Royal newlyweds spring honeymoon surprise (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – Prince William and his newborn bride sprang a surprise, announcing they would not yield immediately on honeymoon and the consort module convey to his period employ as a eggbeater airman next week.

A evidence from St James's Palace on Sat said William and Kate would pay the weekend in kingdom mass their start and hit a honeymoon abroad in the forthcoming but it "will not be disclosed in advance".

The consort "will convey to impact as a search and delivery airman next week", it added.

The announcement appeared to be a artefact of throwing the media soured their dawdle amid fears that photographers would oppose the pair wherever they chose to pay their honeymoon.

The consort is famous to enjoy outwitting the media, whom he ease holds answerable for the modification of his care Diana, Princess of Wales, killed in a automobile break in town in 1997 as she was existence pursued by photographers.

The prince's office heavy that the pair "have asked that their concealment be reputable during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon".

The stag kinsfolk is intellection to be embattled to take legal action to preclude whatever media outlet attempting to stop the trip.

So after existence the pore of the concern on Friday, watched by an estimated orbicular broadcasting conference of digit billion, William module convey to the agricultural quietude of his Royal Air Force (RAF) humble in Anglesey, north Wales.

After a period of partying, the pair departed from Buckingham Palace on Sat by helicopter.

The Duchess of Cambridge, as Kate is today officially known, wore a beltlike brief chromatic dress, with a cropped black crown and black triangle heels, patch the consort was clad in an open-necked white shirt, Stygian jacket and beige chinos.

The grinning pair held safekeeping as they strolled through the hall grounds, then shook safekeeping with stag body before leaving.

The pageantry of their start assist had presented artefact to a period of party and diversion for the stag pair and 300 guests, who partied until 3:00 am.

The newborn duchess said weekday the pair had had a "great day" and spoken comfort that the prognosticate fall never came.

Speculation about their info honeymoon instruction has focused on Africa, as William planned to Kate in Kenya last year.

Jordan has also been touted as a possibility and would hit unhappy attractiveness for Kate as her kinsfolk lived in the kingdom for digit eld when she was a child.

But presented the current upthrow in the Middle East, it strength be thoughtful a compromised choice.

A private sea island would earmark the pair to carelessness the curiousness eyes of the media.

Bequia and Necker Island hit the goodness of existence easily secured, and Kate's wealthy bourgeois parents are regular visitors to the ultra-exclusive Mustique.

Lizard Island, soured the coast of Queensland, Australia, has also emerged as a contender.

Amid estimations that the start was watched by roughly a ordinal of the world's population, the BBC said nearly 25 meg grouping saw it live in kingdom alone, with nearly 35 meg getting whatever of their coverage throughout the day.

More info emerged in the press of the ceremony.

With the help of lipreaders, media reportable that as Kate walked up the passageway William's prizewinning Negro and brother, Prince Harry, turned to him at the table and said: "Wait dirt you wager the dress".

The ivory satin and alter start eveningwear by Sarah histrion of Alexander McQueen, featuring a hand-embroidered garment and alter sleeves, conventional unvaried approval from media and style experts.

The colourful party in Buckingham Palace was revealed in flooded detail in Sunday's newspapers, which described a period of heart-felt speeches and cacophonic diversion lidded soured with bacon sandwiches served in the primeval hours.

Harry, thinker in honcho of the festivities, kicked soured proceedings with a highly entertaining speech, telling guests assembled to eat in the hall Ballroom that William was the perfect brother: "What a dude."

William was reportable to hit proclaimed that his newborn wife was "my rock" during his style -- and also joked that he was pleased his ascendant "could ease sound into his Royal Navy uniform."

After a magnificent dinner, the junior procreation partied into the primeval hours in the hall Throne Room drinking champagne and cocktails to music played by imbibe starlet Ellie Goulding and a DJ.

The party then continued for several hours at the nearby Nazi hotel, where the Middleton kinsfolk had stayed for the wedding.

Source

John Paul honored at vigil on eve of beatification (AP)

ROME – Thousands of teen grouping hit flooded an ancient romish earth for an all-night request rite honoring Christian Evangelist Apostle II on the daytime of his beatification, remembering his teachings, travels and his possess suffering.

Pilgrims waving flags from Poland, Spain, FRG and Brasil on Sat filled the Circus Maximus, which twinkled with the reddened of thousands of candles as choirs from Evangelist Paul's autochthonous Poland, the state and Italy sang. They listened as a land buoy who suffered from Parkinson's recounted how she was well after praying to Evangelist Paul, who also battled the aforementioned disease.

The Vatican has decreed that Sister Marie Simone-Pierre's inexplicable sanative was the miracle necessary to beatify Evangelist Paul, a impact that will accomplish its termination Sun during a Mass in St. Peter's Square celebrated by Christian monastic XVI.

Benedict locate Evangelist Apostle on the fast-track for doable sainthood when he dispensed with the traditional five-year inactivity punctuation and allowed the beatification impact to begin weeks after his Apr 2, 2005 death. monastic was responding to chants of "Santo Subito" or "Sainthood Immediately" which erupted during Evangelist Paul's funeral.

On Sat night, a "Santo Subito" banner was emblazoned on the lateral of the Circus Maximus field, and flick of Evangelist Paul's test moments and his funeral reminded those concentrated of the swimming days whatever had witnessed six years earlier, when St. Peter's overflowed with whatever 3 million grouping paying their terminal respects to the pope.

"He died a saint," Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Evangelist Paul's longtime secretary, told the crowd.

The rite was to terminal every night, a so-called "white night" of request to be continuing in eight churches kept unstoppered in the city center before barricades around St. Peter's Square unstoppered to pilgrims at 5:30 a.m. (0330GMT) for the 10 a.m. (0800GMT) beatification Mass.

The beatification is attractive locate despite a steady drumbeat of critique about the record-fast pace with which Evangelist Apostle is existence honored, and continuing ire about the skilled shout scandal: Many of the crimes and cover-ups of priests who raped children occurred on Evangelist Paul's 27-year watch.

"I wish he didn't undergo about the pedophiles," said Sister Maria Luisa Garcia, a land buoy present the vigil. "If he did, it was an error. But no digit is perfect, exclusive God."

At the very least, she said, the establishment had scholarly as a termination of the scandal, "that a person's dignity, especially a child's, is more essential than the church's image."

Video montages shown during the rite showed assorted scenes of Evangelist Paul's long pontificate, his teachings about wedlock and justice. One of the prototypal shown was of his test Easter, when he was unable to speak from his flat window, likewise hobbled by Parkinson's, and exclusive managed a weak blessing of the crowd.

Sister Marie, the land nun, said that at the time she couldn't assume to check Evangelist Paul's information exacerbate because she knew his andante decline would be her fate.

"In him, I was reminded of what I was experience through," she told the crowd. "But I always admired his humility, his strength, his courage."

Wearing her ultimate white usage and a black cardigan, she recounted to the gathering her now well-known tale: She said that on June 2, 2005 she told her crack she felt she could no longer continue her work helping newborn mothers because her Parkinson's symptoms had worsened and she had lowercase capableness left.

Her superior, she said, told her that "John Apostle II hasn't had the terminal word" and that she should pray.

She said she woke up the mass morning "feeling something had denaturized in me." She said she went to the chapel and prayed. "I wasn't the same. I knew I had been cured."

The Vatican's complicated saint-making procedures require that a miracle attributed to the candidate's intercession be addicted before beatification, the prototypal travel to doable sainthood.

The gathering on the Circus Maximus had the see of a World Youth Day, the once-ever-three-year event Evangelist Apostle launched to energize teen Catholics that became a characteristic of his pontificate. Groups of teen grouping danced and sang, whatever carrying backpacks and unerect bags in activity for a period to be spent outdoors.

"It's genuine that now most of the teen don't tending about religion, but Evangelist Apostle showed us love, and fuck is every we need," said Matea Sarlija, a 21-year-old Croat who spent 10 hours on a charabanc to come in leaders for the vigil.

Rome itself seemed invaded by Poles overjoyed that their autochthonous son was existence honored. Special trains, planes and buses were shuttling Poles in for the beatification, which is drawing whatever 16 heads of state and fivesome members of dweller stag houses.

"I'm here because I think it's my duty, a obligation for every the society of my country, to exhibit what a bounteous bounteous Negro Evangelist Apostle was," said Stanislaw Roguski, a pilgrim from Warsaw who arrived in leaders by charabanc on Sat afternoon.

In Krakow, where Evangelist Apostle was archbishop, digit TV screens at digit assorted sites are to programme the beatification start Sun from Rome. Houses were decorated with Poland's white-and-red flags and the Vatican's white-and-yellow colors.

The rite featured televised hookups from fivesome mother shrines in Krakow, Mexico, Tanzania, Portugal and Lebanon, where the truehearted were also celebrating.

Thousands of Mexicans held a request rite in Mexico City's Virgen of Guadalupe Basilica on Sat patch digit super screens inside the establishment sticking the celebrations in Rome.

"He was a person who elevated the faith," said Jorge Lopez Baracenas, a 70-year-old who was present the rite in Mexico City's Virgen of Guadalupe Basilica.

In the friar Republic, members of the Santo tenor youth drover embattled for a midnight Sat rite to advert Evangelist Apostle II and check the beatification start on giant broadcasting screen.

Some 3,000 grouping concentrated at the God's Mercy Sanctuary in the Lagiewniki district of Krakow, watching the romish start on super TV screens and at digit point retentive a render rosary prayer.

Vatican officials hit insisted that Evangelist Apostle deserves beatification despite the outcome from the shout scandal, saying the saint-making impact isn't a sentiment of how he administered the establishment but rather whether he lived a chronicle of faith virtue.

But victims' groups much as the U.S. Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests hit said the speedy beatification was just "rubbing more salt in these wounds" of victims.

And Le Soir, the main French-speaking newspaper in Belgium, charged Sat that the pace of the beatification contrasted sharply with the "lengthy wait" victims of shout had to withstand for justice. Belgium's Christian Church has been rocked by newborn reports of hundreds of victims as well as the despair of its longest-serving bishop who admitted to abusing digit nephews.

"This is the (beatification) of a Negro concerned by the rights of unborn children (and the rejection of condoms) but who allowed those aforementioned children to be without protection by not addressing ... the question of deviate priests during his reign," the article said.

Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, old head of the Vatican's saint-making office, said Sat the investigation into Evangelist Paul's chronicle had condemned the skilled shout gossip into account but that Evangelist Apostle can't be held responsible for something he didn't undergo about.

"If I'm not conversant of something, what remorse do I have?" he asked rhetorically. "This didn't contact at every the quality of Evangelist Paul."

___

Associated Press writers Alba Tobella in Rome, E. Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City and Monika Scislowska in Warsaw contributed to this report.

Source

NATO strike kills Gadhafi's son but leader escapes (AP)

TRIPOLI, Libya – A NATO arm struck a concern in city where Moammar Gadhafi and his spouse were staying on Saturday, absent the African cheater but ending his youngest son and threesome grandchildren, a polity spokesman said.

Seif al-Arab Gadhafi was the ordinal son of Gadhafi and brother of the meliorate famous Seif al-Islam Gadhafi. The younger Gadhafi had spent such of his instance in FRG in time years.

Moammar Gadhafi and his spouse were in the city concern of his 29-year-old son, Seif al-Arab Gadhafi, when it was impact by at small digit assail dropped from a NATO warplane, according to African spokesman Moussa Ibrahim.

"The cheater himself is in beatific health," Ibrahim said. "He was not harmed. The spouse is also in beatific health."

On Tuesday, British Defense Minister Liam Fox and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters at the bureaucratism that that NATO planes were not targeting Gadhafi specifically but would move to move his command centers.

Ibrahim said Seif al-Arab had unnatural at a Teutonic Lincoln but had not yet complete his studies.

"The move resulted in the affliction of brother Seif al-Arab Gadhafi, 29, and threesome of the leader's grandchildren," Ibrahim said.

Seif al-Arab "was activity and talking with his ascendant and mother and his nieces and nephews and other visitors when he was attacked for no crimes committed," Ibrahim said.

Journalists condemned to the walled complex of one-story buildings in a residential city community saw onerous assail damage. The wind had torn downbound the cap of digit antiquity and left a Brobdingnagian money of rubble and coiled metal on the ground.

Ibrahim said the airstrike was an attempt to "assassinate the cheater of this country," which he said violated planetary law.

Heavy bursts of shot were heard in city after the attack.

Gadhafi had heptad sons and digit daughter. Seif al-Arab was the youngest son.

The African cheater also had an adoptive girl who was killed in a 1986 U.S. airstrike on his Bab al-Aziziya residential compound, which was separate from the area struck on Saturday. That accomplish came in retaliation for the onslaught move on a Teutonic ballroom in which digit U.S. servicemen were killed. The U.S. at the instance blamed Libya for the ballroom blast.

Seif's mother is Safiya Farkash, Gadhafi's second spouse and a time nurse.

The mortal airstrike came meet hours after Gadhafi titled for a shared cease-fire and negotiations with NATO powers to modify a six-week onslaught campaign.

In a winding pre-dawn style Saturday, Gadhafi said "the entranceway to pact is open."

"You are the aggressors. We will discuss with you. Come, France, Italy, U.K., America, become to discuss with us. Why are you attacking us?" he asked.

He also railed against external intervention, locution Libyans hit the correct to opt their own semipolitical system, but not under the danger of NATO bombings.

In Brussels, a NATO authorised said before Saturday's mortal accomplish that the alliance necessary "to wager not text but actions," and vowed the alliance would ready up the pressure until the U.N. Security Council mandate on Libya is fulfilled. NATO has promised to move operations until every attacks and threats against civilians hit ceased, every of Gadhafi's forces hit returned to bases and flooded humanitarian access is granted.

The NATO official, who spoke on condition of obscurity according to policy, noted that Gadhafi's forces had shelled Misrata and proven to mine the city's opening meet hours before his speech.

"The program has declared cease-fires several nowadays before and continued attacking cities and civilians," the authorised said.

"All this has to stop, and it has to kibosh now," the authorised said.

Rebel leaders hit said they will exclusive lay downbound their arms and begin talks after Gadhafi and his sons step aside. Gadhafi has repeatedly refused to resign.

A protest spokesman, Jalal al-Galal, titled the cease-fire substance a message stunt.

"We don't believe that there is a resolution that includes him or any member of his family. So it is substantially time any discussions. The exclusive resolution is for him to depart," he said.

Source

Prom

Guide to proms in York County



York, PA - Prom. An exciting evening that is looked forward to with much anticipation by most high school students. It's a rite of passage where stretch limos are booked, fragrant corsages are ordered, and after-prom plans are made.

Girls shop for the perfect dress and hairstyle, while many guys work up the nerve to ask a fellow classmate to be their date. Although a guy asking a girl to the prom is still considered a tradition, many girls are doing the asking these days. Nontraditional couples are also more common at prom, while other students go "stag" with the intent of dancing the night away and having a fabulous time with friends.

Guidelines such as all dates must be under age 21 are still in place
for many schools, as is the focus on preventing underage drinking. The website SADD.org provides a list of tips for parents and students on how to have a safe and fun prom. While many schools stage mock crashes and encourage students to sign a pledge not to drink and drive, William Penn Senior High School took a different approach this year. The Class of 2011 will be the first class in York history to ever have their prom on a yacht. Students will enjoy three hours of cruising, a sit-down dinner and three floors of dancing on the Spirit of Baltimore.

According to Traci Mosely in the high school main office, "Our students and class adviser, Ms. Glick have done a wonderful and never before attempted job; that of taking our prom on the road! We are providing luxury coach service to and from the dock and this will eliminate the possibility of a problem that is common to many schools in this country, drunk driving for the prom. So we see this as a win-win situation."

In addition to asking students to make responsible choices, many classes chose a theme for their prom in an effort to add to the magic of the evening. This prom season, three high schools chose a masquerade-related theme.

"We are having a mask-shaped cake made. The prom committee has been making masks to decorate and to have students wear. Several students have commented to us that they are making masks to wear," said Suzi Schlak, high-school secretary at Fairfield High School in Adams County.

Fairfield also plans to have a big screen TV set up through a package offered by Soundwaves Entertainment. Music videos will be played on the big screen during the dance, while digital photos of students will be shown during slow songs.

No matter what your prom plans entail, it's a great time to make memories and enjoy time with your friends before your high school experience ends and a new chapter begins after graduation.

Here's a look at what other schools across York and Adams counties have planned for their proms:

Bermudian Springs High School
Where: Wisehaven Banquet and Expo Center, Windsor Township
When: May 14
Theme: A Summer to Remember
Menu: Grilled chicken breast with cranberry sauce, sliced beef with hearty gravy, penne pasta with alfredo sauce, boiled red bliss potatoes with rosemary and butter, mixed medley, dessert bar, soda bar
Entertainment: Dual FX Disc Jockey and Karaoke Services

Biglerville High School
Where: Eisenhower Inn, Cumberland Township, Adams County
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Theme: Enchanted Evening
Menu: Light refreshments
Entertainment: DJ Mark Rosensteel

Central York High School
Where: Valencia Ballroom, York
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Menu: Caesar salad, parmesan crusted chicken with whipped potatoes and broccoli, death by chocolate cake with raspberry sauce, coffee, tea, and soft drinks
Entertainment: Boogie Knights Entertainment

Crispus Attucks Youthbuild Charter School
Where: Valencia Ballroom, York
When: May 26
Theme: TBA
Menu: TBA
Entertainment: TBA

Dallastown Area High School
Where: Eden Resort, Lancaster
When: 5 p.m. May 28
Menu: Petite filet mignon and baked chicken breast or stuffed flounder with crabmeat topped with lobster sauce -- each dinner comes with salad, vegetables, potatoes, rolls and butter, and dessert
Entertainment: Crowd Pleasers Entertainment

Delone Catholic
Where: Martin's Westminster, Westminster, Md.
When: 5 p.m. Friday
Theme: Cruise to Cabo
Menu: TBA
Entertainment: DJ Wesley Morgan

Dover Area High School
Where: Wisehaven Banquet and Expo Center, Windsor Township
When: 6 p.m. May 28
Theme: A Night to Remember
Menu: Glazed stuffed chicken breast, marinated London broil, or pasta primavera
Entertainment: Phantom Shadow

Eastern York High School
Where: Eden Resort, Lancaster
When: 5 p.m. May 20
Theme: Same as class motto, "One Love" by Bob Marley
Menu: Starlight dinner buffet
Entertainment: Soundwaves Entertainment

Fairfield Area High School
Where: Eisenhower Inn, Cumberland Township, Adams County
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
Theme: Knightyme Masquerade
Menu: Chocolate fountain and desserts
Entertainment: Soundwaves Entertainment

Gettysburg Area High School
Where: Indoor/outdoor at the school cafeteria and patio
When: 6:30 p.m. May 14
Theme: A Night in New Orleans
Menu: light refreshments
Entertainment: DJ John Zeigler

Hanover High School
Where: Hanover Country Club, Abbottstown
When: 6 p.m. May 20
Theme: Theme is a surprise
Menu: TBA
Entertainment: TBA

Kennard-Dale High School
Where: The Praise Center, Windsor Township
When: Saturday
Theme: Poseidon's Paradise
Menu: Garden salad, chicken picante or beef tenderloin, roasted potatoes, green beans and triple chocolate cake
Entertainment: Tommy Leana, Thunder Kiss Entertainment

Lincoln Intermediate Unit
Where: Leg Up Farm, East Manchester Township
When: Held April 29

Littlestown Area Senior High School
Where: Student Union Building at Gettysburg College
When: 7 p.m. May 14
Theme: Under the Sea
Menu: light refreshments
Entertainment: DJ Wesley Morgan

New Oxford High School
Where: Eisenhower Inn, Cumberland Township, Adams County
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Theme: Mardi Gras
Menu: Salad, assorted rolls, chicken Parmesan, vegetable lasagna, cheesecake or vanilla/strawberry cake
Entertainment: DJ John Zeigler

Northern High School
Where: Holiday Inn East, Harrisburg
When: Saturday
Theme: Enchanted Evening
Menu: TBA
Entertainment: TBA

Northeastern High School
Where: The Praise Center, Windsor Township
When: May 14
Theme: A Tropical Escape
Menu: Jamaican seasoned beef tenderloin or Citrus marinated chicken breast
Entertainment: Soundwaves Entertainment

Red Land High School
Where: Holiday Inn East, Harrisburg
When: 6:30 p.m. May 14
Theme: Masked Mystique
Menu: hors d'oeuvres
Entertainment: DJ

Red Lion Area High School
Where: Valencia Ballroom, York
When: Held April 16
Theme: A Night in Neon
Entertainment: DJ

South Western High School
Where: Holiday Inn, West Manchester Township
When: 6 p.m. May 14
Theme: Vintage Hollywood
Menu: Fresh garden salad, tenderloin tips au poivre, stuffed chicken breasts, pasta primavera, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, double chocolate cake with whipped cream
Entertainment: N Tune Productions

Spring Grove Area High School
Where: Valencia Ballroom
When: 5 p.m. May 21
Theme: Midnight Masquerade
Menu: chicken cordon bleu, roast beef, salad bar, loaded smashed potatoes, green beans, bow tie alfredo, cheesecake, frozen peanut butter pie, soda bar
Entertainment: DJ

Susquehannock High School
Where: Wisehaven Banquet and Expo Center, Windsor Township
When: Saturday
Theme: Black Tie Affair
Menu: Chicken cordon bleu, beef medallions au jus, bow tie pasta with roasted vegetables in garlic/olive oil, soda bar, dessert tables
Entertainment: Phantom Shadow

West York Area High School
Where: Wisehaven Banquet and Expo Center
When: May 27
Theme: Black Tie Affair
Menu: New York strip steak, chicken cordon bleu, vegetable lasagna, green beans, red roasted skin potatoes, cookie and brownie bar, and soda bar
Entertainment: Soundwaves Entertainment

William Penn High School
Where: Spirit of Baltimore cruise
When: May 28, depart York at 5 p.m.
Theme: A Night in Paris
Menu: Elegant buffet with carving station and dessert table.
Entertainment: DJ and entertainment on three floors as supplied by the Spirit of Baltimore Cruise line.

York Catholic High School
Where: Valencia Ballroom
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Theme: Le Jardin de L'amour
Menu: Parmesan crusted chicken, vegetable pasta, salad, potatoes, vegetables, desserts
Entertainment: DJ

York Country Day School
Where: Country Club of York, Spring Garden Township
When: 7:30 p.m. June 8
Theme: TBA
Menu: TBA
Entertainment: TBA

York County School of Technology
Where: Yorktowne Hotel, York
When: May 14
Theme: Red Carpet Affair
Menu: TBA
Entertainment: DJ

York Suburban Senior High School
Where: Valencia Ballroom
When: 6 p.m. May 14
Theme: Out on the Town
Menu: Parmesan crusted chicken or garden pasta
Entertainment: Mixed Impressions

Rivals share

Several high schools are holding their proms at Wisehaven Banquet and Expo Center, but two are taking that common bond one step further.

Wisehaven agreed to save the table decorations from West York's prom to be used again the next evening for Dover's prom.

"I know that West York and Dover are usually rivals, but this is a case of sharing resources to benefit both groups and keeping costs down," said Jennifer Miller, class adviser at Dover Area High School.

Not only are the two schools sharing the expense of the floral arrangements, but they will share the workload. West York will set up decorations May 27, and Dover will remove them after their event the next day.

The floral arrangements will then be donated to Normandie Ridge Nursing Home.

http://www.ydr.com/premium/ci_17957308


Students Open Free Prom Dress Shop

Marketing students in the Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall opened their annual Fair Oaks Prom Dress Shop on Friday, April 29. This is the seasonal dress shop’s fifth year helping hundreds of financially needy students attend prom in style each spring.

Most dresses have only been worn once, if at all. Some still have tags on them. The dresses, which come in a wide range of sizes, are all free.

Fair Oaks Classroom on the Mall students have worked hard getting ready for the store to open its doors. Under the direction of their teacher, Miranda Schick, students have secured an empty store at the mall, acquired dress racks donated by Macy’s, then sorted and displayed the dresses.

The shop is located at Fair Oaks Mall between Lord & Taylor and Sears on the lower-level (near Cold Stone Creamery) of Fair Oaks Mall. Business hours are from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 30, and May 7, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 and May 8, and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Donations of stylish, high-quality, dry-cleaned prom dresses and select accessories are still being accepted at the Main Office at Centreville High School or at the Prom Dress Shop during business hours.

http://chantilly.patch.com/articles/students-open-free-prom-dress-shop#photo-5830571

Related searches:
prom hairstyles

Angus T Jones

Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones to carry on 'Two and a Half Men' without Charlie

"Two and a Half Men" stars Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones will carry on the hit comedy series without it's star, Charlie Sheen. "Men" creator, Chuck Lorre, has confirmed that the new center of the show will be around Cryer's character as a reboot of the original show.

However, Cleveland fans who watch "Two and a Half Men" on local CBS WOIO, are wondering what will become of Charlie's character? "I have a bad feeling that Charlie's character is going to die on 'Two and a Half Men,'" said one local fan. "Although I do love Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones."

"I will die a little inside if [Charlie Sheen] is not on 'Two and a Half Men'...I refuse to watch," revealed another fan via Twitter. However, another big change is still to come. While "Men" won't make back to TV until mid-season, it's assumed that another character will join the cast, although it's unsure who.

Rob Lowe and John Stamos have already turned down the offers, and not many other names have been linked with the part. TV fans wait as the most popular comedy series on television hangs in the balance.

What do you think? Should "Two and a Half Men" be back centered around John Cryer and Angus T. Jones? Who should replace Charlie Sheen?

http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-cleveland/jon-cryer-and-angus-t-jones-to-carry-on-two-and-a-half-men-without-charlie


The 1/2 Man Is Growing Up!



Wow, he's all slimmed down and grown up!

Maybe being off that show and away from all of that insanity is doing him some good!

Two and a Half Men star Angus T. Jones was spotted with his family at Washington Dulles Airport yesterday (above)!

We wonder what he's up to in DC!

Perhaps he's attending the White House Correspondents Dinner?!

Either way, we're excited to see where his career heads now! We think he has a lot of potential!

http://perezhilton.com/2011-04-29-two-and-a-half-mens-angus-t-jones-in-washington-dc

Related searches:
jon cryer

May Day

May Day Scott Walker Protests Will Hurt America's Workers

May Day comes but once a year, and the folks trying to oust Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker from office are taking full advantage. Building on the national outcry against Walker's moves this year to destroy public unions and eliminate collective bargaining rights for many state workers, they're calling on Americans to turn the 1st of May into a national boycott of companies that have provided political funding to Walker.

It's going to be a controversial move, no doubt. May Day is also International Workers Day, and the incensed right will tell you its unfair to take the anger out on poor defenseless companies. In one sense, they're right. The Stick It To Scott Walker movement has called for protesters to print out stickers bashing the companies that support Walker and post them on products at stores in the state.

It SOUNDS like a great idea at the outset, but it's both illegal and unfair to the little mom and pop grocery store owner who now has to go walking around the store removing these little stickers rather than say, helping customers. Even a straight boycott of the companies, while seemingly effective (we all vote with our pocketbooks) falls hollow when you realize it's the little guy running the lawnmower shop around the corner who is losing out when you refuse to buy Briggs & Stratton engines (one of Walker's donors) or the convenience store owner who can't get you to buy some Coors Beer (MillerCoors is also on the Scott Walker Watch boycott list).

If the May Day protesters want to make a difference, they'll be the "bigger people" so to speak. They'll rise above the fray, keep their stickers to themselves (post them on your fridge -- they're funny after all, and we could all use a laugh on a daily basis), and spend their Sunday writing letters to the companies instead. That's the true sacrifice for the worker on a spring day, spending it inside over the computer. Just as Target learned Americans aren't happy with their donations to anti-gay candidates, these companies can learn that supporting a guy who doesn't value the American worker is not OK whether it's in Wisconsin our outside. And it CAN be done while holding to the integrity of the support of the International worker.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/119714/may_day_scott_walker_protests


Immigration rights group organizes May Day march

A Silicon Valley immigration rights group is hosting its fifth annual march on Sunday, where supporters will demand that workers have the right to unionize and decry the inhumane treatment of immigrants.

Called the San Jose May 1 Coalition, members will meet as early as noon at Story and King roads in East San Jose. Organizers hope thousands will join them at 4 p.m. to march the three miles to City Hall downtown.

"We're emphasizing workers' rights this year," said Cesar Juarez, organizing director of Services, Immigrant Rights, and Education Network or SIREN. He cited recent efforts in Wisconsin and Ohio to strip collective bargaining units of much of their rights.

Though these national stories don't specifically target immigrants, Juarez said the march will highlight immigrants' solidarity with the plight of the union worker.

He also said that typically, a large percentage of unions are made up of immigrant workers.

Juarez sees the number of supporters of immigrant rights reform growing. The number of people who turn out for the march don't necessarily reflect that, though. And there has been a significant discrepancy over turnout numbers.

Last year, Juarez said the San Jose event drew at least 12,000, though the Mercury News relied on a police account that numbered the marchers at about 5,000. In 2009, Juarez said the event drew 10,000, though the Mercury News documented there was between 500 and 1,000.

In its peak and debut year in 2006, when immigration reform was among the hottest topics nationwide, the San Jose march drew 125,000.

San Jose is one of many cities across the nation, including several in the Bay Area, in which these annual May Day marches have been held. May 1 marks International Workers Day, which was born in the late 1800s, and is formally celebrated in more than 80 countries.

Though the numbers of marchers has dwindled, organizers still say immigration reform is much needed and that immigrants are still under attack. Other than the union issue this year, organizers also are worried about various states pushing for Arizona SB 1070-like legislation, which allows police to question people about their immigration status even if the investigation is about something else, and repealing in-state tuition for undocumented students.

http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_17959834?source=rss

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Oakland Raiders

Few recognize value of speed more than Raiders' Davis

At one point last season, there was a preference by the Oakland Raiders' coaching staff to keep rookie Jacoby Ford inactive on gameday. To which Raiders owner Al Davis said: "I think you should reconsider that."

Sure enough, Ford went on to make several game-changing and head-turning plays for the Raiders, both as a receiver and a return specialist. Ford was the fastest player at the NFL Scouting Combine in 2010, and it was no surprise that Oakland drafted him (he was a fourth-round pick). Davis loves speed, perhaps more than anyone in the NFL.

And so it should be no surprise that the Raiders now have drafted perhaps the three fastest players from this year's combine -- Miami cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke in the third round, Ohio State cornerback Chimdi Chekwa in the fourth round and Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones later in the fourth.

"As I told you guys before," Raiders coach Hue Jackson said Saturday to the Oakland media, "we don't run from speed, we run to speed, especially guys that can play."

Davis, who was a football coach long before he was an owner, basically believes there are two things you can't teach: size and speed. He keeps two lists heading into the draft: "Speedy" and "Jumbo." The Raiders also grabbed a player from the Jumbo list in this draft: LSU guard Joseph Barksdale in the third round.

Davis has always had success with his speed mantra, going back to Pro Bowl wide receiver Cliff Branch in the '70s. Davis even recognized the value in the early '60s with a player we originally signed with the Cowboys.

We had Dave Grayson, a defensive back from Oregon, on our squad in 1960. But Tom Landry felt Grayson was too small. On my suggestion, Hank Stram signed him to the Kansas City Chiefs, but Davis traded to make the speedy Grayson a Raider. Grayson went on to register 44 career interceptions and is a member of the all-time AFL team.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/09000d5d81f9b25d/article/few-recognize-value-of-speed-more-than-raiders-davis?module=HP_spotlight3col


Raiders draft WR Denarius Moore in 5th round

ALAMEDA, Calif.—The Oakland Raiders have drafted receiver Denarius Moore of Tennessee with their fifth-round pick.

The Raiders used the 148th overall pick to take Moore on Saturday.

Moore had 112 catches for 2,004 yards in 52 games at Tennessee. He had his best year as a senior with 47 catches for 981 yards and nine touchdowns.

Moore has been clocked in the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds, becoming the latest speedster to join the Raiders. Three of their other picks have also been timed in sub 4.4-second 40s in cornerbacks DeMarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa and running back Taiwan Jones.

The Raiders have also taken a pair of offensive linemen in center Stefen Wisniewski and offensive tackle Joseph Barksdale.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_17965389?nclick_check=1

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Green Bay Packers

Eagles draft Casey Matthews, brother of Packers' Clay Matthews

The Philadelphia Eagles dipped into one of the NFL's deepest bloodlines with their first fourth-round pick on Saturday.

They selected Casey Matthews, the linebacker from Oregon who is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers lineman Clay Matthews.

He's also the son of former linebacker Clay Matthews, Jr., who played 19 NFL seasons and the NFL of Bruce Matthews, a Hall of Fame offensive lineman.

Eagles coach Andy Reid, who was victimized by Clay Matthews last year when the Packers defender knocked Kevin Kolb out of a game in Week 1, wanted to get on the right side of the Matthews family.

"At the conclusion of my visit when I was out there, coach Reid said, 'Tell your brother we're gonna get him next year with you on the team,' " Casey Matthews said, via the AP.

"And I told Clay that. I don't think they have the Packers on the schedule, but hopefully we get them in the playoffs."

His arrival will infuse youth into an Eagles linebackers corps that is facing the potential loss of Stewart Bradley in free agency.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2011/04/eagles-draft-casey-matthews-brother-of-packers-clay-matthews/1


Video: The story of D.J. Williams

One option would be to write a few paragraphs on the skills of Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams, whom the Green Bay Packers selected in Saturday's fifth round of the NFL draft.

Here's a better one: Check out this moving profile produced by ESPN's E:60 on Williams' troubled childhood with his abusive and bi-polar father. At age 11, Williams considered suicide when his father handed him a gun to guard their car. The profile includes a jailhouse interview with David Williams, who is serving a 25-year sentence for attempted murder.

Trust me. It's worth 10 minutes of your time.



http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/40224/video-the-story-of-d-j-williams

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Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks choose two DBs in 5th round

The Seattle Seahawks chose two defensive backs in the fifth round of the draft, picking cornerback Richard Sherman of Stanford with choice No. 154 followed by Appalachian State safety Mark Legree two picks later.

Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford
6-2 | 195
No. 154 overall

Sherman meshes with Seattle's desire to get bigger at cornerback.

He began his college career as a wide receiver, catching 81 passes before he had a medical redshirt in 2008. When he returned, he switched to defensive back. He intercepted two passes as a junior and four passes last season.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll has some familiarity with Sherman. It wasn't at cornerback, though. Sherman was a sophomore receiver in 2007 when he outleaped a quartet of Trojans for a 20-yard reception on 4th-and-20, a key play in Stanford's upset of Carroll's top-ranked USC team. Stanford entered that game as a 41-point underdog.

Mark Legree, FS, Appalachian State
6-0 | 211
No. 156 overall

Legree intercepted 22 passes in his career, and was a three-time All-American in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (which really should still be called Division I-AA so everyone knows what you're talking about).

Legree is the fourth player from Appalachian State to be chosen in the past four drafts. Corey Lynch -- the team's safety before Legree -- was a sixth-round pick of Cincinnati in 2008.

Legree intercepted at least one pass in three consecutive games last season.

Legree said Appalachian State was the only school to offer him a scholarship coming out of high school, and even then, the interest came only after a friend of his -- who was a student at Appalachian State -- passed his highlight tape along to the coaches.

Legree attended Pacelli Catholic High School in Columbus, Georgia, and had 28 students in his graduating class.

"I didn't have a good season until my senior year so no one really knew about me," Legree said of why he wasn't more highly recruited. "I guess it was just most teams already have their commitments set in."

So to go from there to an NFL pick? That was unthinkable for Legree back then.

"I never thought the NFL would happen," Legree said. "I just wanted to play college football for four more years and go to school for free. I'm just blessed. I never thought this would happen."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seahawksblog/2014920401_seahawks_5th-ro.html


Seattle drafts Clemson CB Byron Maxwell in 6th

RENTON, Wash. —

The Seattle Seahawks continued to address their secondary by drafting Clemson cornerback Byron Maxwell in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday.

Maxwell was the second cornerback and third defensive back taken by the Seahawks on the final day of the draft.

Maxwell tied a school record by playing in 53 games at Clemson, but started only eight games, all of those coming in his final season. Maxwell had 48 tackles and two interceptions his senior season for the Tigers.

Maxwell also played extensively on special teams at Clemson and fits Seattle's framework of drafting larger defensive backs. Maxwell is 6-foot-1, 205 pounds.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014920556_apfbnnfldraftseahawksmaxwell.html


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Beltane

New 13 Songs for Beltane

I started doing a song playlist for Sabbats at Beltane last year and revisiting the old post made me realize that I needed to shake things up a bit. So here’s a few from the old list and a few new songs to to get you ready to leap bonfires!

I made a vow not to include Merry May Folk for once. Just because I’m obsessed with the song doesn’t mean everyone is. I was really tempted to include a Jonathan Coulton song (you know which one) but decided to keep it PG.

13. Madonna – Like A Prayer

No one exemplifies the intersection of sex and religion in mainstream music better than Madonna.



12. Spiral Rhythm – Freedom

This is such a powerful anthem. I love it.



11. The Wicker Man Soundtrack – Gently Johnny

This should always be performed with Lord Summerisle’s monologue in the midst of it.



10. Divinyls – I Touch Myself

Seriously, no other song reflects the irreverent innuendo of the Beltane season.



9. The Wicker Man Soundtrack – Fire Leap

This scene from the movie is one of my favorites, where Lord Summerisle is explaining the mythic worldview to Sgt. Howie.



8. Damh the Bard- The Worship of Trees

Not only is this a great song, it’s fun to see Damh rock out like this.



7. Emerald Rose – Red Haired Mary

I swore I wouldn’t use Merry May Folk, which is pretty much a perfect song for anything Pagan, so here is another ER song that captures the season.



6. The Wicker Man Soundtrack – Summerisle Song

They do love their divinity lessons.



5. Gaia Consort – Beltane Fires

How can you not want to dance to this?



4. Emerald Rose – Freya, Shakti

This was the first ER song I fell in love with, and it still speaks of the sacred to me.



3. Damh the Bard – Green and Grey

This is one of those songs I could put on repeat for an hour.



2. Green Crown – Witches Reel

The oldest known song associated with Witchcraft, this song was preserved in Scottish Witch trial records. I love Green Crown and hope they re-release their music sometime soon.



1. Loreena McKennit – The Mummer’s Dance (Ever After remix)

I think not absolutely adoring this song might be cause to get your Pagan card revoked.



http://www.patheos.com/community/paganportal/2011/04/29/new-13-songs-for-beltane/


Fire Festival celebrates return of summer

Hundreds of people are expected to turn out to watch the pagan-inspired Beltane Fire Festival.

The annual event on Edinburgh's Calton hill, symbolises the beginning of summer and celebrates an ancient Celtic festival.

Organised by the Beltane Fire Society, the festival includes a torchlight procession, drummers and acrobats.

Since its modern beginnings in the 1980s, the festival has grown to involve about 300 participants.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13242772

Rosie Huntington Whiteley

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Trailer, Transformers: Dark of the Moon

We have already seen the first two, now we are being treated to the third with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The Trailer for Transformers: Dark of the Moon certainly has more action in it than the first two, and it looks as though mankind could be coming to an end. You will all know by now that this British actress has replaced Megan Fox, but how does she compare?

The start of the trailer was much like the first, and we assumed that we had been cheated. However, it does not take long for things to start getting juicy. As always it looks hopeless for Shia LaBeouf’s character and the rest of mankind, but we know that the Autobots are there to help us.

However, in one part of the trailer it looks as though they will be sitting out of the fight, which will surprise some fans. We have to wonder just how long they will be able to sit it out and help us once again?

Do you think that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a good replacement for Megan Fox?



http://www.inentertainment.co.uk/20110430/rosie-huntington-whiteley-trailer-transformers-dark-of-the-moon/


Rosie Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham: Ready for NYC!



Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and her boyfriend Jason Statham arrive at LAX airport to catch a departing flight on Thursday (April 28) in Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old British model and actress and her 43-year-old beau were on their way to New York City.

Earlier in the day, Rosie tweeted, “Good morning all heading to NYC today, cant wait to be in my favorite city in the world.”

Over the weekend, Rosie and Jason were spotted grabbing lunch together at Cafe Med in Sunset Plaza.

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/04/28/rosie-huntington-whiteley-jason-statham-ready-for-nyc/


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Beatification Of John Paul II

Pope Would Give Candid Interviews -- at 35,000 Feet

John Paul II is the only pope ever to have engaged in the modern give-and-take press conference, but there was only one place he would do it -- at 35,000 feet, flying between countries.

He would suddenly appear at the head of an aisle and we, the 50 or 60 journalists from around the world at the back end of his plane, would scramble to rearrange ourselves in language groups. He spoke seven or eight languages well and we each wanted our microphones to catch every answer in the language of our audience and readers back home.

We could ask him anything, and did -- about sex and drugs and rock-and-roll, about what it's like to be pope, and about liberation theology, existential philosophy, Spanish cooking -- anything.

He seemed to enjoy these exchanges at close quarters, all standing jammed in, jostling together face to face in the aisles, the predictable questions and the impertinent -- like this, one of my favorites:

I was standing close in with him and a British reporter on my left -- who asked him, sounding just a little imperious, "Holy Father! How, in a world in which hundreds of thousands of children are born into certain squalor and suffering every month, can you possibly be against artificial birth control?!"

The Holy Father, closely watching his questioner's face, answered, "The answer is, as it always was, responsible parenthood."

Not to be outdone, my colleague shot back, "Yes, but what is responsible parenthood?!"

Not to be outdone, John Paul, leaning in a bit, paused for the briefest moment and, looking deep into my colleague's eyes, said in a low and quiet voice: "You know."

Silence. Another beat. And another ... and since there was still no response, he smiled and moved on past us up the aisle to the next language group.

He was making us get to know him as a person -- and that he could handle himself in a scuffle.

Another time on the plane, after 2 or 3 years in many countries following immediately behind him in our press vehicles in motorcades through cheering millions all focused on him, I wondered whether all that adoration and attention made him feel vain, went to his head, so I asked how it affected him:

"I am convinced," he said, "that they ... don't cheering MY-self, but the successor of Peter."

Good answer.

Traditionalist prelates in the Vatican soon complained to me off-the-record that this energetic traveling -- some five trips a year -- wasn't quite the right way to be pope and smacked a bit too much of triumphalism.

So on our next flight, I asked him about that.

"Holy Father," I said, standing at an aisle seat, "some people say that you are traveling too much."

"Yes! I am convinced!" he said, not missing a beat.

"You are?" I said, a little surprised, and then asked if he expected to keep it up.

"We shall see," he pondered, then said again, firmly: "I am convinced that I am traveling too much."

He turned to move on, then turned back and, holding up an index finger for emphasis, added with a smile, "But sometimes it is necessary to do something of what is too much!"

That "too much" makes me think of the first time we rode with him into Warsaw's Victory Square in June 1979 at the opening of his first papal visit back home. The Polish crowds, accustomed to communism, stood awed but hushed – so different from the exuberant throngs who had cheered him through Mexico City five months earlier.

But after his speech, telling his fellow Poles, in effect, it was their God-given right to be free and of the holiness of human rights, he exited that square amid great and joyous jubilation. Ten years later, the Berlin Wall was taken apart, peacefully.

One time on the plane, a young correspondent, astonished that John Paul had learned two new languages since becoming pope, asked him, "What is your secret for learning languages?!"

"You know," said the pope after thinking about it for a moment, "When I set out to learn a new language, I think to myself, 'I'm not going to get all of it -- but I'll get some of it!'"

We all smiled at the wisdom of that.

There were, of course, always the serious necessary questions: How can you fly in to visit this dictator and thus lend him legitimacy? Answer: How can I not fly in to proclaim the gospel of peace and human rights ... and non-violence?

There also were comic moments, like the one at the foot of the stairs on our arrival at a jungle airstrip in deepest Africa near the town of Kisangani with insistently rhythmic music, impossible not to dance to, from a women-and-girls choir and rag-tag brass band that had journalists, band leader and pope all gleefully dancing together as astonished local dignitaries took it all in.

After about 10 years as pope, his forays to the back end of the plane were curtailed as his Parkinson's advanced, but there was one last time we got to ask him directly any question we wanted -- even if no longer 1-on-1.

It was in 1998 on the first ever papal trip to Cuba where the communist Fidel Castro still ruled, seven years after the Soviet Union disbanded. We all gathered in a wide arc around John Paul where he stood up front just inside our press cabin, an aide holding a microphone that amplified his answers over the plane's speaker system.

"Holy Father," I asked from amid my colleagues, "what do you plan to tell the Cuban people about human rights?"

And once again we saw him pause and reach deep for a measured authentic answer -- mellower now, older, slowed by disease and by enormous success: "Ah. You know. You know! You know very well what I am thinking about human rights, and what I can say about human rights -- the same as I spoke before in so many countries, beginning with Mexico and Poland in '79. That is clear. Human rights are fundamental rights at the foundation of all civilization, of all regular social community. I brought this conviction and this engagement for human rights, I brought that all with me from Poland in the confrontation with the Soviet Union and the Soviet system, with communist totalitarian system. And so it is a long history."

Thinking back on all that history now, it reminds me of something my own father told me years ago, before John Paul was elected -- that "the strong man loves the race" -- and I remember how in the course of our work we got to ride along and experience how John Paul, knowing he wouldn't get all of it, got far more than anyone expected when he took the risk, "did something of what is too much," and helped the world change for the better -- peacefully.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/beatification-john-paul-ii-pope-give-candid-interviews/story?id=13493166


U.S. Catholics celebrate, debate John Paul II legacy

RALEIGH, N.C. — When Pope John Paul II moves one step away from sainthood on Sunday, the event will be celebrated in cathedrals, high schools and homes by American Roman Catholics who revere the Polish pontiff like none before him.

Other American Catholics see the occasion as a reminder that the charismatic, globe-trotting pope was a better leader for the world at large than for his own flock.
John Paul II has only been dead for six years, but his 27-year tenure as leader of the church is already being harkened to by believers as a golden age, when Catholicism faced down Soviet Communism and won admirers from all faiths. They see the scheduled beatification in Rome as the obvious way to recognize the man referred to by many as John Paul the Great.

“It’s a huge deal, especially here in the U.S., in this secularized culture that we’re moving towards, what he called the culture of death,” said Justin Braga, 28, of Waltham, Mass. “He was standing up against that. He wanted to maintain the sacredness of things.”

The focus on the first pope to truly harness the global media is a welcome break for many Catholics weary of fights over doctrine and politics, and the still-raw anger generated by the sexual abuse scandals uncovered in the last decade. For some Catholics, John Paul II’s papacy is inseparable from those troubles.

“There are lots of people saying he was a great pope for the world, but not nearly as great a pope for the church,” said Thomas Groome, chairman of the Department of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College. “Many Catholics feel he did not embrace the spirit of renewal and reform heralded by the Second Vatican Council.”

Beatification is the next-to-last step before a Catholic is formally declared a saint, meaning the church teaches that person is definitely in heaven. In order to be beatified, which confers the title “blessed,” a person’s life has to stand up to a thorough investigation, and one miracle has to be attributed to the candidate. There’s normally a five-year waiting period between a candidate’s death and when the process begins, but Pope Benedict XVI waived that for his predecessor.

John Paul II won’t become a saint until he’s canonized, which requires the documentation of another miracle, usually a cure for an illness that medical science can’t explain. A beatified person can be venerated in local churches, but saints can be celebrated anywhere in the world.

John Paul II was himself an enthusiastic promoter of sainthood and beatification. He streamlined the process to make canonization move faster, celebrated canonizations all over the world and named more saints than all the popes in the previous 400 years combined.

“He understood that there’s nothing like a canonization to fire up the faithful,” said Justin Catanoso, a North Carolina journalist and author of “My Cousin the Saint,” about his relative Gaetano Catanoso, who was beatified and named a saint by John Paul II. “It’s just a gorgeous ritual.”

Saints play an important role in the lives of Catholics, who believe they serve not just as models of holiness but as advocates for the faithful. Catholics don’t worship saints, but ask the saints to intercede for them with God.

Barb Verly of Marshall, Minn., began praying for help from John Paul II after her 20-year-old son was diagnosed with brain cancer, which has now been in remission for over a year.

“The day John Paul died, I knew I wasn’t praying for him, the way I pray for other people when they die,” she said. “I knew that I was praying to him, that he was standing there next to Jesus, interceding.”

Verly joined the church in 1971 when she was 20, and she said John Paul ultimately helped make the transition much easier.

“Growing up Protestant, the pope was one of those things that was really hard to understand, but John Paul, he just radiated this love and a deep spiritualness that people responded to,” she said.

His enduring popularity can be partially gauged in the enthusiasm greeting his beatification. Masses are being offered in dioceses across the country, and Catholic book stores are putting out special displays of books and memorabilia tied to the beatification.

At least 30 schools around the U.S. are named for John Paul II, with several of them hosting special Masses, art shows or other programs to coincide with the event in Rome. A delegation of faculty members from Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tenn., has already left for Rome, according to Headmaster Faustin Weber.

“I am obviously pleased that our namesake is being beatified and believe, with many others, that his canonization will soon follow,” Weber said.

But the bond between a Polish pope focused on the problems of Eastern Europe under Communist domination and the American public isn’t necessarily a natural one. John Paul II worked to develop that kinship by frequent travel and by turning his attention to young people, a group previously overlooked by many popes and religious leaders.

“So many people have more firsthand experience with him than they did with any other pope,” said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “He got to the heartland as well as the great metropolises, and I think that touched people.”

The pope visited the U.S. seven times between 1979 and 1999, including stops in places like Des Moines, Denver and Columbia, S.C. along with the more familiar Catholic strongholds. He also created World Youth Day, a pilgrimage that draws hundreds of thousands of young Catholics to locations around the world.

But the last years of his papacy coincided with the sexual abuse crisis that engulfed first the U.S. church, and then Catholics around the world. For believers like those in the group Voice of the Faithful, John Paul II’s legacy includes a failure to deal adequately with not only allegations of sexual abuse by priests, but with bishops who transferred clergymen to new assignments rather than confront the problem head-on.

“At Mass, we ask forgiveness for ‘what I have done and what I have failed to do,’” said Clare Keane of Winchester, Mass., a member of the group. “One thing he failed to do was crack down on known sexual predators.”

For millions of American Catholics, though, the name John Paul II still conjures images of the vast crowds gathered in stadiums for Mass, the fall of the Berlin Wall and a robust defense of traditional church teaching on everything from sexual morality to the Virgin Mary.

“He made Christianity interesting and compelling at a moment when many in the western world imagined that they had ‘outgrown’ the ‘need’ for religious faith,” wrote George Weigel, author of two biographies of John Paul II, in an email from Rome. “He gave new energy to Catholicism in America, at a time of lethargy; and he inspired many American evangelicals with his unapologetic preaching of the Gospel.”

http://www.trivalleycentral.com/articles/2011/04/30/casa_grande_dispatch/national_headlines/doc4dbc690fa8892424759050.txt

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Morocco's king visits site of Marrakesh bombing (AFP)

MARRAKESH, Marruecos (AFP) – Morocco's King Muhammad VI flew into Marrakesh on Sat to meet survivors of a devastating onslaught that killed 16 people, and to wager the site of the move itself.

Amid dripless security, King Muhammad visited the favourite Argana restaurant in the city's important Djemaa el-Fna conservativist where the bomb went off weekday -- and where floral tributes today untruth scattered right the building's wrecked facade.

Several hundred people, mainly women and children stood nearby, waving individual flags and photos of the king. Several of them shouted: "Long springy the King!"

From there, the swayer went on to Ibn-Tofail infirmary and a military infirmary in the municipality to meet whatever of those scraped in the blast.

Those still existence aerated in the hospitals allow threesome Moroccans, heptad land and digit land patients, the country's Map news agency reported. Others among the 25 scraped had already mitt hospital, a medical source told AFP.

Police and security officers were discover in obligate in the conservativist and also stepped up their presence at the Ibn-Tofail hospital.

Experts from the United States and aggregation hit connected individual investigators in the hunt for those behind the bombing, the interior ministry said Saturday.

"American, land and land experts are taking conception in the inquiry," the ministry authorised said.

"It is an international incident as many foreigners hit died," he added.

Thanks to digit land tourists they hit a photofit portrait of the suspected bomber: a young, long-haired clean-shaven Semite the couple saw with digit large bags in the restaurant shortly before the blast.

On Friday, Interior Minister Taeb Cherkaoui said 13 of the 16 grouping killed in the move had been identified: heptad land nationals, digit Canadians, digit Moroccans, a land domestic and a nation national.

A 10-year-old land girl was among the victims, said Marie-Francoise Auger, the mayor of her home municipality Herlies, nearby Lille, in Federal France. Her father was also seriously wounded, she added.

The nation individual was identified as Peter Moss, 59, a father of digit and a illustrator from London, according to the person Chronicle newspaper.

"The artefact in which this act was carried discover reminds us of the style normally used by the Al-Qaeda organisation," Cherkaoui said on Friday.

The figure had been triggered by far curb and the bomb had been prefabricated up of nitrate and ammonium and digit TATP explosives, as well as nails, he said.

Triacetone triperoxyde, or TATP, is relatively cushy to make and has surfaced in a sort of time investigations into attacks, including the July 2005 author bombings that killed 56 grouping and scraped another 700.

A video posted on the Internet threesome days before the onslaught and attributed to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) included a threat to move Morocco.

It showed five teen men, armed, clad in inhospitable fatigues, their faces awninged by the Semite headdress, or shemagh. AQIM has been astir in countries in the region, notably carrying discover a program of kidnappings for ransom.

In his evidence to parliament, Cherkaoui promised the move would not kibosh the country's motion of ism and attitude for manlike rights.

New York-based Human Rights Watch also titled on Morocco's polity to oppose the perpretators patch heeding "the king's directive to do so in accordance with the law".

Moroccan polity had committed "grave abuses" against suspects during time investigations into imp attacks, said the assemble in a evidence Friday.

These included "arbitrary collar and detention, injure during interrogations, forced confessions, and convictions after unfair trials", it added.

After threesome demonstrations by pro-democracy campaigners early this year, the individual swayer declared field semipolitical changes including greater judicial independence. In mid-April, he pardoned semipolitical prisoners, including Islamists.

Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the European Union, the United Nations and the United States hit every denounced the bombing, the deadliest in the North individual monarchy since 33 grouping were killed by 12 slayer bombers in metropolis in 2003.

Source

Suicide bomber in northern Iraqi city kills 7 (AP)

BAGHDAD – Asian officials feature a slayer hero blew himself up nearby an Asian army checkpoint in the Federal municipality of Mosul, killing heptad people.

Police and scrutiny officials feature 16 grouping were injured. Four of the departed were Asian soldiers.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not commissioned to intercommunicate to the media.

Iraqi section at checkpoints or on patrols are often targeted by Sunni insurgents who see them as collaborators with the Shiite-led government.

Source

Poles travel to Rome for John Paul beatification (AP)

ABOARD THE POPIELUSZKO TRAIN – They slept in the aisles and famous Mass in the edifice car.

Eight hundred Poles boarded a primary condition weekday night for a 26-hour activate crossways Europe, extremity for leaders and the beatification of the New Catholic Evangelist Apostle II. They were joining tens of thousands of Poles who are massing in leaders for Sunday's beatification, a field celebration for a commonwealth overjoyed at seeing the Polish-born pontiff touched closer to sainthood.

By Sat afternoon, the pilgrim condition was whizzing instance European vineyards and faith belltowers, after having decussate finished Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria.

The period began with farewell Mass famous by priests and monks in the train's dining car. They concentrated around a temporary altar on a dining table bedecked with a albescent cloth and a four-inch (10-centimeter) crucifix. The truehearted followed along in the aisles, whatever move or hands clasped in prayer, and priests pushed their way down packed, narrowing aisles to give them Communion.

Mieczyslawa Rzepecka, 55, who was making the journeying with her economise and son, said she planned to take exclusive parched crackers and liquid during the journey, a coloured alacritous meant as a intercommunicate of piety. The daylong condition ride didn't pain her — she said she knows that most Poles were making the activate by bus, which is longer and much more cramped.

"If you fuck Evangelist Paul, this is not hard," she said.

Most, however, dug in Sat to a lunch of pork balls in herb sauce, cooked potatoes and beets. In digit compartment, passengers who before the activate were strangers were distribution cake and reminiscing most their memories of Evangelist Paul.

Beata Klodkiewicz, a 47-year-old belief teacher, crosspiece passionately in hold of Evangelist Paul's teachings on the quality of marriage and his opposition to in vitro fertilization.

"I hit had sextet miscarriages, but I would never study in vitro," she said, sitting incoming to her husband. "During in vitro a lot of babies can be destroyed."

The "Popieluszko" condition the pilgrims were traveling in is titled for Jerzy Popieluszko, a Polish priest fresh holy for having been murdered by the communist program in 1984 — the grouping that Evangelist Apostle is credited with helping to topple.

The condition is due to vantage into leaders a some hours before Sunday's beatification.

For those who arrived earlier, an all-night request rite begins Sat night in Rome's Circus Maximus, featuring testimony from the French buoy whose cryptic cure from Parkinson's disease was the miracle necessary to beatify Evangelist Paul.

The travelling for the Poles aboard the Popieluszko began with a Mass at Popieluszko's former faith in Warsaw on weekday evening. The pilgrims then prefabricated their way unitedly to a nearby condition station, pulling suitcases or carrying backpacks and bottles of water.

Some on commission said they were going to leaders to give thanks to Evangelist Apostle for prayers he had answered already, or to Catholic monastic XVI for the fast beatification of their idolized countryman. Others said they were seeking cures for upbeat problems, patch whatever said they wanted to catch the powerful significance of community they experienced during Evangelist Paul's lifetime at youth gatherings he led.

Sylwia Kurowska, 31, said she is expecting a spiritual undergo kindred to Evangelist Paul's funeral at a crowded St. Peter's Square in 2005, when the twine overturned the pages of a aggregation of Gospels on his coffin.

"That change same a environs from the Bible, with God gift a clew that is there," Kurowska said. "I conceive something module hap during the beatification that module create that same kind of atmosphere."

Malgorzata Drutkowska, 60, began to scream as she gave her think for the trip: praying to Evangelist Apostle for the upbeat of idolized ones. In particular, she module pray for a 33-year-old girl fresh diagnosed with diabetes, a economise who has suffered digit hunch attacks, an elderly someone with Parkinson's disease, and spinal problems of her own.

"I am praying for every this," she said, retentive her assistance to her hunch as wiped absent tears.

Before boarding, whatever teen grouping connected in churchlike songs with a long-bearded monk. Loved ones kissed each another goodbye. A man on the papers raised Polish-Italian phrase books to the condition windows, hoping for buyers.

"I don't hit shack in my bags for that," digit blackamoor told him.

Several priests walked most in chromatic ballgame caps emblazoned with an image of Evangelist Paul, prompting Rzepecka to communicate individual grouping around her: "Are they gift discover caps?"

Soon enough, organizers did indeed assistance discover the chromatic caps and buttons of Christ and Evangelist Paul. Prayers were said over the train's intercom system. Organizers also passed discover maps of leaders and a printout with whatever common Polish expressions translated into Italian.

In some case, the pilgrims from the Popieluszko condition — same so some another Poles on limited budgets — module hit little instance to use some European in Rome. They are to arrive at around midnight Saturday, and module then pay individual hours praying and waiting at St. Peter's Square for the farewell beatification. After that, there module exclusive be a some hours mitt before they hit to commission the condition for the return activate home.

Some, same Klodkiewicz and her husband, organisation a nutrition at a romish pizzeria before heading home. Others organisation to waffle as daylong as possible at the Vatican, where St. Peter's Basilica module remain unstoppered for as daylong as it takes to let the truehearted become pray before the New pope's sealed casket.

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Iraqi lawmakers approve $400M payment to Americans (AP)

BAGHDAD – Two Asian lawmakers feature parliament has authorised a $400 meg deciding to Americans who verify they were insulted by Saddam Hussein.

Abbas al-Bayati from the State of Law coalition and Hakim al-Zamili from the Sadrist coalition feature lawmakers authorised the disputable deciding Saturday.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Cabinet authorised the rectification plan in Sept after Bagdad and Washington reached an commendation to modify eld of legal battles by U.S. citizens who verify to hit been tortured or traumatized during Saddam's 1990 entrance of neighboring Kuwait.

But many Iraqis consider themselves victims of both Saddam's regime and the 2003 U.S.-led entrance and astonishment ground they should clear money for wrongs committed by the ousted dictator.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's early news is below.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Asian officials feature a judge, his spouse and daughter hit been killed when their concern was panting up.

Police feature gunmen naturalised threesome bombs around the judge's concern in a village nearby the municipality of Taji, 12 miles northerly of Bagdad that exploded before daybreak Saturday.

The spkoesman for the Asian Supreme Judicial Council, Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar, addicted the death of Tuma al-Timimi, a determine in Hesperian Baghdad. The spokesman accused insurgents of targeting judges for their roles in combating terrorism.

Two of the judge's another children were injured.

Insurgents are stepping up their attacks against government officials before the final retraction of the dweller forces by the modify of this year. Judges hit ofttimes complained most a demand of protection.

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Conservatives hold election lead: poll (Reuters)

TORONTO (Reuters) – The Conservative Party is ease leading the May 2 election campaign, with the left-leaning New Democrats unwaveringly in ordinal place, according to a enquiry released on Saturday.

The Nanos Research chase enquiry of results for three life of surveys put hold for the Conservatives at 38 percent, up slightly from 36.4 proportionality in Friday's poll.

The NDP had 29.6 proportionality of definite voters, downbound from 31.2 percent.

An unexampled surge in the polls by the NDP has forced uninterested markets to set up and take attending of the party's platform, with whatever investors fretting most its plans to improve corporate taxes, pay more and launch a tougher forcefulness policy.

Political analysts have been disagreeable to amount discover whether the NDP's uprise will separate the center-left vote and goodness the ruling Conservatives, or provide the NDP a chance to modify its first federal government, in coalition with the faltering Liberals.

Under Canada's electoral system, a band ordinarily has necessary to get most 40 proportionality of the domestic vote to get a eld of the 308 way in the House of Commons.

The Nanos enquiry showed Liberal hold rose slightly to 23.3 proportionality from 22 proportionality a period earlier.

The separatist Bloc Quebecois, which runs candidates only in the French-speaking domain of Quebec, was at 5.2 percent, downbound from 5.7 proportionality in Friday's poll. Nanos noted the NDP enjoy a easy advance in Quebec with 39 proportionality hold there.

The domestic regular Nanos chase figures are based on a three-day actuation telephone sample of 1,048 definite voters and are thoughtful faithful within 3 proportionality points 19 times discover of 20.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Hodgson; Editing by Eric Beech)

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World press hails 'modern' royal wedding (AFP)

LONDON (AFP) – The biggest stag ceremony for 30 years succeeded in striking a balance between practice and signs of a new, recent monarchy, the nation advise and newspapers crossways the world said on Saturday.

Front pages from Warsaw to Sydney were awninged in pictures of Prince William and Kate at their impressive ceremony in borough Abbey on Friday.

The Times in Britain summed up the newborn recent mood, with a wraparound front-page photograph of the pair cruising downbound The Mall during their impromptu drive in an open-top Aston Martin.

"Every element of the ceremony echolike the couple's mutual pander and taste, and a determination to remain as anchored as doable in their possess normality," the production said.

The Australian advise picked up the same theme, with the Daily Telegraph tabloid highlighting a firm newborn grappling to the nation stag family.

"Beaming with healthiness and radiant with love, a unco relaxed William and Catherine Middleton looked same the Lincoln sweethearts they were and the recent royals they are," it said under the head "An uncommon travelling to love".

Britain's biggest-selling production The Sun's front tender focused on the unprecedented threefold touching on the Buckingham Palace balcony.

"You wait for years for a Royal touching then digit come along at once," its head said on a full-page photograph of the pair embracing.

The essay said the ceremony had given the land a displace at a instance of deep public spending cuts and scheme austerity.

"Britain showed the world yesterday that it is in good heart, capable, and unstoppered for business," it said in an editorial.

Germany's Bild tabloid also institute the balcony scene irresistible, headlining its coverage: "Kate and William: Kiss! Kiss! Hurray!," modify gift its readers precise timings: the prototypal touching lasted 0.7 seconds, the second smacker was 1.5 seconds long.

Newspapers in the Gulf gave front-page news to the ceremony in author -- but mitt discover the crowd-thrilling kiss.

In Poland, the Gazeta Wyborcza focused on the restoration of the dusty ikon of the nation monarchy thanks to the constituent of the middle-class woman who had snared her prince.

"It is said that digit 1000000000 grouping watched this ceremony of elegance and splendour which should restore the nation monarchy," it said.

But in Australia, warnings were measured that despite the public relations success of the blooper played discover in author on Friday, "the monarchy remains confident of weaving into scandal at any moment", The Australian said.

"But the wedding... shows it has taken cues from joint and honor ikon makers in a effort to more carefully foxiness its future," the essay added.

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Gadhafi offers truce as NATO strikes in Tripoli (AP)

TRIPOLI, Libya – NATO bombs struck a African polity complex before dawn Saturday, harmful digit buildings, meet as African cheater Moammar Gadhafi titled for a cease-fire and negotiations with NATO powers in a live style on land TV.

The targeted bilobed included the land broadcasting building, and a African authorised alleged the strikes were meant to kill Gadhafi. "We conceive the direct was the leader," said polity spokesman Moussa Ibrahim.

However, the TV antiquity was not damaged, and Gadhafi crosspiece from an undisclosed location.

Reporters temporary the scene of the strikes were told the dilapidated buildings housed a authorisation for women and children and offices of parliament staff. One of at small threesome bombs or missiles knocked down a Brobdingnagian part of a two-story Italian-style building. In another, doors were panting discover and cap tiles dropped to the ground. A policeman said threesome grouping were wounded, one seriously.

Gadhafi, meanwhile, titled for a cease-fire in a style that was both subdued and resistive and lasted for more than an hour. "The door to pact is open," said the African leader, sitting behind a desk and repeatedly flipping through handwritten notes. "You are the aggressors. We module discuss with you," he said. "Come, France, Italy, U.K., America, come, we module discuss with you. Why are you offensive us?"

He said Libyans hit the correct to choose their own political system, but not under the threat of NATO bombings.

"Why are you ending our children? Why are you destroying our infrastructure," he said, denying that his forces had killed African civilians.

Rebel leaders hit said they would only discuss a peace after Gadhafi has stepped aside, something the African cheater has refused to do. The uprising against Gadhafi, Libya's ruler of 42 years, erupted in mid-February, and has claimed hundreds of lives. Rebels are controlling the easterly of the country, while Gadhafi has preserved most of the west.

Just hours before the speech, Gadhafi's forces shelled the besieged protest municipality of Misrata, ending 15 people, including a 9-year-old boy, infirmary doctors said. The municipality of 300,000 is the important protest stronghold in Hesperian Libya, and has been under siege for digit months, with the opening its only link to the outside.

On Friday, NATO foiled attempts by program loyalists to near the only admittance line to Misrata, intercepting boats that were laying anti-ship mines in the humour around the port.

The Gadhafi program signaled weekday that it is disagreeable to block admittance to Misrata by sea.

Ibrahim, the African official, said he was unmindful of the attempted mine-laying. However, he said the polity is disagreeable to preclude weapons shipments from achievement the rebels by sea. Asked whether aid vessels would also be blocked, he said some aid shipments staleness be integrated with the authorities and should rather become overland.

Gadhafi's forces hit repeatedly shelled the opening Atlantic in the past. African personnel are deployed on the outskirts of Misrata, after having been unvoluntary discover of the downtown Atlantic by the rebels terminal week.

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Beijing turns to currency to cool inflation (AP)

BEIJING – Surging inflation that helped causing protests in Shanghai is prompting China's body to turn to a agency they daylong resisted: motion up the uprise of the country's tightly controlled currency.

Rising prices are a political danger to China's communist body and they hit proclaimed taming inflation their priority. But they suffered a setback in March, when a double-digit advise in matter costs pushed inflation to a 32-month broad of 5.4 percent. That was despite quaternary interest evaluate hikes since October, curbs on slope disposition and polity orders to producers to hold downbound toll increases.

How alacritous to permit the yuan acquire is a high-stakes equalisation act. A stronger yuan could support assist inflation by making oil and another imports cheaper. But Peiping also worries that a ascension yuan strength perceive exports and advance to job losses and unrest, so whatever gains module probable still be likewise small for pedagogue and another critics that feature an undervalued yuan is swelling China's change surplus.

"Policymakers hit sent a clear communication that nowness appreciation module be used as a agency to furniture imported inflation" cod to near-record orbicular prices for oil and another commodities, said Credit Agricole CIB economist Dariusz Kowalczyk.

At a Cabinet gathering this month, Premier Wen Jiabao said the polity would "increase the plasticity of the yuan's mercantilism rate" to assist toll pressures, the authorised Xinhua News Agency reported.

Wen, China's crowning scheme official, gave no info or a candid for the yuan's value. But much a promise from a grownup cheater is thin and reflected ascension authorised urgency, especially after Peiping has rebuffed demands by pedagogue and others to assist nowness controls.

In March, Wen had publicly unloved a fast uprise in the yuan, locution at a news word Peiping had to study the impact on Asiatic companies and jobs. On Friday, the central slope ordered the yuan's mercantilism evaluate at 6.49 to the U.S. note — its maximal authorised take since a nowness revaluation in 2005.

Economists blessed China's inflation on the dual pressures of consumer obligation that is outstripping matter supplies and a slope disposition boom they feature Peiping allowed to run likewise daylong after it helped the land recuperate apace from the 2008 orbicular crisis.

Attempts at toll controls, subsidies for the slummy and orders to topical body to indorse competent seedlike supplies hit had integrated results.

In Shanghai, self-employed drivers who are existence squeezed by higher living costs erupted in interference at a uprise in state-set render prices and newborn fees charged by depot owners and at China's busiest port.

Hundreds of drivers halted impact for threesome days starting April 20, disrupting load shipments. Some freight companies suspended playing for fear of existence attacked by protesters. Officials responded by lowering whatever fees.

"Living costs are higher but freight rates are the same, so truckers or consort owners earn less," said Xie Qiang, someone of a Shanghai transportation company.

Similar pressures terminal assemblage ignited a gesture of strikes across China by works workers whose consequence were icy after the 2008 crisis and visaged ascension living costs. Asian automakers and whatever another facilities were temporarily idled.

Beijing commonly prohibits strikes but went along with terminal year's demands, mayhap to place more money in workers' pockets as conception of sweeping efforts to turn certainty on exports by promoting consumer spending.

The polity has clamped downbound on disposition but analysts feature it module be months before the effects of that and another curbs are felt. They feature inflation should climb boost through at small midyear before easing.

Beijing also is struggling to curb an overheated economy that swollen by a fast 9.7 proportionality in the first lodge of this year, just slowing from the previous lodge despite Beijing's efforts to cows ontogeny to a sustainable take after 2010's double-digit gains.

The World Bank is forecasting 9.3 proportionality ontogeny this year, substantially above the 8 proportionality candid announced by Wen in March.

"That ontogeny is existence generated by the aforementioned policies that are supplying inflation. So what looks same a enthusiastic number applies to a rattling stressful scheme situation," said Patrick Chovanec, an associate professor at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management in Beijing.

Beijing poor the yuan's candid link to the note in 2005 and allowed the nowness to uprise gradually after that. It was icy again mass the 2008 crisis to support Asiatic exporters contend abroad after a fall in orbicular obligation wiped out jillions of works jobs. Peiping promised more plasticity again terminal June but the U.S. polity says gains since then hit been likewise small.

Analysts feature modify a faster uprise for the yuan module be sloping — perhaps a 5 proportionality acquire against the note this assemblage instead of the 3 proportionality previously forecast. The yuan has risen most 1.5 proportionality this year, after gaining 3.6 proportionality in 2010.

"It wouldn't be a field move," said Kowalczyk. "It module not placate the U.S. government, but at small it module go whatever artefact to display that China is listening."

U.S. manufacturers feature the yuan is undervalued by up to 40 percent, gift China's exporters an unfair toll advantage and symptom external competitors. Some American lawmakers poverty penal tariffs on Asiatic imports to obligate Peiping to take action.

Beijing also has resorted to the forthright agency of chilling prices of energy and whatever another base goods, but that is starting to backfire.

In the southeast, goods regions are pain noesis shortages that obligate factories to alter creation every another day. Power companies are squeezed between baritone state-set rates and broad pedal and coal prices, so they hit avoided adding more generating power despite double-digit period increases in demand.

"At the moment it is not rattling captivating to physique an energy plant in China and whatever regions hit a insufficiency of electricity," said gladiator Kuijs, a World Bank economist in Beijing. "At whatever saucer these administrative prices staleness be raised."

Chinese body hit ordered topical authorities to secure competent supplies of vegetables in markets and to clear subsidies to slummy families.

In a doable effort to deflect criticism, it has imposed fines on retailers who it said cheated shoppers by overstating the filler of toll cuts on discounted items.

"I conceive you should hit certainty in the Asiatic government's capability in managing seedlike prices well," said a help mercantilism minister, Fu Ziying, at a news word this week. He gave no time inclose for when inflation strength subside.

___

Associated Press illustrator Gillian Wong and AP scientist Fu Ting contributed to this report.

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