Apple hunted lost item - clue points to new iPhone (Reuters)

OAKLAND, California (Reuters) – San Francisco police said on Friday they had helped Apple Inc security search for a "lost item," following a week of reports that a prototype of the newest iPhone had gone missing in July.

Officers did not say exactly what Apple had lost, but they left a clue -- the San Francisco Police Department's Friday press release about the hunt was called "iphone5.doc," an apparent reference to a new version of the mobile phone that tech industry watchers expect to be released soon.

Apple declined to comment on the matter.

Tech news service CNET this week said an iPhone 5, which has not been released, went missing in a San Francisco bar in July. SF Weekly, a local newspaper, on Friday quoted a San Francisco man as saying police had come to his house in July searching for a lost iPhone.

Although a prototype of the iPhone 4 went missing in 2010, police said this time Apple had tracked "the lost item" to a San Francisco house and four police accompanied two Apple employees to the house.

"The two Apple (security) employees met with the resident and then went into the house to look for the lost item. The Apple employees did not find the lost item and left the house," the police statement said.

It did not say why police accompanied Apple security or the circumstances under which Apple employees "went into the house to look for the lost item". Police did not respond to a request for further comment.

SF Weekly quoted a 22-year-old man who described himself as the resident of the searched house as saying the group identified themselves as police and that none had said they were working for Apple. They had traced the phone to the house using satellite positioning software on the device but did not find anything in the house, he said he was told.

The man, identified by SF Weekly as Sergio Calderon, could not be reached for comment by Reuters.

Police, meanwhile, gave different versions of events during the day on Friday, while Apple has declined to comment at all.

Hours before San Francisco police issued their statement about the search, SFPD spokesman Lieutenant Troy Dangerfield denied that police had been contacted by Apple in connection with any lost phone, or by the person visited by Apple security and the police.

"No one has reported anything," Dangerfield told Reuters.

In general, Dangerfield said SFPD requires a supervisor's approval for personnel who are not law enforcement officers to accompany police during investigations.

"It's not routinely done at all," Dangerfield said.

(Reporting by Peter Henderson and Dan Levine)

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Libyans say Gaddafi bastion may have given up (Reuters)

TRIPOLI/MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) – Libya's provisional government said it was closing in on bastions of support for Muammar Gaddafi on Saturday and planned to resume oil production at key fields within days.

Offering Libyans some hope of an end to conflict and a more prosperous future after 42 years of Gaddafi's personal rule, Ali Tarhouni, the interim oil minister said, during a news conference in Tripoli that he had been told by commanders that the pro-Gaddafi bastion of Bani Walid may have changed sides.

A senior military source in the forces of the National Transitional Council had told Reuters earlier that NTC leaders were close to reaching agreement with tribal leaders in Bani Walid on their imminent peaceful surrender.

Tarhouni reaffirmed assurances by the former rebels that Gaddafi's capture was near -- "we know where he is," he said.

And he announced that oil production would start in about 10 days. "Production will begin in the Sarir and Misla fields on the 12th or 13th of this month," he said.

With only six million people scattered across vast tracts of desert on the southern shore of the Mediterranean, Libyans hope Africa's biggest oil reserves can make them rich.

NTC leaders, many of whom remain in the eastern city of Benghazi where the uprising began in February, say the conflict will only be over when Gaddafi is found, dead or alive.

Last week, a senior NTC commander said he believed the 69-year-old fugitive was around Bani Walid, a tribal stronghold some 150 km (100 miles) southeast of the capital, along with his son Saif al-Islam, long seen as the heir apparent. Both men have made broadcasts this week declaring plans to fight back.

Their spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim, speaking from hiding, told Reuters on Friday that Saif al-Islam was in suburbs south of Tripoli. A source with links to Bani Walid said tribal leaders in the town were hoping to negotiate a peaceful entry to the area by NTC forces -- they were seeking assurances that former pro-Gaddafi fighters would not face reprisals.

BANI WALID "UNDER CONTROL"

Tarhouni said on Saturday: "The military council in Tripoli has just informed me a few minutes ago that there's a possibility that Bani Walid will join the revolutionaries and it's under the control of the revolutionaries."

He gave no details. NTC military commanders have said that they have thousands of fighters on hand around Bani Walid in the desert and Gaddafi's home town of Sirte on the coast. But NTC leaders have extended a deadline for surrender by a week to next Saturday, saying they want to avoid further bloodshed.

NTC chief Mustafa Abdel Jalil told a news conference in Benghazi: "We have given one week's notice to Sirte, Bani Walid,

Jufrah and Sabha. This notice does not mean that we are not aware of what Muammar Gaddafi's loyalists are doing.

"We are tracking everything."

Ahmed al-Amal, a unit commander on the front line between Misrata and Sirte, told Reuters: "We are preparing to advance on Sirte ... We're watching the situation in Sirte and Bani Walid closely. There are pockets of resistance everywhere in these areas and also to the south near Sabha.

"Refugees coming out of Sirte have told us there's no food, fuel, water or electricity in the city. Gaddafi families in Sirte are forcing civilians to obey. They are mistreating them. A lot of people are angry and fed up."

Independent accounts from Sirte, Bani Walid and Sabha, deep in the Sahara desert, have not been available as communications appear to be largely cut off. On Friday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on all sides to protect civilians and allow the agency to provide aid to Sirte.

NO REVENGE

The new leadership says it is anxious to foster national reconciliation in a country where Gaddafi long exploited tribal, ethnic and regional differences to maintain his grip.

Speaking of the siege of Sirte, Tarhouni said: "My call and that of all my brothers in the committee, is that we have no desire for revenge. And as you have seen from revolutionaries up till now, this revolutionary power is a good power, and does not practice any form of revenge. On the contrary, they have treated groups they know are killers with respect."

"This is my call ... to our brothers in Sirte: take part in this revolution. You will have safety, except for those who have blood on their hands, or those who have stolen public funds or those who have terrorised the Libyan people. Even those people will be treated in a legal way."

In Britain, one of the NTC's Western allies, Foreign Secretary William Hague said the leaders in Tripoli "want to avoid an unnecessary battle and that is why they have been negotiating with the tribes around Sirte."

"We should give the NTC the credit for how they have performed ... over the five months of this conflict, because we have had no widespread or substantiated reporting of them causing serious civilian casualties," he told Sky News.

In Tripoli, life on the streets was getting back to normal after the fighting last month and the past week's Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Traffic was heavy as supplies of fuel improved. Cafes were busy and offices opened for business.

(Reporting by Christian Lowe and Mohammed Abbas in Tripoli, Maria Golovnina and Alex Dziadosz in Misrata, Sherine El Madany in Umm Qundil, Emma Farge in Benghazi, Marie-Louise Gumuchian, Barry Malone and Alastair Macdonald in Tunis, Amena Bakr and Omar Fahmy in Cairo and Olesya Dmitracova in London; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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Documents show links between CIA, Libya spy unit (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Documents found in Tripoli detail close ties between the CIA and Libya's intelligence service and suggest the United States sent terrorism suspects for questioning in Libya despite that country's reputation for torture, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

The Times reported that the files cover the time from 2002 to 2007, when Moussa Koussa headed Libya's External Security Organization. Koussa most recently had been Libya's foreign minister but defected from now-fugitive leader Muammar Gaddafi's government and flew to Britain on March 30 amid this year's rebel uprising.

The newspaper reported that the documents -- including some English-language files concerning the CIA and Britain's MI-6 intelligence agency -- were found on Friday at the abandoned office of Libya's former spy chief by journalists and the group Human Rights Watch.

The Times said it was impossible to verify the authenticity of the documents but that their content appears to be consistent with facts known about the U.S. transfer of terrorism suspects abroad for interrogation -- a practice known as rendition -- and other known CIA practices. Renditions occurred under former President George W. Bush's administration.

It has been known that Western intelligence services began cooperating with Libya after Gaddafi abandoned his program to build unconventional weapons in 2004. But the files show cooperation with the CIA and MI-6 was more extensive than previously understood, the Times reported.

One document appears to be a proposed speech written by the Americans for Gaddafi about renouncing unconventional weapons. Other files show that MI-6 was willing to trace telephone numbers for the Libyans.

A series of communications about renditions is dated after Libya's 2004 renouncement of its weapons program. The files mention having a friendly country arrest a terrorism suspect, and then suggest aircraft would be sent to retrieve the suspect and bring him to Libya for questioning, the Times reported.

One document detailed a list of 89 questions for the Libyans to ask a terrorism suspect, the Times said.

Some documents told the Libyans to respect detainees' human rights but the Americans still turned over the suspects to a Libyan intelligence service with a long-established history of brutality, the Times said.

"The rendition program was all about handing over these significant figures related to al Qaeda so they could torture them and get the information they wanted," Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch, who studied the documents in the intelligence headquarters in downtown Tripoli, told the Times.

CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Youngblood is quoted by the Times as declining to comment specifically on the documents but saying, "It can't come as a surprise that the Central Intelligence Agency works with foreign governments to help protect our country from terrorism and other deadly threats."

The British Foreign Office told the Times: "It is the longstanding policy of the government not to comment on intelligence matters."

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Tropical Storm Lee lumbers toward Louisiana coast (Reuters)

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – Slow-moving Tropical Storm Lee strengthened as it lumbered toward the Louisiana coast on Saturday, bringing torrential rains that will put the flood defenses of low-lying New Orleans to the test.

The storm is expected to reach the Louisiana coast later on Saturday and bring up to 20 inches of rain to southeast Louisiana over the next few days, including to New Orleans, which was battered by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The center of Lee was 45 miles southwest of Morgan City, with maximum winds of 60 miles per hour, the hurricane center said. Lee's winds were expected to stay below the 74 mph threshold of hurricane strength.

But the prospect of flooding in low-lying New Orleans evoked memories of Hurricane Katrina, which flooded 80 percent of the city, killed 1,500 people and caused more than $80 billion in damage. Half of the city lies below sea level and is protected by a system of levees and flood gates.

The city's extensive levee system is capable of processing about one inch of rainfall per hour, but the storm's slow-moving nature could bring challenges, officials said.

EVACUATIONS

Low-lying parishes around New Orleans saw rising waters, which covered some roadways in Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes, but no homes or businesses were threatened. Some residents in Jefferson Parish were ordered to evacuate.

Periodic breaks in the rainfall allowed the city's giant pumps to catch up with the water flow and clear standing water, said Jefferson Parish President John Young.

"Everything looks good," Young told local television. "The pumps are keeping up with the water. We are getting some street flooding."

Lee will weaken once it hits land, but it will lose strength more slowly than normal due to the marshy nature of the Louisiana coast, the hurricane center said.

Lee's northeasterly track could bring heavy rains to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Appalachian Mountains next week.

Major offshore producers like Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil Corp and BP Plc shut down platforms and evacuated staff earlier this week.

Shell began returning workers to its offshore Perdido platform in the western Gulf of Mexico on Saturday.

About half the U.S. offshore oil production, all based in the Gulf of Mexico, and a third of offshore gas production were shut as of Friday, according to the U.S. government. Most of that output should quickly return once the storm passes.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal on Friday warned that heavy rains, substantial winds and tidal surges from the Gulf of Mexico could produce flash flooding in parts of New Orleans throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Katia weakened to near tropical storm strength as it churned in the Atlantic Ocean, 485 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. Katia had maximum winds of 75 mph, moving northwest at 10 miles per hour.

(Additional reporting by Erwin Seba in Houston, Writing by Chris Baltimore; Editing by Vicki Allen)

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Greek PM Papandreou rules out snap elections (Reuters)

ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou Saturday ruled out snap elections and said his government would succeed in bringing Greece out of the crisis by the end of his term in 2013.

Papandreou's socialist PASOK party is trailing in opinion polls and the government is facing a tough autumn as it tries to implement unpopular austerity measures to secure more EU/IMF funds.

"Citizens will judge us in 2013," Papandreou told members of his party at a conference marking its 37th anniversary.

"By then, we will have achieved bringing Greece out of the crisis and will have completed so many and important reforms," he said.

Political analysts see snap elections in the horizon and say the next few months are critical for the government as Greeks return from summer holidays to tougher austerity measures.

The government must also convince disgruntled lawmakers and an angry public that belt-tightening will pay off.

The government's failure to meet the fiscal targets set by its international lenders is also complicating Papandreou's task.

An official close to the inspectors said late Thursday that the 2011 budget deficit will be at least 8.6 percent of GDP, compared to a target of 7.6 percent.

Friday, Greece and an inspection EU/IMF team interrupted talks on a new aid tranche after disagreeing over why Athens has fallen behind schedule in cutting its budget deficit. Discussions are due to resume on Sept 14.

(Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Karolina Tagaris)

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Israeli rabbi pairs gays to lesbians (AP)

SHILO, West Bank – Rabbi Arele Harel offers an unconventional solution for Orthodox Jewish gay men who want to raise a conventional family: He fixes them up with Orthodox lesbians.

His matchmaking service, which has just gone online, has met criticism on opposing fronts. Orthodox Jewish rabbis say Harel should be doing more to encourage gays and lesbians to try to change their sexual orientation. Liberal religious gay groups see Harel's approach as a ploy to suppress homosexuality.

The matchmaking presents an array of challenges. The relationship may be loveless. The partners may be tempted to seek sexual satisfaction outside the marriage. And the couple may need assistance to get pregnant. But Harel insists he just wants to help people have children, an important commandment of Jewish law.

"The main aspiration here is parenthood," said Harel, 36, from his home in the Jewish West Bank settlement of Shilo. "It allows them to become parents in a way that is permitted by religious Jewish law and prevents a conflict between their religious world and their sexual world."

Most rabbis encourage gays to suppress their attractions, abstain from gay sex or undergo therapy to try to go straight. Harel believes some gays can alter their sexual orientation through therapy, and insists many do. The American Psychological Association has declared no solid evidence exists that such change is likely.

Harel said his method is meant for those who can't change, yet want to remain observant and have children.

Harel began matching lesbians and gay men six years ago, he said, because he recognized a "deep distress" among people "facing a dead end road."

More recently, Kamoha, a religious gay group, began receiving inquiries from gay men and lesbian women about this approach. Kamoha linked up with Harel and last month began publicizing the initiative on its Web site.

Harel says he has wed 12 couples, and several have had children. More than 80 people expressed interest in the matchmaking service when it was publicized by word-of-mouth, and since it went online two weeks ago, Harel says he has received dozens of emails.

"Rabbi Harel introduced us and there was a good initial click," wrote Sari and Avi, a couple Harel set up, in a testimonial on Kamoha's site. "It's not love. It's chemistry, a sense of understanding and partnership, trust and appreciation."

Harel was unable to persuade the couples he has already wed to speak to the media. But Kamoha referred The Associated Press to a man who has applied for Harel's services, a 35-year-old Orthodox Jew in the closet.

He has had casual sex with men but desperately wants to raise a family. He said he has dated numerous straight women; none of the relationships led to marriage.

"It is a risky experiment but there is no other choice," said the man, who refused to give his name because he is hiding his sexual identity.

He said he was willing to forgo love if it means being able to have children. He wants to try to refrain from seeing men when he is married but would discuss the issue with his wife if that changed, he said.

Harel said as long as both parties are aware the other is dating, it would not be adultery in such a union. He said the same would not be true for a straight couple because they are sexually compatible and have no reason to look elsewhere. Jewish law forbids adultery.

Harel contends that gay and lesbian partners learn to love each other once children arrive. "Their love is based on parenthood. Parenthood is the glue and it's strong."

Harel leaves it to the couple's discretion whether to divulge their sexual identities to their children but he recommends they consult with a professional first.

Potential candidates email Harel, who meets with them to assess if they are emotionally ready to be fixed up. Harel then picks a suitable match and introduces the parties. They are put in touch with therapists who are to assist them in their new life. Once they are married, they each pay around $400 for Harel's service.

Israel's secular majority has largely embraced the Western gay rights movement that has led to six cities, among them New York, legalizing same-sex marriage.

There is no gay marriage in Israel primarily because there is no civil marriage and all weddings must be done through the Jewish rabbinate, which does not marry gays and considers homosexuality a sin and a violation of Jewish law.

Gay adoption is officially illegal but some couples get around the law and surrogacy is an option for many same-sex couples. The partner of a parent can adopt the child of his or her partner. There are campaigns to allow for civil marriage which could eventually pave the way for legalizing gay marriage but Israel is far from both.

Still, Tel Aviv is considered one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world, with annual pride parades filling streets and rocking into late hours.

Among Orthodox Jews, homosexuality generally is considered an abomination. Gay observant Jews may be ostracized by their families and many opt to hide their sexual orientation. Only the more liberal streams of Judaism embrace gay couples and even gay rabbis.

In recent years, a number of religious gay groups have emerged, joining pride parades and demanding to be accepted while not going so far as to ask for religious recognition for their relationships.

The liberal religious gay group Havruta opposes Harel's approach, saying it seeks to "erase" homosexuals from the Orthodox community.

"They are saying, `Changing them isn't possible, but how else can we hide their existence? If we can't fix them then let's set them up with lesbians,'" said the group's spokesman, Daniel Jonas.

Yonatan Gher, the head of the Jerusalem Open House, a gay community center and advocacy group, said he doesn't judge the lifestyle choice Harel advocates, but hopes young religious homosexuals don't feel pressured into choosing it.

Rabbis have criticized Harel's method because it doesn't try to discourage gays and lesbians from seeking to change their sexual orientation.

"There is an alternative," said Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, from the Jewish West Bank settlement of Beit El. "When people hear voices that say you won't succeed (to change), they think, `Why bother trying?'"

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Rapper T.I. returned to federal prison in Atlanta (AP)

ATLANTA – Grammy-winning rapper T.I., who was moved to a halfway house this week after months in prison, is locked up again at a federal penitentiary.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons website Friday shows the rapper at the Atlanta penitentiary with a release date of Sept. 29.

The 30-year-old T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, was released from a federal lockup in Arkansas on Wednesday and made the 375-mile trip to Atlanta in a gleaming motor coach.

T.I.'s attorney, Steve Sadow, said Thursday night that there was an issue involving his client's transportation.

Sadow said Friday there was never any intent to mislead or misstate T.I.'s method of transportation, and he hopes the issue can be cleared up quickly so T.I. can return to the halfway house.

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