Obama Speaks to Jobs Council

President Obama on Thursday presided over the first meeting of his new Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. During a more than hour long session, Mr. Obama told its members they have an important mission to help build American's confidence about prospects for job growth and their ability to compete in the global marketplace.

The 23-member council represents every sector of the U.S. economy, from service industries, manufacturing and high technology, to banking and communications. It also includes the head of the AFL-CIO, the nation's largest trade union federation.

EPA Chief Promotes Green Partnerships in E. Africa

The head of the US Environmental Protection Agency has been promoting green technology partnerships during a trip to East Africa. One project is aimed at resolving Ethiopia's most pressing environmental concerns.

Tedla Woldemichael is an environmental activist working to promote fuel-efficient cooking stoves in mostly rural southern Ethiopia.

He was in Addis Ababa this week to demonstrate his stoves to visiting US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

Diamond Engagement Rings Symbol of Endless Love

Reason out of choosing diamond is that they believed as symbol of love, purity and unity. This attain diamond engagement rings are one of the most popular alternatives in engagement rings. You can find that these days couples choose representing diamond engagement ring to their beloved and the argue of its popularity is its unique look and it has the power to melt heart. Thence by representing diamond engagement ring to your beloved you will present her that how romantic you are and how much you love her.

Egyptian Banks Reopen After Strikes, Unrest

Egyptian banks have reopened after being shut for most of last week, as Egypt struggles to revive an economy damaged by labor protests and an uprising the toppled its president earlier this month.

The banks opened for business as usual Sunday, the first day of Egypt's working week, following a series of government-ordered closures and shortened sessions in the weeks since the uprising began in late January.

Egypt's stock market remains closed after suffering heavy losses at the start of the turmoil. It is expected to reopen later this week, barring another bank closure or other developments.

Rescued lions from Bolivia arrive in Colorado

DENVER (AP) -- Twenty-five lions, most of them rescued from Bolivian circuses, began their new lives at a Colorado wildlife sanctuary on Thursday, pouncing in large, fenced areas and enjoying the feel of grass on their backs.

The 14 males and 11 females were flown into Denver International Airport on Wednesday afternoon and trucked to the Wildlife Sanctuary in Keenesburg, about 35 miles northeast of Denver.

On Thursday, Denver's KUSA-TV showed lion cubs roughhousing in the background as their mother looked toward the camera, relaxing behind the fence. Other lions, accustomed to being confined to small cages, sprawled on their backs, with their arms and legs in the air like the family dog.

Iran hinders web searches leading up to planned rally, sources say

(CNN) -- Iranian authorities have blocked the word "Bahman" -- the 11th month of the Persian calendar -- from Internet searches within the country, according to an opposition website.

The measure appears to be an effort by Iranian authorities to obstruct access to several websites that are promoting a rally on Monday -- the 25th day of Bahman -- proposed by Iranian opposition leaders in support of the uprising in Egypt, Saham News reported Saturday.

Two Tehran residents also confirmed the block via e-mail to CNN.

Iranian authorities on Wednesday warned against any attempt by the opposition movement to hold the rally, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.

Six dead in Ireland plane crash

(CNN) -- Six people were killed and six were injured when a small plane crashed at Cork Airport in southern Ireland on Thursday, local officials said.

Survivors were taken to a local hospital, the Cork County Council said.

Four of the injured are in serious but not critical condition, and the other two are "comfortable," Cork University Hospital said.

The crash caused a fire and scattered debris over a large area, the Irish Aviation Authority said in a statement.

The plane crashed on its third attempt to land in low visibility, they said. The airport and roads around it were closed, officials said.

Sideline test accurately detects athletes' concussions in minutes

A vision test that can be administered in a minute on the sidelines could be an effective tool to detect concussions, researchers say.

How to prevent players from going back into action after suffering a concussion is a hot-button topic in sports. Coaches don't always recognize the signs and players eager to get back into a game try to hide symptoms. Returning to a game too soon can slow healing and cause "repeat" concussions with long-term consequences.

"This rapid screening test provides an effective way to detect early signs of concussion, which can improve outcomes and hopefully prevent repetitive concussions," says lead author Laura Balcer, professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Schools get shortchanged in Federal Impact Aid

Army Col. Ray Lacey has moved his three children to military posts all over the country, enrolling them in public schools wherever he was stationed. He has seen the strain a large military installation can put on a school district that has limited financial resources.

Those districts suffer when they don't get the full amount they're entitled to under a 60-year-old federal program designed to ease the burden of having military bases or tribal reservations that pay no local property taxes within the districts' borders, yet send hundreds of students to their schools.

Friend says Giffords 'continues to defy odds'

A close friend of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords says the Arizona Democrat "continues to defy odds" in her recovery.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., sent word via her Twitter account that Giffords "is so appreciative of all your support."

Gillibrand, who was elected to the House with Giffords in 2006, tweeted that she came back today from Houston, where the congresswoman is undergoing therapy.

Giffords, 40, was shot in the head Jan. 8 in a rampage that left six people dead. Last week, doctors upgraded her condition from serious to good.

Poll: Positive views of GOP for first time since 2005

Some good news for the Republican Party: A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds more Americans view the GOP positively than negatively for the first time since 2005.

The survey shows the GOP now has a 47% net favorable rating, following its successes at the ballot box in November when Republicans took majority control of the U.S. House, made gains in the U.S. Senate and won key governorships in states such as Ohio and Wisconsin.

By comparison, 43% of Americans have a negative image of House Speaker John Boehner's party.

Gallup's Jeffrey Jones writes that if the upward trend continues for Republicans, "this will indicate the party has completely recovered from the downturn it took beginning in 2005."