Johnny "Football" Manziel favorite for Heisman

MIAMI (Reuters) - Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel is in line to become the first 'freshman' winner of the Heisman Trophy when the annual award for the top player in college football is made on Saturday.
Manziel, nicknamed "Johnny Football", is one of three players to be invited to Saturday's ceremony, along with Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o and Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein.
Wednesday's final installment of the Scripps Heisman Poll, which has accurately indicated the winner for 21 off the past 25 years, placed Manziel in the top spot.
The trophy was won last year by Robert Griffin III, who went on to be taken as the number two pick in the 2012 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins.
The previous year's winner Cam Newton, another quarterback, was taken as the number one overall pick by the Carolina Panthers and enjoyed a hugely successful rookie year in the NFL.
Up until Florida quarterback Tim Tebow won the Heisman in 2007, no sophomore had won the award but Manziel could go one better if he wins after his first season.
The Texan finished the regular season with 3,419 passing yards and 1,181 rushing yards to set a new total offense record for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of 4,600 yards in 12 games.
Manziel also broke the record for total offense in a game, originally set by Archie Mannning, father of Peyton and Eli, back in 1969, when he accumulated 557 yards against Arkansas and he then bettered it with 567 yards against Louisiana Tech.
"It's so surreal for me to be even be able to be mentioned for the Heisman Trophy," Manziel said recently when asked about the award.
Manziel sat out football (redshirted) for his first year at college as the 'Aggies' already had Ryan Tannehill, now the starting quarterback with the Miami Dolphins.
While there is some debate over whether a redshirt freshman should be given the award, Tannehill believes Manziel has proven his worth.
"Look at the numbers. The numbers he has put up are outstanding. He's surpassed Cam Newton and Tim Tebow who both won the Heisman in the years that they set the SEC record for yards in a season," he said.
"Plus the fact of the game changing players he can make. He went to Alabama when they were ranked number one and had an upset victory there," added Tannehill.
The biggest threat to Manziel comes from Te'o who has been outstanding for Notre Dame as they enjoyed a 12-0 record and moved to number one in the nation, earning a shot at the title against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Miami on January 7.
Hawaiian Te'o made 52 solo tackles and assisted on a further 51 in his senior year and he has a total of 427 total tackles from his four year collegiate career.
Unlike Manziel, who has at least one more year left before he can enter the draft and will likely wait more, Te'o is expected to be a first round pick in the 2013 class.

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Can BCS title game challenge TV ratings record?

NEW YORK (AP) — Two undefeated teams, three Heisman Trophy finalists, five lead changes and 19 seconds left when the winning touchdown was scored.
No other BCS title game has come close to matching that perfect formula for broad appeal. The 2006 tilt between Texas and Southern California was on in nearly 22 percent of American homes with televisions; the second-best number is under 18 percent.
Now, seven years later, a matchup may finally challenge that Rose Bowl's TV ratings record.
No. 1 Notre Dame, so popular it can stay independent and negotiate its own television contract, is competing for its first championship since the 1988 season. Notre Dame's opponent, No. 2 Alabama, is a big name in its own right, made bigger by two titles in the last three years and the Southeastern Conference's run of six straight crowns.
"It sets up really remarkable possibilities," said Burke Magnus, ESPN's senior vice president for college sports programming.
Just as fans and media break down position-by-position battles for the Fighting Irish and Crimson Tide, a look at how this year's matchup stacks up against the record-holders from 2006:
— NAME RECOGNITION. Texas and USC are hardly slouches in the tradition and popularity departments, but Notre Dame is in its own category. Plus there's the added intrigue of the Irish's title drought.
"It definitely raises the bar of the hype and the buzz of this national championship compared to any of the other games I've had the good fortune to call," ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said.
Even if much of the interest sprouts from fans rooting against one of the teams.
"Notre Dame is the Yankees, is the Celtics, the Lakers and so on, the Dallas Cowboys. They're polarizing, which helps," Magnus said. "Actually, both of them are right now because of the SEC factor, and Alabama has been the standard bearer for that."
Herbstreit chuckled at the thought of some fans vowing not to watch because they detest both teams.
"Anybody who takes the time to make a comment like that clearly will be watching the game," he said. "They'll in fact watch the four hours of pregame we have before the game and be blogging and tweeting about how wrong everybody is on those shows."
— STAR POWER. Texas-USC sparkled far brighter here. The three Heisman finalists that season were from those two teams: Trojans quarterback Matt Leinart (who won the previous year) and running back Reggie Bush (who won this time, before later returning the trophy because of NCAA violations) and Longhorns quarterback Vince Young. All were skill position players believed at the time to have promising NFL futures.
Notre Dame's Heisman finalist is a defensive guy, linebacker Manti Te'o. Alabama's four first-team All-Americans are offensive linemen or defenders.
— ANTICIPATION. Texas and USC were the undisputed top teams in college football — the only undefeated squads in the country who led the rankings all season. Alabama has one loss, and while there has been almost no controversy as to whether the Tide deserves to play in the title game, the late-season rankings scramble that led to this game doesn't carry quite the same buzz.
— MARKET SIZE. In the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, postseason viewership often varies significantly based on whether the teams involved hail from cities big or small. In college football, that's less of a factor, though it didn't hurt the 2006 title game that a school from Los Angeles, the country's second-largest market, was involved.
The program from South Bend, Ind., of course is a classic example of national appeal.
"(Alabama is) the franchise right now and another mega brand," Magnus said. "It doesn't matter that it's Tuscaloosa — the TV markets don't matter when it comes to teams like that."
— ON-FIELD THEATER. One of the biggest factors in the final rating won't be known until the game kicks off. If the score stays close, more viewers will stick around to the end — and more will join in. Magnus believes the rise of social media will increase the audience of tight games even more than in the past, as casual fans learn through Twitter or Facebook that they can catch a tense finish if they tune in.
The Longhorns' 41-38 win featured 10 touchdowns, and the teams combined to score five times in the fourth quarter. Neither school ever led by more than 12 points.
Notre Dame has had a penchant for close games all season and Alabama also has lately. But the other half of the entertainment equation — high scoring — may be less likely with these two programs. Each allows fewer than 11 points a game.
— RAW NUMBERS. The Texas-USC title game set the record with a 21.7 rating — 22 percent higher than the next best BCS championship. No. 2 all-time was the 2001 Oklahoma-Florida State final with a 17.8. The best ratings since 2006 were a 17.4 for both the 2007 Florida-Ohio State and 2008 LSU-Ohio State matchups.
The 2006 championship was on ABC, but the BCS games have since moved to cable. ESPN is in about 14 percent fewer homes than the traditional broadcast networks, though executives note that college football fans are more likely than the general population to have cable. Ratings since the switch have seemingly been more affected by the matchups and competitiveness of games than by their availability.
Regular-season viewership, while still strong, was down for college football this year. On ESPN's networks, the average audience decreased more than 10 percent on ABC, almost 4 percent on ESPN, and nearly 13 percent on ESPN2 from 2011. SEC games on CBS also dropped 10 percent.
For the four BCS games so far, preliminary ratings are up 1 percent on ESPN from last season.
But Notre Dame and Alabama have already shown their ability to lure big audiences. The rating for the Tide's SEC title game against Georgia — essentially a national semifinal — was up 34 percent from the previous year's LSU-Georgia matchup. With an average of 16.2 million viewers, it was the season's most-watched college football game before the bowls.
No. 2 was Notre Dame's win over USC to clinch a berth in the BCS title game with 16.1 million viewers. That was the highest-rated Saturday night regular-season game on ABC since at least 1991.
Herbstreit is one of those sports fans who watch golf only when Tiger Woods is in contention on a Sunday. He considers Notre Dame-Alabama to be the college football equivalent of that.
"Without a doubt," he said, "if you're a college football fan, or even if you're a fringe college football fan, you're going to watch.

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Golson hopes Notre Dame's season ends on good note

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Everett Golson's first love is basketball. Music would seem to be second on the Notre Dame quarterback's list.
He's not too bad at football, either.
A season that started in Ireland and had plenty of tests along the way ends in Miami on Monday night, when Golson and the top-ranked Fighting Irish take on No. 2 Alabama in the BCS title game.
He's made 10 starts this season and won them all, one away from matching the Notre Dame record for consecutive victories to open a career. Of course, tying that mark isn't exactly the biggest prize that Golson will be chasing when the Irish face the Crimson Tide.
Says Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin: "He's pretty good at his hobby — this being his hobby."

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Chris MacDonald's Memories of Elvis Rockin Birthday Bash is back at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts January 12, 2013.

In celebration of what would have been Elvis Presley's 78th birthday, Chris MacDonald will lovingly bring back the magic of “the King or Rock-n-roll” in a truly dynamic performance complete with costumes, back up singers, dancers and a high-energy concert band for a Rockin tribute celebrating the life and music of one of the greatest entertainers and pop culture icons of the 20th century.

(PRWEB) January 08, 2013
In celebration of what would have been Elvis Presley's 78th birthday, Chris MacDonald will lovingly bring back the magic of “the King or Rock-n-roll” in a truly dynamic performance complete with costumes, back up singers, dancers and a high-energy concert band for a Rockin tribute celebrating the life and music of one of the greatest entertainers and pop culture icons of the 20th century.
"Are you still lonesome Tonight" for the energy, charisma and incredible voice of one of the most enduring icons of pop culture? Then come celebrate the life and music of Elvis Presley, when tribute artist Chris MacDonald presents," Memories of Elvis Rockin Birthday Bash" a tribute to the incredible story of the King of Rock-n-Roll, Saturday January 12th at the Coral Springs Center for The Arts. Elvis Presley, recognized by TIME magazine as the "Artist of the Century," has sold more records than any other artist or group in the history of modern music. Even after death, his image and music continue to be loved and celebrated throughout the world. July 5, 2004 was established as the official 50th Birthday of Rock-n-roll commemorating Sun Records release of Elvis Presley’s song “That’s all right Mama”. With recent number ones on Billboard and Great Britain’s charts, Elvis once again proves he is gone, but not forgotten.
Keeping the memory alive at countless venues throughout the country Chris MacDonald lovingly brings back the magic of the “King of Rock-n-Roll” with his tribute Memories of Elvis. Chris’s show is not an overdone impersonation. It is a natural heartfelt tribute to the King of Rock-n-roll. Adding to the authenticity of his tribute, Chris has the honor of being the only tribute artist hired by Elvis Presley Enterprises to perform at Graceland's Heartbreak Hotel for 7 consecutive years. An energetic and experienced entertainer, MacDonald has also starred in the famous LEGENDS IN CONCERT stage productions in such cities as Branson, MO, and Las Vegas, NV. He has also performed in Concert with Elvis Presley’s original back up group The Jordanaires and D.J. Fontana at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.
Not only is the charismatic MacDonald superb in performing as Elvis, this versatile performer has an extensive repertoire spanning from the 50's through today including contemporary country music tunes in addition to some of his own original music. MacDonald’s solid vocals have also earned him Broward County’s Florida Country Music Association’s (FCMA) Male Vocalist of the Year award and a feature track on The Deuces Wild compilation CD which received the FCMA Best CD of the Year award. Chris also had the honor of working with The Jordanaires on his original country music CD entitled No Misconception. The legendary Jordanaires arranged and provided the harmony vocals giving it an authentic traditional country sound. The songs are available for digital downloads on Amazon and iTunes or his website chriselvis.com. Also just released this year is a full live double CD recording of Chris MacDonald's Memories of Elvis Live in Concert .It is also available on iTunes and Amazon.
With this national touring production, the show will include costume changes and performances representing the different stages of Elvis's incredible career including the 1950's, the Movies, the 1968 Comeback and the 1970's White Fringe Vegas Concerts in tribute to the incredible story of the King of Rock-n-Roll.
For one night only at the Coral Springs Center for the Arts, MacDonald will bring back an All-American Legend in a truly dynamic multi-media performance complete with costumes, back up singer’s dancers, and a high-energy concert band for a Rockin Birthday tribute celebrating the life and music of one of the greatest entertainers and pop culture icons of 20th Century.

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ConnectBooks for Sage 50-Canadian Edition Introduced by IntelleApps to Sage Staff

Representatives from IntelleApps hosted a web presentation of its mobile app, ConnectBooks for Sage 50-Canadian Edition (formerly Simply Accounting). The online presentation consisted of a slideshow and a live demonstration of the ConnectBooks application.

Chantilly, Virginia USA (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Over 15 representatives from Sage in Richmond, British Columbia attended an online presentation hosted by IntelleApps demonstrating ConnectBooks, a mobile application for Android and Apple devices. This iteration of the application has been designed to work with Sage 50-Canadian Edition accounting software. The presentation outlined the important features and benefits of the ConnectBooks app as well as provided the audience with a firsthand look at the application itself via an emulator.
The primary presenter was Walt Mahan, who is the Product Manager for the ConnectBooks product line. When asked about his impressions on the presentation, he said, “First of all, I want to thank Paul Little—Manager of Add-On Products for Sage North America—who set up the session.” Sage was represented by executives, marketing specialists, salespeople, and R&D management. Below is an extended quote from Mr. Mahan that further details ConnectBooks for Sage 50-Canadian Edition:
“Paul Little set up a similar session in March of 2012 when we presented ConnectBooks for Peachtree (re-branded subsequently to Sage 50-U.S. Edition. Since launching that product, we have garnered over 275 subscribers, which demonstrates significant market penetration in a brief time frame.
“There are three significant differences between the two offerings beside the Sage accounting software they support:
1. ConnectBooks for Sage 50-Canadian Edition provides the means to create and update certain record types (estimates, contracts, and sales invoices).

2. Subscribers have the ability to create customized roles and permissions that limit access to record types that they specify.

3. ConnectBooks accesses the Sage 50-Canadian Edition database directly and updates it in real time.
"We will officially launch ConnectBooks for Sage 50-Canadian Edition at the end of January of 2013 after doing beta tests with several Sage consultants. Subscribers will be able to download the app from the Google Play Store or the Apple iTunes store. Based on early conversations with a number of Sage consultants, we expect the product will be eagerly received.”
ConnectBooks will be available in four different packages upon its release:

1.    Bronze Package: 1 user, 1 company, $9.99 per month

2.    Silver Package: Up to 3 users, Up to 3 companies, $19.99 per month

3.    Gold Package: Up to 5 users, Up to 5 companies, $29.99 per month

4.    Enterprise Package: Unlimited users, Unlimited companies, Pricing varies
One of the enticing features of the packages is that they all come with the first 30 days of service free of charge so the subscriber can try it out before sending a payment.
ConnectBooks supports multiple currencies and languages—as long as Sage provides support:

    English, French, and Spanish languages
    Canadian dollar, US dollar, and peso
Following the presentation, IntelleApps fielded several questions from the audience. The session was closed with some final remarks from the IntelleApps, LLC President and CEO, Ramji Venkatachari.
If you would like more information on the ConnectBooks app, you can visit the website for Sage 50-US Edition at pt.connectbooks.com or the website for Sage 50-Canadian Edition at sa.connectbooks.com.
About the Company:

ConnectBooks for Sage 50-Canadian Edition and Sage 50-US Edition are products of IntelleApps, LCC. IntelleApps is a fast growing company with an exclusive focus on developing state-of-art mobile apps for the Apple iOS and Google Android platforms.
IntelleApps is located in Chantilly, VA, USA and is a Sage Development Partner. Sage Corporation is the Creator and Owner of the Sage 50-Canadian Edition and Sage 50-US Edition accounting software products.

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HungerShield Featured in TimeOut New York's Twelve Days of Fitness

HungerShield has provided an exclusive offer to Time Out New York’s Time Out Offers platform in conjunction with their Twelve Days of Fitness promotion. Readers will benefit from up to 30% off in product discounts, as well as tips and meal plans from HungerShield nutritionists.

Scarsdale, New York (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
It's January and resolution time! Folks are recovering from holiday feasts and dietary indiscretions and ready to get on track and in shape. According to statistics released last month from the Journal of Clinical Psychology, nearly 40% of resolutions are weight-related, but only 46% make it past six months.
"A resolution is a wonderful thing when it acts as a catalyst to make the changes needed to live a healthier lifestyle," says Dafna Chazin, MS, RD, HungerShield co-founder and registered dietitian. "However, it is even more important that it comes with the guidance, tools and support that will turn a jump-start into sustained behavior."
With this in mind, HungerShield, providers of portable appetite control stick packets, is happy to include a detailed Lifestyle Plan with any Single Pack, 3-Pack or 6-Pack HungerShield purchased via Time Out Offers.
The comprehensive lifestyle plan was created by HungerShield's registered dietitians and comes complete with tips, food lists and a 7-day meal plan. The food lists are broken into specific categories, to use as a guide when creating shopping lists and stocking the kitchen. The detailed meal plan comes with simple recipes and snack ideas. "This isn't a gimmick or a quick-fix," says Chazin. "This is a tool that will not only help people reach their weight loss goals, but will encourage continued healthy habits for the long term."
The HungerShield deal is a part of Time Out Offers’ Twelve Days of Fitness promotion, which includes discounts on fitness classes, gym memberships, personal training, spa treatments, nutrition programs and more. For more information, visit: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/twelve-days-of-fitness. The promotion concurs with the magazine’s Best Gyms issue (on newsstands 12/27-1/9).
About HungerShield

HungerShield is an innovative appetite control drink mix created by four registered dietitians, Elizabeth DeRobertis MS, RD, CDN, CDE, Heather Zeitz RD, CDN, Elizabeth Pecoraro MS, RD, CDN and Dafna Chazin MS, RD, CDN. HungerShield is the only product on the market designed specifically to curb appetite through a unique blend of high quality and natural ingredients, including protein, fiber and probiotics. It is also the only product in this category that was created by healthcare professionals and can work with any diet plan on the market. For more information, visit http://www.hungershield.com. You can follow HungerShield on Twitter @HungerShield and on Facebook.
About Time Out New York

Time Out New York is a comprehensive arts and entertainment multiplatform media business, delivering engaging features, local listings and critical reviews to active and informed residents and visitors of New York City. Sometimes irreverent but always intelligent, Time Out New York provides passionate coverage of music, film, theater, dance, shopping, dining, and more. Time Out New York is part of Time Out Group, the global media business delivering local information and cultural guidance in 38 cities across 25 countries and encompassing a worldwide audience of more than 18 million.

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AP names Torchia as bureau chief in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Christopher Torchia, The Associated Press bureau chief in Turkey who has reported from five continents, has been appointed chief of bureau for AP for southern Africa.
The appointment was announced Thursday by Africa Editor Andrew Selsky.
"Torchia is one of the best foreign correspondents in the business and has the experience and talent to deliver fascinating stories from this important and diverse region," Selsky said.
As southern Africa bureau chief, Torchia, 45, will oversee coverage of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Angola, Madagascar, Lesotho, Swaziland and Malawi. He will be based in Johannesburg and report directly to Selsky.
He joined the AP in Albany, the New York state capital, in 1989 after a stint at The Albuquerque Journal in New Mexico. He moved to the AP's Boston bureau and the international editing desk in New York, and then transferred to Colombia in 1994, covering drug cartels and rebel and paramilitary groups.
He was posted to Indonesia during the Asian economic crisis that helped oust President Suharto in 1998 and served as bureau chief in South Korea and Singapore, reporting on events including the North Korean nuclear standoff and the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. In late 2006, he moved to Istanbul, where he drove coverage of Turkey's rising diplomatic and economic profile and contributed to reporting on the Mideast and on the Arab spring uprisings and Syria's civil war.
He also has reported frequently from Iraq and Afghanistan, covering the 2006 execution of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, among other stories.
Torchia holds a bachelor of arts degree from Yale University. He is the co-author of "How Koreans Talk" and "Indonesian Slang: Colloquial Indonesian at Work."
An American, Torchia lived in South Africa as a youth. His father, Andrew Torchia, a foreign correspondent for AP before retiring in 1994, also served as AP's bureau chief in Johannesburg in the 1980s.

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Nigeria airline in June crash resumes flights

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The Nigerian airline involved in a June crash that killed at least 163 people resumed domestic flights Thursday, even though officials acknowledge they still don't know what brought the aircraft down and that the families of the dead still haven't received insurance settlements.
Government authorities cleared Dana Air to again fly the same type of planes involved in the crash, despite public outrage over the disaster in a nation with a long history of airplane tragedies. Meanwhile, passengers still nervously board flights, even though the country's aviation industry remains mired in financial problems and is governed by lax oversight.
Smiling staffers stood Thursday at empty check-in and ticket counters at a domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, as only a few passengers paid for seats on its 4:20 p.m. flight Thursday to Nigeria's capital, Abuja. The private airline planned to have a flight Friday morning carrying local celebrities, government officials and journalists to the capital and back as a sign that the carrier was again open for business, said Tony Usidamen, a Dana spokesman.
The carrier was offering tickets as cheap as 14,400 naira ($90) one-way to the capital, about half the price of its competitors, as a means of luring back passengers. However, Usidamen said the carrier planned a limited flight schedule for the coming weeks and acknowledged it would be a while before its flights were full again.
"It's going to take time to publicize the resumption of flights and to regain the public's confidence," the spokesman told The Associated Press.
On June 3, a Dana Air MD-83 twin-engine jet crashed in a crowded neighborhood on the outskirts of Lagos, killing all 153 people onboard and at least 10 on the ground, authorities have said. The pilots told air traffic controllers that the plane lost power to both engines just before the crash. The reason for the power loss remains unclear. Crash investigators in Nigeria have said the flight data recorder on the plane melted in the ensuing fire.
Dana will fly its remaining stock of five MD-83s, airplanes built by McDonnell Douglas, which was later bought by Boeing Co. The aircraft series is a mainstay of airlines around the world, with a large number still flown by American Airlines, owned by AMR Corp. Joe Obi, a spokesman for Nigeria's Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, pointed to that when asked if authorities had any concerns about Dana continuing to fly that model.
"Until we are sure what caused the crash, we can't make a decision on the MD-83," Obi told the AP.
Federal officials have given Dana Air a two-month window to complete insurance payments to the bereaved, Obi said. That could prove difficult, as Usidamen said the airline's insurers have made full payments to only five families of victims so far. Usidamen blamed the delays on families not getting needed documents from probate courts.
Nigeria has suffered a series of plane crashes over the last decades, with authorities never offering clear explanations for why the disasters happened. Obi said Nigeria's government planned to immediately publicize the cause of the Dana crash as soon as it knew, but the government has previously declined to publish the causes of other crashes.
Other airlines in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, have collapsed or faced dire financial straits over the last year.
Air Nigeria, the nation's second-largest carrier, collapsed in September amid allegations of financial mismanagement. Arik Air Ltd., the country's largest and perceived safest carrier, recently halted domestic flights after its management alleged Oduah had a financial interest in seeing the airline fail. The carrier later resumed its flights, but raised its prices as authorities halted other smaller carriers from flying due to financial and safety issues.
Air travel, despite its perils, represents the quickest way for those who can afford it to travel across Nigeria, a nation twice the size of California and with decrepit and dangerous roads. However, experts say Nigerian aviation authorities remain overworked and safety regulations are laxly enforced in a nation where bribery is an epidemic.
The Dana Air crash represented the worst airline disaster in the country since Sept. 27, 1992, when a military transport plane crashed into a swamp shortly after takeoff from Lagos and killed all 163 people onboard. The worst air disaster in Nigeria happened in 1973, when a Jordanian Boeing 707 crashed at Nigeria's Kano international airport and killed 176 people.

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C. African Republic leader fires son from post

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Facing an insurgency by a new rebel coalition, the president of Central African Republic consolidated military power under his control Thursday after dismissing his own son as acting defense minister along with his army chief of staff.
President Francois Bozize said in a decree read on state radio late Wednesday that he was taking over the position held by his son, Jean Francis Bozize as neighboring countries sent troops to help.
Hundreds of soldiers from Chad, Republic of Congo, Gabon and Cameroon have been in arriving this week in this desperately poor, landlocked country where rebels have seized 10 towns in a month's time.
Rebel spokesman Col. Djouma Narkoyo reiterated Thursday that they were holding their position at the transportation hub of Sibut pending negotiations in Gabon. They have apparently made no further advance toward the capital since taking the town on Dec. 29.
"Our position today is that we respect the decision of the Economic Community of Central African States," he said by satellite phone. "That's why we are staying in Sibut and are not advancing."
In New York, France's U.N. Ambassador Gerard Araud said there will be a meeting in Libreville, Gabon on Jan. 8 to promote a political solution to the crisis, mediated by President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo.
"The goal is to have a political agreement in Libreville, a national unity government ... and eventually a peaceful settlement," he told reporters after a closed-door briefing to the U.N. Security Council Thursday on the latest developments in the Central African Republic by U.N. political chief Jeffrey Feltman.
Araud said the African Union and regional groups are in the lead and have been very active, and the Security Council is supporting them and will likely issue a press statement Friday. He said France planned to circulate the text to the 14 other council members on Thursday evening.
"They have stopped the rebels, and they have ideas about a national unity government," Araud said of the AU and regional groups. "So everything will be discussed in the meeting in Libreville on the 8th, and after the meeting in Libreville we'll see whether the U.N. has to do something."
Residents in the capital of Bangui said Bozize's decision to fire his own son was not surprising given the recent military losses. But some noted Bozize may be making his moves too late.
"It's coming too late because the security of our country is already in the hands of rebels," said Jean Nestor Kongbu as he watched fishermen cast their nets in the Obangui River that separates Central African Republic from Congo. ... They say they won't advance, but the government could provoke the rebels or the rebels could provoke the government. They need to negotiate for the Central African people."
The sudden military reorganization also suggests that Bozize's regime may be weakening, said Thierry Vircoulon, the project director for Central Africa at the International Crisis Group.
"If he is dismissing his own son, it means he is getting more and more isolated," Vircoulon said.
Jennifer Cooke, director of the Africa program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said people see Bozize "as a losing ticket right now."
"People are losing confidence in him and he has every reason to be a bit paranoid right now watching the disintegration of the country," she said.
The United Nations called for talks between the government and rebels and the Security Council scheduled closed consultations on the Central African Republic on Thursday afternoon.
The rebels have indicated they will participate in upcoming talks in Gabon but are also insisting that Bozize go. The president says he will not leave before finishing his term in 2016.
Bozize himself took power in 2003 following a rebellion with the help of Chadian forces. He later went on to win elections in 2005 and 2011, though the opposition and international observers have called the votes deeply flawed.
The rebels behind the latest challenge to Bozize's rule are made up of four separate groups all known by their French acronyms — UFDR, CPJP, FDPC and CPSK. They are collectively known as Seleka, which means alliance in the local Sango language, but have previously fought one another. In September 2011, fighting between the CPJP and the UFDR left at least 50 people dead in the town of Bria and more than 700 homes destroyed.
Just 70 miles (112 kilometers) to the south of Sibut, government and regional forces are fortifying the town of Damara, where truckloads of Chadian troops patrol with rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons.
Gen. Jean Felix Akaga, who heads the regional force known as FOMAC, says a push on Damara, 45 miles (75 kilometers) north of the capital, would be "a declaration of war" on the 10 Central African states.
"For us, Damara is the red line that the rebels cannot cross," Akaga said Wednesday. "If they attack Damara, we will attack.

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Laurendeau has some extra variables to consider ahead of Davis Cup roster picks

There are a number of factors that Martin Laurendeau must consider before a decision is made on the Canadian roster for Davis Cup play.
For next month's World Group tie against Spain, a few extra variables are in play.
Laurendeau has a few weeks left to weigh his roster options ahead of the first-round matchup in Vancouver. Making things different for the longtime Canadian captain is the possibility that Jesse Levine could be in the mix and the opposition may not have its top player.
Levine, an Ottawa native who moved to the United States when he was 13, has petitioned the International Tennis Federation to represent Canada. It's unlikely that he will get approval in time for the Spain tie, but it's a possibility.
In addition, the status of world No. 4 Rafael Nadal is uncertain. The Spaniard announced last week that he probably won't play again for about two months, saying he needs time to recover from a stomach virus.
Nadal, who missed several months last season due to knee problems, now hopes to return at Acapulco on Feb. 27. However, he did not rule out playing at an earlier tournament if his recovery went well.
Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., is Canada's top singles threat and will have his hands full with Spain's deep lineup with or without Nadal. Toronto's Daniel Nestor is the Canadian doubles anchor and Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver rounds out the team's core.
"Our main task basically is to have a healthy team and to have all our players as sharp as they can (be) that early in the season, which is a difficult thing to do," Laurendeau said from Australia. "To play a Grand Slam and a Davis Cup within the first month of the year is a tough assignment. It's a tough start. You want all your guys healthy."
The fourth roster spot could go to youngster Filip Peliwo of North Vancouver, Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont., or Levine, if he gets approval.
"It's that time of the year where things can go slowly and we haven't heard back from the ITF," Laurendeau said of Levine's status. "It's going to be cutting it short I think. There's an outside chance that he might be eligible but I think it's more of a longshot."
At No. 104, Levine would be Canada's second-ranked player behind Raonic (No. 13). Pospisil has the No. 125 spot, Dancevic is at No. 165 and Polansky has the No. 180 position. Peliwo, meanwhile, was named ITF junior world champion last year.
Laurendeau said whether Levine is selected or not, the 25-year-old southpaw is planning to be in Vancouver for training purposes and support. Levine reached a career-high ranking of No. 69 last January and has had success in singles and doubles.
"He can volley, he's got the feel, he can drop, he's got good hands," Laurendeau said. "Given the chance, he can hold his own and do his share of damage playing doubles. It's not at the top of his priorities but given the chance he can take on most of the teams out there."
Canada is hoping the indoor courts at UBC's Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre will provide an advantage against the top-ranked Spaniards, who are most dominant on clay. Anchored by world No. 5 David Ferrer, Spain has several top-flight players and will present a stiff challenge in the best-of-five tie.
"From our end, we don't have the same depth as Spain but our top players can hold their own against any of their guys," Laurendeau said.
Spain dropped a 3-2 decision to the Czech Republic in the 2012 final, a loss that prevented the Spaniards from claiming a sixth Davis Cup crown. Canada maintained its spot in the World Group with a 4-1 victory over South Africa last September in Montreal.
The hard-serving Raonic has shown that he can hang with anyone on tour, especially on an indoor synthetic hardcourt. If he can pull out a couple of singles victories and Canada can add a point in doubles or in the other singles matches, the host side will have a shot.
The roster must be named 10 days before the start of the Feb. 1-3 tie but up to two player changes can be made after that. For his lineup, Laurendeau must consider previous head-to-head matchups, big-match experience and health and fitness.
"As far as I'm concerned the No. 1 thing is to have everyone playing, everyone healthy and then we'll select (the lineup) accordingly depending on who's showing the best form that early in the season," Laurendeau said.
Injuries have been a problem for the Canadians over the last few years.
Polansky and Dancevic have had some injury issues and Raonic had to bow out of a key Davis Cup match last February against France due to a knee problem that did not prove to be serious.
It's also unclear who might be the best fit to play with Nestor, who has been a dominant force on the doubles circuit for years. Laurendeau has said Nestor's partner will be whoever is playing the best at the time.
"That's where his experience comes into play," Laurendeau said of the doubles veteran. "The ideal scenario is to play with the same guy every match of the year but come Olympics and Davis Cup that's difficult to do.
"He's important to the team because of his experience and his ability to play with whoever is thrown out there with him."
The tie will begin with two singles matches on the Friday of Davis Cup week. The doubles match goes Saturday and reverse singles are set for Sunday.
"Doubles on Saturday is always an important point and we've lost the last couple of points on Saturday, the last two times that we played," Laurendeau said. "We've really got to address that, the fact that if we want to beat Spain, we're going to have to come out with a win on Saturday this time around for sure."
Raonic's performance will be particularly critical for the 12th-ranked Canadian side at the 6,500-seat venue.
"He's a guy that trains really hard in the off-season and it's not a coincidence that he's done well early in the season the last two years," Laurendeau said. "And if we want to beat Spain, we'll need him to do it a third year in a row.
"We need Milos to be at the top of his game.

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