Cyprus president to visit offshore gas rig (AP)

NICOSIA, Cyprus ? Cyprus' president plans to visit a U.S. rig on Monday that is carrying out exploratory drilling for gas off the island's coast, despite protests from Turkey that the hydrocarbon search ignores the rights of breakaway Turkish Cypriots.

A government statement released on Sunday said President Dimitris Christofias will travel to U.S. company Noble Energy's rig about 115 miles (185 kilometers) south of the island along with four other senior government officials.

Noble estimated last week that the field inside Cyprus' exclusive economic zone may yield between 3 to 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Cyprus said a formal estimate on the deposit's size will be made early next month when drilling is completed.

Christofias' visit comes amid ongoing peace talks aimed at reunifying the island, which was split into a Greek- speaking south and a Turkish-speaking north in 1974, when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece.

Turkey said drilling may jeopardize the talks, but Greek Cypriots argue it could act as an incentive to speed up a peace accord because Turkish Cypriots would share in any gas wealth.

Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, but only the internationally recognized south enjoys membership benefits. Turkish Cypriots declared and independent state in 1983, but only Turkey recognizes it and maintains 35,000 troops there.

Commerce Minister Praxoulla Antoniadou said in an interview with Kathimerini newspaper Sunday that just 1 trillion cubic feet of gas could meet the island's energy needs for 30 years.

Cyprus is preparing to invite tenders for more exploratory drilling inside the island's 17,000 square-mile (51,000 square-kilometer) exclusive economic zone before the end of the year.

Antoniadou said she receives daily "knocks on her office door from three to four" local and foreign investors looking put their money in either further exploration or gas spinoff industries.

She said that Cyprus could become a gas supplier to the EU, if deposit estimates are confirmed.

Israeli energy company Delek has proposed a partnership with Cyprus to build a facility on the island to process and export gas found in Cypriot and Israeli waters. Delek is part of a Noble Energy-led consortium exploiting Israel's offshore natural gas finds.

Relations between Turkey and Israel, formerly close allies, remain strained following last year's Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla that killed eight Turkish citizens and a Turkish-American.

Turkey has said it would consider a Cypriot-Israeli deal demarcating their maritime borders as invalid.

Turkey has raised tensions in the region by recently sending a warship-escorted research vessel to look for gas deposits in the area and signing its own maritime accord with the Turkish Cypriots.

(This version CORRECTS Adds details, byline. Corrects number of years gas could meet Cyprus energy needs)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111120/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_cyprus_drilling

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US official: China constructive on disputed waters (AP)

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE ? China signaled a gradual evolution toward resolving quarrels with its Asian neighbors over disputed waters of the South China Sea, a senior U.S. administration official said Saturday, describing the development as an encouraging step forward in easing tensions over the busiest trade route in the world.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao offered a measured response after 16 of the 18 leaders attending a major Asian summit raised the issue of maritime security, primarily on the South China Sea. The topic has been a thorny issue, with China laying claim to all of the sea, while several Southeast Asian nations claim parts of it.

The U.S. official said Wen seemed reluctant to discuss the dispute during a retreat by the Asian leaders, but responded after President Barack Obama raised it.

The official spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic subject. Obama and Wen talked Saturday in a surprise meeting on the sidelines of a major Asian summit, focusing on the economic matters that have prompted disputes between the two major world powers.

The session was not a formally planned moment of diplomacy but rather a late add-on to let the two men continue their conversation from a group dinner the night before.

The South China Sea disputes were discussed only briefly in that meeting, officials said. Instead, Obama and Wen focused on topics such as China currency.

CCTV, China's state broadcaster, said Wen told Obama that China has made strides in reforming its currency exchange and will continue to do so.

Wen also said the world's grim economy made it practical and necessary for China and the U.S. to strengthen their economic and trade relationship, CCTV reported.

"We have a very complicated and quite substantial relationship with China across the board," White House National Security Adviser Tom Donilon told reporters after the one-on-one session.

"We do have economic issues, they are around the proper contribution that the Chinese make to global growth and that goes to currency and other policies," he added.

Donilon said Obama stressed the importance of China adjusting the value of its currency, which the United States contends is deeply undervalued. He said Obama and Wen also briefly discussed territorial disputes in the South China Sea toward the end of their meeting.

But Donilon also downplayed tensions between the two powers, saying the two countries also have found vast areas of agreement.

The Wen-Obama meeting and the subsequent discussion by Asian leaders about the South China Sea came on the last leg of Obama's nine-day Asia-Pacific trip, in which he has focused on bulking up America's presence in the region, including setting up a Marine task force in Australia, in moves largely seen as hedges against China's rise.

A commentary run by the official Xinhua News Agency on Saturday suggested China was uneasy but not alarmed over the renewed U.S. focus on Asia.

"Actually, China as well as other Asian nations never considered the United States had left the Asia Pacific and had never tried to squeeze it out of the region," said the piece, which carried the headline: "U.S. return to Asia raises more questions than can answer."

The commentary noted that the U.S. was trying to court some Asian countries, a clear nod to recent U.S. overtures toward Myanmar, and was interfering in long-standing regional disputes, an apparent reference to U.S. military support for the Philippines as it confronts China in increasingly tense disputes in the South China Sea.

"If the United States sticks to its Cold War mentality and continues to engage with Asian nations in a self-assertive way, it is doomed to incur repulsion in the region," it said.

China has been angered by the U.S. stand that it has a stake in security and unhampered international commerce in the disputed territorial waters of the South China Sea. Wen had told a meeting of Southeast Asian nations on Friday that "external forces should not use any excuse to interfere" in territorial disputes in the sea.

China claims all of the sea, while several Southeast Asian nations claim parts.

Donilon said the United States, as a maritime power, wants territorial disputes resolved peacefully.

"We do believe they should be resolved in accordance with international norms and international law," he said.

Wen's portfolio, though, is chiefly economic, and that is where his conversation with Obama focused, Donilon said. The United States and China have been tussling over China's currency, and over intellectual property. Obama has been challenging China to operate with a greater sense of international rules.

Donilon rejected suggestions that the nine-day mission in the Asia-Pacific was designed to thwart a rising China. The U.S. policy, Donilon said, was about rebalancing U.S. interests and focusing once more on the Asia-pacific region.

"This has nothing to do with isolating or containing anybody," he said.

____

Associated Press writer Alexa Olesen in Beijing contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111119/ap_on_re_as/as_obama_china

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New "Twilight" film takes $283.5 million global bite (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? The new "Twilight" vampire movie opened with a massive $283.5 million in worldwide ticket sales over the weekend as passionate fans filled theaters for the beginning of a two-part finale for the hugely popular supernatural love story.

"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1" captured an estimated $139.5 million in the United States and Canada, distributor Summit Entertainment said on Sunday. That ranked as the fifth biggest domestic opening of all time.

The movie's performance beat studio forecasts for the film, which shows young lovestruck human Bella wedding vampire Edward and becoming pregnant. Summit had predicted as much as $125 million domestically while other box-office analysts had estimated $140 million.

Internationally, "Breaking Dawn" added $144 million in 54 countries over the weekend.

The movie cost about $110 million to make.

The domestic opening ranked as the year's second-highest, behind only the "Harry Potter" finale over the summer. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" pulled in a record $169 million during its debut weekend in July.

But "Breaking Dawn," the fourth movie in the series, failed to top the previous domestic opening-weekend record for a "Twilight" film. "New Moon" debuted to $142.8 million in 2009.

Eighty percent of the film's audience was female, the core fan base for the story based on novels from Stephanie Meyer. Diehard fans of the books have embraced the screen adaptations including the latest movie, said Richie Fay, Summit's president of domestic distribution.

"We delivered to the audience ... exactly what they wanted to see," Fay said. He said the movie's success "bodes well for Breaking Dawn - Part 2," which hits theaters in 2012.

"Breaking Dawn" brought in an average of $34,351 at more than 4,000 screens in North America (U.S. and Canada) from midnight showings early on Friday through Sunday.

The "Twilight" series is one of Hollywood's most lucrative franchises. To date, the franchise has rung up more than $2 billion from box offices worldwide, according to Hollywood.com Box Office.

The series stars Kristen Stewart as human Bella Swan and Robert Pattinson as her blood-sucking vampire love, Edward Cullen. Taylor Lautner plays Jacob Black, a werewolf who competes for Bella's affection.

Critics generally disliked "Breaking Dawn," with just 27 percent giving a favorable review on aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences were far more upbeat, scoring the movie a B+ on average, according to survey firm CinemaScore. Females gave the movie an A-.

'TWILIGHT' ECLIPSES OTHER FILMS

The "Twilight" phenomenon overshadowed all other movies over the weekend. Dancing penguin sequel "Happy Feet Two" earned $22.0 million, below studio forecasts for the 3D animated film.

"It was a very difficult weekend. Twilight certainly controlled the marketplace, especially the female audience," said Dan Fellman, head of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. Fellman said he had hoped for an opening around $30 million but expected the movie would gain ground during next week's Thanksgiving holiday and throughout the holiday season.

Action movie "Immortals," last weekend's box-office leader, finished in third place with $12.3 million. Comedy "Jack and Jill," starring Adam Sandler playing a brother and sister, earned $12.0 million to take fourth place for the weekend.

Fifth place belonged to animated family movie "Puss in Boots," a spinoff from the blockbuster "Shrek" series. "Puss" pulled in $10.7 million domestically over the weekend.

Also this weekend, "The Descendants" starring George Clooney as a father reconnecting with his daughters opened in a small number of theaters. Touted as an Oscar contender, the film brought in $1.2 million from 29 locations, or $42,150 per theater. Distributor Fox Searchlight, a unit of News Corp, will bring the movie to more than 400 theaters next weekend.

"Breaking Dawn" was released by independent studio Summit Entertainment. Time Warner Inc unit Warner Bros. released "Happy Feet Two." Privately held Relativity Media released "Immortals." "Puss in Boots" was produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine, Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111120/film_nm/us_boxoffice

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Alamo partners with Northdown Energy to develop UK properties

EBR Staff Writer
Published 17 November 2011

Oil and gas firm Alamo Energy has formed a partnership with Northdown Energy for development of its UK assets.

The company will farm out to Northdown a 45% working interest in its four onshore license blocks - TQ26, TQ36, TQ46 and TQ56 - located in the Weald basin.

Alamo will retain a 45% working interest in the blocks, while Aimwell Energy will retain a 10% interest.

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change has approved the partnership agreement.

Alamo Energy is focused on the exploration, development and production of onshore oil and gas reserves in the UK and US.

Source: http://explorationanddevelopment.energy-business-review.com/news/alamo-partners-with-northdown-energy-to-develop-uk-properties-171111

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Will Demi Moore Change Her @MrsKutcher Twitter Handle?

Now that Demi Moore has announced her plans to divorce estranged husband Ashton Kutcher, her Twitter username @MrsKutcher no longer seems appropriate.

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No. 5 Syracuse romps over Colgate 92-47 (AP)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. ? His top assistant missing from the bench, coach Jim Boeheim tried to keep his team focused on basketball, not scandal.

It seemed to work. The Orange had an easy day on the court, even as their program was still trying to come to grips with molestation allegations against assistant coach Bernie Fine.

Playing for the first time since Fine was accused of sex abuse, No. 5 Syracuse romped to a 92-47 win over Colgate on Saturday, capping a tumultuous week with a 40-minute break from the lurid headlines swirling around the team.

Syracuse placed Fine on administrative leave "in light of the new allegations" that he molested two former ball boys for years. City police are investigating, while Fine has dismissed the allegations as "patently false," expressing confidence that he will be vindicated.

Fine's usual seat by Boeheim was left vacant. This is Fine's 36th season working for the head coach.

Boeheim again defended his friend against the claims.

"I've been friends for 50 years with coach Fine," he said. "That buys a lot of loyalty for me, and should."

At the Carrier Dome, a subdued crowd came to watch hoops, not make protest signs or chant for the absent coach. While 21,084 fans dutifully dressed in orange, making the scene like any another Syracuse basketball game, troubling issues still loom large.

Both of Fine's accusers are now adults. Bobby Davis, now 39, told ESPN that Fine molested him beginning in 1984 and that the sexual contact continued until he was around 27. A ball boy for six years, Davis told ESPN that the abuse occurred at Fine's home, at Syracuse basketball facilities and on team road trips, including the 1987 Final Four, when the Orange lost to Indiana in the national championship game.

Davis' stepbrother, Mike Lang, 45, who also was a ball boy, told ESPN that Fine molested him starting when he was in fifth or sixth grade.

Syracuse said it conducted its own four-month investigation in 2005 when the allegations first came to the school's attention, including interviews with people the accuser said would support his allegations, but all of them "denied any knowledge of wrongful conduct" by Fine.

There were no signs of Davis or Lang when AP reporters stopped by their houses on Saturday. At Lang's Constantia Cove Diner, a worker locked the door and yelled "Closed!" when reporters and a photographer approached the door, even as an "Open" sign sat in the window and customers ate at the counter.

Lang's house, which is on the market for $74,900, stood as a tribute to Syracuse hoops. Stickers were scattered over windows; basketballs, beer mugs, a clock, PEZ dispenser, and a plush mascot doll rested on the windowsill; a Gerry McNamara jersey also hung in the window. There was even a foam orange finger, signaling Syracuse is No. 1.

At Fine's house, three cars were parked in the driveway but no one answered the door.

Orange center Fab Melo honored Fine by tapping his empty seat during the game

"He treated me like a son and I treated him like a father," Melo said, his voice filled with emotion. "Of course, we miss him. It was different to be on the bench and don't see him there."

Fine was listed as associate head coach in the game program and his photo and bio remained. Former Syracuse star Gerry McNamara filled in for him. He played on Syracuse's 2003 NCAA championship team and was a four-year starter for the Orange.

"I think of Bernie Fine as a role model, a mentor and a very dear friend," McNamara said. "When a friend tells you something, I've always been taught to take your friend at your word. When they need you the most, you stick by their side. For right now, I'm with Bernie. Hopefully, this can pass pretty quickly."

Boeheim addressed the players after the allegations were made public and told them to remain focused on basketball.

"Our program will be fine," he said. "It's been pretty good for 36 years. We've been through a lot of different things. We'll get through whatever happens in our program."

Fine missed Syracuse's 46th straight victory against Colgate, according to STATS LLC. The Raiders' last win over the Orange was a 67-63 triumph on Feb. 24, 1962, a few months before Boeheim enrolled as a student at Syracuse.

Dion Waiters scored 16 points, James Southerland had 14 and C.J. Fair 13 for the Orange (4-0).

The Orange rolled to a 52-19 lead at the break, highlighted by Southerland's seven straight points in 17 seconds.

"These players had nothing to do with anything," Boeheim said. "The coaching staff has to focus on these players, what they need from us, and that's what we're going to do."

Pat Moore led Colgate (1-2) with 19 points.

"We didn't talk about what happened at all. We tried not to focus on that," Moore said of Syracuse's troubles.

The allegations at Syracuse come on the heels of the child sex abuse allegations against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, a scandal that cost coach Joe Paterno his job. While Sandusky's defenders have been scarce, if any, Fine has received an outpouring of support from the Syracuse basketball community.

Boeheim enjoyed the blowout, smiling at times and walking over to the stands to shake hands with a man he knew during a break.

The Orange now move on to New York for the NIT Season Tipoff semifinals ? with their longtime assistant left behind.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111120/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/bkc_t25_colgate_syracuse

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