
Four technical fouls were called in what proved to be a hot-tempered encounter and Favors was ejected after throwing the ball into the stands to protest a call.
"I was pretty frustrated," Favors told reporters. "I let my emotions get to me."
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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Welcome to?Just Show Me on?Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the?gadgets in your life. In today's episode we'll show you how to watch?Hulu+ on your?Xbox 360.
By following along in our video and installing the Hulu+ app, you'll be able to enjoy streaming TV and movies right on your Xbox. It's a great way to sit back and enjoy quality entertainment in your very own home theater.
Take a look at these other episodes of Just Show Me that'll help you use your Xbox 360 to its full potential:
For even more episodes of Just Show Me,?subscribe to Tecca TV's YouTube channel and?check out all our Just Show Me episodes. If you have any topics you'd like to see us cover, just drop us a line in the comments.
This article originally appeared on Tecca
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PARIS ?? France suspended military operations in Afghanistan Friday after the killing of four more French soldiers, President Nicolas Sarkozy said.
Only on msnbc.com
Addressing French diplomats after an Afghan security source said four soldiers had been killed and 17 wounded by an Afghan soldier in the Taghab valley of eastern Kapisa province, Sarkozy confirmed that the dead were French.
Sarkozy said France may accelerate its planned troop withdrawal if the security situation does not improve.
"I have decided to send the defense minister and the head of the armed forces to Afghanistan and until then all training operations and combat help from French forces are suspended," said Sarkozy. "If the security conditions are not clearly established then the question of an early return of French forces from Afghanistan will arise."
The attack is among the most deadly for French forces in the 10 years they have been serving in the NATO-led international force in Afghanistan.
Afghan security forces or insurgents dressed in their uniforms have attacked and killed international troops or civilian trainers more than a dozen times in the past two years, according to an Associated Press count.
"It's unacceptable that our soldiers are killed by our allies. It's a difficult decision to make," Sarkozy said of the suspension of French operations.
It appeared to be the second time in a month that an Afghan soldier has attacked French forces. On Dec. 29, a soldier in the Afghan National Army opened fire and killed two members of the 2nd regiment of the Foreign Legion. French forces fired back and killed the assailant.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jimmie Cummings Jr., a spokesman for the coalition, said Friday that cases where Afghan soldiers have wounded or killed coalition forces are isolated cases and do not occur on a routine basis. "We train and are partnered with Afghan personnel every day and we are not seeing any issues or concerns with our relationships," he said.
More than 2,500 foreign troops have died in Afghanistan since the NATO-led war began in 2001. The latest killings take the French toll to 82.
Meanwhile, six U.S. Marines died late Thursday when a helicopter crashed in Helmand province.
It was the deadliest crash in Afghanistan since August, when 30 American troops died after a Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down in Wardak province.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46069137/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/
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Is Vanilla Ice making a comeback? He just might be. The rapper, whose real name is Rob Van Winkle, stopped by "Good Day New York" on Friday, and it turns out he's actually quite busy. Ice talked about the return of his reality show "The Vanilla Ice Project" for its second season, as well as film and music project he has in the works.
While his hip-hop career was going through an extended fallow period, Vanilla Ice built himself a successful real estate career, which is the focus of his DIY reality show "The Vanilla Ice Project." Ice talked about how the show, that features him investing in low-value properties, fixing them up and selling them. The genesis of the project happened when DIY executives asked him one thing they didn't know about him, and he told them that, "I've been invested pretty good in real estate and had a good success at it. So I got a call back a few years later and now I have a show." Reflecting on the current market, Ice emphasized that there's still opportunity to be found. "Well, it's evolved, but it's better today than ever, investing-wise. You've got short-sales and foreclosures, which everybody knows, but there's tax liens and auctions that you can get in on, and you can crush it if you know the right area."
He also has a part in an upcoming movie starring Adam Sandler, called "I Hate You Dad," which comes out on Father's Day. Ice revealed that he plays a character named Uncle Vanny, who's been Sander's character's best friend since high school. And to prove that he's evolved into a triple-threat, Ice has a new album coming out entitled "WTF," which he explained stands for "Wisdom, Tenacity and Focus." The man has always had a way with words.
"The Vanilla Ice Project" returns for its second season on Saturday, January 21 at 10:00 p.m. EST on DIY.
TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/vanilla-ice-project-reality-show-season-2_n_1219310.html
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Oil advanced above $101 a barrel Wednesday, buoyed by positive economic data from China and continued concerns about diplomatic tensions with Iran and their potential effect on the flow of the region's oil exports.
By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for February delivery was up 74 cents at $101.45 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $2.01 to finish at $100.71 on Tuesday.
In London, Brent crude was up 44 cents to $111.97 on the ICE Futures exchange.
China, the world's second largest economy, reported 8.9 percent growth in the fourth quarter, slower than the previous quarter but robust enough to indicate it would avoid an abrupt slowdown. Retail and factory production improved while oil demand was up 6.4 percent in 2011 from 2010, according to data cited by Barclays Capital.
Tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as a move by France to accelerate the EU's implementation of an embargo on Iranian oil export also supported prices, he said.
Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi has said Saudi Arabia wants to stabilize prices at $100 a barrel this year and was ready to pump more oil if needed. That came as Iran warned Gulf nations not to make up any shortfall and that it may shut the Strait of Hormuz which is used to transport about a fifth of the world's oil.
Iraq's oil minister, Abdul-Karim Elaibi, who is also the rotating president of OPEC, said he would travel to Iran on Thursday to convince Tehran to assure the world that the Islamic Republic will not close the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway through which about one-sixth of the world's oil flows.
A slower pace of oil demand growth forecast by the International Energy Agency helped cap gains.
The Paris-based IEA said global demand for crude would rise by 1.1 million barrels a day in 2012, while earlier it was expecting demand to increase by 1.3 million barrels a day.
The IEA also warned that the relatively narrow band in which oil prices have been moving lately was not necessarily a sign of market consistency.
"A sustained spell of oil price stability is often seen as a good thing," the IEA said in its monthly report on the oil market. "But if it derives from the 'rock' of potential economic slump on the one hand, and the 'hard place' of possible geopolitical turmoil on the other, that is scarcely a source of comfort."
Investors will also be monitoring fresh information on U.S. stockpiles of crude and refined products.
Data for the week ending Jan. 13 is expected to show builds of 2.6 million barrels in crude oil stocks and of 3 million barrels in gasoline stocks, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos.
The American Petroleum Institute will release its report on oil stocks later Wednesday, while the report from the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration ? the market benchmark ? will be out Thursday.
Both reports are being released a day later than usual because of Monday's Martin Luther King holiday.
In other energy trading, heating oil rose 0.16 cent to $3.0388 per gallon and gasoline futures rose 0.83 cent to $2.7796 per gallon. Natural gas advanced 2 cents to $2.508 per 1,000 cubic feet.
___
Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.
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The dawn of a new year means 365 days of new gaming action to look forward to, and the pressure?s really on for Nintendo in 2012. Not only is the company launching its new Wii U console at the end of the year; there?s also a need to keep pushing with the 3DS, which suffered at launch a year ago due to a high price tag and a generally weak launch lineup. Some real gems have emerged since then, particularly on the first-party side of things. Super Mario Land 3D continues to be the best reason to own the system.
With Sony bringing the PlayStation Vita and its console-quality portable gaming to the masses in North America on February 22, the 3DS will be facing some stiff competition this year. There?s hope though. At least a few big-ticket games are fully confirmed and presumably arriving on schedule, which means that there?s some quality 3DS content to look forward to this year. Then there are others that aren?t so confirmed, but we?re all wishing and hoping that they firm up soon. Here are some of our most-anticipated from both sides of the fence?
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To be fair, The Binding of Isaac is technically unconfirmed as a 3DS release. The hope is that Nintendo sees it being mentioned in lists like this and carries forward with approving the game for release on its portable platform. Edmund McMillen?s currently PC-only Roguelike (with shades of The Legend of Zelda) has been submitted to the handheld-maker for release approval. The hope is that it comes soon and that the port is ready for a fall release. McMillen is on record as a big Nintendo supporter, and hopes are high that this 3DS release will eventually happen.
It?s kind of crazy to think that this 2007 PlayStation Portable puzzler is such a highly anticipated 3DS release, and yet here we are. Sega?s underrated puzzle-platformer was great on the PSP and it should really shine with the 3DS. The object of the game is to navigate through a series of environments by jumping between 2D and 3D layouts to play with perspective and bridge otherwise inaccessible locations. Crush 3D is already available in Europe and it?s coming to the U.S. soon, on March 6.
Kid Icarus: Uprising heralds the long-awaited return of one of Nintendo?s most vintage mascots, Pit. The hero of the NES classic Kid Icarus hasn?t been seen much since that original game and its Game Boy sequel; only the odd cameo and all-star lineup appearances. Uprising is the first new Kid Icarus game since the early ?90s, and it sports a fresh new 3D look and approach to gameplay, complete with online multiplayer. Look for it in North America on March 23.
The next Kingdom Hearts release puts players in control of two of the series? past protagonists: Sora and Riku. The story follows them as they visit and awaken a series of worlds as part of their Mark of Mastery Exam, the completion of which will mark them as Keyblade Masters. Early gameplay videos have shown the same sort of action-RPG play that fans of the series have come to expect. Dream Drop Distance arrives in Japan in March, and it?s confirmed as a North America release for sometime later this year.
Nintendo revealed Luigi?s Mansion 2 at E3 last year. The sequel to the cult favorite GameCube launch title, the game casts Mario?s green-clad brother as a ghostbusting do-gooder armed with a spirit-sucking vacuum cleaner. The new game will see Luigi exploring multiple mansions (instead of the previous game?s one). It is also expected that the sequel will have more of a puzzle focus, one that likely takes good advantage of the 3DS?s unique display capabilities. There?s no release date set for this one yet; all we know is that it?s coming in 2012. Halloween, or thereabouts, seems like a safe bet.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D is a portable remake of the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater console game. It?s a prequel to the events of all other MGS games, putting players in the shoes of Big Boss back when he was just plain old Naked Snake. Portable isn?t an ideal format for this style of Metal Gear game, but that doesn?t matter to fans like me who are screaming for some quality stealth action on the go. The remake will add touch screen inventory access and gyroscope controls, and it?s coming to North America on February 21.
Nintendo revealed last year that Capcom is prepping a 3DS release of Monster Hunter 4. The series is HUGE in Japan, and it?s also big with discerning action-RPG fans who prefer a portable game that breaks hundreds of hours worth of play into bite-sized, minutes-long sections. The trailer reveal at TGS last year showed some gorgeous 3DS visuals in action, giving fans plenty to look forward to. It may be a little optimistic to put this down as a hoped-for 2012 release, but we?re a hopeful bunch here at Digital Trends.
Some of you might take issue with the selection of a vintage PC game for this ?most anticipated in 2012? list. I mean, let?s face it: Myst was new when CD-ROMs were still a freshly released technology. The game has been ported to any number of platforms, including the Nintendo DS. Whether you?ve played it with every new port or never touched it before, the game remains one of the most clever and challenging puzzle-based adventure games that?s ever been released. Don?t expect the 3DS version to change things up TOO much, though fans can expect to explore the newly added RIME Age. Myst comes to the 3DS on March 27.
I?m not sure how many are convinced that Paper Mario really will be coming to 3DS this year, but it would be a smart move on Nintendo?s part to make that happen. Fans want to play this game, and badly. We don?t know a whole lot yet. Turn-based combat will make a return, and it will of course take advantage of the 3DS touchscreen. A 2012 release is expected, which means that we?ll very likely be hearing more soon, as the year?s trade shows start to ramp up.
This is one of those mysterious ?2012 release? titles that doesn?t have a proper date yet, but it?s such a cool mash-up that I couldn?t possibly ignore it. The 3DS will ALSO be seeing a new Layton game, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, but it can?t compete with an adventure pitting gaming?s premiere lawyer versus gaming?s premiere? uhh? logic puzzle-solver. As you would probably expect from a mash-up like this, the game will feature of mix of the Layton puzzle-solving and Ace Attorney trial investigations. Expect plenty of colorful, anime-style weirdness.
Last year?s Resident Evil: Mercenaries offered some fun, arcade-style action, but Resident Evil: Revelations is the narrative-driven survival-horror-style adventure that fans of the series have been waiting for. The story follows Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine in a story set between the events of RE4 and RE5. Revelations is coming very soon too; the game arrives in North America on February 7! Are you ready for more zombie-fueled mayhem?!
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is yet another Japan-only 3DS release for now, with a February 16 release date. It?s a popular series here in the West though, and Square Enix would do well to release it. Also, it?s important to note that Theatrhythm is a FINAL FANTASY RHYTHM GAME. The story is built from the same Chaos/Cosmos conflict used in the Dissidia fighting games, which allows it to spread across the entire history of the series. Expect to encounter plenty of familiar characters, locations and music as you play. Now, how about that U.S. release confirmation? Eh, Square Enix?
This article was originally posted on Digital Trends
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