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Friday, January 4, 2013

Accounting finance jobs: Aimee Bateman's top 10 careers sites ...

AAT career coach Aimee Bateman shares her top careers websites to help your accounting and finance job search in 2013

AAT career coach Aimee Bateman isn?t just a recruitment expert ? she?s also an expert on other recruitment experts. Here she shares her top careers websites to help your accounting and finance job search in 2013.

Can you believe 2012 is nearly over? I hope you have all had a fantastic year and are looking forward to 2013.

I for one am going to push my boundaries even further than I did this year, and I?m planning to take my career to the next level.?Whether you?re looking to do?the same, or whether you?re seeking your first role in accounting and finance,? I?ve chosen my top ten careers websites which you can use to give you ideas, strategies or assistance when your motivation is flagging.

There is a lot of ?average? career advice out there, but these free resources are my absolute favourites.

1. TheUndercoverRecruiter.com

The Undercover Recruiter is the number one?recruitment?and career blog in the UK?and Europe. They talk to recruiters, HR folk and jobseekers.

It features articles from recruitment consultants (including my monthly slot!) and HR Managers. I cannot recommend this website enough and tell every job seeker I meet to subscribe to its updates.

The advice given is especially strong in the area of social media strategies, as it is run by Jorgen Sundberg who is an ex-recruiter and LinkedIn expert.

Twitter: @UndercoverRec

2. TheCareerStylist.com

Do you want to set up your own accountancy practice? If yes, then check out this blog.

Beth Reacher is The Career Stylist and ex-city recruiter. She now offers advice to new business owners and ambitious freelancers. Her website is full of inspiration and practical tools to succeed and is specifically targeted at entrepreneurial women (although I know lots of men who love this blog too).

I?ve met Beth a number of times and believe anyone who follows her advice will gain value from it.

Twitter: @BethReacher

3. Careerbliss.com

This is an online job board, but it also has a fantastic careers blog. They say: ?CareerBliss believes career happiness is a choice. We give you the information you need to ?Choose Happy!??

I particularly enjoyed the articles ?Your Boss Is Checking Your Email ? Here?s Why? and ?7 Signs that You Need a New Career in 2013?

Twitter: @CareerBliss

4. WetFeet.com

To gain value and advice from?WetFeet you need to input your email address and create an account. I have done this and am happy to report that I?ve never been the victim of any spam related to the site. Creating an account means you can choose your areas of interest and tailor the information you receive around the finance and accounting industry.

The articles are fantastic and their twitter feed is especially good. Check them out!

Twitter: @Wetfeet_Careers

5. Webrecruit.co.uk

Webrecruit has one of the best career blogs on the web. I love these guys so much that I host a live interactive careers Q&A show with them each month! It?s called CareerCamLive and is shown at 18.30 on the first Tuesday of every month. I answer any careers-related questions that are emailed to us live on the show. This is our way of adding value to as many people as possible during their job searches.

Webrecruit is chaired by James Caan, former Dragon and recruitment entrepreneur. James writes a weekly blog post, as do various other recruitment experts (including me!). They also advertise jobs all over the UK, so check them out.

Twitter: @webrecruit

6. FistfulofTalent.com

Started in 2007, the contributors of this site are some of the most interesting HR leaders out there. I was super-excited when I stumbled upon it, having already followed most of them for years. Being able to read their thoughts collectively in one place is an absolute joy.

They talk about the bare bones of recruiting and careers, and having this insight into how HR leaders really feel is a huge benefit to any person going through a career transition.

Twitter: @fistfuloftalent

7. Guardian Careers

No list would be complete without the Guardian Careers website. Apart from the quality articles and fresh insights into various career challenges, I am a huge fan of their live debates.

Twitter: @GuardianCareers

8. Interviewing.com

This is the online resource for all things interview. Articles include ?How To Approach Applying to a interviewing.com Previous Employer? and ?Throwing Curveball Interview Questions?.

I am certain you will find something on here that will benefit your job search, so give them a visit.

Twitter: @interviewingcom

9. Careerealism.com

I love, love, love this site. They offer job search advice, employment tips and access to various careers-related discussions.

Their tagline is ?Because every job is temporary?, and I think there is something quite empowering about that.

Their writers are at the top of the careers game and the articles are fresh, current and thought-provoking. I particularly like the article ?6 Things To Do Before Leaving Your Job?.

Twitter: @careerealism

10. Careercake.com

Last but not least, this is my careers site! Careercake.com was founded in 2010 when I was a frustrated recruitment consultant, unable to help as many jobseekers as I wanted. I started making videos offering advice based on my own experiences as a recruiter over the previous ten years. The majority of my recruitment background was within the finance and accountancy sector, which is what led to me becoming the AAT career coach (you can see one of my videos below)

Careercake.com is driven by the Earl Nightingale quote: ?Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career?. I dedicate my time to helping you become ? and remain ? that driving force in your career.

Twitter: @Careercaketv

Watch more videos from the AAT career coach in a YouTube playlist

Learn how AAT?s vocational accounting qualification can help your accounting and finance?career

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Source: http://www.aatcomment.org.uk/aat-developing-your-career/accounting-finance-careers-websites-aat-career-coach-aimee-bateman

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U.S. ends long Google probe with only mild reprimand

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a major victory for Google Inc, U.S. regulators on Thursday ended their investigation into the giant Internet company and concluded that it had not manipulated its Web search results to hurt rivals.

The Federal Trade Commission did, however, win promises from Google that it would end the practice of "scraping" reviews and other data from rivals' websites for its own products, and to allow advertisers to export data to independently evaluate advertising campaigns.

Google also agreed to no longer request sales bans when suing companies which infringe on patents that are essential to ensuring interoperability, also known as standard essential patents, the FTC said on Thursday.

Microsoft Corp and other Google competitors have pressed the FTC to bring a broad antitrust case against Google similar to the sweeping Justice Department litigation against Microsoft in the 1990s.

Meanwhile smaller Internet companies such as Nextag have complained about Google tweaking its Web search results to give prominence to its own products, pushing down competitors' rankings and making them more difficult for customers to find.

At a press conference, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz anticipated criticism of the agency's decision to not further pursue Google on the so-called subject of search bias.

"Even though people would like us to bring a big search bias case, the facts aren't there," he said.

"The changes Google have agreed to make ensure that consumers continue to reap the benefits of competition in the online marketplace and in the market for innovative wireless devices they enjoy," said Leibowitz.

The commission voted 4 to 1 to settle the patent investigation into Google's injunction requests. It voted 5 to 0 to end the probe of Google's search practices.

The news had little impact on Google shares, which closed up 42 cents at $723.67, as most investors had expected the FTC probe to conclude without inflicting major damage.

"I never saw any real likelihood that the feds were going to insert themselves between one of the most popular brands in the world and the constituency that adores it," said Whit Andrews, an analyst for Gartner Inc.

RIVALS DISAPPOINTED

Yelp, which operates the social networking/user review website yelp.com, had complained about scraped reviews, and said it was disappointed with the result of the FTC probe.

"The closure of the commission's investigation into search bias by Google without action ... represents a missed opportunity to protect innovation in the Internet economy," wrote Yelp spokesman Vince Sollitto in an email. "We look for the regulatory bodies continuing their investigation to have greater success."

Microsoft had no immediate comment, but Dave Heiner, its deputy general counsel, complained in a blog post on Wednesday about "Google's misconduct," specifically blocking a fully featured YouTube, which Google owns, from the Windows Phone.

Gary Reback, who represents a group of Google's critics including Nextag, said he thought the investigation was inadequate since the FTC failed to respond to his clients' assertions that they had been hurt by Google and asked few questions in its civil subpoenas.

"They talked about how thorough and exhaustive the investigation was but that's really rubbish," said Reback, who is with the law firm Carr & Ferrell LLP and is best known for his work against Microsoft in the 1990s. "I've never seen anything as shallow and incomplete as this was."

Microsoft was embroiled in antitrust probes and litigation from 1990 when the FTC began an investigation until 2011, when the final consent decree finally expired.

Leibowitz defended the commission's investigation into Google, saying the agency had scoured through some 9 million pages of documents and taken sworn testimony from key Google executives. "This was an incredibly thorough and careful investigation by the commission, and the outcome is a strong and enforceable set of agreements," he said.

Google's David Drummond, the company's chief legal officer, said the FTC announcement on Thursday meant that "Google's services are good for users and good for competition."

Thomas Rosch, who is leaving the commission this month, suggested the investigation fell short.

"After promising an elephant more than a year ago, the commission instead has brought forth a couple of mice," said Rosch, a Republican.

The FTC broke with its usual practice of requiring a consent decree to settle an investigation. Instead it allowed Google to write a letter pledging to implement the agreed-upon changes in the search portion of the probe.

That prompted some sharp questions about whether Google would live up to its pact.

"I have no reason to think that Google won't honor their commitment; I think they will," said Leibowitz, noting financial penalties if Google failed to do so.

One Google competitor seemed to think the FTC agreement with Google would be a small boon to competitors.

"The concessions that the FTC extracted on review scraping, patents, and data are real, but not game changers by any means," said Oren Etzioni, co-founder of Decide.com, a product website that advises shoppers when prices may change or new versions of gadgets may come out.

Some of Google's critics, anticipating a weak conclusion to the FTC's investigation, said in December that they may be ready to take their grievances to the Justice Department.

The European Union, based in Brussels, is conducting a parallel probe of Google. It announced on December 18 that it was giving the company a month to come up with proposals to resolve its probe.

The European Commission has been examining informal settlement proposals from Google since July but has not sought feedback from the complainants, suggesting it is not convinced by what Google has put on the table so far.

Google is also being looked at by a group of state attorneys general, led by Texas.

In August, Google was forced to pay $22.5 million to settle charges it bypassed the privacy settings of customers using Apple Inc's Safari browser. The practice was in violation of a 2011 consent decree with the FTC over a botched rollout of the now defunct social network Buzz.

(Additional reporting by Edwin Chan and Alistair Barr; editing by Ros Krasny, John Wallace, Nick Zieminski and Bernard Orr)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-ends-long-google-probe-only-mild-reprimand-000924062--finance.html

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Healthy Snacks And Meals For Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes

More people are developing diabetes than many other diseases in the world. The number of people around the world that are being diagnosed with diabetes is increasing daily. Whether you have a recent diagnosis, if you?re already dealing with it or if you fear that you may have it, this article may help you manage your illness by making lifestyle changes to prevent it from worsening.

Healthy carbs are an important element of a diabetic diet. Diets that are low in carbs can actually be detrimental to many with diabetes, because they prevent the body from getting the essential nutrients it requires. When you have the proper amount of carbohydrates in your diet, it ensures you body has the energy it needs.

When you?re measuring blood glucose levels, don?t use urine ketone testing alone. The only time you will have high ketone levels is when your blood glucose levels are greater than 200 mg/dl. To get around this problem, the ADA suggests that testing methods with high accuracy, such as test strips and finger sticking, be used.

Be consistent with exercise. Consistent exercise makes the body better able to process glucose and insulin so that your blood glucose levels stay stable. Exercising is important if you have diabetes.

If you have diabetes, you must take excellent care of your teeth because you have an elevated risk of gum disease. Brush a few times a day and floss daily.

If you are expecting and suspect that you might have gestational diabetes, it is imperative that you ask your doctor to help you. If you do have gestational diabetes and you choose to look the other way, you are not only putting yourself in harm?s way, but your baby?s health as well. Your doctor can advise you on how to eat and if you need any medication.

Being diagnosed with diabetes doesn?t need to be the worst thing ever. In utilizing this advice you can get better and be amongst those who have defeated diabetes.

For details on diabetes test kits, click the following internet site.

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Source: http://www.lydc.org/health-and-fitness/healthy-snacks-and-meals-for-individuals-with-type-2-diabetes/

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Lens maker Cooke Optics to receive technical Oscar

FILE - In this March 5, 2010 file photo, an Oscar statue stands on the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre as preparations continue for the 82nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Calif. The motion picture academy says it's extending the deadline for members to vote for the Academy Awards to Jan. 4, 2013, following criticism of its new electronic voting system. The 85th annual Academy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The first Oscar recipients of the new year were announced Thursday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Lens makers Cooke Optics Limited will receive an Award of Merit Oscar at the academy's Scientific and Technical Awards banquet Feb. 9 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

The academy says Cooke Optics is receiving the award "for their continuing innovation in the design, development and manufacture of advanced camera lenses that have helped define the look of motion pictures over the last century."

The academy announced nine recipients of awards honoring various other technical movie-making achievements. Portions of the Scientific and Technical Awards presentations will be included in the Academy Awards broadcast on Feb. 24.

___

Online:

http://www.oscar.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-01-03-Scientific%20and%20Technical%20Oscars/id-fd493666a6eb4a1488be98b92cb51ae4

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Hollywood faces fracking in 'Promised Land'

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) ? The new movie "Promised Land" digs into the fierce national debate over fracking, the technique that's generated a boom in U.S. natural gas production while also stoking controversy over its possible impact on the environment and human health.

Written by and starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski, the film comes at an opportune time for a big-screen exploration of the issues surrounding the shale gas revolution, with cheap natural gas transforming the nation's energy landscape and "fracking" now a household word.

But viewers shouldn't necessarily expect a realistic treatment of drilling and fracking. It's not that kind of film.

____

EDITOR'S NOTE ? The author, Michael Rubinkam, covers the fracking industry in Pennsylvania for The Associated Press. With "Promised Land" opening nationwide on Friday, he offers this view from the ground.

____

Lending an air of authenticity, the movie was shot in Pennsylvania, where thousands of wells have been drilled and fracked in recent years as industry heavyweights pull huge volumes of gas from the sprawling Marcellus Shale, a rock formation deep below the surface of the Earth.

But "Promised Land" spends little time explaining how energy companies actually go about pulling natural gas out of the ground, and what little explanation the movie does provide is simply not very accurate.

The Focus Features release instead concentrates on another aspect of the drilling boom ? the battle for hearts and minds as gas companies seek to lease land for drilling while environmentalists warn of the perils of punching a bunch of holes in the ground. Bewildered landowners, meanwhile, are left to sort out the competing claims and counterclaims.

It's potentially fertile territory. In real life, drilling companies injected millions of dollars into moribund local economies, transforming sleepy villages in Pennsylvania and other states into boomtowns almost overnight. But the industry also sowed division, pitting neighbor against neighbor as some residents complained of ruined water wells and other environmental degradation. Many others, judging by recent public opinion surveys, heralded the prosperity that drilling creates and the abundant homegrown energy it produces.

Even here, though, the movie seeks to entertain more than enlighten, with an implausible plot twist undermining what could have been a realistic portrayal of life as it is really lived in the gas fields.

"Promised Land" follows Steve Butler (Damon), a gas company salesman who shows up in an economically struggling small town in Pennsylvania that happens to sit atop a vast reserve of gas. His task: To get residents to sign on the dotted line, promising them they'll become instant millionaires once the gas starts flowing from the shale underneath their land. Standing in his way is Dustin Noble (Krasinski), an environmental activist determined to convince townsfolk they don't want what the driller is selling.

Damon's character repeatedly points out that drilling has brought new life to struggling towns, calls U.S. reliance on foreign sources of energy "insane," and defends fracking as a technology with a proven track record of safety. And he seems to believe it himself, at least initially.

But the film leaves little doubt as to where its sympathies lie.

"Nobody's going to be disingenuous here. If you were expecting a pro-fracking movie from Matt Damon, you were probably living in an alternate universe," Focus Features CEO James Schamus said with a laugh.

But he insisted that "Promised Land" ultimately is not a movie about a highly technical process in which drillers use water, sand and chemicals to break apart gas-bearing shale rock ? and it should not be judged by that standard.

"The filmmakers didn't necessarily set out to make, nor did they make, some kind of civics lesson or propaganda movie about fracking," Schamus said.

Rather, he said, the movie is a Frank Capra-style yarn about "working-class identity, about aspiration, about money and what it does to you," with fracking as the vehicle that propels the story and a healthy dose of corporate villainy.

Krasinski says he and Damon tried to avoid too much of a political message. "We really wanted to tell a story about community, about these small towns that are going through very real situations right now, especially with the economic situation as it is," he told the AP.

Yet industry groups and environmental activists alike see "Promised Land" very much as a message film about the perils of the gas boom, and are reacting accordingly.

Drillers ? who mounted a furious rebuttal of "Gasland," the 2010 award-winning, anti-drilling HBO documentary ? began pushing back against "Promised Land" months ago while simultaneously noting that it is indeed a work of fiction.

"We're taking it seriously, obviously, and we'll be ready to engage folks who may have questions about the development process as a result of the film. But I'm not sure anyone's losing a lot of sleep over it at this point," emailed Chris Tucker of Energy In Depth, an industry public relations group.

"They may have Matt Damon and Jim from 'The Office' on their side, but we've got the facts, the science, the consensus of regulators, and a 65-year track record of performance and safety on ours. So we think that's a pretty fair fight."

The Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry trade group, plans to run ads in 75 percent of Pennsylvania's movie theaters, encouraging "Promised Land" audiences to visit a website that it set up earlier this year to answer questions about shale gas.

"It's difficult to fact-check a work of fiction, so I don't know if we're going to be able to do that any more than we can fact-check 'Batman,'" said spokesman Steve Forde. "But certainly shale gas development is generating discussion around dinner tables, it's an important discussion to have, and that's the angle we are looking at."

Environmentalists, meantime, are positively giddy over the film's depiction of an industry they view as dangerous to land, water, air and people. They are planning their own campaign around "Promised Land," including the distribution of anti-drilling leaflets, postcards and petitions to audiences leaving theaters.

Rebecca Roter, a Pennsylvania activist who has screened the film, said, "This is a precious opportunity to engage America on a national level about where their cheap natural gas energy is coming from and the associated human costs."

____

AP writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this story from Los Angeles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hollywood-faces-fracking-promised-land-133806795.html

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Thursday, January 3, 2013

New laws on New Year's Day, from gay marriage to ?Caylee?s Law?

While much attention has been paid to the ?fiscal cliff? and the federal legislation behind it, thousands of new state laws took effect more quietly at the start of 2013.

By Daniel B. Wood,?Staff writer / January 1, 2013

Starting Tuesday, California hunters better not get caught using their dog to chase a bear or bobcat. Kentuckians should think twice about releasing a feral hog, and New Yorkers can get slapped with a $1,000 fine for selling even electronic cigarettes to minors.

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While much attention has been paid to the federal legislation poised to kick in Jan. 1 ? the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes collectively known as the ?fiscal cliff? ? thousands of new state laws took effect more quietly at the start of 2013.

?Each legislative session, lawmakers pass laws that range from extremely important to ridiculous,? says Robert Stern, former president of the Center for Governmental Studies in California, in an e-mail.

Overall, he notes, fewer laws are being enacted these days, primarily because tea party legislators campaigned on a platform of getting government out of the lives of ordinary people.

In 2009, 40,697 state laws were passed, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. But in 2012, under 30,000 went through.

?Many bills are passed to clean up past mistakes or to eliminate archaic laws passed decades ago,? Mr. Stern writes. Indeed, Kentucky just got around to deleting phrases from its constitution that spell out guidelines on pensions for Confederate soldiers.

In many other cases, state legislation can offer a window into what?s on the public?s mind. Here are some new laws that analysts say came out of recent, wide concerns:

? Prompted by the case of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys, California coaches and administrators in K-12 schools and higher-education employees who have regular contact with children are now mandated to report suspected child abuse.

? ?Caylee?s Laws? take effect in both California and Illinois. The legislation ? named after the 2-year-old daughter of Florida?s Casey Anthony, who was acquitted of the girl?s murder despite waiting a month before reporting her disappearance ? imposes strong penalties for a parent or guardian who fails to report the disappearance or death of a child within 24 hours.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/b6YDmhppihE/New-laws-on-New-Year-s-Day-from-gay-marriage-to-Caylee-s-Law

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Central African Republic rebels halt advance, agree to peace talks

DAMARA, Central African Republic (Reuters) - Rebels in Central African Republic said they had halted their advance on the capital on Wednesday and agreed to start peace talks, averting a clash with regionally backed troops.

The Seleka rebels had pushed to within striking distance of Bangui after a three-week onslaught and threatened to oust President Francois Bozize, accusing him of reneging on a previous peace deal and cracking down on dissidents.

Their announcement on Wednesday gave the leader only a limited reprieve as the fighters told Reuters they might insist on his removal in the negotiations.

"I have asked our forces not to move their positions starting today because we want to enter talks in (Gabon's capital) Libreville for a political solution," said Seleka spokesman Eric Massi, speaking by telephone from Paris.

"I am in discussion with our partners to come up with proposals to end the crisis, but one solution could be a political transition that excludes Bozize," he said.

Bozize on Wednesday sacked his Army Chief of Staff and took over the defense minister's role from his son, Jean Francis Bozize, according to a decree read on national radio, a day after publicly criticizing the military for failing to repel the rebels.

The advance by Seleka, an alliance of mostly northeastern rebel groups, was the latest in a series of revolts in a country at the heart of one of Africa's most turbulent regions - and the most serious since the Chad-backed insurgency that swept Bozize to power in 2003.

Diplomatic sources have said talks organized by central African regional bloc ECCAS could start on January 10. The United States, the European Union and France have called on both sides to negotiate and spare civilians.

Central African Republic is one of the least developed countries in the world despite its deposits of gold, diamonds and other minerals. French nuclear energy group Areva mines the country's Bakouma uranium deposit - France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony.

RELIEF IN BANGUI

News of the rebel halt eased tension in Bangui, where residents had been stockpiling food and water and staying indoors after dark.

"They say they are no longer going to attack Bangui, and that's great news for us," said Jaqueline Loza in the crumbling riverside city.

ECCAS members Chad, Congo Republic, Gabon and Cameroon have sent hundreds of soldiers to reinforce CAR's army after a string of rebel victories since early December.

Gabonese General Jean Felix Akaga, commander of the regional force, said his troops were defending the town of Damara, 75 km (45 miles) north of Bangui and close to the rebel front.

"Damara is a red line not to be crossed ... Damara is in our control and Bangui is secure," he told Reuters. "If the rebellion decides to approach Damara, they know they will encounter a force that will react."

Soldiers armed with Kalashnikovs, rocket propelled grenade launchers and truck-mounted machineguns had taken up positions across the town, which was otherwise nearly-abandoned.

Some of the fighters wore turbans that covered their faces and had charms strung around their necks and arms meant to protect them against enemy bullets.

Chad's President Idriss Deby, one of Bozize's closest allies, had warned the rebels the regional force would confront them if they approached the town.

Chad provided training and equipment to the rebellion that brought Bozize to power by ousting then-president Ange Felix Patasse, who Chad accused of supporting Chadian dissidents.

Chad is also keen to keep a lid on instability in the territory close to its main oil export pipeline and has stepped in to defend Bozize against insurgents in the past.

A CAR government minister told Reuters the foreign troop presence strengthened Bozize's bargaining position ahead of the Libreville peace talks.

"The rebels are now in a position of weakness," the minister said, asking not to be named. "They should therefore stop imposing conditions like the departure of the president."

Central African Republic is one of a number of countries in the region where U.S. Special Forces are helping local soldiers track down the Lord's Resistance Army, a rebel group which has killed thousands of civilians across four nations.

France has a 600-strong force in CAR to defend about 1,200 of its citizens who live there.

Paris used air strikes to defend Bozize against a rebellion in 2006. But French President Francois Hollande turned down a request for more help, saying the days of intervening in other countries' affairs were over.

(Additional reporting by Paul-Marin Ngoupana in Bangui and Jon Herskovitz in Johannesburg; Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Janet Lawrence)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/car-rebels-halt-advance-agree-peace-talks-190300582.html

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