Which clubs will splash the cash in January?

Posted by Roger Bennett

The cavalry is coming. In the English Premier League, it always is. The rumor mill, which began to grind the second the summer transfer window shut in August, is about to crank into overdrive as the fleeting January window creaks open.

Halfway through the season, every club has developed a rigid narrative. United's midfield is gutless, Liverpool cry out for striking reinforcements, Aston Villa bleed goals. Each narrative will have a cascade of tall tales attached to them, shuffling on an hourly basis as teams, players and agents feed stories to a hungry media not averse to fabricating them entirely. Fans will embrace every badly reported rumor as a sliver of hope, like Charlie Brown charging to kick the football Lucy holds.

- ESPN FC Transfer Center
- Video: Rodgers expects January transfer action
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January windows past are strewn with such carnage as Fernando Torres' infamous $80 million move to Chelsea, and Liverpool's $56.6 Andy Carroll acquisition that swiftly followed it. Although the brevity of the window makes this very much a seller's market, the impact of Newcastle's $13 million Papiss Cisse and Everton's $8 million Nikica Jelavic last season prove that value and instant impact can be found.

With every squad appearing imperfect this season, and so many teams clustered around both the Champions League places and the relegation trap door, moves aplenty will be made. So prepare to savor each piece of breaking news with the passion of a hardcore fan and the value system of a hardened cynic.

Here are nine teams that have been most actively/spuriously attached to rumors:

Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty ImagesUnited dream of Ronaldo's homecoming, but it's the team's central midfield that needs the most help.

Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson's “They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue” gambit has propelled United to a seven-point lead at the top of the table. Their soft midfield center has been regularly exposed, but this need is not new, and Ferguson has already managed fans' expectations by snuffing out ideas of a big move, vowing last weekend, “We won't be dashing around in a panic.”

It has been seven years since United made a long-term transfer in the window. For now, the dreams of Ronaldo's homecoming and Robert Lewandowski’s prospective summer move to Old Trafford will have to satiate fans as their imbalanced team attempts to win the league with forward firepower -- the footballing equivalent of a dubstep song that is overpowered with bass.

Manchester City
All rumors lead to the Etihad. A combination of piles of cash, inconsistent form and the faint stench of desperation means they are the team most likely to be outlandishly connected to pretty well everyone in this window, including Neymar and Ronaldo.

As odd as it may sound for a club that can field such talents as Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli, City desperately need to freshen up their attacking threat. Roberto Mancini's side have demonstrated a startling lack of penetration as the coach has futilely shuffled through his forward options to no avail. The club have been linked with Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente and Corinthians attacking midfielder Paulinho (who has also been linked with Chelsea). Mancini must also decide what to do with Mario Balotelli, who has become akin to the Premier League's "Gossip Girl," a soap opera most people grew to find tedious long before its finale aired.

Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty ImagesNewcastle's Demba Ba could provide the consistent goal-scoring threat Chelsea have been lacking.

Chelsea
It is notoriously difficult to find value in the January market, yet value has rarely been a concern at Stamford Bridge. A long-rumored blockbuster move for Atletico Madrid's scoring sensation Falcao has been silenced until the summer.

With Daniel Sturridge likely moving on, the club cannot wait to find a strike partner for the perpetually frustrated Fernando Torres. Sevilla's Alvaro Negredo has been mooted. A move for Barcelona's David Villa is intriguing, if only to see whether his arrival could prompt Torres to roll the mental clock back to the summer of 2008. Newcastle's Demba Ba seems the more likely arrival and could provide exactly what Chelsea need, a player able to put the ball in the net on a consistent basis.

Rumors of Leighton Baines' acquisition as an Ashley Cole replacement continue to rumble. The Everton left back provides many of Cole's strengths, minus his chafing social skills.

Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs traditionally attack the window with the cavalier approach of a fat man in a pie factory. Reports from Italy link them to Inter Milan's outcast Wesley Sneijder, a man whose marquee name masks a poor run of form. Sneijder's arrival may depend on the willingness of the Dutchman to accept a wage cut, but the ongoing story is a welcome respite from the rumors of prized asset Gareth Bale bolting for a salivating Real Madrid.

Everton
While it is unlikely the perpetual overachievers can top last year's window that saw the arrival of Jelavic from Rangers, Darron Gibson from Manchester United and the loan return of Steven Pienaar, their activities in January will be fascinating to watch. Can the cash-strapped club conjure coins to strengthen their push for the Champions League, or will they stand pat and risk losing both the talismanic Marouane Fellaini and their coveted manager David Moyes?

Injuries to Gibson and Kevin Mirallas have exposed a lack of squad depth. The club cry out for striking options to buttress the slumping Jelavic and would benefit from the addition of a spark-plug substitute. The cash will not flow, but few clubs have demonstrated a keener ability to shop on a budget, sourcing discarded or unknown talent. Club Brugge midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe is once more on their radar. Rumors also surround Paris Saint-Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau. But a third loan move for cult hero Landon Donovan seems highly unlikely.

David Price/Getty ImagesAs Theo Walcott plots his next move -- will he stay, or will he go? -- Arsenal have been linked to the likes of Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente.

Arsenal
While Arsene Wenger has been linked to Manchester United's Nani -- suggesting he believes there is nothing wrong with his team the arrival of an attacking midfielder with a questionable work ethic cannot solve -- the club still needs a reliable goal scorer to fill that RvP-sized hole upfront.

The squad is blessed with the comedy stylings of Gervinho, the rugged good looks of the swashbuckling Olivier Giroud and the inconsistent pace of Theo Walcott, so it comes as no surprise that Wenger has been linked to Llorente. David Villa has also been rumored, yet his age and transfer fee do not fit the typical Wenger equation. Most Arsenal fans will anxiously monitor the glacial contract negotiations with Walcott -- both to retain the threat of his pace and to prove symbolically theirs is not a sellers club.

Liverpool
The club has learned the old gambling maxim about how one tells who the patsy is at a poker table the hard way. Liverpool have been stung by so many recent Ponzi-scheme transfer equivalents, their American owners appear understandably gun-shy. Boston's FSG are struggling to impose fiscal responsibility and wrestle with a reported contempt for agent fees, yet their squad needs help all over the field and the board have no choice but to buy. Birmingham City's young goalkeeper Jack Butland has been strongly linked, and Chelsea's Sturridge is reportedly poised to sign to give Luis Suarez much-needed striking support.

Negotiations continue for the return of Blackpool's Tom Ince, which would be one of the more interesting stories of the window. The wing threat left Liverpool only 16 months ago for $400,000, and the club will have to pay considerably more to reclaim him. Wigan's Franco Di Santo has also been linked, having played for Brendan Rodgers at Chelsea, potentially furthering the manager's haphazard strategy of reuniting a motley bunch of former players in the red jersey of Liverpool.

Reading
Novice owner Anton Zingarevich is reportedly poised to turn the Berkshire club into the world headquarters for wayward Russians. Tottenham discard Roman Pavlyuchenko is consistently linked, and Andrei Arshavin is rumored ready to make a cut-price move from Arsenal and resuscitate his curiously diminished career amid the crucible of a relegation scrap.

Clive Brunskill/Getty ImagesCan Harry Redknapp sort out the mess at Loftus Road?

Queen Park Rangers
Journalists may have learned to tiptoe round the phrase “wheeler-dealer” in the vicinity of Harry Redknapp, but three consecutive defeats mean the QPR manager will have to dabble assiduously to resuscitate his defective club.

Redknapp inherited an unmotivated, overpaid squad. Team owner Tony Fernandes should expect his checkbook to be further depleted by the end of January as Redknapp is linked to a litany of players, including defensive anchors Brede Hangeland of Fulham and Everton's Sylvain Distin, spare parts like Liverpool's Joe Cole and Chelsea's Frank Lampard, and proven goal scorers in exile Nicolas Anelka (Shanghai Shenhua) and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy.) Redknapp articulated his modus operandi after Sunday's limp 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool. "I only want positive players around me. I said that in the dressing room after the match," he explained. "I don’t need miserable faces."

Roger Bennett is a columnist for ESPN FC and, with Michael Davies, is one of Grantland's "Men In Blazers." Follow him on Twitter @rogbennett.

Somalia: 'Al-Shabab' militants forced out of Jowhar

Somali troops and African Union forces have captured the town of Jowhar from the Islamist militant group, al-Shabab, reports say.

The troops encountered no resistance as the militants had fled, said a military spokesman and residents in the town.
Jowhar was the biggest town under the control of al-Shabab Islamists.
The al-Qaeda linked group has been driven out of most urban areas over the past two years, but still controls many rural areas of the country.
Jowhar, 90km (55 miles) north of the capital, Mogadishu, commands access to Somalia's biggest road linking the southern and central regions of the country. It is also at the heart of a rich agricultural area.
'Strategic' Correspondents say its fall is a major blow to the militants.

"We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar”

Abdiaziz Abu Musab Al-Shabab spokesman

"We took control this morning and are now establishing security in Jowhar," a spokesman for the AU mission in Somalia, Amisom, told AFP news agency.

"Amisom troops alongside Somali National Forces entered the town, there was little fighting as the Shabab largely fled ahead of us," Col Ali Houmed said.
AFP quoted an al-Shabab spokesman as saying the militants had withdrawn "for strategic reasons" and remained "close by".
"We will hunt the invaders from inside and outside Jowhar," Abdiaziz Abu Musab said.
Al-Shabab were forced out of the capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 by African Union troops who, with government forces, went on to take control of most of the militant-held towns.
Alongside the recent military gains, a new Somali president took office in September, raising some hopes of a return to law and order after two decades of anarchy.
From BBC

Duchess hoax: Australian radio station to review practices

 

The company that owns 2Day FM says it will cooperate with any investigation

The Australian radio station at the centre of the UK royal hospital hoax death says it is going to review its broadcasting practices.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead three days after putting through a call that gathered details of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge's condition.
The hoax call was made by DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who have been taken off air and are being counselled.
Neither have commented but do want to speak to the media, a spokeswoman said.
'Truly tragic' The board of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns the radio station, 2DayFM, met on Sunday to discuss a highly critical letter from the hospital which was the victim of the prank call.
Southern Cross Austereo chairman Max Moore-Wilton promised in a letter to the chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital that the company would co-operate with any investigation.

 

An inquest into Mrs Saldanha's death is due to open in the next few days

He said: "We are all saddened by the events of the last few days. They are truly tragic.
"It is too early to know the full details leading to this tragic event and we are anxious to review the results of any investigation that may be made available to us or made public.
"We can assure you that we will fully cooperate with all investigations.
"As we have said in our own statements on the matter, the outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable.
"I can assure you we are taking immediate action and reviewing the broadcast processes involved."
'Desire to speak' An inquest into Mrs Saldanha's apparent suicide is due to be opened in the next few days.
She was pronounced dead on Friday morning at staff accommodation close to the hospital.
She had answered the presenters' call and, believing they were members of the Royal Family, put them through to another nurse, who described the Duchess of Cambridge's condition in detail.

 

 DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian have been receiving counselling

There has been a strong reaction both in the UK and Australia towards Ms Greig and Mr Christian since the death of Mrs Saldanha, and both have been receiving counselling.
Both deleted their Twitter accounts and were taken off the air, but a Southern Cross Austereo spokeswoman said they had "expressed a desire to speak".
"We haven't ascertained when they're ready for that and how we're going to organise that, but they certainly want to," the spokeswoman said.
The nurse's family were being comforted by relatives and friends at their home in Bristol.
In a statement last night, Ms Saldanha's family said they were "deeply saddened" by the death and asked for privacy.
Meanwhile, Prince William will not attend the British Military Tournament in London later on Sunday.
A St James' Palace spokesman said the prince had opted instead to spend Sunday privately with the duchess, who had been in hospital with an extreme form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.

Egypt crisis: Opposition considers response to Morsi move

The BBC's Shaimaa Khalil says President Morsi's opponents warn he has not heeded their main complaint

Opposition leaders in Egypt are due to meet to co-ordinate their response to President Mohammed Morsi's decision to scrap expanded powers - while sticking to a planned constitutional referendum.

Halting the referendum is a key demand of the opposition and some have already dismissed Mr Morsi's latest move.
The president's critics accuse him of acting like a dictator, but he says he is safeguarding the revolution.
His supporters are due to gather in the capital Cairo later on Sunday.
Strikes The opposition National Salvation Front is meeting on Sunday before issuing a formal response.
Mahmoud el-Alayli, deputy secretary general for the Free Egyptians Party - a member of the NSF - told the BBC Mr Morsi needed to postpone the 15 December referendum on "this constitution which was prepared by an assembly whose legitimacy was and still is very questionable".

Analysis

Shaimaa Khalil BBC News, Cairo

The opposition appears to have won half the battle. The president did not budge on the sticking point of the referendum on the controversial draft constitution.
Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki said if the draft constitution was rejected by a popular vote then elections would be held for a new constituent assembly.
The reaction of the main opposition National Salvation Front will now be key to how events shape politically.
Since the announcement of the decree on Mr Morsi's powers, Egypt has been deeply polarised. It remains to be seen whether this annulment will defuse tension on Egypt's volatile streets.

If the president refused, the opposition would call strikes across the country, Mr Alayli told the Newshour programme.

"We are going to be on the streets in all the cities everywhere," he said.
However, Mohamed Soudan, foreign relations secretary of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, said President Morsi was constitutionally bound to go ahead with the vote.
The draft constitution was endorsed by a constitutional assembly dominated by Mr Morsi's Islamist allies.
The army has built a wall of concrete blocks to seal off and protect the presidential palace, which has been the focus of opposition demonstrations.
The situation is as tense as ever, says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo.
Mr Morsi's decree of 22 November stripped the judiciary of any right to challenge his decisions and triggered violent protests on the streets of Cairo.
Although the decree has been annulled, some decisions taken under it still stand.
The general prosecutor, who was dismissed, will not be reinstated, and the retrial of the former regime officials will go ahead.
Egypt's powerful military has warned it will not allow Egypt to spiral out of control and has called for talks to resolve the conflict.
The president's supporters say the judiciary is made up of reactionary figures from the old regime of strongman Hosni Mubarak.
But his opponents have mounted almost continuous protests since the decree was passed.
Several people have been killed in the recent spate of anti-government protests, and the presidential palace has come under attack.
The Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement to which Mr Morsi belongs, were set on fire.
From BBC

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand hurt by thrown coin

 

City's Joe Hart stopped a fan confronting Ferdinand after he was injured

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand was left with a head wound after apparently being struck by a coin during his team's match at Manchester City.

Ferdinand received a cut above his left eye after it hit him as he celebrated Robin van Persie's winning goal.
The FA said it had opened an investigation into the incident, while Manchester City condemned it and apologised to the player.
Ferdinand tweeted that he was hit by a 2p coin. United won the game 3-2.
He tweeted: "Whoever threw that coin, what a shot! Can't believe it was a copper 2p... could have at least been a £1 coin!"

 

 Ferdinand appeared to pick up an object from the pitch

Ferdinand was left with blood running down his face after the incident, and he appeared to pick up an object which he later showed to referee Martin Atkinson as he left the pitch.
While trying he was trying to recover, a Manchester City fan ran on to the field towards him, but was stopped by Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart before he could reach the defender.
In another tweet, referring to Hart stepping in to the fray, Ferdinand added: "Respect to Joe Hart for protecting that idiot who ran on!! Love the banter between fans but there is a point when it goes too far...calm it!"
The man was then taken away by police officers.
A Football Association (FA) spokesman said it would liaise with Greater Manchester Police and await reports from its crowd control adviser and the match referee.
He added: "It is disappointing that after a great game and advert for the Premier League that we are discussing this issue.
"We will work with the clubs and authorities to identify those responsible and support the strongest sanctions available including life bans.
'Identify the guilty' "We condemn any such acts and it is simply unacceptable that any player is exposed to injury in this way. To witness Rio Ferdinand leaving the field with a cut above his eye to receive treatment is appalling.
"Football in this country has made great progress over recent decades. However, we must maintain the safety and security inside of our stadia and to do this we need to isolate and identify any individuals guilty of offences with strong penalties to act as a deterrent to others."
A spokesman for Manchester City said CCTV footage of the incident at the Etihad Stadium was being reviewed.

 

 United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said it was "unfortunate" that the object had been thrown

He said: "We apologise to Rio. We condemn the actions of the individual concerned. We will support the police with any investigation and hopefully identify the person as soon as possible."
The club added: "[Greater Manchester Police]'s review of all fan behaviour at today's match will be fully supported by the club, through the provision of CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.
"Following this review, and any associated police action, the club will also apply its own disciplinary policies for any fans found guilty of offences."
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said no arrests had been made in relation to the incident.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said it was "unfortunate" that the object had been thrown.
He said: "That shouldn't happen. The same thing happened at Chelsea, which was masked by all the other things. We could have done without that.
"We can do without that, after a great game between two sides."
In an unrelated incident, police arrested a man on suspicion of committing a racially aggravated public order offence during the game.
The man was held after officers reported hearing racist chanting from the crowd.
From BBC

Australian DJs face backlash over hoax death

By Phil Mercer BBC News, Sydney

 

The 2Day FM radio station in Sydney has suspended commercials until Monday

Accused of having blood on their hands by furious listeners, the Australian DJs at the centre of the UK royal hospital hoax tragedy have been taken off air as the public backlash intensifies.

As the pressure mounts, the bosses of troubled Sydney radio station 2Day FM have suspended until Monday all commercials, after some of Australia's best-known companies, including telecommunications giant Telstra and supermarket heavyweight Coles, withdrew their advertising.
"We understand Australians are clearly angry and upset by what appear to be tragic consequences of the 2Day FM UK hospital prank," Coles announced as news came through of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha.
Social media have been bombarded with comments, many castigating radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian, whose spoof conversation with hospital staff in London, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles, backfired so disastrously.
The duo have deleted Twitter accounts, as a cascade of criticism came hurtling through cyberspace, including reports of death threats.
"Not so darn funny now is it? A British nurse is DEAD for the sake of a couple of cheap laughs. Shame on you!" wrote one angry contributor to 2Day FM's Facebook page.
Speaking at a press conference, Rhys Holleran, the chief executive of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns the popular Sydney-based music station, said Greig and Christian had been offered counselling.
"I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered. These people aren't machines, they're human beings. We're all affected by this," Mr Holleran said.
'Professional support' Amid the storm, there is some support and sympathy for the DJs. Jeff Kennett, the chairman of Australia's national depression charity, Beyond Blue, said the radio pair had no intention of causing any harm and urged the public not to condemn them.

 

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian were said to be "shattered"

"This is an absolute tragedy, but the ramifications of which we've got to make sure we don't magnify," said Mr Kennett, the former state premier of Victoria.
"I just hope that they get our support and that their employer provides them with professional support to help them get through what will be a terrible few weeks."
The management of 2Day insists that no laws have been broken, although the station could end up in court for broadcasting a secretly recorded private conversation.
Experts believe, though, that a prosecution is unlikely; the industry regulator will now decide if legislation or codes of practice have been breached.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will investigate several complaints about the pre-recorded prank.
The radio station has received two warnings from the watchdog over previous stunts.
2Day FM is a ratings powerhouse, especially in the lucrative 25-39 age bracket. It remains Sydney's most popular music network, with an audience share of about 10%.
In August 2009, shock-jock Kyle Sandilands was criticised by former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd after a 14-year old girl revealed she had been raped during a lie-detector stunt.
The controversial breakfast show host has revelled in the notoriety and remains a dominant force in the competitive Sydney radio market.
However, the fledgling careers of two colleagues who until this week were largely unknown to most Australians must now be in doubt.
Michael Christian had basked in the attention that he and his colleague Mel Greig, a former reality TV star, had obtained for their hospital hoax.
"The only bad thing about our Royal Prank… is knowing that I will NEVER EVER top this,'' he posted on Facebook. "Less than a week in the job & I've already peaked."
Station bosses have ordered the pair to keep out of the spotlight before they decide when and if they can return to the airwaves.

Stephen Baldwin charged with tax evasion

 

Stephen Baldwin in the younger brother of 30 Rock star, Alec

Hollywood actor and former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Stephen Baldwin has been charged with tax evasion.

Mr Baldwin, best known for The Usual Suspects, pleaded not guilty to the charge of failure to file personal income tax returns.
Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said Mr Baldwin, 46, owes more than $350,000 (£218,000) in tax and penalties.
Prosecutors said the actor may face up to four years in prison if convicted.
"We cannot afford to allow wealthy residents to break the law by cheating on their taxes," Mr Zugibe said.
"The defendant's repetitive failure to file returns and pay taxes over a period of several years contributes to the sweeping cutbacks and closures in local government and in our schools."
Prosecutors in Rockland County, about 15 miles north west of New York, accuse Mr Baldwin of failing to pay state personal income taxes from 2008 to 2010. Mr Baldwin argues that he had poor financial representation at the time in question.
Mr Baldwin's lawyer, Russell Yankwit, insisted the actor "did not commit any crimes", adding that he was "working with the district attorney's office and the New York State Tax Department to resolve any differences".
Bankruptcy filing
Speaking after his court appearance, Mr Baldwin told Reuters news agency that he had handed over a $100,000 (£62,000) cheque to the state on Thursday.
"My ability to make the payment I did today, is a sign to the state and district attorney, that I'm working to get this resolved," Mr Baldwin said.
Stephen Baldwin is the youngest brother of the Baldwin acting dynasty which includes Alec, William and Daniel.
He filed for bankruptcy in 2009, with legal papers suggesting he owed $1.2m (£748,000) on two mortgages, $1m (£623,000) in taxes and $70,000 (£43,640) on credit cards.
The actor, who is married with two daughters, became a born again Christian following the terror attacks on 11 September 2001.
His early career included roles in acclaimed films such as Last Exit to Brooklyn and Born on the Fourth of July.
More recently he has appeared in a number of TV reality shows including the US version of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here in 2009 and Britain's Celebrity Big Brother in 2010.
He currently co-hosts a US radio show with conservative pundit Kevin McCullough.
Speaking to Piers Morgan on US TV on Thursday, his elder brother Alec said that Stephen's mistakes were "no different than millions of other people".
"I don't think he's going to jail," the 30 Rock star said, adding that he was in "a negotiated settlement".
From BBC

Liverpool surprised over Samaras link

By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent

Liverpool sources have told ESPN of their surprise over a report in the Sun which linked them with a January move for Celtic striker Georgios Samaras.

GettyImagesGeorgios Samaras netted against Barcelona

Samaras, 27, impressed in the 2-1 win against Barcelona in the Champions League and hit three goals in five starts in the group stages to help them qualify for the last-16. However, the Greek international’s contract is running down and expires in 2014, with a report suggesting he could be sold for around £5 million in January.
Liverpool were thought to be interested as they have only one fit striker in their squad - Luis Suarez - but sources at the club revealed to ESPN that Samaras does not fit the criteria that Brendan Rodgers is after and if they had wanted a player of his type then they would not have let Andy Carroll leave for West Ham on loan.
One player who is on Rodgers’ radar is Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge, although both the fee and his reported wage demands are significant barriers to any potential deal.

Liverpool battle to victory at West Ham

West Ham United 2-3 Liverpool

Liverpool proved they could win without talismanic striker Luis Suarez as they fought from behind to take three points from Upton Park.
Uruguay international Suarez was serving a one-match ban but the Reds struck twice late in the game to seal a win that sees them leapfrog West Ham in the table.
Former Hammers' defender Glen Johnson opened the scoring for the visitors with a tremendous effort before a Mark Noble penalty and Steven Gerrard own goal turned the game in West Ham's favour before the break.
 
It was another West Ham academy graduate in substitute Joe Cole who pulled the visitors level in the second half with a James Collins own goal completing the comeback for Liverpool.
Gerrard, returning to captain the visitors after recovering from illness, saw an early effort deflected behind for a corner following some good work by Jonjo Shelvey.
West Ham then had a few minutes of dominance and Mohamed Diame, a one-time Liverpool target, saw his shot deflect off the back of team-mate Carlton Cole and drift just wide of Jose Reina's goal.
West Ham's Matt Jarvis was getting a lot of the ball down the left flank but was soon found wanting when he was tested defensively.
Gerrard played the ball out to Johnson on the touchline and the England full-back cut inside Jarvis with ease before arrowing a strike past the out-stretched hand of Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Johnson did not celebrate out of respect for his former club but the Liverpool bench was up in unison as the visitors grabbed an early lead.
Raheem Sterling had two chances to double Liverpool's advantage, firstly firing wide of Jaaskelainen's near post as Gerrard's shot was cleared straight to his feet.
Moments later Johnson again got the beating of former Wolves winger Jarvis and rolled the ball into Sterling's path, but the 18-year-old's low drive was just off target.
West Ham started to get more into the game after 25 minutes and again began testing the Liverpool defence with a number of high balls into the area, with their equaliser duly coming nine minutes before the interval.
A West Ham set-piece was cleared as far as Guy Demel whose shot hit the arm of Joe Allen as the former Swansea man closed him down.
Referee Lee Probert deemed the block to be intentional and pointed to the spot, with Noble stepping up to coolly convert the penalty.
Matthew Taylor, recalled to the starting line-up by Sam Allardyce after making an impact as a substitute against Chelsea last weekend, then headed high and wide from close range as West Ham started to take control.
The spell of pressure yielded a second goal for Allardyce's side, albeit it in fortunate circumstances.
Liverpool switched off after conceding a free-kick which Noble took quickly and found Jarvis in space on the left.
The 26-year-old produced yet another fantastic delivery into the box and the ball was sent flying past Reina off the head of Gerrard.
Shelvey then had a good opportunity to level on the stroke of half-time when he was picked out by Stewart Downing but his shot was well wide.
The second half started with both sides looking to be more creative in possession although neither Reina nor Jaaskelainen was tested before the hour-mark.
Sterling came close to levelling as his left-foot effort from the edge of the penalty area forced Jaaskelainen to flick the ball over his bar for a corner.
Shelvey had worked hard in an unfamiliar attacking role all afternoon and saw a header flash wide with 20 minutes remaining before Rodgers introduced Jordan Henderson in place of the ineffectual Lucas.
A serious looking leg injury suffered by Diame made Allardyce's afternoon even worse, with the in-form midfielder replaced by James Tomkins after pulling up hurt.
Joe Cole had been introduced by Liverpool before the game was 30 minutes old and was warmly received by the home fans.
The former Chelsea playmaker has struggled during his time with Liverpool and had little impact on the game until he struck a venomous equaliser after being played in by Sterling and, like Johnson, he refused to celebrate the goal.
 

Jonjo Shelvey diverts the ball towards goal to complete the comeback

The turnaround was completed just 12 minutes from time as Henderson swung in a low cross that Shelvey and Collins competed for with the balling looping up off the boot of the West Ham defender and over a helpless Jaaskelainen.
Sterling almost burst through to wrap up the game for the visitors, who saw out the five minutes of stoppage time to creep into the top half of the table.
From ESPN

Bale stunner ends Liverpool run

Gareth Bale scored a stunning free-kick and set up Aaron Lennon with a wonderful solo run to bring Liverpool's eight-match unbeaten run to an end at White Hart Lane in a 2-1 defeat.
The Welshman scored what has to be one of the most unlucky own goals in Premier League history to tarnish his evening slightly, but Tottenham still managed to come away with their second successive win despite an edgy second half in north London.
Bale tore West Ham apart at White Hart Lane on Sunday and he began the game in similarly devastating fashion, embarking on a 50-yard run before playing in Lennon for the opener after seven minutes.
The Welshman then smashed home a brilliant swirling free-kick to make it 2-0 after 16 minutes, the ball looping and dipping over the wall leaving Pepe Reina completely non-plussed.
The win, which moves Spurs above Arsenal and Everton into fifth, did not come easily - but it did remind the club's critics that in Bale they have a man capable of winning a match almost single-handedly.
Playing at the same high tempo that helped them to destroy West Ham on Sunday, Tottenham flew out of the blocks and stamped their authority on the game from the off on a bitterly cold night in north London.
 
Reina got a taste of things to come when he saw a swirling Bale free-kick fly at him from 30 yards in the fourth minute, punching nervously away.
Bale was key to Tottenham's quick start. The Welshman latched on to Jermain Defoe's pass after the England striker had pinched the ball off Steven Gerrard, but he could only shoot at Reina.
Tottenham's early pressure paid off as Spurs took the lead in style. Bale collected the ball on the half way line and breezed past four players before squaring to Lennon, who tapped home from close range.
Luis Suarez spearheaded the Liverpool fightback, testing Hugo Lloris with a low drive after Michael Dawson's tackle had knocked the ball in to the Uruguayan's path.
A mix-up between Lloris and Kyle Walker then almost gifted the visitors an equaliser. The Frenchman rushed out of his goal to clear Suarez's through-ball - but the defender took the ball away from his goalkeeper into the path of Jordan Henderson, who blazed wide of an open goal.
The Spurs fans mocked Henderson for his miss and the midfielder's evening took another turn for the worse moments later when he was harshly adjudged to have fouled Dempsey 30 yards out.
Bale took a five-yard run up and despatched a powerful drive which dipped and swerved over the wall, completely bamboozling Reina, who could only stand and watch the ball sail in to his right.
Liverpool thought they should have had a penalty in the 36th minute when Steven Gerrard went down under pressure from Mousa Dembele, but Phil Dowd waved play on. The danger was not over for Spurs though, as Dawson dribbled in to the path of Suarez, whose shot was cleared off the line by Walker.
Liverpool continued to push for an equaliser after the break, but they almost conceded a third when Martin Skrtel's poor clearance set Defoe free but Dempsey selfishly muscled his team-mate off the ball and shot wide.
Spurs were struggling to get on the ball and their best threat came from set plays. Bale fizzed another long-range bender just wide in the 68th minute.
Two minutes later the former Southampton man unwittingly put Liverpool back in the game.
Lennon was well-placed on the line to clear Gerrard's header, but unfortunately for Spurs, the winger's clearance cracked Bale square in the face and flew in to the home net.
Bale was then jeered by the away fans after being booked for diving, although replays showed Daniel Agger did make contact with the winger's trailing leg as he charged at the Reds defence.
With 10 minutes to go Agger hooked the ball back for Suarez, but the striker snatched at the ball and his volley flew over.
Jonjo Shelvey chipped just wide and Suarez thought he should have had a penalty in a nervous final few minutes, but Tottenham held on until the final whistle, which Villas-Boas greeted with a huge double fist-pump.
From ESPN

The World’s Highest-Paid Musicians Of 2012

By Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Forbes | Stop The Presses!

 

Justin Bieber ties with Toby Keith in 10th place, with $55 million [photo: George Pimentel/Wireimage]

 Though he's only 18 years old, Justin Bieber has had a year for the ages. The Canadian crooner released his third studio album, launched a world tour and continued investing in startups, adding to a portfolio that includes stakes in Spotify, Tinychat and others. All in all, he earned $55 million in 12 months.

"I do calls every week with my business manager and my lawyer," Bieber told FORBES this spring as part of a cover story on his budding venture capital career. "Each week I'm learning something about my business and what I need to know for my career."
But when it comes to the world's highest-paid musicians, Bieber is a relative pauper, barely breaking the top ten.

 
Dr. Dre tops the list, with $110 million [photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]

Hip-hop superproducer Dr. Dre leads the pack this year with $110 million, thanks largely to his Beats headphone line. He collected $100 million pretax when handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in the company last year, at the beginning of our scoring period; he and his partners later bought back half of what they sold.
"The brands are so aligned, Dre and Beats, it's just who he is," says Kevin Liles, former president of Def Jam Recordings, who now manages acts ranging from Young Jeezy to Trey Songz. "If you look at the biggest earners, the guys have been doing it for 20 years … what's happening now is people are really telling their truth."
Dr. Dre leads a pack of pop stars, rock icons, rap moguls and country crooners, many of whom bank the bulk of their bucks outside the recording studio. Though some artists—Jay-Z and Diddy, for example—owe their success partly to business ventures like Dre's, most of this year's top 25 are on the list because of touring.
"The concert business had another solid year as both artists and concert promoters used more caution in trying to achieve their touring objectives," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor of concert data purveyor Pollstar. "The good seats for major artists continue to be priced at a premium."
This year's list has a distinctly international flavor. Among the top five, only Dr. Dre hails from the United States. Pink Floyd rocker Roger Waters ranks second with $88 million, nearly all of it coming from his The Wall Live tour. According to Pollstar, he grossed $158 million on 63 shows in the first six months of 2012. Fellow Brit Elton John claims the third spot with $80 million, culled from over 100 shows in our scoring period.
Ireland's U2 ranks fourth, pulling in $78 million on the tail end of the group's record-breaking 360 tour—which grossed $736 million over three years. British boy band Take That rounds out the top five with $69 million, thanks to a wildly-popular reunion tour. The group grossed $61 million for eight dates at London's Wembley Stadium alone, the biggest single-stadium stand recorded to that point, cashing in on dozens of additional dates around Europe as well.
 
British boy band Take That comes in fifth, with $69 million [photo: Paul Gilham/Getty Images]"

The enormous level of business Take That did in the U.K. and Europe was truly mind-boggling," says Bongiovanni. "That's especially true when you consider that in the U.S. they would only be a theater-level act."
Our estimates are based on total earnings from May 2011 to May 2012—the amount of money an act makes from record sales, touring, endorsements, merchandise sales and other ventures before subtracting management fees, legal costs and taxes (which can gobble up the bulk of a big payday). The totals were compiled with the help of data from Pollstar, RIAA and others, as well as interviews with industry insiders including concert promoters, lawyers, managers, agents and, in some cases, the musicians themselves.
Other highlights on the list include Toby Keith, who tied Bieber for tenth with $55 million. With his Ford sponsorship now on its second decade and his I Love This Bar And Grill restaurant chain booming, Keith was the top earner among all country artists—unless you count crossover star Taylor Swift, who earned $57 million, same as Paul McCartney. Coldplay and Adele continue the British trend, claiming the 21st and 22nd slots with $37 million and $35 million, respectively. Eight of the top 25 acts hail from England or Ireland.
That success extends to Anglophiles as well: Jay-Z and Beyoncé, both close friends of Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, combined to earn $78 million. The former Destiny's Child diva is one of just eight ladies on the list, but Beyoncé's song "Run The World (Girls)" still rings true—despite welcoming baby Blue Ivy earlier this year, she still out-earned her husband by $2 million.

Winning Powerball Tickets for Jackpot Sold in Ariz., Mo

By ALAN FARNHAM and ANTHONY CASTELLANO | Good Morning America 

Winning tickets for the record Powerball jackpot worth more than $587 million were purchased in Arizona and Missouri.

Missouri Lottery official Susan Goedde confirmed to ABC News this morning that one of the winning tickets was purchased in the state, but they would not be announcing a town until later this morning.

Arizona lottery officials said they had no information on that state's winner or winners but would announce where it was sold during a news conference later in the day.

The winning numbers for the jackpot were 5, 23, 16, 22 and 29. The Powerball was 6.
The jackpot swelled to $587.5 million, according to Lottery official Sue Dooley. The two winners will split the jackpot each getting $293.75 million.

An additional 8,924,123 players won smaller prizes, according to Powerball's website.

"There were 58 winners of $1 million and there were eight winners of $2 million. So a total of $74 million," said Chuck Strutt, Director of the Multi-State Lottery Association.

Hopeful players bought tickets at the rate of 131,000 every minute up until an hour before the deadline of 11 p.m. ET, according to lottery officials.

The jackpot had already rolled over 16 consecutive times without a winner. That fact, plus the doubling in price of a Powerball ticket, accounted for the unprecedented richness of the pot.

"Back in January, we moved Powerball from being a $1 game to $2," said Mary Neubauer, a spokeswoman at the game's headquarters in Iowa. "We thought at the time that this would mean bigger and faster-growing jackpots."

That proved true. The total, she said, began taking "huge jumps -- another $100 million since Saturday." It then jumped another $50 million.

The biggest Powerball pot on record until now -- $365 million -- was won in 2006 by eight Lincoln, Neb., co-workers. As the latest pot swelled, lottery officials said they began getting phone calls from all around the world.

"When it gets this big," said Neubauer, "we get inquiries from Canada and Europe from people wanting to know if they can buy a ticket. They ask if they can FedEx us the money."

The answer she has to give them, she said, is: "Sorry, no. You have to buy a ticket in a member state from a licensed retail location."

About 80 percent of players don't choose their own Powerball number, opting instead for a computer-generated one. Asked if there's anything a player can do to improve his or her odds of winning, Neubauer said there isn't -- apart from buying a ticket, of course.

Lottery officials put the odds of winning this Powerball pot at one in 175 million, meaning you'd have been 25 times more likely to win an Academy Award.

Skip Garibaldi, a professor of mathematics at Emory University in Atlanta, provided additional perspective: You are three times more likely to die from a falling coconut, he said; seven times more likely to die from fireworks, "and way more likely to die from flesh-eating bacteria" (115 fatalities a year) than you are to win the Powerball lottery.

Segueing, then, from death to life, Garibaldi noted that even the best physicians, equipped with the most up-to-date equipment, can't predict the timing of a child's birth with much accuracy.

"But let's suppose," he said, "that your doctor managed to predict the day, the hour, the minute and the second your baby would be born."

The doctor's uncanny prediction would be "at least 100 times" more likely than your winning.

Even though he knows the odds all too well, Garibaldi said he usually plays the lottery.

When it gets this big, I'll buy a couple of tickets," he said. "It's kind of exciting. You get this feeling of anticipation. You get to think about the fantasy."

So, did he buy two tickets this time?

"I couldn't," he told ABC News. "I'm in California" -- one of eight states that doesn't offer Powerball.
In case you were wondering, this Saturday's Powerball jackpot is starting at $40 million.

ABC News Radio contributed to this report.

Snoop Lion wants to invest in Celtic because they beat Barcelona

By Brooks Peck | Dirty Tackle

Snoop at a FIFA 13 launch party with his best friends in that moment. (Getty)

Inspired by the Celtic Champions League group-stage upset against Barcelona that made Rod Stewart cry, Snoop Dogg (now Snoop Lion) has decided that he wants to invest in the Scottish champions. Even though he didn't really watch the match.
Said Snoop to the Daily Record:

"I got a lot of interest in soccer. It's not a new thing for hip-hop stars to invest in sports teams, but it is a new thing for hip-hop stars to invest in soccer teams.
"I didn't catch the whole Barcelona game, but I watched the highlights. I know Barcelona are a big deal, and it shows Celtic are a big deal as well.
"I see how passionate Celtic fans are about their team, and I could see myself making an investment if any of the board wanted to sell.
"I haven't really thought how much. I don't need to run a soccer club but enough of a percentage to get me on the board so I can be heard.
"I want to bring a bit of Snoop to things.

But before you start thinking Snoop is rushing into this decision, know that he was pictured wearing a Celtic shirt in 2005, and he's already asked his friend David Beckham about the club, who confirmed that "teams don't come much bigger," according to Snoop. The rapper-turned-reggae act then added that one of his first orders of business as a member of the Celtic board would be to sign Beckham "for a season," but he knows that will be difficult since the L.A. Galaxy midfielder is happy in Los Angeles with his family.
And just to prove that he knows the club and has an eye for talent, Snoop added that Georgios Samaras -- yes, Georgios Samaras -- is his favorite player.

"I like Samaras a lot. He looks like a proper athlete and is a pretty dangerous player. If we are to go far in Europe, he needs to play well."

Here's Georgios Samaras looking taken aback by that statement...

 

(Getty)

To his credit, Snoop has become a fan of the sport in recent years and he's played a few games of FIFA 13. For his last European tour, he did a series of promotional YouTube videos wearing the shirts of clubs in various cities he stopped in, so he knows that pandering to football fans can be fruitful. But the prospect, no matter how slim, of Snoop and Rod Stewart sharing a tearful embrace at Celtic's next historic win is an exciting one.

David Petraeus: Broadwell affair was 'colossal mistake'

Steve Boylan said the former spymaster knows he has made a "colossal mistake"

Former CIA director David Petraeus has acknowledged his extramarital affair was a "colossal mistake", his former spokesman has told ABC News.

Retired Army Col Steve Boylan said Gen Petraeus' wife Holly was "not exactly pleased" by the revelation, adding that "furious would be an understatement".
The former general resigned over a relationship with Paula Broadwell, his biographer and a former army officer.
It was discovered after a second woman, Jill Kelley, reported harassing emails.
Mrs Kelley, 37, told the FBI that she had received anonymous emails, prompting an investigation into Mrs Broadwell, a married mother of two.
In his interview with ABC News, Col Boylan said Gen Petraeus' affair with Mrs Broadwell, 40, began after the four-star general retired from the army.
"This was poor judgement on his part," Col Boylan said. "It was a colossal mistake, he knows that, he's acknowledged that."

 

Jill Kelley (l) and Holly Petraeus were friends for years

He added: "They're a strong family. They'll get through this."
The relationship began about two months after Gen Petraeus, 60, took up his post as director of the CIA in September 2011, Col Boylan said. He also said it ended about four months ago.
Adultery is illegal under military law, and correspondents say Gen Petraeus could face military prosecution if evidence is found to challenge his claims that the affair began after he left the army.
The former general joined the CIA in 2011 after heading international forces in Iraq and later in Afghanistan.
He was the highest-profile military officer of the post-9/11 years, and was widely credited for his role in running the "surge" in Iraq and implementing a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.
'Lightning bolt' Mrs Broadwell, a West Point graduate, co-authored a biography titled All In: The Education of General David Petraeus, which was published in January.
In the preface, she said she met Mr Petraeus in 2006 while she was a Harvard post-graduate student and that she researched the book while following him on trips to Afghanistan.

Investigation timeline

• Early summer - Jill Kelley complains to FBI friend of harassing emails - government official
• Late summer - FBI establish emails come from Paula Broadwell, and that she has had an affair with David Petraeus - government official
• 21 Oct - FBI interview Ms Broadwell - government official
• Oct 22-29 - FBI interview Gen Petraeus - FBI official
• 6 Nov - FBI inform James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, of Petraeus affair. Mr Clapper speaks to Gen Petraeus
• 7 Nov - Mr Clapper informs White House
• 8 Nov - White House informs President Obama. He speaks to Gen Petraeus
• 9 Nov - President Obama accepts Gen Petraeus' resignation. Congressional Committees informed

Gen Petraeus' resignation on Friday sent shockwaves through Washington, coming just days after President Barack Obama won a second term in office and pre-empting any reshuffle of his national security team.

Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, head of the Senate intelligence committee, said the news came as a "lightning bolt", in an appearance on Fox News on Sunday.
US lawmakers have begun asking whether national security may have been compromised by the affair, and why they were not told sooner.
On 26 October Mrs Broadwell publicly discussed otherwise unreported information about an attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which saw four Americans killed on 11 September, including Ambassador Chris Stephens.
In a speech at the University of Denver, Mrs Broadwell suggested the attack might actually have been an attempt to recover "Libyan militia members" who were being held by the CIA.
Her comments have stoked speculation as to whether there could be more to uncover about Gen Petraeus and any role he had in the Benghazi aftermath.
The intelligence agency denied the allegations, saying: "Any suggestion that the agency is still in the detention business is uninformed and baseless."
Classified debate Gen Petraeus stepped down on Friday, acknowledging in his resignation letter that he had shown "extremely poor judgment".
He was due to testify about the Benghazi attack on Thursday before a closed-door congressional committee meeting, but acting Director Michael Morrell will now take his place. Gen Petraeus could be called to give evidence at a later date.

 

Paula Broadwell graduated from the same West Point academy as Gen Petraeus

The FBI probe sparked by Mrs Kelley showed the harassing emails had come from Mrs Broadwell, and further inquiry revealed evidence of her affair with Gen Petraeus.
It is thought that Mr Petraeus and Mrs Broadwell were careful to avoid leaving an email-traffic trail, law enforcement officials told AP news agency.
They said the pair would leave emails in a draft folder, instead of sending them, on a personal account that both of them were able to access in order to read the messages.
In a statement, Mrs Kelley and her husband acknowledged their friendship with Gen Petraeus and asked for privacy.
"We and our family have been friends with Gen Petraeus and his family for over five years," she said.
"We respect his and his family's privacy and want the same for us and our three children."
Reports suggest that senior FBI and justice department officials learned about the affair over the summer, but it is not clear whether FBI Director Robert Mueller or Attorney General Eric Holder were informed.
In the autumn, classified documents were found on Mrs Broadwell's computer after she admitted the affair and allowed it to be searched.
Later, Gen Petraeus acknowledged he had been having an affair but told investigators he had not given Mrs Broadwell the classified information, reports say.
He told associates that they were probably given to her on her reporting trips to Afghanistan by commanders she visited there, reports AP.

US election: Unhappy Americans ask to secede from US

 

The petitions were filed after President Barack Obama's re-election

More than 100,000 Americans have petitioned the White House to allow their states to secede from the US, after President Barack Obama's re-election.

The appeals were filed on the White House's We the People website.
Most of the 20 states with petitions voted for Republican Mitt Romney.
The US constitution contains no clause allowing states to leave the union. By Monday night the White House had not responded.
In total, more than 20 petitions have been filed. One for Texas has reached the 25,000-signature threshold at which the White House promises a response.
'Blatant abuses' The last time states officially seceded, the US Civil War followed.
Most of the petitions merely quote the opening line of America's Declaration of Independence from Britain, in which America's founders stated their right to "dissolve the political bands" and form a new nation.
Currently, the most popular petition is from Texas, which voted for Mr Romney by some 15 percentage points more than it did for the Democratic incumbent.
The text complains of "blatant abuses" of Americans' rights.
It cites the Transportation Security Administration, whose staff have been accused of intrusive screening at airports.

CIA director David Petraeus resigns over affair

 

David Petraeus retired from 37 years in the military to become CIA director

CIA director David Petraeus has resigned from his post, admitting he had an extra-marital affair.

In a statement, Mr Petraeus said he had submitted his resignation to President Barack Obama, and that he had shown "extremely poor judgement".
He described his behaviour as "unacceptable" for the leader of the nation's main intelligence agency.
Mr Petraeus became CIA boss in 2011 after heading international forces in Iraq, then in Afghanistan.
He was the highest-profile military officer of the post-9/11 years, winning plaudits for his role running the "surge" in Iraq and implementing a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan.
'Great patriot' Mr Petraeus' resignation came just three days after President Barack Obama's re-election, and prompted a flurry of statements from the White House, intelligence community and Mr Petraeus himself.
Announcing his decision to stand down, the former general was full of contrition.

"By any measure, through his lifetime of service David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger”

             Barack Obama US President

"After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extra-marital affair," Mr Petraeus said in a statement.

"Such behaviour is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organisation such as ours. This afternoon, the president graciously accepted my resignation."
Mr Obama's statement said Mr Petraeus had "provided extraordinary service to the United States for decades", citing both his time as CIA director and service to the military.
"By any measure, through his lifetime of service David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger."
"Going forward, my thoughts and prayers are with Dave and Holly Petraeus, who has done so much to help military families through her own work."
James Clapper, director of national intelligence, thanked Mr Petraeus for his decades of service: "Dave's decision to step down represents the loss of one of our nation's most respected public servants,"

David Petraeus: Career highlights

• Graduated from West Point in 1974
• Commander of Multinational Force Iraq, Feb 2007 to Sept 2008
• Commander of International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, July 2010 to July 2011
• Became CIA director in Sept 2011 after being confirmed by the senate 94-0

"I have spent more than five decades serving our country - in uniform and out - and of all the exceptional men and women I have worked with over the years, I can honestly say that Dave Petraeus stands out as one of our nation's great patriots."

CIA deputy director Michael Morell will serve as acting director of the agency, the White House confirmed. Eventually Mr Obama must nominate a new director to head the agency, who will then need to be confirmed by the Senate.
Mr Morell, who is well respected at both the White House and on Capitol Hill, also served as acting director following the departure of former CIA chief Leon Panetta.
The CIA faces a potential period of instability after Mr Petraeus' resignation, as it also deals with a budget plateau and questions over its response to a deadly attack at a US consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Barack Obama closes in on Florida vote victory

 

Voters wait in West Palm Beach on Sunday after an the election office extended early voting

President Barack Obama appears close to victory in Florida, the only state yet to declare a result from Tuesday's US presidential election.

Vote counting continues, but the head of Florida's Democratic Party issued a statement congratulating Mr Obama.
Aides to Mitt Romney were also quoted appearing to concede defeat.
Florida's vote cannot change the overall result, but the slow count has brought back memories of the bitterly contested recount in 2000.
The Sunshine State's famous "hanging chads" sparked a crisis in that year's Bush-Gore election, eventually leading to a Supreme Court ruling that installed George W Bush in the White House.
Ground game praise As of Thursday evening Mr Obama had a 0.7% lead in Florida - totalling more than 50,000 votes - but some ballots have yet to be counted.
The final result is expected by midday on Saturday, after three counties - Broward, Palm Beach and Duval - finish their tallies.
If the final difference in the number of votes for President Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney is below 0.5%, a recount would be automatically triggered.

"The big picture is that we have done this to ourselves”

          John Rodstrom Broward County mayor

But whatever the outcome, it matters little since the Democratic incumbent decisively won the national vote in the electoral college.

As the counting edged towards its end, party operatives in Florida began to concede the race would go to Mr Obama.
"On behalf of Florida Democrats, I wish President Barack Obama congratulations on his re-election and on winning Florida's 29 electoral votes," Florida Democratic Chair Rod Smith said.
"Florida Democrats ran the strongest, largest ground game this state has ever seen," he said, describing it as "appalling" that the state had been unable to report results two days after the election.
Republican officials also said they expected Mr Obama to eventually be declared the winner.
"We thought based on our polling and range of organisation that we had done what we needed to win," Brett Doster, a Florida adviser for Mr Romney, told the Miami Herald.

"Obviously, we didn't, and for that I and every other operative in Florida has a sick feeling that we left something on the table. I can assure you this won't happen again."
Florida Republican spokesman Brian Burgess told the Associated Press that "given the wave that we saw all over the country, we're glad that we gave them enough of a fight in Florida to prolong the battle here as long as we did".
Obama campaign manager Jim Messina told reporters: "We feel we will be the official winner in Florida later today."
Counties must send preliminary results to the state by midday on Saturday.
Voting problems Long queues were reported across the fourth most populous US state on Tuesday.
Some voters waited to cast ballots until 01:30 local time the next morning, after Mr Romney had already delivered his concession speech.
Tens of thousands of absentee ballots also arrived on election day.
In Broward County, Democratic Mayor John Rodstrom told the Miami Herald: "The big picture is that we have done this to ourselves," blaming a combination of all sorts of municipal, state and federal elections on one ballot.
"We have these tremendously long ballots now," he said.

Navy SEAL Team Six Members Disciplined

By Luis Martinez | ABC OTUS News 

• 
  Associated Press/Electronic Arts - This product image released by Electronic Arts shows action from the video game "Medal of Honor: Warfighter." Seven members of the secretive Navy SEAL Team 6, including one …more 

Seven current members of the Navy's elite SEAL Team Six, including one involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, have received non-judicial punishments for having served as paid consultants for the video game "Medal of Honor: Warfighter." Four other SEALs who previously belonged to the unit remain under investigation.
The newly released game by Electronic Arts features special operations forces, including SEALs, in combat situations. Promotional materials for the game mention the fact that, to make the game as realistic as possible, input came from special operators, including Navy SEALS.
A Navy official says 11 active duty SEALS worked as consultants on the game over two days earlier this year. At the time all of them were members of SEAL Team Six.
A senior Navy official told ABC News that one of the seven SEALs was involved in the May 1, 2011, raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden.
The SEALs were punished for having violated their nondisclosure agreements and for having revealed tactics, techniques and procedures. Non-judicial punishments allow commanders to discipline service members administratively instead of pursuing a legal process that could lead to a court martial.
The news that active duty SEALS had been punished for their involvement with the video game was first reported by CBS News.
The official confirmed that on Thursday morning seven senior enlisted sailors, who are still part of the unit, had received letters of reprimand and been fined two months' pay. Letters of reprimand are seen as career-enders because they typically prevent further promotions. The investigation continues into the four West Coast based SEALs who were part of the unit at the time that they served as consultants.
A Defense official said that in an unusual move, the punishments were read out loud to the seven SEALs in front of their peers to send the message that this kind of activity would not be tolerated.
In a statement, Rear Adm. Garry Bonelli, deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, said his command "takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and conducts investigations to determine the facts. We likewise take seriously the Non-Disclosure Agreements signed by Sailors and adherence to the articles of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)."
The Navy first became aware of the SEALs' involvement following the release of the book "No Easy Day," written by the pseudonym Mark Owen, a former SEAL Team Six member who detailed his role in the bin Laden raid.

Owen was investigated by the Pentagon for having violated his non-disclosure agreements and for not having his book vetted by the Pentagon. He too served as a consultant on the Medal of Honor video game.

The Navy official said the participation by the 11 SEALs was discovered following a review prompted by the publication of Owen's book. The official said after the book came out, it was decided that a review should be made of what "outside engagements" current SEALs might have been involved with for which they may have received compensation.

President Barack Obama defeats Romney to win re-election

Barack Obama: "I have never been more hopeful"

President Barack Obama has been re-elected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

America's first black president secured more than the 270 votes in the electoral college needed to win.
In his victory speech before supporters in Chicago, Mr Obama said he would talk to Mr Romney about "where we can work together to move this country forward".
Mr Obama prevailed despite lingering dissatisfaction with the economy and a hard-fought challenge by Mr Romney.
His Democrats also retained their majority in the Senate, which they have held since 2007.

The Republicans kept control of the House of Representatives, which analysts say will likely result in more of the gridlock that characterised Mr Obama's first term, with the House and the president at loggerheads on most legislation.

In his address, the president challenged his opponents, asking them to work with him.
With only Florida's 29 electoral votes still undecided, Mr Obama won 303 electoral votes to Mr Romney's 206.
The popular vote, which is symbolically and politically important but not decisive in the race, remains very close.

"In 2008, they built a coalition forged in the white heat of passion. In 2012, they carefully constructed it, patiently persuading supporters to become voters. Both candidates said this was a choice of two visions, America has chosen. ”

Mark Mardell North America editor

'One nation' speech

Mr Obama congratulated Mr Romney and Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan on their hard-fought campaign.

"We have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come," he said.
Mr Obama said he was returning to the White House "more determined, and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do, and the future that lies ahead".
He pledged to work with Republican leaders in Congress to reduce the government's budget deficit, fix the tax code and reform the immigration system.
"We are an American family and we rise and fall together as one nation," he said.
In Boston, where his campaign was based, Mr Romney congratulated the president and said he and Mr Ryan had "left everything on the field" and had given their all in the campaign.

US media reaction

Thomas L Friedman of the New York Times writes: "No one can know for sure what complex emotional chemistry tipped this election Obama's way… it came down to a majority of Americans believing that whatever his faults, Obama was trying his hardest to fix what ails the country."
Dan Balz of the Washington Post says: "Tuesday's election produced an uncertain mandate, although Obama will attempt to claim one. Obama offered a plan, but not one that deals directly with some of the problems he will have to confront immediately."
A Wall Street Journal opinion piece read: "[Obama] said little during the campaign about his first term and even less about his plans for a second. Instead his strategy was to portray Mitt Romney as a plutocrat… it worked with brutal efficiency - the definition of winning ugly."
Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times writes: "If we're lucky, we will find that we elected a different Obama from the one who won four years ago - not just a grayer Obama but a wiser one too."

Referring to the struggling economy, Mr Romney said now was not the time for "partisan bickering and political posturing", and that Republicans and Democrats must "put people before politics".

"I so wish that I had been able to fulfil your hopes to lead the country in a different direction but the nation chose another leader and so I join with you to earnestly pray for [Mr Obama] and for this great nation," he said.
Under the US constitution, each state is given a number of electoral votes in rough proportion to its population. The candidate who wins 270 electoral votes - by prevailing in the mostly winner-takes-all state contests - becomes president.
On Tuesday, the president held the White House by assembling solid Democratic states and a number of important swing states such as Colorado, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Virginia and Wisconsin. His narrow victory in Ohio, a critical Mid-Western swing state, sealed the victory.
In other key ballots:

• Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state approved same-sex marriage in local referendums
• Colorado and Washington state voted to legalise recreational use of marijuana
• California voters rejected a proposal to abolish the death penalty
• Puerto Ricans voted in a referendum on whether to maintain their status as a US "free associated state". Early results suggest a majority answered "No", voting in favour of becoming the 51st US state, if Congress approves the move.

Billions spent Mr Romney won North Carolina and Indiana, both of which Mr Obama won in 2008, as well as the solid Republican states.

But he was unable to win in Ohio or other states needed to breach the 270 threshold.

Also on Tuesday's ballot were 11 state governorships, a third of the seats in the 100-member US Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
Mr Obama's victory came despite lingering high unemployment - 7.9% on election day - and tepid economic growth.
But voters gave him credit for his 2009 rescue of the US car industry among other policy accomplishments, and rewarded him for ordering the commando mission that killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan last year.
He and Mr Romney, as well as their respective allies, have spent more than $2bn (£1.25bn) - largely on adverts in swing states.
From BBC