New show gives close-up of women in wheelchairs

LOS ANGELES (AP) - In the opening moments of a new reality show, a pretty blonde pulls up to a gas station in her sporty Mustang. As she fills the tank, she catches the eye of a man across the station and smiles. Soon she drives away, waving to her admirer as she leaves. Another Kardashian-style series? Not quite. Around her fueling and flirting, we also see the woman assembling a wheelchair, popping herself into it and then disassembling the chair before driving off. The blonde is 28-year-old Tiphany Adams, one of the stars of "Push Girls," a Sundance Channel reality series premiering Monday that takes viewers into the lives of four beautiful wheelchair-bound women. All paralyzed through injury or illness, Adams and her three best friends - Mia Schaikewitz, 33, Auti Angel, 42, and Angela Rockwood, 36 - are shown navigating everyday challenges of all sizes, from putting on makeup to starting a family. It's an unprecedented look at the lives of disabled women, catheters and all, and either a new high or new low for reality TV. "As a community, we say we want to be treated like everyone else. Well, everyone else has a reality show," said Paul Tobin, president and chief executive of United Spinal Association, an advocacy organization for people with spinal cord injuries. "These aren't the 'Mob Wives.' ... My belief is that 'Push Girls' will help dispel Camiseta del FC Barcelona preconceived notions by showing people living their lives and enjoying the same things as everyone else, just a little bit differently." The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, another spinal cord injury advocacy group, is promoting "Push Girls" and joining with Sundance Channel to raise funds for research. Reeve Foundation president and chief executive Peter Wilderotter called the show "a media milestone." "It truly is reality and it's bringing home what it's like to live with a spinal cord injury," he said. "With these women's sense of style, sense of humor, and sense of who they are and what they're going through, the portrait is really important because I think most people don't really think about what life is like in a chair." "Push Girls" star Angel never did. A professional hip-hop dancer who toured with artists such as N.W.A. and LL Cool J, Angel's spinal cord was snapped in a 1992 car accident. She was paralyzed from the waist down and has used a wheelchair ever since. "Before my car accident, when I was an able-bodied person, I never met a person with a disability," she said. "So I would be in the same boat with the viewers, like wow, they can have kids? And they don't marry other people in wheelchairs?" Angel allows the cameras to eavesdrop on her private conversations with her husband about having a baby, one of the show's ongoing story lines. Producer Gay Rosenthal said she was inspired to make "Push Girls" after meeting Rockwood, a model and actress who became a quadriplegic after a 2001 car accident. "I was really taken with her," the producer said. Then she met Rockwood's best friends and "it changed my life." "This is why I do what I do," she said. "They're more able bodied than some able-bodied people. They're so inspirational." And their message is universal: "You watch just their spirit and how nothing stops them and how they live life, and it makes you think, 'I can get through my challenge, my obstacle and my adversity," said Rosenthal, also the executive producer of TLC's "Little People, Big World," a reality series about the everyday life of a family of little people. Rosenthal maintains that the show doesn't exploit its subjects. "Here's the thing: People are interested in how ("Little People" stars) Matt Cheap Jerseys and Amy do things differently," she said. "Just like Tiphany pumping gas, it's really interesting to see and it's no big deal for her." Schaikewitz said her paralysis at age 15 from a ruptured vessel in her spinal cord is "the best thing that ever happened to me, for reasons that I am able to open somebody's mind by doing an everyday normal activity. "I don't even have to converse with somebody," she said. "They see me pumping gas and that changes their day. To me, that is a huge gift." So is having the Sundance Channel and "Push Girls" to share her reality with others. "When I was first paralyzed, I always had this mission to open people's minds and get us a little more accessible to people who don't know our world because it would erase some fears, and I always thought the best way to do that would be through mass media," she said. "This is totally not exploitative. It's educational, but in a fun way; not like a public service announcement and not like preaching." The 14-episode series will follow the women as they work, swim, ski, date and relate with their families. Sundance Channel jumped on the chance to work with "Push Girls," said general manager Sarah Barnett. "This was a story that hadn't been told about four women in wheelchairs, and it really lifted the lid on a population that hasn't really been looked at on television," she said. "The show really does challenge some stereotypes (for those who) are really hungry and open to an authentic, honest discovery about something we haven't thought about before." For Tiphany Adams, the woman at the gas station, the series tells the world she still has what it takes. "It's about awareness. It's about showing you that we are courageous and we still have power and that enthusiasm for life," she said. "We still love shopping. We still love flirting our wheels off."

Facebook stock 26% below IPO

After a brief reprieve in morning trading, Facebook's stock once again closed lower on Wednesday, nearly $10 below its initial public offering price. Shares of Facebook dropped 65 cents, or 2.3%, to close at NBA Jerseys Wholesale $28.19. It's the third-consecutive trading day the stock has dropped from the previous close. It got some relief earlier in the day, going as high as $29.55. Wednesday's close is down about 26% from the stock's IPO price of $38. Facebook began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market on May 18. N.J. expects $40M yearly from Amazon taxes New Jersey stands to see as much as $40 million a year in sales-tax revenue from Amazon.com, the biggest online retailer, Gov. Chris Christie said. A deal the Republican governor disclosed Wednesday will bring to New Jersey $130 million in investments and 1,500 full-time jobs. Amazon will start collecting the 7% tax July 1, 2013, Christie said at a Trenton news briefing. Work on two new warehouses in the state may begin next year, he said. "Today's announcement marks a first step toward a long-term relationship with Amazon," Christie, 49, told journalists. "With this agreement, Amazon is stepping up and making a real commitment to our state and to our people." The accord is the latest example of Amazon reaching sales tax deals with states: This month a similar arrangement was announced with Nevada, and last month the company agreed to begin collecting sales tax in Texas. Agreements with the states may presage federal legislation that would simplify the taxation of online sales, said Christie and Paul Misener, vice president of global public policy for the Seattle-based firm. Angry Birds game maker Rovio expands scope At Rovio, the future is Angry. The Finnish gaming company behind Angry Birds -- with more than 1 billion downloads to date -- is now spreading its wings beyond the virtual world. It has already launched plush toys, lunch boxes, clothing, stationery, food and drink items, a Formula 1 driver sponsorship deal and a jewelry line. Rovio announced this week that it would launch an Angry Birds-branded debit card in Russia in partnership with a local bank. Next up: Angry Birds Land, one of the highlights of a theme park opening next month in the Finnish city of Tampere. TECHNOLOGY BlackBerry maker RIM in tailspin Research In Motion, the maker of the BlackBerry, is in steep decline. The company, once the crown jewel of the Canadian technology industry, is now worth 1% of Apple's market capitalization. One way for RIM to stop the downward tailspin: It could sell itself to a competitor or financial firm. But who would step up to buy RIM -- and why? Late Tuesday, the company said it expects to post an operating loss for the current quarter, a sign that BlackBerry sales are falling even faster than analysts expected. On Wednesday, the company's stock hit its lowest level since 2003, the year RIM went from making two-way e-mail pagers to smartphones. HP promotes Veghte to chief operating officer Hewlett-Packard has promoted Bill Veghte to chief operating officer, the latest expansion of his responsibilities since the slumping technology company hired Meg Whitman as its CEO eight months ago. The appointment announced Wednesday makes it clear that Whitman intends to lean heavily on Veghte as she tries to boost HP's earnings and sagging stock price. Management missteps have hobbled the Silicon Valley pioneer as its rivals raced ahead with more innovative products and services. Both Veghte and Whitman may have to grapple with deteriorating employee morale as they try to turn around HP. The company last week disclosed that it will eliminate 27,000 jobs, or about 8% of its workforce, by October 2014. ENERGY Exxon shareholders OK CEO's $25.2M pay Exxon Mobil's CEO had a good year in 2011 -- he got compensation valued at $25.2 million. Shareholders had a good year, too, so on Wednesday they gave their approval to the oil giant's executive pay program. Investors at Exxon's annual meeting cast about 78% of their shares in favor of the compensation-setting system, ignoring critics who said executive pay was too high. Shareholders also voted against resolutions against a controversial method of drilling for natural gas and called on Exxon to set targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Oil price heads for biggest drop since Dec. 2008 The price of oil is headed for its biggest monthly decline since December 2008. Oil has dropped more than 16% so far in May, erasing all of its gains for the year. That's helped lower gas prices and provided a little financial relief to cautious consumers. Prices are falling on expectations that the world won't use as much oil this year as previously thought. Europe's financial crisis is the most immediate concern, but there have been plenty of signs of weaker demand. EUROPE 10-year Treasury yield hits low on Europe fears A key borrowing rate is sinking to a 66-year low as fear over Europe roils global markets. The yield on the 10-year Treasury dropped to 1.62% in Wednesday trading as investors shifted money into Treasurys and other government bonds considered safe. The flight to Treasurys was spurred by reports that the European Central Bank rejected a plan to help Spain pay for a banking bailout. The price of the 10-year Treasury jumped $1.12 for every $100 invested. Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Rising demand for bonds lowers their yields. Worries that troubles in Europe will set off a wider financial crisis have driven traders into Treasurys in May. The 10-year Treasury started the month paying 1.95%. Calls grow for European central bank authority As Europe's debt crisis intensifies, top officials say the continent urgently needs a central authority with the financial muscle to fix its broken banks. The proposal could give immediate relief to Spain's increasingly fragile economy, with its borrowing rates rising to unsustainable levels, rattling investors. The European Commission called Wednesday for a "banking union" that can oversee and, if needed, bail out banks without having to go through national governments. It would have the power to force banks to heal their finances and also have access to a pool of money to rescue banks, lifting pressure off individual countries -- like Spain -- that are already strapped for cash.

US remains opposed to military action in Syria

WASHINGTON—Shocking as it was, the massacre of more than 100 Syrian villagers is unlikely to galvanize a military assault like last year's campaign in Libya to oust Moammar Gadhafi. The killings, however, did provoke the strongest international condemnation the United States and other nations could muster. The U.S. joined more than a dozen nations in expelling Syrian diplomats on Tuesday, and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney pushed for further, direct action to dislodge Syrian President Bashar Assad. But President Barack Obama's spokesman emphasized more limited options. "We do not believe that militarization, further militarization of the Barcelona Camiseta situation in Syria at this point is the right course of action," said White House press secretary Jay Carney. "We believe that it would lead to greater chaos, greater carnage." The nation's top military officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey, had appeared to hint at a possible shift in that longstanding U.S. position, saying Monday that despite reservations about military intervention "it may come to a point with Syria," because of the mounting atrocities. Pentagon spokesman George Little said Tuesday that those remarks did not mean the United States had backed off its position that military intervention risks doing more harm than good. The Pentagon has not been asked to provide plans for military options in Syria, Little said. "The focus remains on the diplomatic and economic track," Little said. "But at the end of the day, we in the Department of Defense have a responsibility to look at the full spectrum of options and to make them available if they're requested." Romney, who is opposing Obama in this year's presidential election, said the massacre argued for strong action, including arming the rebels and pressuring Russia to stop selling arms to Assad forces. "President Obama's lack of leadership has resulted in a policy of paralysis that has watched Assad slaughter 10,000 individuals," Romney said. The administration's position reflects deep doubt that any bombing Nike Free Run campaign could be accomplished quickly and relatively bloodlessly, as in Libya. The United States would have to be a major participant in any sustained coalition war to remove Assad, something U.S. officials had all but ruled out before the massacre in Houla over the weekend. The United States is providing "non-lethal" assistance to the Syrian rebels fighting Assad, meaning supplies and help that do not include ammunition or weapons. "Right now, our focus is on humanitarian aid, non-lethal aid, and I'm not going to speculate as to where the future might take us," Little said. The administration is also helping other nations who are providing lethal aid determine suitable recipients. "We and many nations that are -- that consider themselves friends of Syria -- are assessing the opposition as we help -- help them stand themselves up and help them unify," Carney said.

Eight States That Will Shape 2012 Election

JUDY WOODRUFF:And as Romney heads to those two key swing states, we assess the presidential contest.And for that, we are joined by NewsHour political editor Christina Bellantoni, and Stuart Rothenberg of The Rothenberg Political Report. He's also a columnist for Roll Call.Thank you both for being here on this Memorial Day.So, only five months to go. Tomorrow is really the kickoff of the summer campaign season. I want both of you to tell me how you see the state of this race right now.Stu, what do you -- what does it look like to you?STUART ROTHENBERG, The Rothenberg Political Report: Well, Judy, I look at two things.I look at the fundamentals, how states have performed in the past, how the country has gone. And then I look at where we are right now with the economy, the reputation of the parties, the president's standing. It looks like a real horse race. I know everybody is saying it, but that doesn't mean it can't possibly be true.I think the race is very close and it's going to be decided by what happens between now and November. So events are really going to matter and how the two candidates respond to them.JUDY WOODRUFF:Christina, what does it look like, 50/50?CHRISTINA BELLANTONI:Yeah, absolutely.You've got -- first of all, you're going to NFL Jerseys Cheap see dozens and dozens of polls over the next five months. And some of them are going to be a little bit more important than others. But one of the things that you're seeing nationally is that, since it's been clear that Mitt Romney is the presumptive Republican nominee here, he's starting to inch up a little bit on the president in national perspective.But in the battleground states, where the president's team has really invested a lot of money in their ground game, their campaign infrastructure, hiring a lot of people and registering voters, you're seeing it a little bit stronger for the president in some of them and then Romney having a little bit of ground to make up in both.JUDY WOODRUFF:So, speaking of those battlegrounds states, if you look at a map of the United States -- and we just happen to have our Vote 2012 Map Center right here to show everybody -- you see those states in blue that are considered either solidly or leaning Democratic. In red, we're showing the states that are solidly or leaning Republican, and then yellow, eight states that are tossups.So, Stu, let's talk about those. And let's start on the East Coast and work our way west with Florida, which keeps everybody guessing, at least at this stage of the campaign. What does Florida look like?STUART ROTHENBERG:Right, certainly as it did in 2000.Well, there's a recent NBC News/Marist poll that has the president up by four points, 48 to 44. That's among registered voters. If you look historically at Florida, Judy it performs more Republican than the country as a whole. That is a few points more Republican. So, although President Obama won it last time, he didn't win it by anything close to the over seven points he won nationally.I think you have to look at Florida in a number of ways. Hispanics are an important constituency, senior citizens, of course. But really Florida is three states in one. North Florida performs the way the South does. It's conservative. South Florida, particularly the Gold Coast, the Miami-Broward portion of the state, is more like New Jersey. So Florida is going to be determined probably by swing voters in the I-4 Corridor, that central part of the belt stretching from Orlando all the way over to Tampa-St. Pete.JUDY WOODRUFF:Which we hear about in every election.So, let's move up a little bit north there to Virginia.CHRISTINA BELLANTONI:Right. Virginia is the battleground of all battlegrounds. Of course, it did not vote Democratic -- it voted Democratic in 2008, but it hadn't since 1964. This was a big win for Barack Obama in 2008.And they did that in part by targeting a lot of the expanding suburbs in the Washington area in Northern Virginia and also looking at this military region, Hampton Roads, and also targeting younger voters and the changing demographics of Virginia.So, this is something -- you're going to see this, both campaigns put a lot of energy and resources there. It's very easy for the president to cross over into Virginia and campaign here. You saw him hold one of his first reelection rallies in Richmond.And you're going to see a lot more there. And Mitt Romney has made very clear he's going to contest here. When you look at where these campaigns are advertising, Virginia is almost always on the list for the campaigns and the super PACs that are backing them.JUDY WOODRUFF:So long, as you say, a state the Republicans could almost take for granted, but not anymore.So, Stu, let's turn to the Midwest, and quickly look at three states there, starting with Ohio.STUART ROTHENBERG:So there's a recent NBC News/Marist poll that shows the president up by five points, though only in the mid-40s, against Mitt Romney. Ohio went for Bush in 2000 and 2004.It then went for President Obama, not the way it did it nationally. Nationally, the president won by seven. In Ohio, it was about 4.5 points. I think one of the interesting things about Ohio is the economic recovery. The automobile industry and the overall sense that the economy is coming back, will that help the president enough to help him carry a state that, all things being equal -- and they are never equal, Judy -- but all things being equal, the Republicans have a slight advantage in.JUDY WOODRUFF:Okay, and near and still in the Midwest, Christina, Iowa.CHRISTINA BELLANTONI:Iowa, this is a really interesting state because it has swung for both parties over the presidential years.And, obviously, it's very near and dear to President Obama's heart because it is where he was able to sort of start his path to the Democratic nomination in 2008 by winning the caucuses. He put a lot of investment in getting the young college voters in that state to get engaged for him. He has campaigned there many times.He has sent the vice president there many times. But it's also an interesting state because the economy is a little bit better in Iowa than it is in other parts of the country. And you're also seeing a pretty strong Republican effort in some of the down-ballot races. So, you have got some competitive congressional races. You're seeing a lot of advertising at that level.So, this is not a state that the Obama campaign can take for granted this year.JUDY WOODRUFF:And, Stu, quickly to Wisconsin, which is a state that all -- that also has a very closely watched governor recall.STUART ROTHENBERG:Right. Right.And the state is very polarized. The recall shows the race close, as Gov. Scott Walker facing a recall against Tom Barrett. Fascinating state, Judy. In Nike Free tilbud 2000 and 2004, this state went Democratic by each time less than one-half of 1 percent. And yet in 2008, it blew open. The president won it by almost 14 percentage points.The question is, now, is it going to come back? Some of these Upper Midwest states like good government candidates who talk about bringing the country together. I think the thing to watch here is white working-class voters and to what extent are they dissatisfied with the economy.JUDY WOODRUFF:All right, we're going to touch just very briefly now on these last few states we want to talk about.Christina, in New Hampshire, it's only four electoral votes, but in a close race, that could matter.CHRISTINA BELLANTONI:Especially when you have got Mitt Romney, who was the governor of Massachusetts. He owns property in New Hampshire. He has spent a lot of time there. He's beloved by a lot of these residents and it really has got this independent streak. It backed President Obama in 2008, but they do like to make a little bit of a switch here.JUDY WOODRUFF:And, Stu, moving out west, Colorado?STUART ROTHENBERG:I would say the two keys here are Hispanics and suburban voters. This is the West, but it's not the West like Wyoming or Arizona or Montana.There are a whole bunch of suburban voters here around the Denver area that probably will decide this election and again the Hispanic turnout.JUDY WOODRUFF:And, Christina, the last of these swing states we're looking at is Nevada.CHRISTINA BELLANTONI:Yes. And the Hispanic turnout is very, very important in this race.And you have also got the president was able to activate a very strong Democratic base in that state in 2008. He helped Senator -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid win reelection in 2010 with that. And that's what he's trying to do now. And we have noticed these campaigns are not advertising there, in part because the president is standing strong.JUDY WOODRUFF:So let's finally look at the map again and talk just quickly about what the president and what Gov. Romney have to do to get to that 270, which is what they need. Several paths, Stu, for the president, but maybe only a few for Gov. Romney.STUART ROTHENBERG:That's true. Romney must win Ohio and Florida.And then I think the key is going to come down to Wisconsin, Virginia, Colorado. I think Virginia is going to be a crucial state, Judy. And I don't say that just because we're located in Virginia at the moment. You know, when you do the math, if the Republicans win the states that they have in the past, if Romney wins them, it's going to come down to a handful of states.The president has a lot more opportunities. If he can pick off Ohio, for example, he makes it impossible for Mitt Romney to win.JUDY WOODRUFF:Quick last word.CHRISTINA BELLANTONI:And you can take a look on our Map Center.

Yardy revealed depression issues to Flower

Andy Flower, England's coach, was aware of Michael Yardy's battle with depression almost six months before the allrounder withdrew from the latter stages of last year's World Cup and to all intents and purposes ended his international career.Yardy has revealed in the 2012 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, which is published on Thursday, when he told Flower about his problems. "He was unbelievably supportive," Yardy said. "It was a huge relief just to tell him."Flower respected Yardy's confidentiality and put him in touch with Brett Morrissey, a behavioural therapist and sports psychologist based at Warwickshire Hospital, who has also advised the IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils.Yardy's depression first had a direct impact upon his career when he pulled out of England's last one-Nike Free 7.0 Dame day international against Pakistan at the Rose Bowl in September 2010. At the end of a fractious series, with revelations about Pakistani spot-fixing in full swing, and PCB chairman Ijaz Butt claiming it was all "a conspiracy" against Pakistan, nobody outside the England set-up bothered to consider why Yardy's Sussex team-mate Luke Wright had been preferred."Deep down I knew I was in a bad place," Yardy said. "I was very tense and living on a very short fuse - both with myself and others … I always had high expectations but things were getting out of hand. I could never please myself, was constantly striving for more and setting unrealistic goals, which just increased the pressure I was putting on myself because of the self-doubt."I have always liked my own space, but now the very act of being around other people became an effort. My mind was saying: 'They don't like you anyway. Why would they? You're a loser.' Everyone has negative thoughts but I was letting mine rule my life."Yardy went to the World Cup looking forward to his second experience of cricket in India, after the 2006 Champions Trophy *. But his erratic Nike Free Dame bowling form was apparent in what was to prove his last ODI. In the group stage against South Africa, he was England's most expensive bowler - a ploy to give him the new ball almost backfiring - in a tie they sneaked on their way to reaching the quarter-finals."At night I would lie for hours battling with my mind," he revealed. "It became a vicious circle: I was missing my family, I was performing badly and my self-belief was low. The harder I tried, the more I kept hitting a brick wall."When we arrived in Sri Lanka for our quarter-final, I was struggling. I was out of the team and remember operating at a training session in a daze. Our spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed, a great friend and former Sussex team-mate, insisted I needed to think about my health. At this stage I knew I needed to go home."Edited by Alan Gardner 10.30 GMT, April 11: It was earlier mentioned that Yardy was making his first trip to India in 2011.

Kanitkar 'humbled' to be in final again

Late on the second day of the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Rohtak, Rajasthan opener Vineet Saxena talked about his team's careering path to the final, from the edge of elimination to a second straight final. Winning their last two league matches outright, one of them with bonus points, was the minimum that Rajasthan needed to do for a chance to enter the quarter-finals. Despite that, the ticket to the knock-out rounds would only come through with every last-round result from their group falling their way.When it actually happened and the defending champions made the quarters after having sneaked ahead of Saurashtra on the quotient, Saxena said with a smile, "We thought maybe God has something else planned for us."Divine intervention aside, Rajasthan's road to the Ranji final has largely been made up of Cheap NFL Jerseys steering clear of contemplating the end of the line. Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the Rajasthan captain, said that Rajasthan didn't think about making it all the way. "We weren't looking at the final because we didn't start very well."Now that they are in the final, Kanitkar said that getting a second shot at the title was "a humbling thing" because of what it has taken to get there and also knowing "that there are many teams who have done it many times."As the wickets fell in the semi-final, even Kanitkar, a seasoned and calm-tempered cricketer rarely given to theatrics or over-the-top celebrations, was heard shouting encouragement at his bowlers.Amit Asawa, the Rajasthan coach, found himself trying to let it all sink in. "It is amazing," he said, "I am out of words. Two years ago we were in the bottom of the Plate League and now we are in our second straight final."The team had been preparing itself since July, Asawa, a former Rajasthan player, said. Defending the title would demand more of the players with the increased competition in the Elite League and the weight of last year's performance on their shoulders. "We had heard all this in the air that we were tagged the champions but we didn't keep the pressure of being champions," Asawa said.The main priority, Asawa said, was to make their place in the Elite League secure. "We knew we were in the Elite League and we would be facing strong teams. We wanted to remain here so this has far more significance and has been tougher than what we did last year … for me Rajasthan cricket has grown in the last two years."The team prepared for their new season with the players sharing time in the Rajasthan Cricket Association Academy in Jaipur and the older pros getting to understand their younger team-mates. "We were living together for a long time," Kanitkar said. "We knew what turns someone on to get going, who to talk to, who to leave alone."The performances of Rajasthan's players in the semi-final, Asawa said, needed to be judged "by character in the context of the game." By that count, he said, Saxena's being the top scorer in both innings "was like him scoring 125. Similarly a lot of the younger players would have got a lot of confidence from the game, like Robin Bist and Puneet Yadav with the bat and of course, Rituraj Singh."When asked for his assessment of the Lahli wicket, which offered sideways movement and assistance to the bowlers on all three days, Kanitkar grinned at first and replied, "You're asking the wrong person - we have won, I like the wicket."He then said that the track had shrunk the Ranji Trophy's most Cheap NHL Jerseys precious commodity - the first-innings lead -to a respectable size. "The first-innings lead was not important - not when if it wasn't a big one. A wicket like this gives you a chance to come back in the game, gives your bowlers a chance." He then added, "I don't know how I'd have answered the question had I been on the losing side … but I have to say it was a sporting wicket for both teams because it made you fight for every run." After the on-field celebrations were done, Rajasthan walked off the field, waving stumps and fists. Their joy was made only audible as they walked into their dressing room behind the sight screen and away from the sight of their dejected hosts - the Haryana players and support staff, former players like Rajinder Goel watching from the sidelines, association officials, scorers, odd-jobs men, cleaners and cooks who had turned up to this venue 13 km outside Rohtak.In less than an hour after the final ball, the stadium was cleared of its chairs and tables and the boundary ropes were piled into coils to be put away. The door of the Haryana dressing room was sealed shut. The team were talking about their road and how it had ended. Rajasthan had by then had begun gathering into their bus, in one sense already on their way to the final, the venue of which all of them seemed to know was going to be Chennai.

Bankia shares suspended ahead of rescue details

MADRID (Reuters) - Shares in Spain's fourth-biggest lender Bankia SA were suspended on the Madrid stock exchange on Friday, ahead of an evening announcement when the bank is expected to ask the state for a rescue of more than 15 billion euros ($19 billion). The government is in the process of nationalizing Bankia, which holds some camiseta de España 10 percent of the country's bank deposits, after it was unable to raise enough capital to cover heavy losses from loans to property developers during a building boom that crashed in 2007-2008. Bankia and other banks exposed to the property bust are seen as a major risk for Spain and for the entire euro currency zone, because of concerns that the government will end up having to ask for international aid to prop up lenders. Earlier this week Economy Minister Luis de Guindos told a congressional committee that the state would have to put at least 9 billion euros into Bankia to cover losses on sour loans and repossessed housing. The government has already spent 4.5 billion euros to prop up Bankia and the entire rescue is now seen totaling some 20 billion euros. The figure has risen several times in recent months. Some weeks ago de Cheap NBA Jerseys Guindos pledged that no public money would be put into the banks. Spain will have to go to the markets to raise debt to put into Bankia, at a time when its borrowing costs are high. Spain's country risk, as measured by the spread between benchmark German and Spanish bond yields, jumped as high as 500 basis points in recent weeks. On Friday it had moderated to 462 basis points as investors moved out of German debt to hunt for higher yields. ($1 = 0.7948 euros) (Writing by Fiona Ortiz; Editing by David Holmes)