Sun Life to sell U.S. annuity business for $1.35 billion

(Reuters) - Sun Life Financial Inc , Canada's third-biggest insurer, said it will sell its U.S. annuity business and some life insurance businesses for $1.35 billion to a company owned by shareholders of institutional asset manager Guggenheim Partners.

Sun Life said in December it would stop selling variable annuities and individual life products in the United States to focus more on group insurance and voluntary benefits.

It had billed its decision to pull out of the two capital-intensive businesses, which had become a drag on its earnings, as the start of a "new chapter."

Sun Life said on Monday it expects the sale to Delaware Life Holdings to result in a reduction in book value of C$950 million ($963 million) when the deal closes by the end of the second quarter of 2013.

Sun Life said the transaction is expected to reduce its 2013 earnings by 22 Canadian cents per share.

People familiar with the matter earlier told Reuters that Guggenheim Partners had emerged as the lead bidder for Sun Life's variable annuity business.

The deal is expected to result in a cash of C$1.9 billion, net of a planned repayment of C$350 million of debt in June 2013, Sun Life said in a statement.

Morgan Stanley & Co advised Sun Life on the transaction.

(Reporting by Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay in Bangalore; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sun-life-sell-u-annuity-business-1-35-123612105--sector.html

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Indian E-commerce Could Grow Into A $34 Billion Industry By 2015 ...

The Indian E-commerce segment seems poised to become a powerful segment. If the multiple players continue to grow even at the current pace, the industry could easily cross a gross valuation of US$ 34 Billion within the next 3 years.

Apparently encouraged by the reassuring statistics?from ?Great Online Shopping Festival? companies have begun to build on their efforts. Websites are now aiming to offer a better experience of online shopping. Coincidentally, multiple e-commerce portals reported exhausting their stock/quota within half a day!

The industry is currently ascending at a very healthy compound annual growth rate of 57%. But that?s the least of the figures that matter. The real reasons are actually the skewed ratio of online population versus the people who shop while online. According to HomeShop18?s CEO?Sundeep Malhotra, ?It is estimated, that around 27 million (in India) are active mobile Internet users. Currently, 4 per cent are buying products, through mobiles and in next four years time, it can go up to 20 per cent,? This immediately translates in a 5 fold growth.

Mobiles will help drive the e-commerce:

Over the past year, we have witnessed multiple endeavors by e-commerce portals to reach out to the mobile population. From launching iOS & Android Apps to perfecting location-awareness, online companies are putting muscle to entice shoppers to visualize, search, locate nearby stores, execute & pay for purchases without keeping the phone aside.

One of the points raised by Malhotra did ring a bell of caution though. He said, ?With more than hundreds of websites currently operating in the sphere and many more to join the space, it is obvious that e-commerce is going to be a game changer in India?. Apparently, many websites that come-up, are rarely able to sustain, thanks to extensive peer-pressure keeping prices down & operating costs high.

Hence, it?s not the number of websites, but the way they run the business. From perfecting delivery processes to tweaking website?for user-friendliness, aspects like these will help build & sustain customers.?Many of the portals who?haven?t?realize this, will soon fade into oblivion while others surge ahead. What do you think?

Image Courtesy | ?boston

Alap Naik Desai

Typical Mumbaikar with a passion for all things Tech. Analysis of News is my Passion. You can reach me at alap4u@gmail.com

Source: http://www.watblog.com/2012/12/17/indian-e-commerce-could-grow-into-a-34-billion-industry-by-2015/

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Seneca Family Of Agencies?Foster Care And Adoption ? Alice@97.3

Seneca Family of Agencies identifies the critical services that a child and family need and provide them as long as they?re needed. Seneca?s Foster Care and Adoption services focus on permanency for children seeking their final home or family placements.? Seneca?s programs provide a continuum of care from infant adoptions to youth who are living in a foster care placement awaiting permanency.

The agencies provides numerous services, including:

Case Management Services

Crisis Services

In Home Safety Aide Program

Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

Outpatient Services

Probation Services

Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS)

Transitional Age Youth Services (TAY)

Wraparound Services

Danielle Decker is the Director of Foster Care and Nathan Aleman is the Regional Director.

Seneca Family of Agencies


 Seneca Family Of Agencies...Foster Care And Adoption

Source: http://radioalice.cbslocal.com/2012/12/16/seneca-family-of-agencies-foster-care-and-adoption/

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Raspberry Pi launches app store, allows developers to share free and paid-for apps and games

Raspberry Pi launches app store, allows developers to share free and paidfor apps and games

Raspberry Pi continues to to strengthen its pull on beginner developers and has now launched its very own app store. With 23 titles already available, the company has allied itself with IndieCity and Velocix to create a familiar app shopping experience on the web. Raspberry Pi OS users can download and upload content (including binaries, raw Python code, images, audio or video) to the store, with the option of whether or not to charge embedded alongside a "tip jar" mechanism to offer up some fiscal encouragement. One commercial game, Storm in a Teacup (priced at £1.99) joins the largely free online library, while a system of reviews and ratings hopes to ensure the best content rises to the top, with the system also picking up registered users' personal tastes. You can browse what the store's got to offer at the second source link.

Update: Looks like so many people tried to access the store that it's fallen over. Might be best to try in a little while.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Raspberry Pi (1), (store)

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/52QCslpkxAs/

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Pasta ribbons with prawns and cherry tomatoes recipe - Recipes ...

Advertisement -->

Goodtoknow TV

Free & easy recipe video: Watch new how-to recipe videos with goodtoknow and Woman's Weekly see all videos > Advertisement

A sophisticated pasta dish of tagliatelle with a light creamy wine and garlic sauce, juicy prawns and sweet cherry tomatoes. Use fresh pasta for extra elegance and speed but dried pasta is fine.

  • Serves: 4

  • Prep time: 15 mins

  • Cooking time: 12 mins

  • Total time: 27 mins

  • Skill level: Easy peasy

  • Costs: Mid-price

That's goodtoknow

cartoon image of chef

For meat lovers, cooked chicken or chunks of ham would work just as well as prawns if you prefer. Leave out the prawns for a vegetarian dish and serve with mozzarella pearls scattered on top.

Ingredients

  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 500g peeled raw prawns, thawed if frozen
  • 250g assorted cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 150ml dry white wine
  • 100ml double cream
  • 500g fresh fettucine or tagliatelle pasta
  • Baby salad leaves and lemon wedges to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the garlic for 1 min until soft. Add the prawns and cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring, for a further 2-3 mins until the tomatoes begin to soften and the prawns are pink all over. Season well.
  2. Pour over the wine and cream, and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins until hot.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the fresh pasta for 2-3 mins until just tender. Drain well and keep warm.
  4. To serve, pile the pasta into warm serving bowls. Spoon the prawn and tomato mixture on top, season with black pepper and sprinkle with baby salad leaves. Serve immediately with wedges of lemon to squeeze over.
Cooked this? Upload a picture to our Facebook page

Nutritional information

Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Loved this recipe? Try these too!

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Today's poll

What's your budget to spend on food and drink for Christmas this year?

  • ?151+ 25%
  • ?101-?150 16%
  • ?71-?100 12%
  • ?51-?70 9%
  • ?31-?50 11%
  • Less than ?30 10%
  • I don't know yet 6%
  • I'm not setting a budget 11%

Thanks, your vote has been counted!

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Source: http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/536661/pasta-ribbons-with-prawns-and-cherry-tomatoes

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How To Start A Web Page Design Organization And Then Grow It ...

Posted by ingeramos73 on December 16, 2012 in Articles with No Comments


You must seriously consider starting your own personal company, if you?re a skilled web developer. Web design companies come in sought after as every organization is looking to build an online presence by way of a web site or an e-commerce web outlet. Web design entails minimal start-up expenditures and could be handled from the convenience of one?s house or a small company if you prefer to hire some employees.How to get going together with your website design business?Starting up needs some upfront investment and hard work to build an account and a client base. Following are a number of the measures had a need to get started.Estimate the initial cost: For a web design company, laptop or desktop PC is related to:hardware ? by the initial costs
internet connection
web design application such as PageMaker, Adobe Photoshop, or what you may preferDevelop a for promotion: For a design business, the business website becomes much more substantial. Apart from introducing your solutions, design some ideas and offers to customers, the design of the site is in it self an assertion of one?s ability as a designer.Research the market: The most important concept for any internet organization is always to stay static in tune with internet styles. Check out the website design of leading companies. Distinctive facets are navigational convenience, simple maintainability, and excellent information organization.Develop a portfolio: Initially, you could have to occupy low paying if not non-paying projects as your business is new. Design internet sites for local organizations, non-profit organizations and offer services to build a strong profile, status, and relationships with potential clients.Network to build a person base: One benefit of doing free work initially is networking and spreading knowing of your services. Business cards were designed by distribute self, make cold calls, promote via leaflets, and deliver immediate mails to prospective customers. Register on business marketing or lead technology internet sites, get freelance tasks at first and lead as you grow. The more experience you acquire, the higher you get, and more you expand your company. With more knowledge, you can demand more and goal bigger customers.Discuss appropriate issues: It is usually advisable to talk about legalities with your lawyer like the tax obligations of running a company and possibilities regarding developing a company ? increase, lone manager vessel, limited liability company etc.How to obtain more web design contracts?Web design companies can attract more buyers by giving additional companies, faster delivery times, and attractive rates. Following are a few ideas to ramp up your business.Add-on services: Web developers may partner with other freelancing experts to improve the caliber of their solutions. A copywriter could create efficient text that helps site?s search engine marketing (SEO). An online marketer could possibly get more traffic to the website and increase its visibility. Offering umbrella companies draws more customers as each of their internet site needs are satisfied at one spot. They?ll be happy to spend more for the excess services.Faster delivery: Web developers may cut small designing time through the use of templates in place of designing from scratch. Of course, this is dependent on specific client requirements and the cost of the project. In majority of the circumstances, purchasing a design and customizing it to the customer?s needs is an excellent option.Attractive prices: Low charges usually attract clients. However, that will not mean you sell your self short. Review industry and offer a somewhat reduced price, if you should be short of jobs and wish to develop your organization. But, never give you a quote without understanding what the task involves. Once a quote is recognized, use it in writing along with other facts ? deadlines, agenda, project phases, part obligations, etc.As with businesses are started up by all, huge profits may not be generated by your web design business from day one. But, as your customer base is expanded by you, the caliber of your services can get you more attention and agreements.

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Toward a new model of the cell: Everything you always wanted to know about genes

Dec. 16, 2012 ? Turning vast amounts of genomic data into meaningful information about the cell is the great challenge of bioinformatics, with major implications for human biology and medicine. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and colleagues have proposed a new method that creates a computational model of the cell from large networks of gene and protein interactions, discovering how genes and proteins connect to form higher-level cellular machinery.

The findings are published in the Dec. 16 advance online publication of Nature Biotechnology.

"Our method creates ontology, or a specification of all the major players in the cell and the relationships between them," said first author Janusz Dutkowski, PhD, postdoctoral researcher in the UC San Diego Department of Medicine. It uses knowledge about how genes and proteins interact with each other and automatically organizes this information to form a comprehensive catalog of gene functions, cellular components, and processes.

"What's new about our ontology is that it is created automatically from large datasets. In this way, we see not only what is already known, but also potentially new biological components and processes -- the bases for new hypotheses," said Dutkowski.

Originally devised by philosophers attempting to explain the nature of existence, ontologies are now broadly used to encapsulate everything known about a subject in a hierarchy of terms and relationships. Intelligent information systems, such as iPhone's Siri, are built on ontologies to enable reasoning about the real world. Ontologies are also used by scientists to structure knowledge about subjects like taxonomy, anatomy and development, bioactive compounds, disease and clinical diagnosis.

A Gene Ontology (GO) exists as well, constructed over the last decade through a joint effort of hundreds of scientists. It is considered the gold standard for understanding cell structure and gene function, containing 34,765 terms and 64,635 hierarchical relations annotating genes from more than 80 species.

"GO is very influential in biology and bioinformatics, but it is also incomplete and hard to update based on new data," said senior author Trey Ideker, PhD, chief of the Division of Genetics in the School of Medicine and professor of bioengineering in UC San Diego's Jacobs School of Engineering.

"This is expert knowledge based upon the work of many people over many, many years," said Ideker, who is also principal investigator of the National Resource for Network Biology, based at UC San Diego. "A fundamental problem is consistency. People do things in different ways, and that impacts what findings are incorporated into GO and how they relate to other findings. The approach we have proposed is a more objective way to determine what's known and uncover what's new."

In their paper, Dutkowski, Ideker and colleagues capitalized upon the growing power and utility of new technologies like high-throughput assays and bioinformatics to create elaborately detailed datasets describing complex biological networks. To test the approach, the scientists pulled together multiple such datasets, applied their method, and then compared the resulting "network-extracted ontology" to the existing GO.

They found that their ontology captured the majority of known cellular components, plus many additional terms and relationships, which subsequently triggered updates of the existing GO.

Neither Ideker nor Dutkowski say the new approach is intended to replace the current GO. Rather, they envision it as complementary high-tech model that identifies both known and uncharacterized biological components derived directly from data, something the current GO does not do well. Moreover, they note a network-extracted ontology can be continuously updated and refined with every new dataset, moving scientists closer to the complete model of the cell.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Janusz Dutkowski, Michael Kramer, Michal A Surma, Rama Balakrishnan, J Michael Cherry, Nevan J Krogan, Trey Ideker. A gene ontology inferred from molecular networks. Nature Biotechnology, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nbt.2463

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/most_popular/~3/j6nvh78QoZ4/121216132515.htm

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On foreign policy, Kerry is Obama's good soldier

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Democratic Sen. John Kerry stands tall as President Barack Obama's good soldier.

The Massachusetts lawmaker has flown to Afghanistan and Pakistan numerous times to tamp down diplomatic disputes, spending hours drinking tea and taking walks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai or engaging in delicate negotiations in Islamabad.

It's a highly unusual role for a Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman: envoy with a special but undefined portfolio.

Kerry has pushed the White House's national security agenda in the Senate with mixed results. He successfully ensured ratification of a nuclear arms reduction treaty in 2010 and most recently failed to persuade Republicans to back a U.N. pact on the rights of the disabled.

Throughout this past election year, he skewered Obama's Republican rival, Mitt Romney, at nearly every opportunity and was a vocal booster for the president's re-election. Kerry memorably told delegates at the Democratic National Convention in August: "Ask Osama bin Laden if he's better off now than he was four years ago."

Obama seems likely to reward all that work by nominating the 69-year-old Kerry, perhaps in the coming days, to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as the nation's top diplomat. The prospects for the five-term senator soared last week when U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, a top contender for the post, withdrew from consideration to avoid a fierce fight with Senate Republicans.

A Kerry nomination has been discussed with congressional leaders, and consultations between the White House and congressional Democrats have centered on the fate of his Senate seat, according to officials familiar with the situation who were not authorized to publicly discuss the talks. If the seat were in play, it could boost the prospects for recently defeated Republican Sen. Scott Brown to win back a job in Washington.

At the same time, Obama is considering one of Kerry's former Senate colleagues, Republican Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, for the Pentagon's top job.

The selection of Kerry would close a political circle with Obama. In 2004, it was White House hopeful Kerry who asked a largely unknown Illinois state senator to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic convention in Boston, handing the national stage to Obama. Kerry lost that election to President George W. Bush. Four years later, Obama was the White House hopeful who succeeded where Kerry had failed.

Senate colleagues in both parties say Kerry's confirmation would be swift and near certain, another remarkable turnaround. Eight years ago, the GOP ridiculed Kerry as a wind-surfing, flip-flopper as he tried and failed to unseat Bush.

"If he is nominated, he comes into the position with a world of knowledge. He's someone who certainly understands how the legislative process works and I think he will be someone that Congress will want to work with in a very positive way," said Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is poised to become the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee next year.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said "there's no question he has a very strong depth of knowledge of these issues. Certainly qualified."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has taken to jokingly referring to Kerry as "Mr. Secretary."

Kerry and McCain, defeated presidential candidates who returned to the Senate, have joined forces repeatedly during the past few decades. In July 1995, the two decorated Vietnam War veterans provided political cover to President Bill Clinton when he normalized U.S. relations with Vietnam. Clinton had been dogged by questions about his lack of military service.

Last year, Kerry and McCain were outspoken in pushing for a no-fly zone over Libya as Moammar Gadhafi's forces attacked rebels and citizens. This month, they stood together in arguing for the disabilities treaty against staunch Republican opposition and complaints that it could undermine U.S. national sovereignty.

The pact fell five votes short of ratification, and Kerry called it "one of the saddest days I've seen" in his years in the Senate.

"Today I understand better than ever before why Americans have such disdain for Congress and just how much must happen to fix the Senate so we can act on the real interests of our country," he said, his frustration evident.

Kerry has traveled extensively for the administration, to Afghanistan in May as a strategic partnership agreement loomed large in the decade-plus war. He was in Pakistan last year in the midst of a diplomatic crisis after Raymond Davis, a CIA-contracted American spy, was accused of the killing two Pakistanis.

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, traveled to Pakistan around that time and recalled Kerry's influence.

"I arrived in Islamabad I think five days after Ray Davis had been taken into a jail in the Punjab and was at very real risk of being hauled out of the jail and lynched," Coons said. "Sen. Kerry was about to show up and negotiate on behalf of the administration. And it was clear that both the diplomats and the military folks we met with viewed him as a real man of credibility and experience who was likely to contribute meaningfully to those negotiations."

Davis pleaded self-defense. After weeks of wrangling between the U.S. and Pakistan, he was released in exchange for "blood money" paid to the dead men's relatives.

This year, Kerry has presided over committee hearings on treaties and other major issues, but there has been little legislative work. He didn't draw much attention to the committee, avoiding possible embarrassments for the administration in an election year.

Corker said he would have liked for the committee to devote more time to events in Libya, Syria and other countries.

"I think he's tried to accommodate our concerns and at the same time seek a balance ... giving the administration the headroom they needed to do what he and the administration felt was best. I understand that," he said, speaking of Kerry.

Coons said Kerry's deliberate work is often behind the scenes.

"The role of the chairman ... is not always getting your picture taken with George Clooney, standing around with heads of state, going to receptions in Foggy Bottom," he said. "It's also lots and lots of time listening to folks who've got concerns whether it's on behalf of the defense community, the business community, the diplomatic community and being the person who's at the intersection of all that and trying to keep the Senate productively engaged in a very dangerous world with a lot of emerging threats."

___

Associated Press writer Steve Peoples in Boston contributed to this report.

___

Donna Cassata can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DonnaCassataAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/foreign-policy-kerry-obamas-good-soldier-173621370--politics.html

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Zuma asks South Africa's ANC to keep him as leader

The ruling party African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma sings before addressing delegates during the opening of their elective conference at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. Zuma acknowledged Sunday that corruption and violence have marred the image of his African National Congress as it changed from a liberation movement to governing party, but called on members to again support him to be its leader. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

The ruling party African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma sings before addressing delegates during the opening of their elective conference at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. Zuma acknowledged Sunday that corruption and violence have marred the image of his African National Congress as it changed from a liberation movement to governing party, but called on members to again support him to be its leader. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

The ruling party African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma reacts during the opening of their elective conference at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. Zuma acknowledged Sunday that corruption and violence have marred the image of his African National Congress as it changed from a liberation movement to governing party, but called on members to again support him to be its leader. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

FILE - This Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012 photo from files shows South African president Jacob Zuma, left, and deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, right, during the opening of Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa. South Africa's governing African National Congress political party will return Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, to where it first formed a century ago to fight apartheid, to pick its next leader, at a time some believe the movement is fighting to regain its moral high ground. (AP Photo Schalk van Zuydam-File)

A poster with a picture of former South African President Nelson Mandela in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, ahead of the ruling party elective conference where the current President Jacob Zuma will fight for a second term as head of the ruling party. Mandela on Friday, Dec 14 2012 entered the seventh day of a hospital stay for a lung infection as questions grow about where he is receiving treatment. The 94-year-old patriarch of South Africa's democracy has been hospitalized since Saturday, first undergoing tests and later being diagnosed with the ailment. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

FILE - In this Thursday, Sept. 22, 2006 photo from files the former deputy president Jacob Zuma, speaks during a news conference in Johannesburg. South Africa. South Africa's governing African National Congress political party will return Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012, to where it first formed a century ago to fight apartheid to pick its next leader , at a time some believe the movement is fighting to regain its moral high ground. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe-file)

(AP) ? South African President Jacob Zuma acknowledged Sunday that corruption and violence have marred the image of the African National Congress under his watch, but called on members to again support him to be the political party's leader.

The ANC, once a liberation movement that started a century ago to fight apartheid, has been governing South Africa for 18 years and faces increasing criticism in this nation of 50 million people that's the continent's top economy. Some 4,000 delegates gathered Sunday for the start of the party's Mangaung conference, being held in the city also known as Bloemfontein, and listened to Zuma offer occasionally candid comments about the party's issues. Still, Zuma made promises and said his government remained on track to change South Africa, attempting to appeal to delegates who will decide whether Zuma or his quiet deputy Kgalema Motlanthe should take charge of the party. And while Zuma long has been trailed by corruption allegations and questions about his personal life, he remains the favorite among delegates to lead the party and likely become South Africa's president after the nation's 2014 elections.

"We want to dismiss the perceptions that the country is falling apart," Zuma said in his speech televised live across the country. However, he later admitted: "The challenges we face ? unemployment, poverty and inequality ? are South African in their origin, and are deep and structural."

The ANC remains the dominant political force in post-apartheid South Africa and opposition parties don't receive the same support at the polls, meaning whomever is named president of party will more than likely become the nation's next president. However, South Africa has seen credit downgrades in recent months, as well as violent protests across its mining industry that saw about 46 people killed at a Marikana platinum mine, most by police.

In his more than one hour and a half speech, Zuma called the violence at Marikana an "indictment" of the ANC for not being there for the miners. He also criticized the violence and bribery that accompanied ANC meetings leading up to the Mangaung conference, which saw several people killed.

"We should not allow the situation where those who have money turn ANC members into commodities," Zuma said. "All these tendencies have been creeping into the movement gradually and they need to be dealt with very strongly."

The 70-year-old Zuma also criticized the process that the government uses to award contracts for allowing corruption that is "turning people we know into something else." That comment, as well as others, drew murmurs from delegates that saw it as a reflection of the corruption allegations and claims of ethical impropriety that have clouded Zuma.

Zuma faces criticism over the millions of dollars of government-paid improvements made to his private homestead. That comes as most black South Africans, the base of the ANC's following, remain mired in poverty.

The president also has been implicated in a corruption probe surrounding a 1999 arms deal, as well as faced accusations from the media about being unable to manage his own personal finances. Zuma also has faced criticisms over his private life, ranging from his multiple marriages to his 2006 trial for charges of raping a family friend that ended in an acquittal.

His main competition in the ANC is Motlanthe, his 63-year-old deputy president and a former union leader. Motlanthe served as a caretaker president for South Africa from September 2008 to May 2009, after Zuma ousted Mbeki as leader of the ANC in tight party election. Motlanthe also offers what appears to be the opposite of Zuma's leadership ? a pensive and technocratic approach that differs from Zuma's crowd-pleasing comments and dancing.

Despite the challenge, Zuma still remains the favorite to lead the party. He won more provinces in recent local polls and delegates on Sunday sang pro-Zuma songs and raised their two fingers above their head ? a call for his second term. Those supporting Motlanthe rolled their fingers above their head, signifying they wanted a change.

In the coming days, delegates will vote for leaders by a secret ballot, without their mobile phones after concerns arose over people being told to photograph their ballots to prove who they vote for, ANC organizers have said. If it becomes a race with multiple candidates and no one gets more than 50 percent of the ballots cast, there will be a run-off with the top two candidates, they said.

In his speech, Zuma criticized the media and "alien" practices he said were trying to tear the ANC apart. While acknowledging the movement had become an established political party instead of the guerrilla movement of the apartheid era, he also talked about the group's revolutionary past and sang about Nelson Mandela, the 94-year-old anti-apartheid icon who remains hospitalized after suffering from a lung infection and undergoing gallstone surgery.

In mentioning Mandela, as well as the ANC's past, Zuma appeared to try and link his current leadership with the larger history of the party. He cemented that by opening and closing his remarks by singing in Zulu: "The journey is long, ... Mandela told his followers that we'll meet on freedom day."

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Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-16-South%20Africa-ANC/id-6d7729f5974b42f0ad31f2f988523cb6

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