LOS ANGELES ? Tobey Maguire has decided to fold `em and settle a lawsuit over his winnings from a convicted con man during high-stakes Hollywood poker games.
The "Spider-Man" star agreed to pay $80,000 to settle the lawsuit filed over more than $311,000 he was paid by a convicted Ponzi scheme operator in Texas Hold `Em matches that included celebrities, businessmen and others, court documents state.
If approved by a judge next month, Maguire will pay the money to a bankruptcy trustee who is trying to recoup money that former hedge fund operator Bradley Ruderman bilked from investors to finance his lavish lifestyle.
The money will be used to repay victims of the scheme, which Maguire and other players were unaware of.
Court records show that 14 of the 22 people sued to recoup poker winnings have settled their cases. Howard Ehrenberg, the bankruptcy trustee who sued the group, said Monday the poker settlements total more than $1.7 million.
Ehrenberg said Maguire's payout to resolve the case is in the same range as others who agreed to settlements.
"He did not end up with any better settlement than the others," Ehrenberg said.
Maguire's settlement states he "strongly disputes that he violated any laws, rules or regulations in regard to participating in the poker games" but was agreeing to the payment to avoid fighting the case, which would be costly.
The actor signed the settlement on Nov. 22 and it was filed a day later with a bankruptcy court handling the lawsuits.
The trustee alleged Maguire and others had no right to keep their winnings from the unlicensed poker games held at upscale hotels and private residences. Maguire and others have denied there was anything improper about the matches.
In court filings, Maguire noted that he lost $168,500 to Ruderman, who is currently serving a 10 year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of investment adviser fraud and willful failure to file taxes.
Several of those sued are fighting the cases, most notably actor-director Nick Cassavetes. His attorney has said the games were not illegal and the statute of limitations has long passed for pursuing any criminal charges for the games held between 2006 and 2009.
Ehrenberg said he expects the remaining cases will be resolved before trial.
Filings show that billionaire Alec Gores and "Welcome Back, Kotter" star and poker aficionado Gabe Kaplan have also settled cases filed against them.
Gores, who along with his brother attempted to buy Miramax films last year, has agreed to pay $49,908 to settle a $445,500 lawsuit over Ruderman's poker payments.
Kaplan has agreed to pay $26,900 after he was sued to try to recoup nearly $63,000 in winnings.
Ehrenberg filed the lawsuits in late March, attempting to recoup money on behalf of people who invested in the scheme by Ruderman.
___
Follow Anthony McCartney at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP
Contact: Marie Gilbert megilbert@alaska.edu 907-474-7412 University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska -- As the Arctic warms, greenhouse gases will be released from thawing permafrost faster and at significantly higher levels than previous estimates, according to survey results from 41 international scientists published in the Nov. 30 issue of the journal Nature.
Permafrost thaw will release approximately the same amount of carbon as deforestation, say the authors, but the effect on climate will be 2.5 times bigger because emissions include methane, which has a greater effect on warming than carbon dioxide.
The survey, led by University of Florida researcher Edward Schuur and University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate student Benjamin Abbott, asked climate experts what percentage of the surface permafrost is likely to thaw, how much carbon will be released and how much of that carbon will be methane. The authors estimate that the amount of carbon released by 2100 will be 1.7 to 5.2 times larger than reported in recent modeling studies, which used a similar warming scenario.
"The larger estimate is due to the inclusion of processes missing from current models and new estimates of the amount of organic carbon stored deep in frozen soils," Abbott said. "There's more organic carbon in northern soils than there is in all living things combined; it's kind of mind boggling."
Northern soils hold around 1,700 billion gigatons of organic carbon, around four times more than all the carbon ever emitted by modern human activity and twice as much as is now in the atmosphere, according to the latest estimate. When permafrost thaws, organic material in the soil decomposes and releases gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.
"In most ecosystems organic matter is concentrated only in the top meter of soils, but when arctic soils freeze and thaw the carbon can work its way many meters down, said Abbott, who studies how carbon is released from collapsed landscapes called thermokarsts a process not accounted for in current models. Until recently that deep carbon was not included in soil inventories and it still is not accounted for in most climate models.
"We know about a lot of processes that will affect the fate of arctic carbon, but we don't yet know how to incorporate them into climate models," Abbott said. "We're hoping to identify some of those processes and help the models catch up."
Most large-scale models assume that permafrost warming depends on how much the air above the permafrost is warming. Missing from the models, say the authors, are processes such as the effects of abrupt thawing that can melt an ice wedge, result in collapsed ground and accelerate additional thawing.
"This survey is part of the scientific process, what we think is going to happen in the future, and how we come up with testable hypotheses for future research," Schurr said. "Our survey outlines the additional risk to society caused by thawing of the frozen North and the need to reduce fossil fuel use and deforestation."
By integrating data from previous models with expert predictions the authors hope to provide a frame of reference for scientists studying all aspects of climate change.
"Permafrost carbon release is not going to overshadow fossil fuel emissions as the main driver of climate change" said Schuur, "but it is an important amplifier of climate change."
###
Schuur, Abbott and the 41 survey participants, which include several other UAF researchers, are members of the Vulnerability of Permafrost Carbon Research Coordination Network. http://www.biology.ufl.edu/permafrostcarbon/
A time-lapse video of a North Slope tundra landscape in motion: Hourly images from July-August 2010 of the headwall of a thaw slump on the shore of Horn Lake near the site of the massive 2007 Anaktuvuk River fire.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/seg19/blogs/sarah_godsey/
Benjamin Abbott, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907-474-6777, benabbo@gmail.com. Edward "Ted" Schuur, Department of Biology, University of Florida, 352-392-7913, tschuur@ufl.edu
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Marie Gilbert megilbert@alaska.edu 907-474-7412 University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska -- As the Arctic warms, greenhouse gases will be released from thawing permafrost faster and at significantly higher levels than previous estimates, according to survey results from 41 international scientists published in the Nov. 30 issue of the journal Nature.
Permafrost thaw will release approximately the same amount of carbon as deforestation, say the authors, but the effect on climate will be 2.5 times bigger because emissions include methane, which has a greater effect on warming than carbon dioxide.
The survey, led by University of Florida researcher Edward Schuur and University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate student Benjamin Abbott, asked climate experts what percentage of the surface permafrost is likely to thaw, how much carbon will be released and how much of that carbon will be methane. The authors estimate that the amount of carbon released by 2100 will be 1.7 to 5.2 times larger than reported in recent modeling studies, which used a similar warming scenario.
"The larger estimate is due to the inclusion of processes missing from current models and new estimates of the amount of organic carbon stored deep in frozen soils," Abbott said. "There's more organic carbon in northern soils than there is in all living things combined; it's kind of mind boggling."
Northern soils hold around 1,700 billion gigatons of organic carbon, around four times more than all the carbon ever emitted by modern human activity and twice as much as is now in the atmosphere, according to the latest estimate. When permafrost thaws, organic material in the soil decomposes and releases gases such as methane and carbon dioxide.
"In most ecosystems organic matter is concentrated only in the top meter of soils, but when arctic soils freeze and thaw the carbon can work its way many meters down, said Abbott, who studies how carbon is released from collapsed landscapes called thermokarsts a process not accounted for in current models. Until recently that deep carbon was not included in soil inventories and it still is not accounted for in most climate models.
"We know about a lot of processes that will affect the fate of arctic carbon, but we don't yet know how to incorporate them into climate models," Abbott said. "We're hoping to identify some of those processes and help the models catch up."
Most large-scale models assume that permafrost warming depends on how much the air above the permafrost is warming. Missing from the models, say the authors, are processes such as the effects of abrupt thawing that can melt an ice wedge, result in collapsed ground and accelerate additional thawing.
"This survey is part of the scientific process, what we think is going to happen in the future, and how we come up with testable hypotheses for future research," Schurr said. "Our survey outlines the additional risk to society caused by thawing of the frozen North and the need to reduce fossil fuel use and deforestation."
By integrating data from previous models with expert predictions the authors hope to provide a frame of reference for scientists studying all aspects of climate change.
"Permafrost carbon release is not going to overshadow fossil fuel emissions as the main driver of climate change" said Schuur, "but it is an important amplifier of climate change."
###
Schuur, Abbott and the 41 survey participants, which include several other UAF researchers, are members of the Vulnerability of Permafrost Carbon Research Coordination Network. http://www.biology.ufl.edu/permafrostcarbon/
A time-lapse video of a North Slope tundra landscape in motion: Hourly images from July-August 2010 of the headwall of a thaw slump on the shore of Horn Lake near the site of the massive 2007 Anaktuvuk River fire.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/seg19/blogs/sarah_godsey/
Benjamin Abbott, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907-474-6777, benabbo@gmail.com. Edward "Ted" Schuur, Department of Biology, University of Florida, 352-392-7913, tschuur@ufl.edu
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
LONDON?? British singer George Michael's health is improving, doctors treating him in Vienna for pneumonia said in a statement Wednesday.
The 48-year-old former Wham! frontman was hospitalized in the Austrian capital and diagnosed with severe pneumonia, forcing him to cancel the remainder of his European tour.
Story: George Michael has pneumonia, cancels shows
"The latest development in Mr. Michael's case ? which has evolved from a severe pneumococcal infection ? necessitated intensive care due to its severity and extension," said professors Gottfried Locker and Christoph Zielinski.
"We are happy to announce that Mr. Michael is improving steadily with an impressive regression of pneumonic symptoms and follows a steady rate of improvement as hoped.
"As we said previously, complete rest and peace and quiet are mandatory."
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The doctors also appeared to address speculation in the British tabloid press that Michael was suffering further, potentially serious health complications and that he was receiving state-of-the-art treatment during his stay at the Vienna General Hospital.
Story: Pop ladies of the '80s have still got the beat
"There are no other health issues with regards to the patient other than the underlying pneumonic disorder, and no further measures had to be taken," they said.
"Michael is receiving precisely the same treatment as any ordinary patient in Austria would receive at the hospital for this disease."
The Grammy award-winning singer found fame in the 1980s with Wham! before going on to pursue a successful solo career. He has sold an estimated 100 million records and has a personal fortune estimated at 90 million pounds ($140 million).
Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
LESTER HOLT, anchor:Just over five weeks now until the
Iowa caucuses
kick the
presidential race
into high gear, and tonight a high profile endorsement is shining the spotlight on
Newt Gingrich
's surging campaign. It comes from the leading newspaper in
New Hampshire
where the nation's first
presidential primary
will be held just after the start of the new year. It was only last June that
Gingrich
's campaign seemed on the verge of a premature death when his
campaign manager
and senior staffers walked off the job. Now as we rapidly approach a key moment in this contest, the former
House speaker
seems positioned to challenge
Mitt Romney
's status as unofficial front-runner.
NBC
's
Kristen Welker
starts us off tonight from the
White House
with more.
Kristen
, good evening.
KRISTEN WELKER reporting:Lester
, good evening. This endorsement doesn't really guarantee anything, but in this crowded and volatile race every little bit helps.
Offscreen Voice:Newt
.
Mr. NEWT GINGRICH:How are you?
WELKER:Citing his record of helping balance the budget while serving as
House speaker
in the '90s, the
Union Leader
editorial is
a shot in the arm
for the latest
Republican front
-runner. "
Newt Gingrich
is by no means the perfect candidate, but
Republican primary
voters too often make the mistake of preferring an unattainable ideal to the best candidate who is actually running."
Drew Cline
, the editorial page editor, dismissed former
Massachusetts
Governor
Mitt Romney
as a play it safe candidate.
Mr. DREW CLINE:He doesn't want to offend everybody or anybody. He wants to be liked. He wants to try to reach out and be very safe, reach out to everybody, bring everybody on board. Imagine what that would be like as president.
WELKER:In the past 30 years, the
Union Leader
has only supported two Republican candidates who went on to win their party's nomination;
Ronald Reagan
in
1980
and
John McCain
in
2008
. And although the latest
New Hampshire
poll shows
Romney
with a commanding 27 point lead over
Gingrich
, the race has been volatile from the start.
Mr. DANTE SCALA (University of New Hampshire):A lot of voters just haven't made up their minds for sure yet. One-third of
Mitt Romney
voters see
Newt Gingrich
as their second choice according to the latest
UNH
poll. So there's lots of time here for voters to make up their mind and for those polls to change.
WELKER:Today other candidates downplayed the importance of the
Gingrich
endorsement. Former Governor
JOHN HUNTSMAN
([shown on screen] Republican
Presidential
Candidate): I'm getting whiplash watching these people go up and down. It would have been unthinkable a month ago for
Newt Gingrich
to get the endorsement of the
Union Leader
.
Mr. HERMAN CAIN (Republican Presidential Candidate):The good news is most of my supporters, they have stayed on the
Cain
train, as we say.
WELKER:Now all eyes are also on
Iowa
where
Gingrich
is leading in some polls.
Mitt Romney
, who lost the state back in
2008
, has only recently started to wage a more aggressive campaign there.
Lester
:
SANTIAGO, Chile ? A Chilean judge investigating abuses during the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet is seeking the extradition of a former U.S. military officer in the 1973 killing of two Americans.
A court official tells The Associated Press that former U.S. Navy officer Ray Davis has been charged in the killings of journalist Charles Horman and American student Frank Teruggi. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
Judge Jorge Zepeda is investigating human rights violations during Pinochet's rule from 1973 to 1990. The court official says Zepeda has asked the Supreme Court to authorize an extradition request.
The killing of Horman was the focus of the 1982 film "Missing."
ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2011) ? In research at SRI International, scientists evaluating new drug targets against tuberculosis (TB) recently validated the preclinical effectiveness of a target that could rapidly eliminate infections and potentially shorten treatment time. The new drug target is a protein called DNA gyrase B, found in bacteria that cause TB infections.
DNA gyrase is an enzyme consisting of two subunits: gyrase A and gyrase B. Although gyrase A is often the target of antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin, there currently is no antibiotic on the market that targets gyrase B. In laboratory experiments, SRI researchers found that by targeting gyrase B, TB bacteria are killed whether they are replicating or dormant. Further studies will be conducted toward the development of a TB drug against gyrase B.
"One of the greatest needs in infectious disease treatment is a drug that allows a shorter length of treatment," said Peter Madrid, Ph.D., program director in the Center for Infectious Disease and Biodefense Research, SRI Biosciences Division. "Though our program is still in the preclinical phase of research, with a number of years of required testing ahead, our goal is to develop a drug that will improve the treatment process for TB patients."
TB patients currently undergo treatment for six months and take a combination of at least four different drugs. There are often challenges to treatment effectiveness because of the long treatment time, including low patient treatment compliance and high rates of drug resistance. Tuberculosis that is resistant to multiple drugs takes even longer to treat, usually 18 to 24 months.
Research results are presented in the November 2011 Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in a paper titled "Evaluation of Gyrase B as a Drug Target in Mycobacterium tuberculosis."
The project described was supported by Award Numbers R56AI090817 and U01AI082070 from the National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Diseases. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases or the National Institutes of Health.
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Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by SRI International.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
S. Chopra, K. Matsuyama, T. Tran, J. P. Malerich, B. Wan, S. G. Franzblau, S. Lun, H. Guo, M. C. Maiga, W. R. Bishai, P. B. Madrid. Evaluation of gyrase B as a drug target in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 2011; DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkr449
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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Public sector net borrowing is expected to be ?109 billion by 2012/13
By Tracey Boles
ANOTHER 100,000 public sector job losses are needed to meet Government spending cut targets, according to a report out today ahead of the Chancellor?s autumn statement this week.
The influential Ernst and Young ITEM Club report says the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has been too conservative in its projections.
The think tank believes the OBR must increase its public sector job loss estimate to about 500,000 over five years from the 400,000 losses it predicted in March.
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The report will also warn the deteriorating economic outlook, caused by the eurozone crisis and weakening domestic conditions, will force the OBR to slash its UK GDP forecasts for 2011 and 2012 from 1.7 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively, to 0.9 per cent and less than 1 per cent.
The economic outlook has darkened considerably since the OBR?s last forecast in March
Andrew Goodwin, senior economic advisor to the Ernst & Young Item Club, expects the OBR to deliver one of its gloomiest forecasts yet. He believes the risk of a UK double-dip recession has risen, with a return to negative growth this quarter.
He said: ?The economic outlook has darkened considerably since the OBR?s last forecast in March.
?As the public sector spending cuts start to feed through towards the end of this parliament, the axe is inevitably going to fall on the labour market. The OBR has been fairly conservative in its estimates of job losses but the latest data on public sector employment suggests that the causalities could easily be half a million.?
The Item Club says the expected revisions to GDP projections will also force the OBR to push up its borrowing forecast, as Government borrowing is increased to compensate for weaker economic growth.
Public sector net borrowing is expected to be ?109 billion by 2012/13, ?8 billion higher than the OBR predicted in March.
The Item Club says there will be some good news for the Chancellor in the forecast. The economy should have built up enough momentum by the end of the parliament to enable the Government to eliminate the structural budget deficit within the next five years.
Goodwin said: ?With unemployment set to soar, we would urge him to use any savings in the austerity Budget to support employment levels, perhaps by either temporarily reversing the recent increase in employers? national insurance contributions (NICs), or even reducing employers? NICs on workers under the age of 25.?
In my mind, I can see miracles I can also see death In my mind, I can mourn for a minute I can also know this moment of joy In my mind, I can vacillate I can also fixate on what if In my mind, I can ask God Please, please, please change your mind
In the world, I am cheerful I wear a smile and I am living for today In the world, I am confident I say I'm fine and that is true In the world, I am a beacon I channel hope and faith and love In the world I cheerlead I ask our friends to join us in ecstasy today
In the world we are lucky We found our love and live it well In the world we are hopeful We treat each minute like a day In the world we are random Cancer strikes where it will In the world we cling to one another We would have done that anyway
In my mind, I am sometimes fearful I wonder what we won't get to have In my mind, I can fall off track sometimes I don't know if I can bear what comes to be In my mind, I cry for an instant I don't want to lose this love I have In my mind, I seek God's help I want today to go on and on
Whatever comes our way, we'll go hand in hand Whatever comes our way, we'll face it together Whatever comes our way, we'll know we have been lucky Whatever comes our way, we have known love.
The penultimate entry in the vampire romance series pulled off an impressive haul of an estimated $62.3 million, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. The weekend brought the film's domestic total to roughly $221 million, and survived formidable competition from "The Muppets," which earned a respectable $42 million.
But what do the upcoming weeks hold for "Breaking Dawn - Part 1"? We consulted some box-office experts to find out.
One of the biggest questions right now for "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" is whether it will continue to dominate the box office for a third week in a row. With only "Shame" — a small indie film by comparison — opening next week, the stage is set for another rematch between "Breaking Dawn" and "The Muppets." Phil Contrino from Boxoffice.com said there is some potential for growth in the case of "The Muppets."
"It'll be close between ['Breaking Dawn - Part 1'] and 'The Muppets,' because ['The Muppets'] has much better word of mouth," he said, but he indicated that it was too soon to say which would come out on top.
Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations, on the other hand, sees the weekend going to "The Muppets." The fight for second place will be between "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" and "Hugo," he said.
" 'Breaking Dawn' is performing almost identically to 'New Moon' and will likely dip another 60 to 65 percent next weekend and gross $14 million to 16 million," Bock said. "That probably won't keep it at #1, as family films hold exceptionally well during the holiday season. That means 'The Muppets' will jump to #1, and depending on how many screens 'Hugo' jumps to, it may be in a fight for second place."
Both Bock and Contrino expect "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" to finish its domestic run in the range of $300 million but say that we should expect a steep drop-off once more holiday films like "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" hit theaters.
"It's still going to fall fast," Contrino said. "By the time 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' and 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' hit, the audience will have almost entirely disappeared."
Solar power was at heart of Google's alternative energy efforts. But CEO Page has dropped the solar power and other energy projects to refocus Google on the Internet.
Google Inc has abandoned an ambitious project to make renewable energy cheaper than coal, the latest target of Chief Executive Larry Page's moves to focus the Internet giant on fewer efforts.
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Google said on Tuesday that it was pulling the plug on seven projects, including Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal as well as a Wikipedia-like online encyclopedia service known as Knol.
The plans, which Google announced on its corporate blog, represent the third so-called ``spring cleaning'' announcement that Google has made since Google co-founder Page took the reins in April.
The changes come as Google is facing stiff competition in mobile computing and social networking from Apple Inc and Facebook, and as some investors have groused about rising spending at the world's No.1 Internet search company.
``To recap, we're in the process of shutting down a number of products which haven't had the impact we'd hoped for, integrating others as features into our broader product efforts, and ending several which have shown us a different path forward,'' wrote Google Senior Vice President of Operations Urs Holzle in the blog post.
Google said that it believed other institutions were better positioned to take its renewable energy efforts ``to the next level.''
Google began making investments and doing research into technology to drive down the price of renewable energy in 2007, with a particular focus on solar power technology.
In 2009, the company's so-called Green Energy Czar, Bill Weihl, told Reuters that he expected to demonstrate within a few years working technology that could produce renewable energy at a cheaper price than coal.
``It is even odds, more or less,'' Weihl said at the time. ``In three years, we could have multiple megawatts of plants out there.''
A Google spokesman said that Weihl had left Google earlier this month.
LONDON ? Airlines said Monday they are canceling some flights in and out of London's Heathrow Airport ahead of a nationwide public sector strike this week that will include employees who check passports.
As many as 2 million public workers in Britain are expected to join a one-day walkout on Wednesday ? from immigration officials to teachers to garbage collectors ? in an escalating row over planned changes to public-sector pensions.
Civil service staff and contractors will be brought in to cover for striking immigration officials at Britain's borders, though most airlines have advised passengers to reschedule any journeys planned for Wednesday into the U.K..
Heathrow's owner, BAA, warned last week of possible 12-hour delays at immigration halls at Europe's busiest airport as U.K. Border Agency staff join in the action, and asked airlines to fly half-full planes into Heathrow during the strike.
Gatwick Airport has warned passengers to be prepared for "significant disruption" at immigration. The strike also could affect flights in and out of the London area's other three airports ? Stansted, Luton and City ? which handle many flights to and from continental Europe.
Middle East carrier Etihad Airways said Monday it has canceled two flights from Abu Dhabi into Heathrow and one flight from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi "to spare the airline's guests the expected disruption at Heathrow airport and the long delays in waiting to clear immigration."
Etihad said it is operating another flight with reduced passenger capacity.
Greece's Aegean Airlines said it canceled one Heathrow to Athens flight and one from Athens to Heathrow because airport authorities warned of "potentially huge problems with delays."
Aegean said there were possible delays to two of its other flights departing from Heathrow to Athens on Wednesday, plus a flight to Cyprus.
British Airways said it had not canceled any flights on Wednesday and hoped to run a full service, while Virgin Atlantic said it had cut its passenger numbers for the day of the strike by more than 1,000.
British Airways and Virgin both agreed last week to waive the normal charges for passengers looking to rebook their flights for Wednesday.
The walkout is expected to top the scale of Britain's 1979 strikes ? when tens of thousands of people halted work over pay disputes. Some labor unions claim the action could even eclipse Britain's 1926 general strike, when about 1.75 million people joined walkouts.
In the latest dispute, workers oppose government demands that they work longer before receiving a pension, contribute more money each month and accept a pension calculated using their average career salary, rather than their final salary.
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Public release date: 30-Nov-2011
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