Sunday, June 30, 2013

Chinese military in S.China Sea 'threatens peace'

The Philippines said that an increasing Chinese military and paramilitary presence in the disputed South China Sea was a threat to regional peace.

US navy personnel (R) observe their Philippine counterparts during a drill west of Manila on June 28, 2013. The Philippines said that an increasing Chinese military and paramilitary presence in the disputed South China Sea was a threat to regional peace.

Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario made the statement in a press release issued at a regional security forum attended by his counterparts from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China.

"Del Rosario today expressed serious concern over the increasing militarisation of the South China Sea," the statement said.

He said there was a "massive presence of Chinese military and paramilitary ships" at two groups of islets within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone called Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal.

Del Rosario described the Chinese military presence at these islets as "threats to efforts to maintain maritime peace and stability in the region".

Del Rosario said the Chinese actions violated a pact made in 2002 in which rival claimants to the sea pledged not to take any actions that may increase tensions.

The declaration on conduct signed by Asean nations and China also committed rival claimants to resolve their disputes "without resorting to the threat or use of force".

"We reiterate our continued advocacy for a peaceful and rules-based settlement of disputes in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law," Del Rosario said.

China claims nearly all of the strategically vital and potentially resource-rich South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of neighbouring countries.

Asean members the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia, as well as Taiwan, also have competing claims to parts of the sea.

The rivalries have for decades been a source of regional tension, with China and Vietnam fighting deadly battles for control of some islands in the sea.

Tensions have built in recent years with the Philippines, Vietnam and some other countries expressing concern at increasingly assertive Chinese military and diplomatic tactics to assert control of the sea.

Manila says China has effectively occupied Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground far closer to Philippine land than Chinese, for more than a year.

The Philippines says China has recently also deployed vessels to intimidate a tiny Philippine garrison on Second Thomas Shoal that has been stationed there since the mid 1990s.

Tell us what you think about this article

Like dislike 1 people liked / 0 people disliked it

Share this article

facebook

0

Latest stories in this category:

Source: http://feeds.bangkokpost.com/c/33101/f/535952/s/2dfce35e/l/0L0Sbangkokpost0N0Cnews0Casia0C3576230Cchinese0Emilitary0Ein0Es0Echina0Esea0Ethreatens0Epeace/story01.htm

Isaac path Tropical Storm Isaac path Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Isaac Path Isaac Hurricane earthquake san diego Hurricane Isaac

Home price gains bring sellers off the sidelines

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? Robert and Emerald Oravec were itching to sell their condominium late last year to move closer to a favorite surfing spot, but they were stuck. They owed the bank $194,000 and figured the most they could get was $180,000.

When they put their San Diego home up for sale a few months later, they fielded five offers within two weeks. It sold for $260,000 in May, allowing them to invest profits in a new home that's more than twice the size on a large lot and 40 minutes closer to the surfing beach.

"We're stoked," said Robert, 50, a facilities engineer at Solar Turbines Inc., a maker of gas turbines that has employed him for the last 22 years. "It was better to be patient and wait it out."

Soaring prices are leaving fewer homeowners owing more money than their properties are worth, bringing them off the sidelines of the nation's surging housing market and offering relief to buyers who are frustrated by bidding wars. As more homes are put up for sale, price increases are expected to moderate.

Mark Fleming, chief economist at real estate data provider CoreLogic Inc., calls it "a virtuous circle."

"The fact that house prices have increased so dramatically ... has unlocked a lot of that pent-up supply," said Fleming, whose firm found that markets with the largest percentage of "underwater" or "upside down" mortgages often have the lowest supply of homes for sale.

From January to March, 19.8 percent of the nation's mortgaged homes were underwater, down from 23.7 percent a year earlier and 25 percent during the same period of 2011, according to CoreLogic. Gains spread across the country, though regions that rose high and crashed hard remained saddled with homeowners who bought near the peak.

Nevada had a nation-high 45.4 percent of mortgages underwater, followed by Florida at 38.1 percent, Michigan at 32 percent and Arizona at 31.4 percent. Montana had a nation-low 5.6 percent.

Among major metropolitan areas, Tampa Bay had a nation-high 41.1 percent of mortgaged homes underwater, followed by Miami at 40.7 percent. Dallas had a nation-low 8.3 percent.

San Diego, at 19.5 percent, was slightly better than the national rate and California's 21.3 percent. The region's median home sale price hit $406,500 in May, up 21.3 percent from a year earlier amid brisk sales, according to DataQuick.

Housing inventories remain unusually low. There was a 5.2-month supply of existing, single-family homes for sale in May, compared to 6.4 months a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors. California had only a 2.6-month supply, compared to 3.6 months a year earlier and well below the six months that is considered a balanced market.

San Diego broker Colleen Cotter began knocking on doors this year after scouring property records to find homeowners who didn't owe money. If someone answers, she makes an all-cash bid on behalf of investors who don't even visit.

Nearly one of three homes sold in Southern California is paid for in cash, putting borrowers at a disadvantage. Some buyers write sellers about how they would cherish a home, hoping to spark a personal connection.

Josh Martin, 26, discovered homes he and wife considered buying had changed hands less than a year earlier at much lower prices. The first-time homebuyers lost nine bids since August? many to cash buyers ? until finally landing a home in May for $250,000 in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista.

"It was very stressful because the prices just kept going up," said Martin, who recently left the Marine Corps. "Our lease was about to end and we didn't want to sign another year."

Economists expect many homeowners will continue to resist selling because they think they can profit more by waiting.

Nancy Randazzo, a 38-year-old public school teacher who owes about $240,000 on an Anaheim condominium that she bought for $335,000 in 2005, figures she might be able to sell for what she owes but wants to rent to Disneyland tourists. One potential snag is that she and her fiancee would need to find a place to buy.

"Prices are going up so fast that I don't know if I can," she said.

The huge price increases produced an unexpected retirement gift for Larry and Diane Plaster, who were resigned in January to selling their San Diego home for less than they owed the bank, known as a short sale. They owed $352,000 but accepted an offer for $290,000.

Their bank rejected the deal four months later, leading the couple to put the home up for sale again. On the second attempt, they took an all-cash offer of $380,000, yielding a windfall of $6,500 after broker fees and closing costs. The Plasters, who live on Social Security income, fulfilled a dream of moving to a geodesic dome they built in Janesville, 130 miles north of Lake Tahoe.

The former Catholic social service workers were so angry when Chase rejected the short sale that they closed their account after more than 40 years.

"Now I guess I should send them a thank-you note," said Diane, 66.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/home-price-gains-bring-sellers-off-sidelines-140703042.html

john goodman kendall marshall whitney houston news sylvia plath whitney houston autopsy results obama trayvon jim yong kim

Allen returning to Heat next season

Miami Heat basketball player Ray Allen reacts after the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to win Game 7 of the basketball series in Miami, early Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, David Santiago) MAGS OUT

Miami Heat basketball player Ray Allen reacts after the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to win Game 7 of the basketball series in Miami, early Friday, June 21, 2013. (AP Photo/El Nuevo Herald, David Santiago) MAGS OUT

Miami Heat shooting guard Ray Allen (34) shoots a three-point basket in the end of regulation during the second half of Game 6 of the NBA Finals basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 19, 2013 in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Miami Heat's Ray Allen celebrates after Game 7 of the NBA basketball championship against the San Antonio Spurs, Friday, June 21, 2013, in Miami. The Miami Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to win their second straight NBA championship. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

(AP) ? Ray Allen was wearing a pair of ski goggles to protect his eyes from the spray of champagne in the Miami Heat locker room last week, and assessed what it was like to be part of another NBA championship celebration.

"It feels right," Allen said. "This feels right."

He's hoping things stay that way next season.

Quickly tying up a loose end for the Heat, Allen exercised his $3.2 million player option Friday to remain with the club next season, when Miami will aim for a third straight NBA title.

He wound up playing a huge role for Miami in this year's title run, especially by hitting what he described as the biggest shot of his career ? a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation of Game 6 of the NBA Finals against San Antonio, forcing overtime and saving the season.

Teammates, coaches and the Heat front office all made it very clear to Allen that he was wanted back for next season, with Udonis Haslem even stressing that to him as the team showered following the celebration that followed Game 7.

Allen left Miami following the end-of-season team meeting on Tuesday without giving the organization an answer, though didn't keep people waiting much longer. He could have elected to become a free agent and wound up getting more years and more money in a new deal, and decided to stay with the Heat anyway.

And after this playoff run, he's already part of team lore.

The Heat were down by three in the final moments of Game 6, and the Spurs were moments away from celebrating a title. Chris Bosh got an offensive rebound and passed the ball to Allen, who was simultaneously stepping back to the 3-point line near the right corner of the floor.

With no time to waste, Allen ? the most prolific 3-point shooter in NBA history ? let the shot fly, and it went through with a perfect swish. The Heat wound up winning in overtime.

"There were so many moments down the stretch that allowed that shot to happen, and just incredible," Allen said at the team's parade this week. "So after Game 7, I have to say that is the biggest shot I've ever hit in my career."

Allen turns 38 next month, yet still played in 102 games during the regular season and playoffs for Miami. That was the most appearances by any player in the league this past season.

Allen averaged 10.9 points in the regular season, and 10.2 points in the playoffs.

With the team exercising its option on starting point guard Mario Chalmers, and with Rashard Lewis and James Jones exercising their rights to stay for next season, the next major course of business for the Heat figures to be trying to woo Chris Andersen to stay when he becomes a free agent next week. Teammates believe Andersen, who has remained in Miami since the championship and is working out, wants to return to the Heat next season.

The Heat will also have a large luxury-tax bill next season, though team president Pat Riley said earlier this week that he has not been given a mandate to pare a player like Mike Miller or Joel Anthony to relieve some of that burden. Riley's hope is to bring the roster back as intact as possible.

Miller also made a memorable 3-pointer for Miami during Game 6 of the finals, connecting early in the fourth quarter moments after losing his left sneaker. Allen said he'll look back at that shot as one of the best of this year's run to the title, even though his shot will surely be more remembered.

"That was amazing," Allen said. "For him to hit that shot, it was incredible."

Allen signed with the Heat last summer, turning down more years and more money to remain with the Boston Celtics. Allen said earlier this week that he particularly enjoyed the camaraderie in the Heat locker room, especially the "Harlem Shake" video that became a global YouTube sensation midway through the season.

"When I got here, within the first two weeks, I felt like I had been here for two, three years because the guys welcomed me in so warmly," Allen said. "They've been awesome to me."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-06-28-BKN-Heat-Allen/id-c55a905890974f5999242aa8c77a3f90

pregnancy test april fools day 2012 ja rule amityville horror acm passover recipes 2012 kids choice awards

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Like Google Street View? Create one yourself with a loaner 'Trekker' pack

Google

8 hours ago

Google

Google

The Trekker camera backpack at work.

Google has been making much of its Street View feature coming to remote and inaccessible places like Antarctica and trails in national parks. But if you think a local feature needs the walk-through Google treatment, the company might be convinced to let you use its equipment to capture it yourself.

Google is kicking off a pilot program in which it plans to lend the "Trekker" backpack-mounted camera system to individuals and organizations who think they have something to add to the map.

It can't just be any old place, of course; Google is looking for things on the order of lush rainforests and majestic canyons. That said, there are still more of those locations than the company can look at with its own teams, so it's outsourcing the task to nature-minded people who wouldn't mind carrying a heavy pack for a few miles.

If you're interested, you just have to fill out this form explaining the place you want to catalog, whether you need special equipment or permissions, when you'd like to do it, and so on. There aren't many details beyond that, but you can expect Google to contact you if you have something that really should be documented.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663301/s/2df27b9e/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cgoogle0Estreet0Eview0Ecreate0Eone0Eyourself0Eloaner0Etrekker0Epack0E6C10A486980A/story01.htm

kenny chesney academy of country music awards brad paisley zac brown band aubrey born to run pranks

Obama stresses food security in western Africa (Washington Bureau)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/315921246?client_source=feed&format=rss

Geno Smith ny giants brandon marshall ryder cup Kate Middleton Bottomless Hotel Transylvania eagles

No, Children of 1990, Computers Are Not the Devil

Computers may be ubiquitous now but in 1990 they were just beginning to enter the mainstream. And like any revolutionary technology, the desktop computer was viewed with more than a little skepticism by the average American. Luckily, David Neil of PBS's Newton's Apple was there to explain to a group of dubious high schoolers that computers are not inherently evil. And he brought a two story exhibit to help illustrate.

In 1990, we still had a foot in the stone age. You've got to remember that high school students then lived before the Internet. They used tapes and CDs, tablets were still just very small tables, and the average cell phone looked like this:

No, Children of 1990, Computers Are Not the Devil

And since computers were still primarily "something my mom uses at work," kids didn't have the native experience with electronics that many do now. That's where How Computers Work: A Journey Into The Walk-Through Computer comes in. This educational short produced by The Computer Museum aims to demystify the inner workings of the desktop computer. By explaining it in a way that even their parents could understand.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/no-children-of-1990-computers-are-not-the-devil-597933666

detroit lions Thanksgiving Day cooking a turkey toysrus how to carve a turkey ipad 2 wal mart

Obama: No wheeling or dealing to extradite Snowden

(AP) ? President Barack Obama says he won't engage in wheeling, dealing and trading to get NSA leaker Edward Snowden extradited to the U.S.

Obama says he also won't be scrambling military jets to go after a 29-year-old hacker, rejecting suggestions the U.S. might send the Air Force to force down a plane carrying Snowden from Russia to another country. Snowden turned 30 last week.

Obama says he hasn't personally called the leaders of Russia or of China. He says he shouldn't have to. He says expelling a criminal is something that should be dealt with through routine legal channels.

Obama says the fact Snowden obtained the secret documents shows significant vulnerabilities at the National Security Agency. He says the damage that's been done is that NSA surveillance programs have been exposed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-27-Obama-NSA%20Surveillance/id-ba3fbbd3ebad4dacbea4ce87f0410728

Lynsi Torres Fall Out Boy Alabama hostage mta Beyonce Superbowl nemo redbox

Friday, June 28, 2013

Markets remain calm as half-year comes to an end

LONDON (AP) ? Markets were ending the half-year on a settled note Friday after a month of volatility that pushed many of the world's major stock indexes down from multi-year and record highs.

The coincidence of the end to the month, quarter and half year may prompt some volatility in trading, as some investors try to make their portfolios look better for financial reports. But the prevailing market mood was calm, particularly compared with last week.

That's due to a number of factors, including solid U.S. economic data and a seeming attempt by the U.S. Federal Reserve to ease investor concerns over the pace of any reduction in its monetary stimulus.

Japan also got a dose of upbeat economic news when the government said industrial production rose 2 percent in May from April, the fourth straight monthly increase. Perhaps more importantly, the consumer price index stopped falling for the first time in seven months. That's important as the Bank of Japan is engaged on a massive monetary stimulus to get prices rising again after a near two-decade period of deflation.

"The latest Japanese economic data just published highlighted encouraging signs of recovery," said Neil MacKinnon, global macro strategist at VTB Capital.

The news gave Japan's main stock index, the Nikkei 225 index, a big lift as it finished 3.5 percent higher at 13,677.32. The Nikkei's gains fed through across Asia and helped shore up Europe at the open.

Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.1 percent to 6,251, while Germany's DAX was more or less unchanged at 7,989. The CAC-40 in France fell 0.4 percent to 3,749.

Wall Street was poised for another solid performance, with Dow futures up 0.3 percent and the broader S&P 500 futures 0.4 percent higher.

The main U.S. economic data later will be a manufacturing survey around the Chicago region and the University of Michigan's latest assessment of consumer confidence around the country. They may determine whether the Dow finishes the month in positive territory. It needs to add 200 points to do so, a tough ask.

"It's arguably going to be close as to whether the Dow can manage to finish the month positive," said Fawad Razaqzada, market strategist at GFT Markets. "The bulls would need to remain in a rampant move."

One reason stock markets have calmed this week is that Fed officials appear to be trying to calm investor jitters over an upcoming reduction in the financial assets the central bank buys every month to help the economy. The so-called tapering of the purchases raised fears because the stimulus has been one of the drivers for stocks over recent years.

Earlier in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng advanced 1.8 percent to 20,803.29 while mainland Chinese shares also rose as fears eased of a credit crunch in China. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 1.5 percent to 1,979.21, while the smaller Shenzhen Composite Index edged up less than 0.1 percent to 887.68.

The central bank had allowed rates that banks pay to borrow from each other to soar last week, part of an attempt to clamp down on massive credit in the informal lending industry. Later, however, Chinese policymakers softened their stance with the promise to provide "liquidity support" if needed.

In currency markets, the dollar has been making further gains against the yen, trading up 0.5 percent higher at 99.01 yen on Friday. The euro was up 0.2 percent at $1.3059.

Oil prices were steady too with the benchmark rate up 60 cents at $97.65 a barrel.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/markets-remain-calm-half-comes-end-103449011.html

madonna madonna Billboard Music Awards 2013 VA Lottery knicks gillian anderson jessie j

Windows 8.1 RT looks just like regular Windows 8.1, performance hasn't changed

Windows 8.1 RT looks just like regular Windows 8.1, performance hasn't changed

When we got hands-on with the Windows 8.1 preview earlier this week, it was on a Surface Pro -- i.e., an x86 system running full Windows. Until today, though, we hadn't had a chance to try the software on a device running Windows RT. Well, fortunately for us, Microsoft has a row full of freshly updated Surface RT units on display here at Build, so we took the opportunity poke around a little. As you'd expect, Windows RT 8.1 has all the trappings of the full Windows version, including an always-there Start button and new apps like Food & Drink and Health & Fitness. What's sort of interesting is that you can boot to the desktop here as well, just as you would on Windows 8.1. (We say "interesting" because, well, how urgently do you need the desktop on RT anyway?) The desktop also still comes with Office apps pinned to the Taskbar, in case you were wondering.

Performance seems much the same as before, particularly because we were handling last year's Surface RT, which still ships with a Tegra 3 SoC. Browsing and loading tabs in IE11 feels snappy but then again, IE11 was supposed to be a tick faster than IE10. Overall, navigating the OS can still feel slightly sluggish, but the build we tried is at least stable. Other than that, it looks like we'll have to wait for some new ARM chips before we can revisit performance in Windows RT. We'll also be back to take a look at the forthcoming RT Outlook app, which we haven't seen yet. Until then, don't expect us to write another 4,000 words on the subject.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/aTwjN1yVLxw/

apple store down apple live blog ohio primary cell phone jammer g8 summit netanyahu aipac

Obama's Climate Change Agenda a Solution in Search of a Problem

Yahoo News asked voters to comment on President Barack Obama's climate change plan, which he largely unveiled in a speech on Tuesday. Here's one response.

COMMENTARY l When the president delivered a speech detailing his latest assault on climate change, he presented a solution in search of a problem. Despite his insistence, which approached Al Gore levels of silliness, that the science of global warming is settled, President Obama is wide of the mark on his facts.

As Forbes pointed out recently, the rise in global temperatures stopped in the late 1990s and has not resumed since even though 100 billion tons of carbon have been pumped into the atmosphere between 2000 and 2010.

The president also intends to double down on his green energy folly, supporting alternative energy technologies before they are ready for the marketplace. The embarrassment of Solyendra has clearly not cooled his enthusiasm for environmentally correct boondoggles.

His insistence that energy efficiency standards be imposed on appliances and cars by government fiat completes the folly.

President Obama's environmental/green energy agenda has already failed the test of the democratic process. Even when Congress was controlled entirely by Democrats, it recoiled from passing cap and trade. So the president intends to use executive orders and the regulatory process to get his way no matter what Congress or the people think.

The result of all of this, if not stopped, will be a punch in the gut to the weak economy, a loss of jobs, and all for no purpose whatsoever except, as an adviser stated according to the Weekly Standard, to wage a "war on coal."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-climate-change-agenda-solution-search-problem-001000474.html

oscar nominations C7 Corvette tom brady denver post Scandal denver broncos new england patriots

Food Additives Banned Elsewhere, Legal Here? ? CBS Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) ? They sound like things that belong in a chemistry lab, but they?re ingredients you can probably find in your pantry right now.

A new book called ?Rich Food, Poor Food? identifies several common additives found in foods like cereal, sports drinks and poultry, but are banned by Canada and several European nations.

Doctor Michael Harbut, with Karmanos Cancer Institute, says those countries take a very different approach to food safety. ?He said the?U.S. falls behind other countries in regulating these additives.

?What we do is we take the chemical company?s word for it and allow them to put additives and do modifications to our foods, and then ask someone to prove to us that it?s dangerous,? Harbut said.

?We are only now making up a list of chemicals which are known as endocrine disruptors ?meaning the body recognized them as hormones,? he said. ??We?re not regulating them. We?re just making up a list of what chemicals should be looked at. This is outrageous!?

See a list of some of these banned additives?HERE.

Source: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/06/26/food-additives-banned-elsewhere-legal-here/

albert nobbs a star is born oscar nominees oscar nominations 2012 kombucha tea separation of church and state dale earnhardt

Thursday, June 27, 2013

What Helps Make A Unsecured Loan Your Savior in Times Of Need ...

In case you really are needing money, then you could choose licensed moneylenders offering cash loans to individuals who have a bad credit ranking. Nonetheless, these loans needs to be your final alternative, considering that this might cause you difficulties. Many folks in some instances tend to pay more on fees and interest rates compared to the amount they borrowed from the creditors. There?s instances when everything is going easily with your home renovations but all of a sudden, changes surface and your reconstruction projects get all ruined. You will end up surprised at how repairs and improvement needs multiply in beginning just one project in one space; because of this, you run short of your prepared budget. You can either stop work and keep your restorations unfinished, or you can try obtaining some fast money by way of a bridging loan. With the financial climate we?ve got today, it?s not abnormal knowing those who have that instant need of funds, but remember that short-borrowing might sometimes worsen their situations. For those people in need the most practical solution is most likely a bridging loan, as what others refer to it as instant cash or fast cash. If certain individuals have a not so appealing credit history or can?t rely on other friends and loved ones in terms of financial needs then this bridging loan is the one course they have to think of to fix any of short-term crisis. This is where fast cash is often a genuine help. You?ll just have a few actions left in the event that you?re needing extra cash and holds a poor credit score. Keep in mind that attractive solutions aren?t available. However, everybody knows you are still needing money to go. Hence, it is essential to pick the right choice that will be fairly simple for you to get up again once you are back on the ground.

This entry was posted in Financial on by Amanda.

Source: http://artschoolplovdiv.info/what-helps-make-a-unsecured-loan-your-savior-in-times-of-need.html

Election 2012 Michigan Election Results Missouri Election Results Amendment 64 marijuana Colorado Marijuana elizabeth warren

Adware found to plague more than 1 million U.S. Android users

Android Apps Adware Study

Although the Google Play store does a pretty good job of getting rid of apps that contain malware, it doesn?t do nearly as well when it comes to tossing out apps that contain adware. A?new study from mobile security company Lookout shows that 6.5% of free Android apps on Google Play contain adware, which the company defines as software that will ?display advertising outside of the normal app experience, harvest unusual personally identifiable information, or perform unexpected actions as a response to ad clicks? without a user?s consent. The firm also estimates that 1 million American Android users downloaded adware over the past year, so it seems that adware?s reach is fairly widespread. Lookout?s press release follows below.

[More from BGR: CNN calls Samsung?s Galaxy S4 line ?gadget spam?]

Lookout Raises the Bar on Adware Classification

[More from BGR: iOS 7 beta 2: Full change log now available, iPad version released]

Seeking to Curb Aggressive Advertising Behaviors, Lookout Helps Shape Industry Standards and Flags Intrusive Adware

San Francisco, CA, June 26 ? Lookout, the leader in security technology that protects people and businesses from mobile threats, today announced its standard for classifying adware. Adware is an ad network that exhibits intrusive behavior without gaining appropriate consent from a user, which can pose a privacy risk. Additionally, Lookout now flags ad networks newly classified as adware in Lookout Mobile Security for Android, providing users with new insight and information on how to remove any applications containing adware.
Mobile privacy is an increasingly important topic for consumers and app developers, and adware is a risk to user privacy and one of the most prevalent threats on mobile worldwide. Lookout found that the global likelihood of a new Android Lookout user having adware on their device is 1.6%, and approximately 6.5% of free apps on Google Play today contain adware. In the past year, Lookout estimates that more than one million US Android users downloaded adware.

Ad networks are a vital element in the mobile ecosystem, allowing app developers a way to offer free applications to consumers. Ad networks that overstep user privacy bounds or negatively affect user experience create conflict, compromising not only consumers? privacy and user experience, but also the developer community that relies on mobile ad networks to bring free products to market.

To date, there has not been a widely-adopted set of guidelines that define what constitutes adware by the broader mobile industry. Lookout defines adware as an ad network that exhibits one or more of the following intrusive behaviors without requesting appropriate user consent: display advertising outside of the normal app experience, harvest unusual personally identifiable information, or perform unexpected actions as a response to ad clicks. Appropriate user consent entails providing a clear alert in the application that allows the user to accept or decline before any of the above behaviors takes place.

Lookout has demonstrated an ongoing commitment in guiding the industry to safer mobile advertising practices. In July 2012, Lookout released Mobile App Advertising Guidelines, a playbook aimed to curb aggressive ad network behavior and encourage the mobile advertising and developer communities to adopt practices that prioritize transparency and user privacy.

The Lookout app for Android now flags ad networks that Lookout classifies as adware, so Lookout users have the ability to make more informed decisions about the apps they have on their device. Download the Lookout app for Android from Google Play.

Adware Data:

  • Lookout found that the global likelihood of a new Android Lookout user having adware on their device is 1.6%, which is relatively higher than other mobile threats.
  • In the US, a new Lookout user has a 0.9% likelihood of having adware on their device, as recently released in Lookout?s Mobile Threats Around the World report.
  • In the past year, Lookout estimates that more than one million U.S. Android users downloaded adware.
  • Today, approximately 6.5% of free apps on Google Play contain adware, but the prevalence of adware in third-party app stores is significantly higher.
  • Lookout found adware is most prevalent in personalization (26%), racing (23%) and sports games (18%) applications categories.

How to Stay Safe:

  • When downloading apps, make sure you are aware of and comfortable with the application?s permissions before giving consent.
  • Only download apps from official app stores, such as Google Play or the App Store.
  • Use a security app, like Lookout, that will inform you if adware is detected on your device.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/adware-found-plague-more-1-million-u-android-123537093.html

san francisco earthquake terminator salvation terminator salvation jarhead montrose marshawn lynch earthquake bay area

'How NCC'll execute broadband plan with CTO' - Vanguard News

By Prince Osuagwu

FROM all indications, the Nigerian Communications Commission is planning to use the hosting of the next edition of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation forum in Nigeria, to facilitate the execution of the newly approved broadband plan in Nigeria.

This plan manifested as Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, last weekend, disclosed that the forum was deliberately pitched around broadband so that intricacies of implementation would be given adequate attention by stakeholders.

Juwah said the theme of the event, ?Beyond Broadband? will immensely benefit subscribers who have been having it rough with quality of service in recent times.

The forum, scheduled to hold in Abuja from October 7 to 11 is a synergy between the NCC and the Ministry of Communication Technology. It is expected to provide an avenue for extensive discussion on the Broadband Plan 2013-2018 and woo investors to help in facilitating its achievement. According to Juwah, the programme will play host to about 20 foreign ministers of communications technology from around Africa, as well as other key industry experts both in and outside the country.

He reminded participants that he made broadband deployment one of his cardinal programmes when he assumed office over two years ago, stressing that effective deployment of broadband in Nigeria would usher a new phase of competition in the telecom sector. For him, ?effective broadband deployment will put new economic powers in the hands of the Nigerian people wherever they may live.

The Broadband Plan has the objective of promoting pervasive broadband deployment, increase broadband adoption and usage.? ?As the industry regulator, we are prepared to play our role in the broadband plan and ensure that through our regulatory responsibilities and interventions, the plan is speedily and adequately delivered for use in the country.?? Also, Secretary-General of CTO, Professor Tim Unwin, lauded the Nigerian National Broadband Plan 2013-2018, describing it as an ambitious initiative.

He also acknowledged that the event would bring together regulators, governments, operators, vendors and Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and highlight solutions to broadband infrastructure, revenue management and security challenges. He, therefore, tasked government and private sectors to collaborate with NCC and the ministry to ensure that the benefits of broadband for all are realised.

The broadband policy aims to connect 80 per cent of the population with broadband within five years.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/how-nccll-execute-broadband-plan-with-cto/

Big Tex Sweetest Day optimal Samantha Steele Espn goog Sylvia Kristel st louis cardinals

Resource Not Found

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://rss.msnbc.msn.com/id/38244200/device/rss/rss.xml

donald trump Election 2012 map Election Results Map Early voting results Dick Morris Daily Show provisional ballot

Gosselin: 'Slanted' eye photo a 'happy memory'

Celebs

1 hour ago

Kate Gosselin has spoken out about the controversial photo in which she dons a plastic geisha-style wig and pulls her eyes up at the corners to imitate the look of an Asian person.

"This was a happy memory of mine," Gosselin wrote on her website. A fan had sent the plastic wig, Gosselin said, and she and husband Jon took turns wearing it and snapping photos. Gosselin added a photo of Jon in the wig to her site. "Naturally, I 'slanted' my eyes to show him my best Asian impression, which made him smile," she wrote.

Jon Gosselin was born in Wisconsin, and his parents are a mix of European and Korean descent.

"At that time, a common topic of our show was 'everybody?s Asian' ? except for mommy, so a thoughtful fan figured she?d help me look Asian too," Gosselin wrote.

"I married an Asian," she said in the post. "I have eight biracial children therefore I?m quite certain that I?m the last person that could be called a racist."

The photo of Gosselin making the gesture was distributed Sunday by someone calling him or herself "KatieDeen." That person created a fresh account on Twitter on Sunday evening, and posted just one item -- this picture, with the accompanying caption information suggesting that Gosselin "makes fun of Asians with 8 half Korean children."

Gosselin did not say if she knew who had published the photo, but did write that it "was taken and misused without my permission and opportunistically turned into something that it never was intended to be."

The gesture has caused controversy for others in the past, including in 2008 when the Spanish Olympic Team were photographed en masse for an advertisement making the gesture.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/kate-gosselin-slanted-eye-photo-happy-memory-6C10435408

sean young juan pablo montoya free pancakes at ihop martina navratilova high school shooting ohio school shooting sean young arrested

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Rotation-resistant rootworms owe their success to gut microbes

June 24, 2013 ? Researchers say they now know what allows some Western corn rootworms to survive crop rotation, a farming practice that once effectively managed the rootworm pests. The answer to the decades-long mystery of rotation-resistant rootworms lies -- in large part -- in the rootworm gut, the team reports.

The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Differences in the relative abundance of certain bacterial species in the rootworm gut help the adult rootworm beetles feed on soybean leaves and tolerate the plant's defenses a little better, the researchers report. This boost in digestive finesse allows rotation-resistant beetles to survive long enough to lay their eggs in soybean fields. Their larvae emerge the following spring and feast on the roots of newly planted corn.

"These insects, they have only one generation per year," said University of Illinois entomology department senior scientist Manfredo Seufferheld, who led the study. "And yet within a period of about 20 years in Illinois they became resistant to crop rotation. What allowed this insect to adapt so fast? These bacteria, perhaps."

Controlling rootworms is an expensive concern faced by all Midwest corn growers, said study co-author Joseph Spencer, an insect behaviorist at the Illinois Natural History Survey (part of the Prairie Research Institute at the U. of I.). Yield losses, the use of insecticides and corn hybrids engineered to express rootworm-killing toxins in their tissues cost U.S. growers at least $1 billion a year.

In a 2012 study, Seufferheld, Spencer and their colleagues reported that rotation-resistant rootworm beetles were better able than their nonresistant counterparts to tolerate the defensive chemicals produced in soybeans leaves. This allowed the beetles to feed more and survive longer on soybean plants. The researchers found that levels of key digestive enzymes differed significantly between the rotation-resistant and nonresistant rootworms, but differences in the expression of the genes encoding these enzymes did not fully explain the rotation-resistant beetles' advantage. Seufferheld and his colleagues thought that microbes in the rootworms' guts might be helping them better tolerate life in a soybean field.

To test this hypothesis, graduate student Chia-Ching Chu analyzed the population of microbes living in the guts of rootworm beetles collected from seven sites across the Midwest. Some of these sites (including Piper City, Ill.) are hot spots of rotation-resistance and others (in Nebraska and northwest Missouri, for example) lack evidence of rotation-resistant rootworms.

Chu found significant and consistent differences in the relative abundance of various types of bacteria in the guts of rotation-resistant and nonresistant rootworms (see graphic). These differences corresponded to differing activity levels of digestive enzymes in their guts and to their ability to tolerate soybean plant defenses.

The researchers found other parallels between the composition of gut microbes and the life history of the rootworms. The beetles' gut microbial structure corresponded to the insects' level of activity (rotation-resistant rootworms are usually more active), and also paralleled -- in a graduated fashion -- the plant diversity of the landscapes they inhabited. (Rotation-resistant rootworms are most abundant in regions where rotated corn and soybean fields are the dominant components of the agricultural landscape.)

To determine whether the microbes were in fact giving the rotation-resistant beetles an advantage, the researchers dosed the beetles with antibiotics. Low-level exposure to antibiotics had no effect on any of the beetles, but at higher doses the rotation-resistant beetles' survival time on soybean leaves fell to that of the nonresistant beetles. Antibiotics also lowered the activity of digestive enzymes in the rotation-resistant beetles' guts to that of their nonresistant counterparts.

The message of the research, Seufferheld said, is that the gut microbes are not just passive residents of the rootworm gut.

"They are very active players in the adaptation of the insect," he said. "The microbial community acts as a versatile multicellular organ."

"It's not just the rootworm that we have to worry about," Spencer said. "There's really this whole conspiracy between the rootworm and its co-conspirators in the gut that can respond fairly quickly, relatively speaking, to the assaults that they face."

The research team also included former postdoctoral researcher Jorge Zavala (now a professor at the University of Buenos Aires) and graduate student Matias Curzi.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/slJG9FABJYI/130624152603.htm

wal mart happy thanksgiving Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade 2012 Turkey Cooking Times Butterball mashed potatoes Apple Black Friday

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Russian plane leaves for Cuba, source says Snowden not on board

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian plane left Moscow for Havana on Monday but there was no sign that former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden was on board, a Reuters correspondent on the plane said.

A flight attendant said Snowden was not on the plane, and the seat he had been expected to occupy was taken by another passenger. A source at Russian carrier Aeroflot, which was operating the flight, said: "He didn't take the flight."

(Reporting by Ekaterina Golubkova and Lidia Kelly, Writing by Timothy Heritage, Editing by Elizabeth Piper)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-plane-leaves-cuba-source-says-snowden-not-110221204.html

Epic Tim Curry amanda bynes bridge collapse Fast And Furious 6 Tony Kanaan Hangover 3

Vodafone launches bid for Kabel Deutschland

FILE- This is a Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 file photo of pedestrians as they walk past a Vodafone outlet in Oxford Street, London. Britain's Vodafone PLC has launched a takeover bid Monday June 24, 2013 for Germany's biggest cable operator, Kabel Deutschland, as part of its push to dominate media services in its biggest market. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

FILE- This is a Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 file photo of pedestrians as they walk past a Vodafone outlet in Oxford Street, London. Britain's Vodafone PLC has launched a takeover bid Monday June 24, 2013 for Germany's biggest cable operator, Kabel Deutschland, as part of its push to dominate media services in its biggest market. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

(AP) ? Britain's Vodafone PLC has launched a takeover bid for Germany's biggest cable operator, Kabel Deutschland, as part of its push to dominate media services in its biggest market.

Vodafone, a British cellphone company with wide international interests, confirmed Monday it will offer 87 euros per share for Kabel Deutschland, whose management accepted the terms. The deal values the German company at 7.7 billion euros ($10.2 billion), or 10.7 billion euros when including 3 billion euros in net debt.

Vodafone Group Chief Executive Vittorio Colao said the deal aims to tap growing German demand for fast broadband and data services.

"The combination of Vodafone Germany and Kabel Deutschland will greatly enhance our offerings in response to those needs and is consistent with Vodafone's broader strategy of providing unified communications services."

Kabel Deutschland Holding AG, which has more than 8 million customers, said that its management and supervisory boards "welcome this announcement."

Kabel Deutschland shares were up 1.7 percent in midday Frankfurt trading at 85.52 euros.

Vodafone made a preliminary approach to Kabel Deutschland earlier this month. That was followed by a preliminary takeover proposal from U.S. rival Liberty Global.

But Liberty would have faced anti-trust concerns because of the rival companies it already owns in Germany. However, Liberty's decision to wade in likely served to push up the price.

The company, based in Englewood, Colorado, did not respond to request for comment.

Though the reaction of the markets appeared to suggest the price was in line with expectations, analysts like Keith Bowman offered a note of caution, wary of Vodafone's track record on mergers. In 2000, the company took over Mannesmann AG in a stock-swap deal valued at $180 billion ? at the time, the largest corporate merger ever ? a price many analysts believed overvauled the German company.

"Vodafone's European acquisition track record is not great, still marred somewhat by its previous over payment for Germany's Mannesmann, whilst rival cable group Liberty Global could still look to bid for Kabel," Bowman said in a statement that followed the announcement.

Bowman also noted that another element of uncertainty comes from Vodafone's tussle with Verizon Communications Inc., the New York-based company. Vodafone and Verizon together own Verizon Wireless, the largest cellphone carrier in the U.S. and a very profitable operation.

Verizon Wireless once had a policy of using its cash to pay down debt ? a policy that ended only in January. Analysts saw that debt reduction strategy as a way to squeeze Vodafone and persuade it to sell its 45 percent stake.

New York-based Verizon Communications owns the other 55 percent of Verizon Wireless and controls its operations.

"The deal comes at a time when the exact future of its U.S. Verizon business is still up in the air," Bowman said, adding that economic "prospects for Europe continue to remain challenging."

Ronald Klingebiel, a Warwick University professor who has consulted for the telecoms industry, said mobile companies like Vodafone increasingly pursue "multi-play strategies," to give customers broadband, fixed and mobile telephone lines and television.

But he said that Vodafone may have approached Kabel Deutschland because its present systems, which rely on Deutsche Telekom's fixed-line system are running at capacity.

"Deutsche Telekom is struggling to upgrade its network with vectoring technology, something that will increase its control over competitive data traffic," he said.

"This may have convinced the Vodafone leadership to buy into Kabel Deutschland, a high-capacity cable-network provider, whom they had already approached at other times without concluding a deal."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-06-24-Germany-Kabel%20Deutschland-Vodafone/id-425c7ad8470e4cdca58eda1ed67159df

dancing with the stars miguel Ultra Music Festival london Eva Longoria Wardrobe Malfunction snl drake

Comfortable cruise to Tokyo to be a reality - Stuff

The tourism industry is welcoming Air New Zealand's announcement that its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft will fly to the key long-haul destinations of Shanghai and Tokyo.

Air New Zealand is the launch customer for the 787-9, the stretch version of the Dreamliner, which is due to roll off the production line at Boeing's Seattle plant next month.

The national carrier expects to have the first of its 10 new 787-9s flying by the middle of next year, with the rest in operation over the following three years.

The airline has said the Dreamliner will be a game-changer, opening up the prospect of expanding its network of routes around the Pacific Rim.

Yesterday it announced the new fuel-efficient aircraft would fly Auckland-Shanghai and Auckland-Tokyo, and also service some mid-haul destinations such as Perth, Honolulu and Papeete.

Tourism Industry Association policy and research manager Simon Wallace said China was a key growth market for New Zealand, with Chinese visitor numbers up 27 per cent in the past year.

The Japanese market was also recovering well from the slump following the 2011 tsunami.

"It's good Air New Zealand has focused the new aircraft on where the growth is coming from," he said. "It's all about a superior visitor experience."

Putting the Dreamliner on these routes with its four seat classes - Business Premier, Premium Economy, Economy and the Kiwi-designed Skycouch - demonstrated New Zealand's commitment to attracting high-value Chinese travellers.

It will be the first time the Skycouch has been available on routes into Asia, Air New Zealand said. "It just helps to give us that competitive advantage, which we really need," Wallace said.

Air New Zealand and Tourism New Zealand have just signed a one-year partnership to spend $10 million each jointly promoting travel to this country in selected key markets, including China, Japan, North America and Australia.

This year Air New Zealand began operating daily return services to Tokyo and Shanghai in response to strong demand.

- ? Fairfax NZ News

Comments

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8840995/Comfortable-cruise-to-Tokyo-to-be-a-reality

divine mercy cabin in the woods the legend of korra three stooges the three stooges the bee gees woodward

Malicious Android app holds devices hostage, demands a $100 ransom

By Nadia Damouni and Siddharth Cavale (Reuters) - Tensions started rising at Men's Wearhouse Inc over the past six months, as founder and executive chairman George Zimmer increasingly butted heads with his handpicked CEO over the clothing retailer's strategy. CEO Doug Ewert wanted to sell the company's K&G Fashion Superstore business, while Zimmer wanted to keep it, two sources familiar with the situation said. Zimmer also objected to rising compensation for top executives, including Ewert, while the board thought it was appropriate, the sources said. Zimmer, who is known to U.S. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/malicious-android-app-holds-devices-hostage-demands-100-173041278.html

multiple sclerosis rodney king Webb Simpson Fathers Day Quotes Stevie J mothers day 2012 osama bin laden death

Monday, June 24, 2013

Obama Climate Change Push Faces Ticking Clock

WASHINGTON ? President Barack Obama's national plan to combat climate change will include the first-ever regulations to limit carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, as well as increased production of renewable energy on public lands and federally assisted housing, environmental groups briefed on the plan said Monday.

In a major speech Tuesday at Georgetown University, Obama will announce that he's directing his administration to allow enough renewables on public lands to power 6 million homes by 2020, effectively doubling the capacity from solar, wind and geothermal projects on federal property. He'll also say the U.S. will significantly expand production of renewable energy on low-income housing sites, according to five individuals briefed on the plan, who were not authorized to discuss it publicly ahead of Obama's announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The far-reaching plan marks Obama's most prominent effort yet to deliver on a major priority he laid out in his first presidential campaign and recommitted to at the start of his second term: to fight climate change in the U.S. and abroad and prepare American communities for its effects. Environmental activists have been irked that Obama's high-minded goals never materialized into a comprehensive plan.

In taking action on his own ? none of the steps Obama will announce Tuesday require congressional approval ? Obama is also signaling he will no longer wait for lawmakers to act on climate change, and instead will seek ways to work around them.

The lynchpin of Obama's plan, and the step activists say will have the most dramatic impact, involves limits on carbon emissions for new and existing power plants. The Obama administration has already proposed controls on new plants, but those controls have been delayed and not yet finalized. Tuesday's announcement will be the first public confirmation that Obama plans to extend carbon controls to coal-fired power plants that are currently pumping heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

"This is the holy grail," said Melinda Pierce of Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group. "That is the single biggest step he can take to help tackle carbon pollution."

Forty percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, and one-third of greenhouse gases overall, come from electric power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the Energy Department's statistical agency.

Obama is expected to lay out a broad vision Tuesday, without detailed emission targets or specifics about how they will be put in place. Instead, the president will launch a process in which the Environmental Protection Agency will work with states to develop specific plans to rein in carbon emissions, with flexibility for each state's circumstances. Under one scenario envisioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, states could draw on measures such as clean energy sources, carbon-trapping technology and energy efficiency to reduce the total emissions released into the air.

Obama also will announce more aggressive steps to increase efficiency for appliances such as refrigerators and lamps, according to people briefed on the plan. Another component of Obama's proposal will involve ramping up hydropower production from existing dams.

Heather Zichal, Obama's senior energy and climate adviser, told environmental groups Monday that Obama is working with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan on a target for renewable energy to be produced at federally assisted housing projects.

She framed the Obama's efforts in the U.S. as part of a broader, global movement to combat climate change, trumpeting the role the U.S. can play in leading other nations to stem the warming of the planet.

Paul Bledsoe, who worked on climate issues in the Clinton White House, said Zichal renewed a pledge Obama made in in his first year in office, during global climate talks in Copenhagen, to cut U.S. carbon emissions by about 17 percent by 2020, compared to 2005 levels.

"This is a policy fulfillment of what the president has been talking about and trying to accomplish for five years or more," said Bledsoe, now a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

One key issue Obama is not expected to address Tuesday is Keystone XL, a pipeline that would carry oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to refineries along the Texas Gulf Coast. A concerted campaign by environmental activists to persuade Obama to nix the pipeline as a "carbon bomb" appears to have gained little traction. The oil industry has been urging the president to approve the pipeline, citing jobs and economic benefits.

Obama raised climate change as a key second-term issue in his inaugural address in January, but has offered few details since. In his February State of the Union, he issued an ultimatum to lawmakers: "If Congress won't act soon to protect future generations, I will."

The poor prospects for getting any major climate legislation through a Republican-controlled House were on display last week when Speaker John Boehner responded to the prospect that Obama would put forth controls on existing power plants by deeming the idea "absolutely crazy."

"Why would you want to increase the cost of energy and kill more American jobs?" said Boehner, R-Ohio, echoing the warnings of some industry groups.

Sidestepping Congress by using executive action doesn't guarantee Obama smooth sailing. Lawmakers could introduce legislation to thwart Obama's efforts. And the rules for existing power plants will almost certainly face legal challenges in court. The Supreme Court has upheld the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, but how the EPA goes about that effort remains largely uncharted waters.

Even if legal and political obstacles are overcome, it will take years for the new measures to be put in place, likely running up against the end of Obama's presidency or even beyond it. White House aides say that's one reason Obama is ensuring the process starts now, while there are still more than three years left in his final term.

Under the process outlined in the Clean Air Act, the EPA cannot act unilaterally, but must work with states to develop the standards, said Jonas Monast, an attorney who directs the climate and energy program at Duke University. An initial proposal will be followed by a months-long public comment period before the EPA can issue final guidance to states. Then the states must create actual plans for plants within their borders, a process likely to take the better part of a year.

Then the EPA has another four months to decide whether to approve each state's plan before the implementation period can start.

Associated Press Writer Matthew Daly contributed to this story.

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

Also on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/24/obama-climate-change_n_3492668.html

aretha franklin Beyonce Pregnant Riot Fest Granbury Tx Jaden Smith eminem eminem

Video: Cowboys or Cowards?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/52294273/

easter april fools pranks atlanta braves Happy Easter Game Of Thrones Season 3 campfire Kordell Stewart

Afghans rush to learn risky art of defusing bombs

In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, Hayatullah, center, is fitted with a protective suit before inspecting a land minee during a bomb defusing training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 _ and the international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Kay Johnson)

In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, Hayatullah, center, is fitted with a protective suit before inspecting a land minee during a bomb defusing training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 _ and the international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Kay Johnson)

In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, Hayatullah places a scanner on an IED (improvised explosive device) during a defusing training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, June 11, 2013. A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 _ and the international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Kay Johnson)

In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, Hayatuulah searches for land-mine with metal detector during an IED (improvised explosive device) defusing training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 _ and the international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Kay Johnson)

In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, Hayatullah inspecting cables of a defused IED (improvised explosive device) in a bag during an defusing training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 _ and the international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Kay Johnson)

In this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 photo, Afghan solider Naqibullah Qarizada hunches over a knee-high robot armed with cameras attaching four bottles of water and a tiny explosive charge to defuse a mine during an IED defusing training exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan. A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 -- and the international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Kay Johnson)

(AP) ? In a desolate field outside Kabul, an Afghan soldier hunches over a knee-high robot equipped with cameras, multidirectional pincers and tank-treads built for rough terrain. Carefully, he attaches four bottles of water and a tiny explosive charge to the robot. He uses a remote control to guide it 50 meters (yards) away to his target: a simulated backpack bomb.

"Explosion! Explosion! Explosion!" shouts the soldier, Naqibullah Qarizada, in a warning to others nearby. Then he remotely detonates the charge.

A small dust cloud kicks up. If all has gone well, the blast has pushed the water into the bomb with enough force to knock out its triggering mechanism. But to be safe, his partner, Hayatullah, climbs into a heavy protective suit before lumbering over to pluck out the blasting cap and seal it in a fortified box.

The two men are among hundreds of Afghan soldiers training to take over the dangerous fight against the war's biggest killers: the Taliban-planted bombs known as IEDs that kill and maim thousands of people each year on and around the country's roads and towns.

A few years ago, there were almost no Afghan bomb disposal experts. Now, there are 369 ? but that's far from enough. The international coalition is rushing to train hundreds more before the exit of most coalition forces by the end of next year.

Each day on average, two to three roadside or buried bombs explode somewhere in Afghanistan, according to numbers compiled by the United Nations, which says that the explosives killed 868 civilians last year, 40 percent of the civilian deaths in insurgent attacks. Among international forces, buried or roadside bombs accounted for 64 percent of the 3,300 coalition troops killed or wounded last year, the NATO force says.

Known in military parlance as improvised explosives devices (IEDs), the bombs have long been a favorite Taliban weapon that can be remotely detonated by radio or mobile phone when a target passes by or triggered by pressure, like a vehicle driving over it.

The U.S. military has over the years developed advanced detection and disposal techniques that manage to defuse about 40 to 50 IEDs each day, says Col. Ace Campbell, chief of the Counter-IED training unit. The coalition is working to transfer that knowledge to the Afghans who will be responsible once most foreign troops leave next year, and Campbell says Afghan teams are now finding and disposing about half of the bombs most days.

"Whenever I hear about an IED or I find one myself ? maybe you will laugh, but I become very happy," says Hayatullah, 28, who has completed the highest level of training and like many Afghans uses just one name. "I am happy because it is my duty to defuse it, and I will save the lives of several people."

Hayatullah also has a personal reason for his chosen profession ? his father was killed in a mine explosion. He was just 13 when unknown attackers planted two anti-personnel mines outside their home in Parwan province, and he says the memory fuels his desire to save others.

The country's main bomb disposal school is located at Camp Black Horse, set among a dust-swept field on Kabul's eastern outskirts, where a rusted-out Russian tank looms on a distant hill, a reminder of Afghanistan's long legacy of war dating back to the 1980s Soviet occupation.

Here, a team of about 160 instructors runs 19 different courses, ranging from a basic four-week awareness program for regular Afghan soldiers to the eight-month advanced "IED defeat" course that is a slightly shorter version of the U.S. Army's own counter-explosives training.

"We are giving them the best instruction that we have available, and they are picking it up," said U.S. Army Maj. Joel Smith, one of the training program's leaders. "Some are getting killed, some are dropping out, but their numbers are growing."

Still, it is a race against time to produce enough experts to fill the gap left by foreign troops' withdrawal. On Tuesday, NATO formally handed over full security responsibility to Afghanistan's fledgling 350,000-strong security forces, though many of the remaining foreign troops will stay until next year in a support and training role.

The goal is to have 318 full-fledged Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, each with two or three Afghan experts, spread out around the country. But Afghan security forces now have less than 60 percent of the bomb specialists they need ? hence the fever pitch of training.

"These guys are on a more accelerated program due to necessity," Smith said.

Equipping the Afghan teams is also a challenge. The coalition plans to distribute 12,000 metal detectors to regular police and army units, and each of the specialized disposal teams is slated to receive one of the high-tech robots that Qarizada and Hayatullah were working with. But Smith said each of the robots costs $17,000, and so far only about half of those needed are in the hands of Afghan teams. And that is not even taking into account who will maintain the sophisticated machines in a country where dust clogs nearly every machine and technical expertise is scarce.

Bomb disposal units gained widespread fame with the 2008 film "The Hurt Locker," but in real life the process ? while still dangerous ? is much slower and more methodical. The ultimate goal is to try not to approach a live bomb until it's been neutralized, which is the point of the exercise with the robot and the protective suit.

But with thousands of buried bombs and more being planted every day, it's impossible to have such sophisticated tools everywhere. That's why the program also trains regular Afghan army and police for four weeks in how to recognize signs of a smaller IED ? freshly moved earth, or perhaps a conveniently placed culvert next to a bridge ? and neutralize it in the crudest but simplest way: setting a smaller charge, moving far, far away and blowing it up in place.

Even such basic disposal takes weeks of training. Sitting attentively on rows of benches under a lean-to in the field, a group of Afghan soldiers listens to contractor James Webber, a former U.S. Air Force bomb disposal expert, as he explains how long to make a fuse so whoever sets it can then dash away for four minutes, or 240 seconds, to safety before the charge blows.

"So, 240 seconds divided by our burn rate - what do you get? Anyone got a calculator?" Webber asks.

The recruits nod, squint, calculate.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-23-Afghan-Bomb%20School/id-87d91b809fd344318506d33ccf9495f4

jessica chastain jessica chastain oscars jane fonda abc bradley cooper channing tatum