Carbon dioxide was measured at 400 parts per million at the oldest monitoring station which is in Hawaii sets the global benchmark. The last time the worldwide carbon level was probably that high was about 2 million years ago, said Pieter Tans of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

That was during the Pleistocene Era. "It was much warmer than it is today," Tans said. "There were forests in Greenland. Sea level was higher, between 10 and 20 meters (33 to 66 feet)."

Other scientists say it may have been 10 million years ago that Earth last encountered this much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The first modern humans only appeared in Africa about 200,000 years ago.

The measurement was recorded Thursday and it is only a daily figure, the monthly and yearly average will be smaller. The number 400 has been anticipated by climate scientists and environmental activists for years as a notable indicator, in part because it's a round number not because any changes in man-made global warming happen by reaching it.

"Physically, we are no worse off at 400 ppm than we were at 399 ppm," Princeton University climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer said. "But as a symbol of the painfully slow pace of measures to avoid a dangerous level of warming, it's somewhat unnerving."

Environmental activists, such as former Vice President Al Gore, seized on the milestone.

"This number is a reminder that for the last 150 years and especially over the last several decades we have been recklessly polluting the protective sheath of atmosphere that surrounds the Earth and protects the conditions that have fostered the flourishing of our civilization," Gore said in a statement. "We are altering the composition of our atmosphere at an unprecedented rate."

Carbon dioxide traps heat just like in a greenhouse and most of it stays in the air for a century; some lasts for thousands of years, scientists say. It accounts for three-quarters of the planet's heat-trapping gases. There are others, such as methane, which has a shorter life span but traps heat more effectively. Both trigger temperatures to rise over time, scientists say, which is causing sea levels to rise and some weather patterns to change.

When measurements of carbon dioxide were first taken in 1958, it measured 315 parts per million. Some scientists and environmental groups promote 350 parts per million as a safe level for CO2, but scientists acknowledge they don't really know what levels would stop the effects of global warming.

The level of carbon dioxide in the air is rising faster than in the past decades, despite international efforts by developed nations to curb it. On average the amount is growing by about 2 parts per million per year. That's 100 times faster than at the end of the Ice Age.

Back then, it took 7,000 years for carbon dioxide to reach 80 parts per million, Tans said. Because of the burning of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal, carbon dioxide levels have gone up by that amount in just 55 years.

Before the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide levels were around 280 ppm, and they were closer to 200 during the Ice Age, which is when sea levels shrank and polar places went from green to icy. There are natural ups and downs of this greenhouse gas, which comes from volcanoes and decomposing plants and animals. But that's not what has driven current levels so high, Tans said. He said the amount should be even higher, but the world's oceans are absorbing quite a bit, keeping it out of the air.

"What we see today is 100 percent due to human activity," said Tans, a NOAA senior scientist. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal for electricity and oil for gasoline, has caused the overwhelming bulk of the man-made increase in carbon in the air, scientists say.

The world pumps on average 2.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide into the air every second for a total of 38.2 billion tons in 2011, according international calculations published in a scientific journal in December. China spews 10 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air per year, leading all countries, and its emissions are growing about 10 percent annually. The U.S. at No. 2 is slowly cutting emissions and is down to 5.9 billion tons per year.

The speed of the change is the big worry, said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann. If carbon dioxide levels go up 100 parts per million over thousands or millions of years, plants and animals can adapt. But that can't be done at the speed it is now happening.

Last year, regional monitors briefly hit 400 ppm in the Arctic. But those monitoring stations aren't seen as a world mark like the one at Mauna Loa, Hawaii.

Generally carbon levels peak in May then fall slightly, so the yearly average is usually a few parts per million lower than May levels.

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Online:

NOAA monitoring at Mauna Loa: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/weekly.html

Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - For futurists in Silicon Valley, the question is fundamental, almost philosophical: In the coming years, will the humble website still be the dominant way we interact with the Internet?

For David Rusenko, the 27-year-old founder and chief executive of global website builder Weebly, the answer is: Of course!

On Thursday, Weebly unveiled a refresh of its publishing suite, which allows people to simply drag and drop page elements like images and headlines onto a canvas to build a site. Using the new form, mobile versions of websites - a critical concern in a modern economy awash with smartphones - can be published simultaneously with desktop versions.

The San Francisco startup's update comes at a time of flux for the Internet industry, which has been grappling with the ramifications of users who are spending less time on the Web and more time within closed ecosystems like Facebook Inc's social network or the cornucopia of smartphone apps an economy valued at $25 billion in 2013, according to research firm ABI.

Yet Rusenko is not willing to accept any talk of the open Web's demise. He argues that Web pages, more than ever, carry more weight and meaning in an age of fleeting tweets and malleable Facebook identities.

"The picture is becoming clearer," Rusenko said. "Facebook has focused on the conversation, but not really on absorbing the Web into its walled garden."

For a lot of people, "their digital identity is their site," he added. "It's where they showcase their ideas and really put themselves out there."

Along with his Thursday relaunch, Rusenko unfurled a slate of new growth statistics and research data showing that his company, which has enjoyed healthy growth and now boasts a network of 15 million sites that have been visited by 100 million people.

Weebly's own extensive research showed that a majority of people would not trust a business that had no website, yet 58 percent of businesses do not have a Web presence, Rusenko said.

In 2006, Rusenko, a fresh-faced graduate of Penn State University, burst onto the Silicon Valley scene and garnered plaudits in national magazines with Weebly, which quickly rose in stature as the natural heir to GeoCities, the service that fueled a webpage-creating craze in the 1990s.

After the initial acclaim, Weebly has kept a lower profile while rivals like Wordpress, the professional-grade blogging platform, and Tumblr, the minimalist social blogging network, have captured more media attention, but not the consumer Web publishing market.

With its refresh, Weebly is now more oriented toward what Rusenko called everyday entrepreneurs looking to "start something": amateur food bloggers, teachers, or crafts enthusiasts who want to share their passion before potentially launching a small business.

Weebly has been in talks with a payment startup to provide an e-commerce platform for people wanting to sell goods, said Rusenko.

The company is also introducing planning tools that offer ideas and inspiration to help newcomers "identify their goals" and lay out their pages, Rusenko said.

The company, which has 70 employees, has been profitable since 2009, but accepted an undisclosed amount in funding from Sequoia Capital in 2011 to continue growth.

"At the end of the day these are doers, these are makers, and we want to help bring that dream to life," Rusenko said.

(Reporting By Gerry Shih; editing by Gunna Dickson)

The ring-shaped,known as an annular eclipse, will occur Thursday and Friday (May 9 and 10) Eastern time. Weather permitting, the eclipse will be visible in certain parts of Australia and the Southern Pacific Ocean, where the local time will be Friday.

"Solar eclipses can be inspirational to students and others, so it is interesting to have everyone view the eclipse, but only safe methods of viewing should be used," Jay Pasachoff, an astronomer at Williams College and chair of the International Astronomical Union's working group on eclipses, said in a statement. []

While nearly 95 percent of the sun will be covered by the moon at the eclipse's peak, the sky will not be noticeably darker to the naked eye at any point, explained Williams College officials in Williamstown, Mass.

For this reason, special protective lenses, camera and telescope filters and other methods of protection should be used in order toeven during full annularity, when the sun is silhouetting the moon.

The path of annularity passes through parts of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. Other nearby parts of the world will be able to see a partial solar eclipse, if weather permits.

The Hawaiian Islands, other parts of Australia, the southern Philippines, eastern Indonesia, other areas in Papua New Guinea and a small part of New Zealand will get at least a partial show, Williams College officials said.

The entire world should be able to catch a glimpse of the annular eclipse thanks to the online Slooh Space Camera. Slooh will host a webcast featuring expert commentary and views of the eclipse on Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT). You can .

During annular solar eclipses, the moon casts a shadow on the face of the Earth when it passes between the planet and the star. Because of its orbit, however, the moon still appears about 4.5 percent smaller than the sun, creating the distinct ring in the sky, Joe Rao, a SPACE.com contributor and meteorologist said.

This week's solar eclipse comes on the heels of athat shadowed the moon above Central Asia, Western Australia, Eastern Europe and Africa. Another minor lunar eclipse will occur on May 24.

These aren't the only eclipses of 2013. On Nov. 3, a rare hybrid solar eclipse an annular eclipse that transitions into a total eclipse will be visible in the northern Atlantic Ocean and into equatorial Africa.

WARNING: Never look directly at the sun during an eclipse with a telescope or your unaided eye. Severe eye damage can result and scientists use special filters to safely view the sun.

Editor's note: If you live in the observing area of Thursday's solar eclipse and safely snap an amazing picture of the sun that you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, send photos, comments and your name and location to managing editor Tariq Malik at .

Follow Miriam Kramer onand . Follow us on , and . Original article on .

Police say Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight were found Monday and seemed to be in good health.

Berry and DeJesus disappeared as teenagers in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The Plain Dealer newspaper reports Knight had been missing since 2002.

Police say a 52-year-old man was arrested. There's no immediate word on charges.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Two women who went missing as teenagers about a decade ago were found alive Monday in a residential area just south of downtown, within a few miles of where they disappeared.

Cheering crowds gathered Monday night on the street near the home where police said Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and a third woman were found earlier in the day. The identity of the third woman hadn't been confirmed.

Police didn't immediately provide any details of how the women were found or what conditions they were in.

Berry disappeared at age 16 on April 21, 2003, when she called her sister to say she was getting a ride home from her job at a Burger King. DeJesus went missing at age 14 on her way home from school about a year later.

In January, a prison inmate was sentenced to 4 1/2 years after admitting he provided a false burial tip in the disappearance of Berry, who had last been seen the day before her 17th birthday. A judge in Cleveland sentenced Robert Wolford on his guilty plea to obstruction of justice, making a false report and making a false alarm.

Last summer, Wolford tipped authorities to look for Berry's remains in a Cleveland lot. He was taken to the location, which was dug up with backhoes.

Berry's mother, Louwana Miller, who had been hospitalized for months with pancreatitis and other ailments, died in March 2006. She had spent the previous three years looking for her daughter, whose disappearance took a toll as her health steadily deteriorated, family and friends said.

Two men arrested for questioning in the disappearance of DeJesus in 2004 were released from the city jail in 2006 after officers did not find her body during a search of the men's house.

One of the men was transferred to the Cuyahoga County Jail on unrelated charges, while the other was allowed to go free, police said.

In September 2006, police acting on a tip tore up the concrete floor of the garage and used a cadaver dog to search unsuccessfully for DeJesus' body. Investigators confiscated 19 pieces of evidence during their search but declined to comment on the significance of the items then.

No Amber Alert was issued the day DeJesus failed to return home from school in April 2004 because no one witnessed her abduction. The lack of an Amber Alert angered her father, Felix DeJesus, who said in 2006 he believed the public will listen even if the alerts become routine.

"The Amber Alert should work for any missing child," Felix DeJesus said then. "It doesn't have to be an abduction. Whether it's an abduction or a runaway, a child needs to be found. We need to change this law."

Cleveland police said then that the alerts must be reserved for cases in which danger is imminent and the public can be of help in locating the suspect and child.

* To meet Dortmund in May 25 final

* Messi unable to feature for Barca (Writes through with details, quotes)

By Iain Rogers

BARCELONA, May 1 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich stormed fortress Nou Camp to claim a berth in the first all-German Champions League final when they routed Barcelona 3-0 on Wednesday for a crushing 7-0 aggregate success that saw them hailed as the new kings of Europe.

The Bundesliga champions, chasing a fifth continental crown, will play Borussia Dortmund in the May 25 final at London's Wembley Stadium after an imperious performance that inflicted the heaviest two-legged European defeat in Barca's history.

Their bid for a third Champions League crown in five seasons ended in humiliation and the era during which they blazed a trail under Pep Guardiola, who will take over from Jupp Heynckes as Bayern coach next season, was reduced to a distant memory.

Last year's runners-up Bayern had effectively killed off the tie with last week's 4-0 victory in Munich and there was no way back for a toothless Barca when Arjen Robben cut inside and blasted the ball past Victor Valdes in the 49th minute.

A miserable night for the pre-tournament favourites and their fans thronging the giant arena was completed when Gerard Pique skewed the ball into his own net in the 72nd minute and Thomas Mueller, who scored twice in the first leg, nodded a third for a rampant Bayern four minutes later.

The Spaniards, last defeated in both legs of a European knockout tie in 1987, were deprived of the talents of Lionel Messi, who has yet to recover fully from a hamstring injury and was left on the bench.

Without the talismanic World Player of the Year they barely threatened as forwards Cesc Fabregas, David Villa and Pedro, and later substitute Alexis Sanchez, were helpless against a resolute Bayern defence.

"We played an outstanding game but there is a difference of Barca with and without Messi," Bayern coach Heynckes told ZDF television as the German domination of Spain was completed following Dortmund's win over Real Madrid on Tuesday.

"But it is a result one could not forecast," added the former Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao boss.

"I know the philosophy of Barcelona and my team understood extremely well how to deploy our tactics.

"It was harder than it looked. My team was very focused... we knew what we were up against."

GRIM READING

The statistics made grim reading for Barca.

Their biggest aggregate reverse in Europe before Wednesday was by four goals and it was their heaviest Champions League defeat at the Nou Camp since Dynamo Kiev beat them 4-0 in 1997.

They were also unbeaten in their previous 21 Champions League home matches since a 2-1 loss against Rubin Kazan in October 2009.

"We would have liked to play at the same level as Bayern but we can only congratulate them now and get back to work," Barca coach Tito Vilanova, who took over from his close friend Guardiola at the end of last season, told a news conference.

Fabregas was initially deployed in Messi's roving forward role in a three-pronged attack with Spain team mates Pedro and Villa.

Bundesliga champions Bayern were first to threaten when Robben burst clear on the left in the 13th minute but the Dutch winger was denied by a fine covering tackle from Pique.

The Spain centre back made another excellent intervention to nip the ball away from Philipp Lahm six minutes later before Manuel Neuer had to be alert to tip a long-range Pedro effort over the crossbar and Xavi volleyed high and wide when well placed.

As the half wore on and Bayern looked increasingly comfortable against Barca's aimless attacks, their boisterous fans high up in the stadium began to make themselves heard on a balmy night in the Catalan capital.

The home crowd were silenced four minutes into the second half when David Alaba sprayed the ball across to Robben on the right wing and he cut inside Adriano in trademark fashion before crashing a left-foot drive past Valdes.

Barca now needed six goals to get through and any fans looking towards the bench to see if Messi was warming up were disappointed.

The Germans even began to stroke the ball around in the style Barca have made their own in recent years, each pass being greeted with a jubilant "Ole!" from their travelling support.

Barca huffed and puffed for a goal to salvage some pride but Pique's own goal and Mueller's back-post header completed a truly awful and unprecedented night for a team often lauded as the greatest ever.

TREBLE BID

Bayern will be appearing in the final for the third time in four seasons after defeats by Inter Milan in 2010 and Chelsea last season and are on course for a treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.

Their success at the Nou Camp may help them banish the painful memory of losing a dramatic Champions League final there against Manchester United in 1999, when the English Premier struck twice late on for a 2-1 comeback triumph.

Barca should wrap up the La Liga title in the next couple of weeks but a domestic championship is scant reward for a team which had set a new standard for European club football in recent years.

"When a team is so superior you have to congratulate them," Pique told Spanish television.

"Now we have to prepare for La Liga, finish it as soon as possible and start thinking about next season."

Dortmund reached the final after overcoming Real 4-3 on aggregate and host Bayern in a Bundesliga match on Saturday. (Additional reporting by Karolos Grohmann in Berlin and Mark Elkington in Madrid, editing by Justin Palmer/Mark Meadows)

Here are 10 things to watch for during the three-day NFL draft beginning Thursday night:

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COMMISSIONER HUGGY BEAR

How many hugs can Roger Goodell endure from all the burly offensive and defensive players expected to be selected in the first round? Last year, he embraced many first-round picks who took the stage and was nearly hugged into submission by the likes of Fletcher Cox, Dontari Poe and Melvin Ingram.

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SHOW ME A QUARTERBACK

Will any quarterbacks be taken in the first round? Possibilities include Geno Smith, Matt Barkley and EJ Manuel, but this is far from the glamour year of 2012, when QBs were huge: Luck, No. 1; Robert Griffin III, No. 2; Ryan Tannehill (No. 8); Brandon Weeden (No. 22). The last time no quarterback was taken in round one was 1996 (Tony Banks was a second-rounder, No. 42, by the Rams); the last time only one was taken was 2001 (Michael Vick, first overall) and the last time two were taken was 2010 (Sam Bradford and Tim Tebow).

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FASHION STATEMENT

Fashionistas surely will be tracking the expensive, colorful designer suits, hairstyles (think dreadlocks) and even socks of the draftees as they take the stage after being selected. (Think Griffin, the Redskins' top pick in 2012, who wore a baby blue jacket, checkered-patterned shirt, purplish tie with horizontal stripes, and burgundy and gold socks with the words "GO CATCH YOUR DREAM."

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TE'O TIME

When that will be exactly is anyone's guess. Some analysts have Notre Dame's All-American linebacker Manti Te'o back to being a first-round cinch, even after a great season was marred by a poor game against Alabama followed by the hoax involving a deceased "girlfriend." He did not perform well at the NFL combine, but did better at pro day in South Bend.

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BEEFING UP EARLY

Watch for all the beef early in the first round. There's a chance seven of the first 10 picks could be really big fellas. Among them are offensive linemen Luke Joeckel (306 pounds), Eric Fisher (306), Chance Warmack (317), Lane Johnson (303) and Jonathan Cooper (311); and defensive linemen Sharrif Floyd (297) and Ziggy Ansah (271).

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WILL TIDE ROLL AGAIN IN 1ST ROUND?

A year ago, the national champions had four players picked: RB Trent Richardson (No. 3), SS Mark Barron (No. 7), CB Dre Kirkpatrick (No.17) and LB Dont'a Hightower (No. 25). National champs again, there are five that could end up as first-rounders: Warmack, cornerback Dee Milliner, offensive tackle D.J. Fluker, defensive tackle Jesse Williams, and running back Eddie Lacy.

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FAMILY TIES

Every year, a slew of players with family ties to the NFL are draft eligible. This year is no exception, with a few dozen all-in-the-family connections. Among them are QBs Nate Montana (son of Joe Montana) and Jordan Rodgers (brother of Aaron Rodgers), Jake Ryan (son of Pat Ryan), Duron Carter (son of Cris Carter), Luke Tasker (son of Steve Tasker), Kyle Long (son of Howie Long, brother of Chris Long) and Baker Steinkuhler (son of Dean Steinkuhler).

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HALL OF FAME PICKERS

A total of 32 former NFL players will be announcing second- and third-round picks for teams, including newly elected Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden (Ravens), Warren Sapp (Buccaneers) and Dave Robinson (Packers). Others making picks for their former teams include Deion Sanders (Falcons) and Larry Little (Dolphins).

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BEST STORYLINES

Houston cornerback D.J. Hayden and South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore.

Hayden was moments from death last November after an on-field collision with a teammate tore a blood vessel off the back of his heart. He was taken to a hospital, underwent lifesaving surgery, and now could be a first-round pick. He ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at Houston's pro day in March, and now he'll wait to see if a team believes his talent and speed is worth the risk.

In 2011, Lattimore tore the ACL in his left knee midway through the season. He returned last year, and in October, the star running back suffered a horrific injury to his right knee against Tennessee it was dislocated and ligaments were damaged as he was tackled. He had surgery a month later, continued rehabbing, and at South Carolina's pro day recently he impressed NFL scouts so much they applauded after his workout. He says he's confident he'll be ready to play when the 2013 season starts.

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MR. IRRELEVANT

As the draft draws to a close Saturday, the fun revs up with the final pick, aka Mr. Irrelevant. As they did last year, the Colts have the honor at pick No. 254. Last year, they went for Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish (Andrew Luck was the Colts' other QB pick at No. 1 overall). The last pick will be awarded the Lowsman (opposite of Heisman) Trophy during a weeklong celebration at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach, Calif. In 2012, Harnish's first trip to California included golf at Big Canyon Country Club, a visit to Disneyland and parties galore. The founder of Irrelevant Week is Paul Salata, a former USC and NFL receiver. The first Mr. Irrelevant was WR Kelvin Kirk in 1976.

Runner-up was Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer whose record in the prestigious Rolex Final includes third place in 2012 and equal-second in 2010.And, pleasing the home crowd, Swedish hero and reigning FEI European champion Rolf-Goran Bengtsson slotted into third tonight.

Rewarded

Course designer Uliano Vezzani set a clever track that rewarded those prepared to attack the course and take all the tight turns.The curved shape of the Scandinavium Arena encouraged him to include a range of bending lines, but the biggest test of control came after the second element of the double of verticals at seven.Most riders managed to turn sharply left-handed here to take a line inside the third fence en route to the following double at fence eight, as neatly demonstrated by the pathfinding partnership of Olympic champion Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets from Switzerland.But their round also revealed the risks of the temptation to gallop down to the final vertical at fence 13 where they were penalised along with many others.

With time added for fences down or other errors of course it would take good, clean jumping to ensure a place at the top of the order, although America’s Charlie Jayne and Chill R Z were so speedy that they still managed to secure 11th place despite faulting at the last.US riders were highly impressive, filling five of the top 13 finishing spots at the end of the day, but for defending champions Rich Fellers and Flexible the dream of a back-to-back double already seems to be shattered.

Firing on All Cylinders

They were firing on all cylinders until turning to the penultimate double, vertical to oxer.Fellers came around the third fence so quickly on the approach that the 17-year-old stallion seemed to be taken by surprise by the double and scrambled through the first element before grinding to a halt at the second.They composed themselves and finished without further drama, but the mistake was very costly indeed as they are lying in 34th place going into tomorrow’s second day of competition.

Schwizer enjoyed the advantage of a late run when, second-last to go with Verdi, but his great round which earned him second place only served to demonstrate just how fast Madden had been, as his time of 62.79 left him more than a second shy of her target of 62.28.

Bengtsson had the disadvantage of being just the fourth rider into the arena with the stallion Casall La Silla, but as he said afterwards, “when you go early you just have to be as quick as you can.I was very happy with the horse, I finished in the area (on the leaderboard) where you need to be at this stage in the World Cup Final. I liked the way my horse jumped, I got my round really the way I wanted it.I would have been disappointed to have been faster but to have a fence down.I decided before I went in how it should be - you make your plan and stick to your plan and do your best, that’s all you can ever do,” he said wisely.

Great Round

It was Portugal’s Luciana Diniz who slotted into fourth with a great round from the 12-year-old Lennox who has been continually growing in confidence throughout this winter season, while Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya and Carlo also looked very special when claiming fifth place.However the happiest man of the day seemed to be Kevin Staut whose face was a beam of delight after steering the great mare, Silvana HDC, into sixth.The Frenchman’s form in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series over the past few seasons has been incredibly consistent and somehow it seems it just might be time for his light to shine.

Sweden’s Jens Fredricson and Lunatic finished seventh, with Penelope Leprevost and Nayana in eighth for France ahead of Katie Dinan and Nougat du Vallet in ninth and fellow-American McLain Ward and Super Trooper de Ness in 10th.

History shows that a prominent placing in the opening speed class is essential to remain in contention for the Rolex title and, last man in, Christian Ahlmann from Germany knows all about that.But his chances were blown tonight in almost a perfect replay of Fellers’ unfortunate error when he also turned so tight to the penultimate double that his 2010 champion ride, Taloubet Z, ground to a halt with surprise.    

Preparation for the Final

Winning rider, Madden, talked about her preparation for the Rolex Final this year.“We competed in the Nations Cup at Wellington and then in Paris two weeks ago.Simon is a very seasoned indoor horse so that seemed to be enough before coming here.He’s been lying low a little this year ahead of the Final,” she explained.Today’s win was the biggest in their career together so far. “Before this my biggest successes with Simon were winning the Queen Elizabeth Cup at Spruce Meadows and coming second in the Masters there last September,” she pointed out.

Talking about pressure at this level of the sport she said “I have some age and experience on my side and I hope I can handle it ok.There’s always pressure no matter who you are.There is still a long way to go (in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final) so we will see,” she added.

Bengtsson meanwhile admitted that riding in front of his home crowd was an intense experience because the expectations are so high. “You have to try to handle that pressure and not be too hard on yourself.It’s so easy to make a mistake - look at Rich Fellers and Christian Ahlmann today, they were both having fantastic rounds but a small mistake caused them a very big problem, but they are both still very good riders,” he said.

Madden will line out again with Simon in tomorrow’s second leg of the 2013 Rolex Final, but Bengtsson will change over to Quintero, while Schwizer will line out with Picsou du Chene. There is still a long way to go, but it is shaping up for a cracking conclusion to another classic Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping season.

Louise ParkesFdration Equestre Internationale353862345307

The Kauai Humane Society since December has been reaching out to tourists and other travelers willing to bring a dog with them as extra luggage when they fly to California and Oregon.

The shelter gets a lot of stray and abandoned dogs derived from hunting breeds that are used for hunting feral pigs on Kauai. So far, 24 dogs have been adopted through the program, which also is working with the Oregon Humane Society in Portland.

Shelter officials say the Hawaii dogs get snatched up quickly after languishing in Kauai's shelter for months because they are different from what is normally offered for adoption.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's nominee to oversee Medicare and Medicaid won the backing of a Senate panel on Tuesday, clearing the way for a vote by the full Senate that could make Marilyn Tavenner the programs' first official administrator since 2006.

The Senate Finance Committee voted unanimously to endorse Tavenner as head of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The agency provides health coverage to some 100 million elderly, disabled and poor Americans and also oversees implementation of Obama's signature healthcare reform law, the Affordable Care Act.

There was no immediate word on when the Senate would vote on Tavenner's confirmation. The former nurse and hospital company executive has been running CMS as acting administrator since late 2011.

"I think she'll make a terrific administrator. One of the best," said Senator Max Baucus of Montana, the committee's Democratic chairman.

If confirmed, Tavenner would officially take the helm at a time of daunting challenges for U.S. healthcare policy. Obama's reform law is heading for full implementation on January 1 and both Medicare and Medicaid are in the political firing line for possible deficit reductions.

Tavenner, who also oversaw health policy in her home state of Virginia, drew vital support from top Republicans for her practicality and private sector experience.

Among her backers is House of Representatives Majority Leader Eric Cantor, a leading conservative who introduced her at an April 9 confirmation hearing.

Tavenner vowed at the hearing to run the $820 billion CMS "as a business."

"This is an excellent choice," said Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, the committee's top Republican.

"CMS has a budget larger than the Department of Defense. It's the nation's single largest insurer," he added. "We need a permanent person there."

The agency's last official administrator was Dr. Mark McClellan, who assumed the job under former President George W. Bush and oversaw the implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit before leaving in 2006.

Since then, CMS nominees have been stymied by partisan politics. Tavenner became acting administrator after her predecessor, Obama nominee Donald Berwick, assumed the post in a 2010 recess appointment but left when Republicans made it clear that they would oppose his confirmation.

Before joining CMS, Tavenner worked for four years as the secretary of health and human resources for Virginia. She spent 25 years working for the Hospital Corporation of America, beginning as a nurse, eventually becoming an executive and ending in 2005 as head of its outpatient services unit.

(Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Ros Krasny, Gerald E. McCormick, Bill Trott and Cynthia Osterman)

"I feel that it is time to take some time for myself and try to find some new challenges," the 39-year-old Petacchi said in a Lampre-Merida team statement on Tuesday.

"I gave my best, as I always did in the 18 seasons as professional rider".

Petacchi, who turned professional in 1996, won six stages in the Tour de France, 22 in the Giro d'Italia and 20 in the Tour of Spain.

His 2007 Giro results were erased after he failed a dope tests for the banned substance salbutamol, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) saying he had not been cautious enough in taking medication.

A clever sprinter, Petacchi won the green jersey for points classification in the 2010 Tour de France, a feat he also achieved in the 2004 Giro and 2005 Tour of Spain.

He also won the prestigious Milan-San Remo classic in 2005, one year after taking a record nine Giro stages.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond)