Heskey threatens to overshadow Del Piero Down Under

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former England striker Emile Heskey is threatening to overshadow Alessandro Del Piero as Australian football's most successful import after scoring four goals in his first four games for the Newcastle Jets.

Heskey, always regarded more as a foil than an out-and-out goalscorer, grabbed a brace to help the Jets to a 2-1 victory over Melbourne Victory on Friday evening to put himself top of the goalscorers' table and his team top of the A-League.

The 34-year-old former Liverpool forward only arrived in Australia a week before the season began but is well on his way to becoming a cult figure in Newcastle with nearly 14,000 fans turning out at Hunter Stadium on Friday.

Those watching at home were able to follow his every move on cable TV's "Heskey Cam" and he served them up with a treat with two fine goals in two minutes early the second half.

The first came when he got in front of the Victory defence to turn the ball into the net with the outside of his right boot while the second was courtesy of an overhead bycycle kick from a corner.

"Well, look, it's fantastic. What is it? Four in four games? so from that respect it's a great return," Jets coach Gary van Egmond told reporters.

Former Italy and Juventus great Del Piero, who joined Sydney FC on a A$4 million two-year contract last month, will play his 800th professional match when his team take on Perth Glory at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on Sunday.

The 37-year-old has also hit the ground running in Australia and his goal gave his club their first win of the season against city rivals Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

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NY nanny attempted suicide in front of dead children's mom - police

By Chris Francescani

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The nanny suspected of slaying a Manhattan professional couple's two young children began stabbing herself as the mother entered the bathroom and began screaming when she saw the dead bodies in the bathtub, New York's police commissioner said on Friday.

The nanny, YoSelyn Ortega, had been employed by the family of Kevin and Marina Krim for two years before she killed their children and attempted suicide on Thursday in the family's luxury apartment, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said.

Ortega, who lived with her son and sister near the Krims' apartment off Central Park, has been a naturalized U.S. citizen for a decade, Kelly said, adding that she had been referred to the Krims by another family.

New York police were hoping to interview the critically wounded nanny later on Friday, said an NYPD official who requested anonymity. Ortega, 50, has not been charged because police have not been able to interview her.

"We know now that the nanny began to stab herself as the woman entered the bathroom," Kelly said. "We initially thought it was, it had already been done, but now information is coming out that she did it as the mother entered the room."

Ortega remains the prime suspect in the stabbing death of the two children, Leo, 2, and Lulu, 6, Kelly said.

Marina Krim had entered the apartment at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday with her 3-year-old daughter, returning home after Ortega failed to meet her as planned at a local dance studio with the two other children.

Krim saw that the apartment was dark and returned to the lobby to ask the doorman if the nanny and kids had gone out, Kelly said. The doorman said no, and she returned to the apartment and went into the bathroom, he said.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said the children suffered "multiple stab wounds," and were pronounced dead after being rushed to a nearby hospital.

Kevin Krim, the children's father and an executive with CNBC, had been heading home from a business trip, He was met by police at the airport and notified of the killings, police said.

A spokesman for CNBC released a statement Friday expressing the "sadness we all feel" for Krim and his wife. The couple's "unimaginable loss ... is without measure."

Marina Krim, whose Facebook page lists her as originally being from Manhattan Beach, California, taught art classes to children, according to a website for the Hippo Playground Project, a New York organization where she volunteered.

She also maintained a photograph-laden blog to document her daily life with her children, with the final entry dated Thursday, three hours before the discovery.

"Leo speaks in the most adorable way possible," she wrote. "And he does things like, '(I) want a fresh bagel' and 'Lito (what he calls himself) wants cold milk' and most adorable of all, 'No thank you' - he never uses 'No' alone, it's always paired with 'thank you.'"

The blog was later blocked from public view.

A source at NBC News confirmed that the blog - which contains pictures of the Krim family - was Krim's. (Editing by Dan Burns, Doina Chiacu and Philip Barbara)

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Samsung posts $7.4 bln profit, handsets mask weak chip sales

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co <005930.KS>, the world's top technology firm by revenue, reported record quarterly profit of $7.4 billion on Friday, with strong sales of its Galaxy range of phones masking sharply lower memory chip sales.

The South Korean firm said July-September operating profit increased 91 percent from a year ago to 8.12 trillion won, in line with its earlier estimate.

Samsung, reporting its results just hours after main rival Apple Inc

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Asian shares edge lower, eye on corporate results

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares edged lower on Friday as investors kept a wary eye on corporate earnings results under way.

The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.2 percent. Australian shares held steady, drawing support from a rise in iron ore prices to a 3-month high.

South Korean shares opened down 0.4 percent. Before trading began, Samsung Electronics <005930.KS>, the world's largest electronics company and accounting for about 15 percent of Korea's benchmark KOSPI index, reported record quarterly profit of $7.4 billion on Friday.

Samsung's results came just hours after Apple Inc

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Suspected gunman in custody after Atlanta church shooting

By David Beasley

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A former employee at a suburban Atlanta megachurch was taken into custody on Wednesday, only hours after he was said to have walked into the church with a gun and opened fire, killing a man leading a prayer service, police said.

Multiple gunshots rang out in the chapel of the World Changers Church International in College Park, Georgia, around 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT).

The suspected gunman was identified as Floyd Palmer, a 52-year-old former church maintenance worker who resigned from his job in August, said Fulton County Police Corporal Kay Lester.

Palmer was arrested in an Atlanta shopping mall, nearly six hours after the shooting, said Jeff Foley, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service.

"He did not put up a fight," he said.

As many as 25 people were inside the church when Palmer was said to have walked calmly into the service and begin shooting, Lester said. He then turned around and walked out, driving away in a car.

Police identified the victim as Greg McDowell, a church member and volunteer. McDowell, 39, was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead, Lester added.

No other people attending the prayer service were injured or wounded. Police were trying to determine a motive in the shooting.

The church, one of the largest in the United States, is led by the Reverend Creflo Dollar, a prominent African-American preacher. Dollar was not at the church at the time of the shooting, Lester said.

Church officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

Earlier this year, Dollar was arrested on domestic violence charges stemming from an alleged assault on his teenage daughter. He denied the charges from the pulpit in June.

World Changers Church International serves nearly 30,000 members and has at least 10 satellite churches, according to its website. (Additional reporting by Kevin Gray and Dan Burns; editing by Vicki Allen and Paul Simao, desking by G Crosse)

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Asian shares steady, earnings still in focus

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares steadied on Thursday, but sentiment remained vulnerable with weak corporate earnings continuing to undermine investor confidence.

The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was about flat, having fallen the past four days. Australian shares were barely changed while South Korean shares <.KS11> opened down 0.4 percent.

Japan's Nikkei average opened little changed.

"Global sentiment is not conducive to risk-taking. In fact we are seeing more defensive plays," said Lee Kyung-soo, an analyst at Shinyoung Securities, adding that the Korean stock market will likely hold steady ahead of third quarter results from Hyundai Motor Co <005380.KS>.

With investors rapidly lowering third-quarter expectations and bracing for more disappointing news, Lee said it was unlikely that Hyundai Motor earnings will shock the market.

U.S. stocks fell and the dollar gained on Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve maintained its policy of stimulating growth until the job market improves, even as it acknowledged some brightening parts of the economy.

There was further evidence of recovery picking up in the U.S. housing market as new single-family home sales surged in September to their highest level in nearly 2-1/2 years.

But weak earnings outlooks and revenue misses at large U.S. multinationals made investors nervous about a slowing economy, and a Fed statement which did not mention an improving U.S. labour market, combined to push U.S. stocks lower.

The dollar index <.DXY> which is measured against a basket of major currencies reached a two week high of 80.151 on Wednesday after the Fed's decision, pulling the euro down to a near two-week low of $1.29205.

The dollar was up 0.1 percent at 79.87 against the yen to hover near its highest since early July of 80.02 touched on Tuesday. The euro eased 0.1 percent to $1.2964.

Brent was steady around $107.89 a barrel, after falling for a seventh consecutive session on Wednesday, as rising U.S. crude inventories and weak euro zone economic data offset supportive signs that Chinese petroleum demand could stage a recovery.

U.S. crude inched up 0.1 percent to $85.77 on Thursday, after settling at its lowest since July of $85.73.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Asset returns in 2012: http://link.reuters.com/nyw85s

PMI-U.S., euro zone and China: http://link.reuters.com/qes53t

For the Fed's statement:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

European shares halted a three-day slide on Wednesday, comforted by a survey of purchasing managers signalling that China's economy is making a slow, steady recovery from its weakest period of growth in three years, with new orders and output at their highest in months.

The Chinese report lifted European oil and mining stocks on hopes for firmer demand from the world's top consumer of raw materials, offsetting dismal European manufacturing reports.

The euro zone's purchasing managers index fell to the lowest level since June 2009 in October, while manufacturing index in Germany, Europe's largest economy, fell unexpectedly and its business sentiment dropped for the sixth consecutive month to its lowest in more than 2-1/2 years.

As investors wait for clarify on the bailout prospects for struggling Spain and Greece, the head of the Spanish Treasury told Reuters on Wednesday that the country is ready to start funding itself for 2013 after having nearly completed its debt issuance plan for this year.

(Additional reporting by Somang Yang in Seoul; Editing by Michael Perry)

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In final stretch, Romney seeks to turn momentum into votes

By Sam Youngman

HENDERSON, Nevada (Reuters) - Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney kicked off his sprint to the election finish line on Tuesday, seeking to harness momentum from his three televised debates with President Barack Obama to energize supporters in an extremely tight race.

While Obama was judged by polls as the winner of Monday's debate over foreign policy, Romney was reckoned to have performed well enough to pass the "commander-in-chief" test.

He has rebounded in polls since trouncing Obama in the first debate on October 3 and was only 1 point behind in a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday that had Obama ahead by 47-46 percent. A Washington Post/ABC poll gave Romney the lead by 49-48 percent.

"These debates have super charged our campaign, there's no question about it," Romney told a rally in the swing state of Nevada.

"We're seeing more and more enthusiasm, more and more support. We're going to make sure that these campaigns and the message of these debates, rather, these messages, keep going across the country," he told a crowd, estimated by his campaign at 6,000 people in Henderson.

Romney is expected to spend much of the last days before the November 6 election in the key state of Ohio. No Republican has ever won the White House without it.

Romney needs to "do better than (2008 Republican presidential candidate John) McCain did among working-class whites in Ohio," said University of New Hampshire political science professor Dante Scala.

Polls show Obama slightly ahead in Ohio, but Scala said Romney can swing the state - and perhaps the presidential race - if he manages to rally Republicans in counties won by conservative rival Rick Santorum in the primary vote earlier this year.

Now that the debates are over, Romney has turned his full attention to voter contact and has no more fundraisers scheduled, although his wife Ann and running mate Paul Ryan will still do fundraising events.

As part of his message to voters, Romney and his campaign have made central to their argument in recent days that Obama has not offered an agenda for his second term.

"And that's why his campaign is taking on water, and our campaign is full speed ahead," Romney said.

Senior adviser Kevin Madden said Romney will spend most of his time down the stretch in Florida, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and Virginia.

"We're going to be in multiple states in single days," Madden said.

In Colorado on Tuesday night, Romney was set to take the stage at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, where he will be supported by musician Kid Rock. (Editing by Alistair Bell and Christopher Wilson)

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Fewer Americans view third Obama-Romney TV debate

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The number of American TV viewers who watched the last debate between U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney fell sharply on a night when football and baseball competed with politics for eyeballs.

Final Nielsen ratings data on Tuesday showed that 59.2 million Americans watched Monday's third match-up between the two men before the November 6 presidential elections.

That figure was 8 million below the 67.2 million who tuned in for their first encounter on October 3. Some 65.6 million viewers watched the second debate last week.

Monday's foreign policy debate was carried by 11 cable and broadcast networks. But Romney and Obama were competing against the Major League Baseball playoffs on Fox television - seen by 8.1 million - and ESPN's Monday Night Football, which drew an audience of 10.7 million, Nielsen said.

None of the presidential debates this year have captured Americans' attention like the 2008 vice-presidential encounter between Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden.

It was watched by 69.9 million people and ties as the second most-viewed debate ever.

The most-watched presidential debate on U.S. television was the October 1980 encounter between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. It drew 80.6 million viewers, according to Nielsen, which began collecting debate data in 1976. (Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Xavier Briand)

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Company that paid Lance Armstrong bonuses wants money back

By Corrie MacLaggan

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas promotional company that paid millions of dollars to Lance Armstrong for winning the Tour de France said on Monday it was considering legal action to get the money back after the American cyclist was stripped of his Tour titles.

Armstrong had his seven Tour de France victories nullified and was banned for life on Monday after the International Cycling Union (UCI) ratified the United States Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) sanctions against him.

Dallas-based SCA Promotions paid Armstrong $7.5 million for winning his sixth Tour title in 2004 - $5 million as a performance bonus and $2.5 million in interest and attorney fees - as part of a 2006 legal settlement. Armstrong had sued SCA when it withheld the payment after doping allegations against him surfaced.

Tailwind Sports, the owner of Armstrong's U.S. Postal team, had promised the cyclist a $5 million bonus if he won a sixth Tour title and it took out insurance coverage with SCA.

In all, SCA Promotions paid Armstrong some $12 million, the company's lawyer Jeffrey Dorough said.

It was unclear exactly how much SCA may seek to recover.

"Mr. Armstrong is no longer the official winner of any Tour de France races, and as a result it is inappropriate and improper for him to retain any bonus payments made by SCA," Dorough said in a statement.

He said SCA Promotions was "digesting the UCI's decision" and that the company was taking into consideration the possibility that Armstrong or the World Anti-Doping Agency could appeal.

Earlier this month, USADA published a report on Armstrong that said the now-retired rider had been involved in the "most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."

"I was sickened by what I read in the USADA report," UCI President Pat McQuaid said on Monday.

Armstrong, 41, who has denied doping, had previously elected not to contest the USADA charges, prompting USADA to propose his punishment pending confirmation from cycling's world governing body.

Armstrong, widely considered one of the greatest cyclists of all time, says he has never failed a doping test.

He said he had stopped contesting the charges after years of probes and rumors because "there comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.'" (Reporting By Corrie MacLaggan; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Eric Beech)

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Harrington eyes third time charm at Grand Slam

REUTERS - Padraig Harrington, a late replacement in the four-man field for this week's PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda, is banking on third time lucky after twice being beaten in a playoff at the elite, end-of-season event.

Irishman Harrington accepted an invitation to compete at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton after British Open champion Ernie Els withdrew on Saturday with an ankle injury.

"Hopefully this is third time a charm," triple major winner Harrington told reporters on Monday while preparing for Tuesday's opening round in the 36-hole event.

"I've come close twice in Grand Slams and hopefully it will be that close coming down the stretch this week and it would fall in my favour."

Harrington lost to Argentina's Angel Cabrera in a playoff for the 2007 title and was edged out by American Jim Furyk in 2008 at the event which traditionally brings together the winners of the year's four majors.

"It's funny, I can't remember the playoff which I obviously lost to Jim Furyk, but I really remember the one I lost to Cabrera," Harrington said.

"He got the last (hole) to get into the playoff. I thought I had it won. I remember that one all right."

LATE CALL-UP

Before getting his late call-up for Bermuda, Harrington had initially planned to compete in this week's European Tour event, the BMW Masters at Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai.

"I was due to travel to China on Sunday night," Harrington said. "So on Friday, I was practising and my manager rang me and said there's a possibility that Ernie may pull out and would I be interested. I said yeah, I'd be interested.

"The word came on Saturday afternoon, late Saturday afternoon, that Ernie had pulled out. As unfortunate as it is for Ernie ... it was good news for me."

Harrington accepted his invitation after the second and third alternates, Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods, both said they were unavailable.

The Irishman will be competing against Americans Bubba Watson, who won this year's Masters, Webb Simpson (U.S. Open) and defending champion Keegan Bradley over the next two days.

Bradley, winner of last year's PGA Championship, gained his spot in the field as the first alternate after Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy pulled out due to a scheduling conflict.

McIlroy, who clinched his second major title by a staggering eight shots at this year's PGA Championship, had already committed to the BMW Masters in China.

Left-hander Watson was delighted to be in Bermuda, having book his place in the field by landing his first major victory at Augusta National in April.

"Coming over here is where it really hit home that I won a major," he said. "I get to play in this, and there's only four guys.

"It's pretty special to be here and be a part of this. Hopefully I can do it again one day so I can come back."

The Grand Slam of Golf, billed as "the most exclusive tournament in golf", was held in Hawaii from 1991 to 2006 before moving to Bermuda in 2007. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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KKR end campaign with a comprehensive 99-run win over Titans

Mon, Oct 22, 2012 at 00:32

KKR end campaign with a comprehensive 99-run win over Titans

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KKR end campaign with a comprehensive 99-run win over Titans

KKR end campaign with a comprehensive 99-run win over Titans

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KKR end campaign with a comprehensive 99-run win over Titans

KKR end campaign with a comprehensive 99-run win over Titans

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Cape Town, Oct 21 (PTI) Kolkata Knight Riders produced a clinical performance in their concluding group league match as they comprehensively thrashed Titans by 99 runs in the Champions League Twenty20 here today. Put into bat, KKR scored an imposing 188 for five in 20 overs and then shot Titans out for a paltry 89 in 16.4 overs. Although it was only a consolation victory for KKR, but their performance will certainly have a bearing on the group table where Delhi Daredevils now have a very bright chance of making it to the last four. The Daredevils now lead the group table with 10 points from three games followed by Titans who are on eight points and the defeat also dented their net run-rate. From +2.450 it dipped to -0.017 and it can have a bearing on the semi-final line-up. It was a match where the KKR batsmen finally found some form going their way having lost both their matches on bouncy and seaming tracks. After scoring 107 runs in the front 10, the Knights lost wickets at regular intervals yet managed to get 81 runs in the back 10 thanks to some fantastic late-order hitting by Debabrata Das. The match was an inconsequential one for the IPL champions and their batsmen threw caution to the winds with an exhibition of some fine big hitting by the likes of Gautam Gambhir, Brendon McCullum and Debabrata. While Gambhir top scored with 44 off 36 balls, McCullum and Debabrata contributed 36 and 43 not out respectively. A special mention for Debabrata, whose ferocious hitting in the final overs helped KKR reach the highest total in the tournament. The burly Debabrata scored 43 in only 19 balls with six boundaries and two sixes. The highlight was the power he generated in each of the shots as he added 55 runs along with Manoj Tiwary in only 4.3 overs. PTI KHS KHS

From DJ EU Officials Spain Aid Cap Of 100 Bn Euros 'should Be Enough'

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Azad praises Jamp;K govt for postponing BDC elections over quota

Mon, Oct 22, 2012 at 01:02

Azad praises J&K govt for postponing BDC elections over quota

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Azad praises J&K govt for postponing BDC elections over quota

Azad praises J&K govt for postponing BDC elections over quota

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Azad praises J&K govt for postponing BDC elections over quota

Azad praises J&K govt for postponing BDC elections over quota

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Jammu, Oct 21 (PTI) Appreciating J&K government's decision to postpone Block Development Council (BDC) elections to provide quota to SC, ST and women, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the polls would have been "meaningless" without providing reservation to these sections. "The state government has postponed the Block Development Council elections to incorporate the laws necessary for the real empowerment of panchyats, besides making a provision for extending reservation to women and other weaker sections of the society," Azad said while adding that the elections without reservations would have been meaningless. He said this while addressing 'Shaheedi Divas Samaroh' organised by Dogra Sadar Sabha to pay tributes to the martyrs of Kargil War and the soldiers killed while fighting militancy in Bishnah area of Samba district. "The panches and sarpanches elected in Jammu and Kashmir should enjoy the same powers as their counterparts in the rest of the country," Azad said while addressing the gathering. The Health Minister also announced that the government hospital in Bishnah would be upgraded with additional beds and improved medical facilities. Paying rich tributes to soldiers, Azad said several men of the army, BSF and other belt force personnel had sacrificed their lives to fight militancy in the state. The event was also attended by Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and J&K Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand. PTI AB HU

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PDK workers arrested

Sat, Oct 20, 2012 at 23:32

PDK workers arrested

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PDK workers arrested

PDK workers arrested

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PDK workers arrested

PDK workers arrested

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Tiruchirappli, Oct 20 (PTI) Tension prevailed in Srirangam town near here today as members of the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam threatened to paint tar on the name board of an eatery objecting to its name "Sri Krishna Brahmana Hotel". Police said they arrested around 100 PDK activists who had gathered to participate in the agitation and barricaded all main roads leading to the hotel and did not allow any person. PDK workers said their leader and social reformer E V Ramaswamy Naicker was against naming hotel as Brahamana hotel. "Let them name the hotel as Iyer hotel. But they will not allow the hotel to be named as Brahamana hotel," they said. Countering them, Hindu outfits threatened they would be forced to launch counter agitation and said PDK had no business to interfere in such silly issues as naming a hotel. "It is just a brand..There are Mudaliar Idly shops,and Chettiar and Achi shops which are liked by the people,and they go there.There are even Iyengar Bakeries. Let PDK fight for the state's right on Cauvery water,or Mullaiperiyar dam," said an Hindu outift activist. PTI COR SSN VS

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Race tightens for Obama, Romney ahead of final debate

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The race between President Barack Obama and rival Mitt Romney has tightened in the days before their final televised debate, with the Republican closing the gap on Obama's slight but steady lead in a Reuters/Ipsos online poll.

Data from the daily tracking poll released on Saturday showed the Democratic incumbent with a small lead over the former Massachusetts governor, but the margin has narrowed from Friday and from results earlier in the week.

Forty-six percent of likely voters said they would vote for Obama in the November 6 election, while 45 percent said they would back Romney.

On Friday, Obama was ahead by three percentage points at 46 percent compared to 43 percent for Romney.

"Our numbers have shown ... Obama fairly steadily ahead by three points over the last couple of days and today's data does show a tightening in those numbers," Ipsos pollster Julia Clark said.

"It's very much neck and neck. I anticipate actually that we're going to see these numbers neck and neck all the way to Election Day."

Romney got a big boost from his strong performance in the first debate on October 3 with Obama, who was widely judged to have given a passive, lackluster performance.

The president charged back with a sharper appearance in their second debate on October 16, comforting frustrated Democrats. While opinion polls showed most viewers thought Obama won that debate, Clark said he did not, in the end, get a noticeable bounce in the polls as a result.

"I wouldn't say that we saw a second-debate bounce for either candidate," she said, while predicting that the third and final debate on Monday would not affect the race dramatically unless one of the candidates made a significant gaffe.

The final debate focuses on foreign policy. Obama is spending the weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland to prepare, and Romney is doing the same in Florida, a battleground state where the debate will be held.

Though national polls give a sense of the mood of the electorate, the winner of the White House race will be determined by electoral votes from a handful of states such as Ohio and Florida that swing, historically, between voting for Republicans and Democrats in presidential elections.

A RealClearPolitics average of polls on Saturday showed Obama ahead in Ohio by 2.5 percentage points and Romney ahead in Florida by 2.1 percentage points.

The precision of Reuters/Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.0 percentage points for likely voters.

(Editing By Alistair Bell and Eric Beech)

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