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- Offers a Broad Spectrum of Patients with Relapsing Forms of MS an Effective and Convenient Treatment Option -

- Reduces Relapses and Disability Progression -

- Strengthens Biogen Idec?s Portfolio of Innovative Treatments for People Living with MS -

WESTON, Mass. ?(BUSINESS WIRE)? 27.03.2013 ?

Today Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TECFIDERATM (dimethyl fumarate), a new first-line oral treatment for people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Biogen Idec will make this oral capsule available to people living with MS in the United States in the coming days.

TECFIDERA has been clinically proven to significantly reduce important measures of disease activity, including relapses and development of brain lesions, as well as to slow disability progression over time, while demonstrating a favorable safety and tolerability profile.

?With the FDA approval of TECFIDERA, we will offer the MS community a treatment with strong efficacy and a favorable safety profile in the convenience of a pill ? a combination we believe will have a significant positive impact on the way people live with this chronic disease,? said George A. Scangos, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Biogen Idec. ?Biogen Idec is committed to delivering innovative treatments and setting new standards for the next generation of medicines. We believe TECFIDERA will raise expectations for what people living with MS can achieve with their therapy.?

The FDA approval of TECFIDERA is based on data from a robust clinical development program that included DEFINE and CONFIRM, two global Phase 3 studies that enrolled more than 2,600 patients. In the ongoing extension study, ENDORSE, some patients receiving TECFIDERA have been followed for more than four years.

In DEFINE, TECFIDERA, administered twice daily, significantly reduced the proportion of patients who relapsed by 49 percent (p0.0001), the annualized relapse rate (ARR) by 53 percent (p0.0001), and 12-week confirmed disability progression, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), by 38 percent (p=0.0050) compared to placebo at two years. In CONFIRM, twice-daily TECFIDERA significantly reduced ARR by 44 percent (p0.0001) and the proportion of patients who relapsed by 34 percent (p=0.0020) compared to placebo at two years. While not statistically significant, TECFIDERA showed a 21 percent reduction in 12-week confirmed disability progression in CONFIRM. Both studies also showed that TECFIDERA significantly reduced lesions in the brain compared to placebo, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

?In clinical trials, patients treated with dimethyl fumarate had less disease activity when compared to patients on placebo ? whether they were in the early stages of MS or had more established disease,? said Robert Fox, M.D., medical director of the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic, lead investigator of the CONFIRM study, and a paid advisor for Biogen Idec for projects not related to TECFIDERA clinical development. ?With?the efficacy, safety and tolerability measures seen in CONFIRM,?this drug provides physicians with an?important additional?treatment?option?for their patients across the MS spectrum.?

The most common side effects associated with TECFIDERA are flushing and gastrointestinal (GI) events (i.e., diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain). In clinical studies, flushing symptoms usually began soon after initiating treatment, were mostly mild to moderate, and usually improved or resolved over time. The incidence of GI events was higher early in the course of treatment (primarily in the first month) and decreased over time. Overall, clinical trial discontinuations due to flushing and GI events were low.

TECFIDERA may decrease lymphocyte counts in some patients. In clinical studies, mean lymphocyte counts decreased during the first year of treatment and then remained stable. The incidence of infections and serious infections was similar in TECFIDERA-treated patients and those on placebo. There were no opportunistic infections in TECFIDERA-treated patients. In patients with low lymphocyte counts, there was no increased incidence in serious infections. Patients taking TECFIDERA should have a complete blood count (CBC) before starting treatment to measure lymphocyte counts. A follow up CBC is recommended annually and at the discretion of the treating physician.

?We are pleased to see a new, needed treatment option available to people living with MS,? said Dr. Timothy Coetzee, chief research officer at the National MS Society. ?With the collaborative focus on MS research around the world, it is an exceptionally encouraging time for those who have been diagnosed with relapsing forms of MS.?

TECFIDERA marks the fourth therapy Biogen Idec offers worldwide to people living with MS.

Additional TECFIDERA Updates

• On March 22, 2013 the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in the European Union (EU) issued a positive opinion recommending a marketing authorization be granted for TECFIDERA as a first-line oral treatment for adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The CHMP?s recommendation has now been referred to the European Commission (EC), which grants marketing authorization for medicines in the European Union.
• On March 19, 2013, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent covering the dosing regimen of daily administration of 480 mg of TECFIDERA. This patent will expire in 2028.
• The European Patent Office recently determined that Biogen Idec?s application for a patent covering the dosing regimen of daily administration of 480 mg of TECFIDERA is allowable. Once granted, the EU patent would also expire in 2028.

TECFIDERA is also currently under review by regulatory authorities in Australia, Canada and Switzerland.

For more information on TECFIDERA, prescribing information and financial assistance programs go to TECFIDERA.com or biogenidec.com.

For members of the media interested in more information and additional resources, please visit biogenidec.com/us_media_corner.

About TECFIDERATM

TECFIDERA delayed-release capsules are indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of MS. TECFIDERA has been proven to reduce MS relapses, progression of disability and MS brain lesions. The efficacy and safety of TECFIDERA has been studied in a large, global clinical program with more than 3,600 MS patients, which includes an ongoing long-term extension study. It is believed that TECFIDERA provides a new approach to treating MS by activating the Nrf2 pathway, although its exact mechanism of action is unknown. This pathway provides a way for cells in the body to defend themselves against inflammation and oxidative stress caused by conditions like MS.

The starting dose for TECFIDERA is 120?mg twice a day orally. After seven days, the recommended dose increases to 240?mg twice a day orally.

The most common adverse reactions for TECFIDERA were flushing, mostly mild to moderate in nature, and GI events (i.e., diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain). These events are most common at the start of therapy and usually decrease over time.

TECFIDERA may decrease lymphocyte counts. Before starting treatment with TECFIDERA, a recent CBC (i.e., within six months) should be available. A CBC is recommended annually and as clinically indicated. TECFIDERA has not been studied in patients with pre-existing low lymphocyte counts and caution should be exercised when treating these patients.

TECFIDERA has a Pregnancy Category C. Before starting treatment with TECFIDERA, women should talk to their doctor if they are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

For complete TECFIDERA prescribing information, please visit TECFIDERA.com.

Biogen Idec Patient Support

As part of its ongoing commitment to the MS community, Biogen Idec provides a variety of support services for patients and caregivers through MS ActiveSource^?. These world-class services are thoughtfully crafted around the informational, emotional, financial and logistical needs that come with living with MS.

MS ActiveSource?is available via phone (Monday ? Friday 8:30 a.m. ? 8 p.m. ET) at 1-800-456-2255 or via web at MSActiveSource.com.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Symptoms may be mild or severe, ranging from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The progression, severity and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. MS affects more than 2.1 million people worldwide.¹ Best current estimates indicate that there are at least 400,000 people with MS in the United States.² RRMS is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 85 percent of cases, and is characterized by clearly defined acute attacks with full recovery or with residual deficit upon recovery.³

About?Biogen Idec

Through cutting-edge science and medicine,?Biogen Idec?discovers, develops and delivers to patients worldwide innovative therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hemophilia and autoimmune disorders. Founded in 1978,?Biogen Idec?is the world?s oldest independent biotechnology company. Patients worldwide benefit from its leading multiple sclerosis therapies, and the company generates more than?$5 billion?in annual revenues. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit biogenidec.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the development, commercialization and therapeutic impact of TECFIDERA. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as ?anticipate,? ?believe,? ?could,? ?estimate,? ?expect,? ?forecast,? ?intend,? ?may,? ?plan,? ?potential,? ?project,? ?target,? ?will? and other words and terms of similar meaning. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements, including uncertainty of success in commercialization of TECFIDERA, which may be impacted by, among other things, the medical community?s acceptance of TECFIDERA, the effectiveness of our sales force and marketing efforts, product competition in the MS market, including the possibility of future competition from generic versions of TECFIDERA, problems with our manufacturing processes and our reliance on third parties to manufacture and supply TECFIDERA, the occurrence of adverse safety events, changes in the availability of reimbursement for our products, adverse market and economic conditions, failure to comply with government regulation, our ability to obtain regulatory approvals in jurisdictions outside of the U.S., our ability to protect our intellectual property rights and have sufficient rights to market our products together with the cost of doing so, product liability claims and the other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of our most recent annual or quarterly report and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

These statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements.

¹ National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). FAQs about MS. Date accessed: March 27, 2013. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/faqs-about-ms/index.aspx

² National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). MS Prevalence. Date accessed: March 27, 2013. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-the-society/ms-prevalence/index.aspx

³ National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). For People with Relapsing MS. Date accessed: March 27, 2013. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/relapsing-ms/index.aspx

MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Kate Niazi-Sai, +1 781-464-3260
public.affairs@biogenidec.com
or
MEDIA CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Monique da Silva, +1 781-464-3260
public.affairs@biogenidec.com
or
INVESTOR CONTACT:
Biogen Idec
Kia Khaleghpour, +1 781-464-2442
IR@biogenidec.com

Source: http://lowbrowse.org/business-wire-biogen-idecs-tecfidera-dimethyl-fumarate-approved-in-us-as-a-first-line-oral-treatment-for-multiple.html

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Cyprus bank controls to last a month, minister says

By Karolina Tagaris and Michele Kambas

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Cyprus conceded on Thursday that tight capital controls would remain in force longer than expected as the island's banks reopened for the first time after the government was forced to accept a tough EU rescue package to avoid bankruptcy.

Cypriots lined up calmly to withdraw limited amounts of cash, but there was no sign of a run on deposits, as had been feared.

Banks were shut for nearly two weeks while the government negotiated a 10 billion euro ($13 billion) international bailout, the first in Europe's single currency zone to impose losses on bank depositors.

Curbs on money movements imposed after the bailout would be phased out over about a month, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said.

"A number of restrictions will be lifted and gradually, probably over a period of about a month according to the estimates of the central bank, the restrictions will be fully lifted," he told reporters.

The government initially said the controls would remain in place for a week, subject to review. Economists say they will prove hard to lift as long as the economy is in crisis.

Bank staff turned up for work early on Thursday as cash was delivered by armored trucks, and queues of a dozen or more people formed at bank branches in the capital, with uniformed security guards on duty.

Doors opened at noon (6:00 a.m. EDT) and closed at 6 p.m., but there was no visible run on deposits.

A lot of money had already left electronically. Figures published by the Central Bank of Cyprus showed that savers from other euro zone countries withdrew 18 percent of their deposits from the stricken island in February, as talk of a tax on bank accounts gained ground. Overall private sector bank deposits in Cyprus fell by 2.2 percent to 46.4 billion euros last month, after a similar drop in January.

To help the Cyprus banks weather the crisis, the European Central Bank flew in 5 billion euros ($6.4 billion) in cash overnight from Frankfurt, a German newspaper reported.

The government said it had appointed a panel to investigate the banking meltdown and look into claims of junior bondholders.

"It will have a broad mandate," said Constantinos Petrides, under-secretary to the Cypriot president. "It will investigate criminal, civil and political responsibilities."

The capital controls decree was taped to the windows of bank branches and staff handed out copies to customers. In Nicosia, there was relief, but some apprehension about what might happen.

"You've no idea how much I've been waiting for this," said 64-year-old pensioner Froso Kokikou, waiting in line at a branch of Cyprus Popular Bank, also known as Laiki.

"I feel a sense of fear and disappointment having to queue up like this; it feels like a Third World country, but what can you do?" Kokikou said. "This is what they imposed on us and we have to live with it."

MATURITY

Kostas Nikolaou, a 60-year-old pensioner, said the uncertainty of the past two weeks had been "like a slow death".

He added: "How can they tell you that you can't access your own money in the bank? It's our money, we are entitled to it."

Many of those waiting in line were elderly people, who said they had run out of cash because they did not have bank cards.

President Nicos Anastasiades praised the "maturity and responsibility" shown by Cypriots in the face of the crisis.

"We have shown that not only do we want to drag our country out of this difficult position, but that we will do it," a statement from the presidency said.

Anastasiades has taken a 25 percent pay cut, while cabinet ministers' pay will go down by 20 percent, an official said.

The stock exchange said it would remain closed on Thursday.

On international markets, German 10-year bond yields fell to their lowest level since August on fears of spillover from the Cyprus crisis to other struggling euro zone members. Yields fell 2 basis points to 1.256 percent. Traders cited the risk that depositors in other countries could take fright at any signs of a run on deposits in Cyprus.

CASH LIMITS

A Finance Ministry decree limited cash withdrawals to no more than 300 euros per day and banned the cashing of cheques.

The island's central bank will review all commercial transactions over 5,000 euros and scrutinize transactions over 200,000 euros on an individual basis. People leaving Cyprus may take only 1,000 euros with them.

A police source told Reuters that passengers leaving Cypriot airports were subject to extra searches. Notices at Larnaka airport warned travelers of the new restrictions and officers had orders to confiscate cash above the 1,000 euro limit.

With just 860,000 people, Cyprus has about 68 billion euros in its banks - a vastly outsized financial system that attracted deposits from abroad, especially Russia, as an offshore haven but foundered when investments in neighboring Greece went sour.

The European Union and International Monetary Fund concluded that Cyprus could not afford a rescue unless it imposed losses on depositors, seen as anathema in previous euro zone bailouts.

Foreign minister Kasoulides reflected the anger of many Cypriots when he told French newspaper Les Echos: "Europe is pretending to help us but the price to pay is too high: nothing less than the brutal destruction of our economic model."

"CYPRUS EURO"

Cyprus's difficulties have sent jitters around the fragile single European currency zone. Yields on Slovenia's two-year bonds surged to nearly 7 percent on Thursday in a sign that investors are pricing in a high risk of default, despite denials by the new government that it needs a bailout.

The imposition of capital controls has led economists to warn that a second-class "Cyprus euro" could emerge, with funds trapped on the island worth less than euros that can be freely spent abroad.

Reflecting fears of a spillover, ratings agency Moody's said it kept euro zone strugglers Ireland and Portugal on negative outlook, citing the Cyprus bailout as an extra risk.

The European Commission said the capital controls were legal and justified under EU law provided they were strictly temporary and proportionate. The EU executive said it would monitor "the need to extend the validity of or revise the measures".

The bailout, agreed in Brussels on Monday, looks set to push Cyprus deeper into an economic slump, shrink the banking sector and cost thousands of jobs.

Cyprus Popular Bank, the country's second biggest, will be closed and its guaranteed deposits of up to 100,000 euros transferred to the largest bank, Bank of Cyprus.

Deposits of more than 100,000 euros at both banks, too big to enjoy a state guarantee, will be frozen, and some of those funds will be exchanged for shares issued by the banks to recapitalize them.

While big depositors will lose money, the authorities say deposits up to 100,000 euros will be protected.

($1 = 0.7824 euros)

(Additional reporting by Laura Noonan and Costas Pitas; Writing by Matt Robinson; Editing by Giles Elgood and Paul Taylor)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cyprus-reopens-banks-under-strict-restrictions-011937977--finance.html

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Developers Can Now Target Facebook Mobile App Ads To Wi-Fi Users And To Specific OS Versions

Facebook just announced some improvements to the mobile app install ads that it launched last fall, allowing app developers to target their ads with more nuance. These ads run in Facebook's news feed, and when clicked on, they open up the download page in the Apple App Store and Google Play marketplace. The company says that by using these ads, Poshmark has seen a 3x increase in ROI compared to "other advertising channels" and its user acquisition cost on Facebook has gone down 30 percent.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/P5RgZ3Ipf2E/

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Blowing in the wind: How accurate is thermography of horses' legs?

Mar. 27, 2013 ? Since its introduction fifty or so years ago, thermography has been increasingly used by vets to pinpoint the cause of lameness in horses.? The method is fast and safe and is based on a simple idea.? The horse?s body surface emits infrared radiation that can be detected by an infrared camera, which is both easy and inexpensive to use.? The camera produces a coloured image that shows the variation in surface temperature across the area investigated.? The temperature is directly related to the presence of blood vessels near the skin, so the method can detect local inflammatory lesions or regions of modified blood flow and thus help localize the origin of lameness.

The theory is clear but to date there have been comparatively few investigations into the reliability of the method.? Furthermore, it is important to note that in practice trivial matters such as time constraints and movement of the horse can cause changes in both camera angle and distance of the camera to the area of the horse being investigated.? The effect to which these changes affect the results of thermographic imaging is unknown.? Finally, although it is generally accepted that thermographic imaging of horses should be performed in draught-free surroundings, there have not been any published studies on the effect of airflow on the results.

These issues have now been tackled by Simone Westermann of the Clinical Unit of Equine Surgery at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, together with colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) and with Adrian Ion at the Vienna University of Technology.? The scientists found that the method was highly reproducible and was less sensitive to variations in camera position and angle than might be expected.? In fact, the results were almost completely unaffected by 20? changes in camera angle and increases of up to 50 cm in the distance of the camera from the animal.? At a distance of 1 m from the horse a 20? change in camera angle corresponds to about 35 cm.? This represents the effective horizontal tolerance in positioning of the camera.? As Westermann says, ?vets should have little difficulty in remaining within this limit, so the method is applicable in practice.?? Surprisingly, the results showed that horses? left and right forelimbs show minor differences in temperature and Westermann cautions that ?it might be important to take these into account before reaching a final diagnosis.?

The technique is thus reliable and robust, at least in terms of variation in where the camera is located.? However, it turned out to be extremely sensitive to even very gentle drafts.? A wind speed of less than 1 m/s causes a drop in measured temperature of about 0.6?C, while winds of 1.3-2.6 m/s cause a drop of 1.5?C and winds of 3-4 m/s cause a drop of 2.1?C.? The discrepancies are more than sufficient to lead to a wrong diagnosis, although even the highest wind speed tested is hardly perceptible:? it would barely cause leaves on trees to move.

Westermann is keen to note the relevance of her work for vets who work on horses.? As she says, ?It turns out that it is not too important to be sure that the camera is in exactly the correct position before taking measurements.? But it is essential to perform thermography on horses in a room that is completely free of draughts.? If you don?t, your diagnosis will be completely unreliable.?

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Veterin?rmedizinische Universit?t Wien.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal References:

1. S. Westermann, C. Stanek, J. P. Schramel, A. Ion, H. H. F. Buchner. The effect of airflow on thermographically determined temperature of the distal forelimb of the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/evj.12019
2. Simone Westermann, Heinz H. F. Buchner, Johannes P. Schramel, Alexander Tichy, Christian Stanek. Effects of infrared camera angle and distance on measurement and reproducibility of thermographically determined temperatures of the distolateral aspects of the forelimbs in horses. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2013; 242 (3): 388 DOI: 10.2460/javma.242.3.388

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/buHXXDVIzh8/130327092521.htm

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NYC's Met Museum accused of duping on fees

NEW YORK (AP) ? Before visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art can stroll past the Picassos, Renoirs, Rembrandts and other priceless works, they must first deal with the ticket line, the posted $25 adult admission and the meaning of the word in smaller type just beneath it: "recommended."

Many people, especially foreign tourists, don't see it, don't understand it or don't question it. If they ask, they are told the fee is merely a suggested donation: You can pay what you wish, but you must pay something.

Confusion over what's required to enter one of the world's great museums, which draws more than 6 million visitors a year, is at the heart of a class-action lawsuit this month accusing the Met of scheming to defraud the public into believing the fees are required.

The suit seeks compensation for museum members and visitors who paid by credit card over the past few years, though some who choose to pay less than the full price pull out a $10 or $5 bill. Some fork over a buck or loose change. Those who balk at paying anything at all are told they won't be allowed in unless they pay something, even a penny.

"I just asked for one adult general admissions and he just said, '$25,'" says Richard Johns, a high school math teacher from Little Rock, Ark., who paid the full price at the museum this past week. "It should be made clear that it is a donation you are required to make. Especially for foreign tourists who don't understand. Most people don't know it."

Met spokesman Harold Holzer denied any deception and said a policy of requiring visitors to pay at least something has been in place for more than four decades. "We are confident that the courts will see through this insupportable nuisance lawsuit," he said.

"The museum was designed to be open to everyone, without regard to their financial circumstances," said Arnold Weiss, one of two attorneys who filed the lawsuit on behalf of three museum-goers, a New Yorker and two tourists from the Czech Republic. "But instead, the museum has been converted into an elite tourist attraction."

Among the allegations are that third-party websites do not mention the recommended fee, and that the museum sells memberships that carry the benefit of free admission, even though the public is already entitled to free admission.

Lined up to testify is a former museum supervisor who oversaw and trained the Met's admissions cashiers from 2007 to 2011, said Michael Hiller, the other attorney representing the plaintiffs.

The supervisor is expected to testify that the term on the sign was changed in recent years from "suggested" to "recommended" because administrators believed it was a stronger word that would encourage people to pay more, Hiller said.

The Met's Holzer denied the former employee's allegations. He also said the basis for the lawsuit ? that admission is intended to be free ? is wrong because the state law the plaintiffs cited has been superseded many times and the city approved pay-what-you-wish admissions in 1970.

"The idea that the museum is free to everyone who doesn't wish to pay has not been in force for nearly 40 years," Holzer said, adding, "Yes, you do have to pay something."

As to the wording change on the sign, he said the museum "actually thought at the time, and still thinks, that 'recommended' is softer than 'suggested,' so the former employee is quite wrong here."

New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs agreed to the museum's request in 1970 for a general admission as long as the amount was left up to individuals and that the signage reflected that. Similar arrangements are in place for other cultural institutions that operate on city-owned land and property and receive support from the city, such as the American Museum of Natural History and the Brooklyn Museum. It's also a model that's been replicated in other cities.

The Metropolitan Museum is one of the world's richest cultural institutions, with a $2.58 billion investment portfolio, and isn't reliant on admissions fees to pay the majority of its bills. Sixteen percent of its $239 million budget in fiscal 2012 came from admissions. That same year, the city paid 11 percent of its operating budget. As a nonprofit organization, the museum pays no income taxes.

Holzer also noted that in the past fiscal year, 41 percent of visitors to the Met paid the full recommended admission price ? $25 for adults, $17 for seniors and $12 for students.

A random sampling of visitors leaving the museum found that there was a general awareness that "recommended" implied you could pay less than the posted price.

But Dan Larson and his son Jake, visiting the museum last week from Duluth, Minn., were unaware there was any room to negotiate the admission price. They paid the full $25 each for adult tickets, with a credit card.

"My understanding was you pay the recommended price," said Larson, 50. "That's clearly not displayed."

Alexander Kulessa, a 23-year-old university student from Germany, said friends who had previously visited New York tipped him off about the admission fee.

"They said, 'Don't pay $25,'" said Kulessa. "They said it will be written everywhere to pay $25 but you don't have to pay that. You don't even have to pay the student price."

For Colette Leger, a tourist from Toronto who visited the museum with her teenage daughter, paying the full $25 was worth every penny.

"It's a beautiful museum, and I was happy to pay," she said.

___

Associated Press writer Jake Pearson contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nycs-met-museum-accused-duping-fees-175540738.html

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Myanmar general lauds army's democratic role as troops patrol

By Aung Hla Tun

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military will retain its key role in the country's fledgling democracy, the armed forces chief said on Wednesday at an annual parade attended for the first time by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing spoke as his soldiers enforced an uneasy peace in central Myanmar, where martial law was declared in four townships last week to quell anti-Muslim riots that officially killed 40 people.

The unrest between Buddhists and Muslims is spreading, posing the biggest challenge yet to a reformist government that took office in 2011 after nearly half a century of military rule.

Min Aung Hlaing said the military would continue to play a "leading political role" in accordance with Myanmar's constitution, which was drafted by the former junta and reserves a quarter of parliamentary seats for military officers.

Early on Wednesday a mob in Nattalin, about 130 miles northwest of the commercial capital, Yangon, tried to destroy three houses and a mosque but were stopped by soldiers, a local government official told Reuters.

"So far as I know, nobody was injured and nothing burnt down," he said. Dusk-to-dawn curfews are now in place in Nattalin and five nearby townships.

President Thein Sein has won praise for freeing jailed dissidents, relaxing media censorship and trying to fix Myanmar's dysfunctional economy.

But his government has also been criticized for failing to stem last year's violence in Rakhine State in western Myanmar, where officials say 110 people were killed and 120,000 were left homeless, most of them Rohingya Muslims.

In his speech at the Armed Forces Day parade in the capital, Naypyitaw, Min Aung Hlaing expressed the military's loyalty to Thein Sein, himself a former general, before watching a procession of troops and military hardware, including truck-borne missiles.

The military was helping to build "an eternally peaceful and developing nation", he said.

Human rights groups have long accused Myanmar's military of war crimes and crimes against humanity in its campaigns against armed rebels from ethnic groups such as the Kachin and Shan.

"All our members are being trained in the provisions of the Geneva Convention so our Tatmadaw do not commit any war crimes," said Min Aung Hlaing, referring to the military by a Burmese word meaning "Royal Force". "There is no such thing as genocide in the history of our Tatmadaw."

HOUSE ARREST

Among the guests was Suu Kyi, who spent a total of 15 years in prison or under house arrest under the former junta. She is the daughter of independence hero General Aung San, who founded the modern Myanmar army.

Suu Kyi upset some supporters in January by expressing her "fondness" for the military, which still refuses to acknowledge its well-documented human rights abuses.

In a statement on Wednesday, her National League for Democracy party called on the armed forces "to take part in working for the rule of law, the emergence of peace and amending the constitution".

Anti-Muslim unrest promises to further expand the military's role, however. Myanmar is a predominantly Buddhist country, but about 5 percent of its 60 million people are Muslims. There are large communities in Yangon, Mandalay and towns across Myanmar's heartland, which is dominated by the majority Burmans, who are Buddhists.

Yangon remains tense, with the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday advising its citizens to avoid the downtown Mingalar Market area after a fight there led to a heavy police presence.

Myanmar's government "would not hesitate to push the army in" to prevent further unrest, Vijay Nambiar, U.N. Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, has told Reuters.

Communal tension, stifled under military rule, exploded to the surface last June, after 10 Muslims were beaten to death by a Buddhist mob in Taungop town in Rakhine State.

Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday the Muslims displaced in Rakhine State had effectively been segregated, living in squalid camps that security forces stopped them leaving. The government was restricting aid, it added, warning of a humanitarian crisis when the rainy season comes in May.

(This story corrects title in paragraph 2 to Senior General from Vice Senior General)

(Writing by Andrew R.C. Marshall; Editing by Alan Raybould and Alex Richardson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/myanmar-general-lauds-armys-democratic-role-troops-patrol-082425685.html

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