Britney Spears subject of biographic comic book

By Matt Moore
Associated Press
First Posted 09:23:00 05/11/2011

PHILADELPHIA—Britney Spears is no stranger to music buyers and concert-goers. Now, her star power will be on display with web-slingers, shape shifters and superheroes.

The pop music star is the subject of a new one-shot comic book courtesy of Bluewater Productions Inc.'s ongoing "Fame" series that has seen it profile other celebrities, including Lady Gaga and actors Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, among others. The publisher has also done comic book bios of Sarah Palin, Hilary Rodham Clinton and President Barack Obama, and plans one about Donald Trump, too.

The Spears comic will focus on her rise to stardom, her documented private life and her efforts to be understood, said Patrick McCray, who wrote the issue.

"She is far more complicated than most people realize. No matter what preconceptions you have about her, there will always be more layers and surprises," he said in a statement. "Beyond the performer, there is a real human being there, struggling for a real life, struggling to connect with her art, and struggling to be understood."

Bluewater publisher Darren G. Davis said Spears' life reflected the core of the company's "Fame" line of biography titles has tried to achieve.

"She was created in the Internet Age to be put on a pedestal, but no one can stand the glaring lights of celebrity that intensely," he said. "The title seeks to find the person within."

The 32-page issue, illustrated by Ricardo Jaime, comes out Wednesday in comic book stores and online retailers.

Asian shares mostly up on China data, Wall St.

By Huw Griffith
Agence France-Presse
First Posted 19:15:00 05/10/2011

HONG KONG—Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday as a huge Chinese trade surplus and upbeat corporate news in Japan boosted sentiment but European debt fears weighed after a downgrade of Greece's credit rating.

The Nikkei closed on a high after moving in and out of positive territory, lifted by strong Toshiba results and positive news from Toyota, which helped to offset the downside caused by a surging yen.

Tokyo closed 0.25 percent, or 24.38 points, higher at 9,818.76 while Shanghai finished up 0.63 percent, or 18.17 points, at 2,890.63..

Taipei closed 0.14 percent, or 12.20 points, higher at 9,023.28 but Sydney closed 0.65 percent, or 31 points, lower at 4,725.8.

Hong Kong and Seoul were closed for public holidays.

Trade was light ahead of the release Wednesday of key inflation data out of China, with many hoping price rises would have eased in April after hitting a two-year high 5.4 percent in March.

A figure higher than 5.4 percent would likely lead to another rate hike by Beijing.

"The market will get a boost if April's CPI growth slows from March's 5.4 percent," Amy Lin, an analyst with Capital Securities, told Dow Jones Newswires.

The regional mood was given some lift by data from China on Tuesday showing its trade surplus in April surged to $11.4 billion from a $139 million in March, and well above forecasts of $1.0 billion. Analysts said the figures could suggest that imported inflation is easing.

Tokyo ended up thanks in part to the data from China, a key trading partner, as well as Toshiba saying it had posted a $1.7 billion profit in the year to March while Sumitomo Heavy soared following forecasts of an 18 percent rise in net profit.

It was also given a fillip by a report that car giant Toyota would be able to start normal production two or three months earlier than expected following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that hammered the nation's manufacturing.

However, gains were capped by the yen's strength and eurozone worries after Standard & Poor's slashed its credit rating for Greece on Monday citing a possible debt restructuring.

S&P warned its own projections suggested that merely rescheduling Athens' debt repayments would not be enough and that private and state investors may only ever get half of their money back.

"Principal (capital) reductions of 50 percent or more could eventually be required to restore Greece's debt burden to a sustainable level," S&P said.

The news hit the euro and firms with exposure to the eurozone, said Yukifumi Watanabe, a trader at Himawari Securities.

"The S&P downgrade on Greece (by two notches to single-B) is a big deal and default concerns will not dissipate easily this time," he said.

The euro was at $1.4326 in Tokyo from 1.4358 in New York late Monday. The single European currency also fell to 115.18 yen from 115.31.

The dollar was at 80.37 yen from 80.34.

The downgrade came amid increasing concern in the markets that, despite its 110-billion-euro ($160 billion) bailout by the IMF and EU last year, Greece will not be able to keep on top of a debt mountain that is larger than a year and a half of its entire economic output.

Sydney was dragged by financial stocks, although eyes were mostly on the upcoming budget later in the day.

"The Australian share market is oversold and I took the bounce off the 200-day moving average last week as a very good sign," said Bell Potter senior client adviser Stuart Smith.

On Monday in New York a revival in commodities prices pushed up equity markets, which ignored the S&P downgrade.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 45.94 points (0.36 percent) at 12,684.68.

But oil's upsurge was short-lived, with the market pausing Tuesday as traders locked in profits.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June, fell $1.21 to $101.34 a barrel in the afternoon while Brent North Sea crude lost $1.27 to $114.63.

"Both Brent and WTI (West Texas Intermediate) are slightly weaker after a $6 and $7 rally overnight, which could have resulted in some profit-taking as traders take a breather before oil prices rise further," said Serene Lim, a Singapore-based oil and gas analyst at ANZ bank
In other markets:

-- Singapore closed 0.62 percent, or 19.32 points, higher at 3,156.26.

SingTel rose 0.97 percent to Sg$3.13 and City Developments gained 0.35 percent to Sg$11.58.

-- Manila ended 1.08 percent, or 45.98 points, higher at 4,303.13.

Philippine Long Distance Telephone was up 3.1 percent at 2,480 pesos and International Container Terminal gained 3.5 percent at 49.50.

-- Wellington added 0.28 percent, or 9.77 points, to finish at 3,528.75.

Telecom rose 2.1 percent and Fletcher Building was flat at NZ$8.98 while Pumpkin Patch added 1.7 percent to NZ$1.21.

-- Jakarta gained 0.40 percent, or 15.07 points, to 3,800.52.

Coal producer Bumi gained 2.1 percent to 3,625 rupiah and rival Bukit Asam is up 0.5 percent at 21,850, while carmaker Astra rose 1.0 percent to 56,950.

But cement maker Gresik slipped 1.1 percent to 9,300.

-- Kuala Lumpur closed up 0.39 percent, or 5.96 points, at 1,525.37.

Hong Leong Bank added 2.7 percent to 11.50 ringgit, Telekom Malaysia was up 2.5 percent at 4.12 and AirAsia fell 1.9 percent to 3.04 while Tenaga Nasional lost 0.8 percent to 6.03.

-- Bangkok rose 1.22 percent, or 13.09 points, to close at 1,085.56.

Banpu gained 6 baht to 742 and PTT Plc added 3 baht to 361.

-- Mumbai closed flat, edging down 16.19 points, to 18,512.77.

Lender SKS Microfinance snapped 12 straight days of losses, rebounding from a record low of 262 rupees to finish up 9.99 percent at 297.85 rupees.

That followed a more than 19 percent fall on Monday and a near 20 percent loss on Friday amid concerns over its future growth.

Presbyterians clear way for gay clergy

By Rachel Zoll
Associated Press
First Posted 09:25:00 05/11/2011

NEW YORK— After decades of debate, the Presbyterian Church (USA) on Tuesday struck down a barrier to ordaining gays, ratifying a proposal that removes the celibacy requirement for unmarried clergy, in the latest mainline Protestant move toward accepting gay relationships.

The change was endorsed last year by the Presbyterian national assembly, but required approval by a majority of the denomination's 173 presbyteries, or regional church bodies.

Before Tuesday, the vote stood at 86-62 in favor of change. The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, based in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, cast the key 87th vote needed for a majority in support of ratification during a meeting Tuesday night. So far, 62 presbyteries have voted against the measure.

Differences over the Bible and homosexuality have split Protestant groups nationally and worldwide for years. Within the Presbyterian Church, about 100 of the 11,000 congregations had already broken away ahead of the vote, but a group of large theologically conservative congregations, which calls itself the Fellowship, has decided to remain in the denomination for now.

The measure approved Tuesday eliminates language in the church constitution requiring that clergy live "in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." The new provision instead requires ministers to "submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life.

Each regional body will decide who it should ordain, and some districts are expected to continue to reject gay and lesbian candidates.

The new policy would take effect on July 10, after all presbyteries complete their voting.

The Presbyterian Church (USA), based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country.

Thunder knot series with triple overtime win

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 15:22:00 05/10/2011

MEMPHIS—Kevin Durant scored six of his 35 points in the third over-time Monday as Oklahoma City won a Western Conference thriller 133-123 to tie their NBA playoff series with Memphis at two games each.

Oklahoma City regained the home-court advantage that the Grizzlies had snatched and now host game five on Wednesday.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 40 points. James Harden added 19, and Daequan Cook chipped in 10.

The Grizzlies, playing to a packed house despite floods that have swelled the Mississippi River and displaced thousands, looked weary in the third over-time, making just one of their nine shots from the floor.

Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 34 points and 16 rebounds and Marc Gasol added 26 points and 21 rebounds in the losing effort. O.J. Mayo had 18 and Mike Conley 16 before both fouled out. Greivis Vasquez had 14.

The winner of this series will play the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference finals for a chance to face a team from the East for the NBA crown.

The Mavericks have a chance to rest up after ousting the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the minimum four games.

The Memphis-Oklahoma City series, in contrast, is a dog-fight. Monday's nail-biter came just two days after the Grizzlies edged the Thunder in over-time.

Conley forced the first over-time with his only three-pointer of the game. Vasquez, the rookie who came in after Conley and Mayo fouled out late in the first extra period, hit a three-pointer to set up the second over-time. Gasol's tip-in set up the third over-time.

The Thunder had chances to win at the end of regulation and the first two extra periods.

Westbrook's jump shot hit the rim just before the buzzer to end regulation.

Durant, the NBA scoring champion, saw a three-pointer miss at the end of the first over-time and Westbrook's leaning long-range jump shot brushed the rim at the buzzer to end the second over-time.

Oklahoma City took charge in the third extra period, when Westbrook's basket with 3:38 remaining put them ahead for good.

Durant added a pair of free throws and his running lay-up gave the Thunder a 129-123 lead with less than a minute to play.

Durant stole the ball from Randolph on the other end and made a shot over Shane Battier with 29.3 seconds left.

The Grizzlies can look back and regret letting an early 18-point lead slip.

Oklahoma City could have put it away sooner, too, surrendering a 10-point fourth-quarter lead.

Fugitive in $7-M US heist caught after 25 years

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 09:16:00 05/11/2011

SAN JUAN—A fugitive from one of the biggest robberies in US history was arrested in Puerto Rico on Tuesday 25 years after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Norberto Gonzalez Claudio, 65, was accused of taking part in the armed robbery of a Wells Fargo truck in Hartford, Connecticut in 1983, a heist that netted about $7 million.

The FBI special agent in San Juan, Luis Rivera Santana, said that Claudio had been arrested by the FBI and Puerto Rican police in the city of Cayey, and that he had offered no resistance.

"Presumably, he was hiding in Puerto Rico while he was a fugitive," Santana said.

Claudio's brother, Avelino, had previously been arrested and found guilty of transporting money from the robbery to Mexico.

Claudio is allegedly a member of the "Ejercito Popular Boricua-Los Macheteros" or the Machete Wielders," a clandestine group fighting for Puerto Rican independence from the United States, and which is believed responsible for several bombings, armed robberies and murders, according to the FBI.

Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States with its own government, but Puerto Ricans may not vote in US presidential elections and they have a non-voting member of Congress.