Showing posts with label historic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label historic. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Google Nexus 9 tablet, Nexus 6 smartphone with Lollipop unveiled
Google has unveiled the it's latest tablet in order to overtake Apple's iPad. Google has also released the Nexus 6 with the newest OS Lollipop.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
iPhone 'Bendgate' May Be Overblown: Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports ran lab tests on the two new iPhone models, and found that it is difficult to bend the devices under pressure. Apple said on Thursday that only nine customers’ iPhones have bent.
To test the strength of the hardware, the consumer watchdog placed the phone on two wooden points, then applied force on top with a high-precision compression machine. While the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus bent under less pressure than did the iPhone 5, the Apple phones were not the weakest: The HTC One deformed and separated from its case under less pressure than the other phones tested.
“Impressively, despite some serious damage from our Instron machine, some of the phone continued to work,” Consumer Reports wrote in a post on Friday. “Several of the screens illuminated and were functional to the touch; we even completed a call from one phone to another.”
Apple this week scrambled to rebut the fallout of a video that went viral showing a bent iPhone 6. On Thursday, the infamously tight-lipped company sent an unusually long statement to The Huffington Post explaining that the bend is “extremely rare.”
Still, coupled with the botched rollout of a glitchy update to the iOS 8 operating system, Apple had a rough week. The company’s stock rebounded on Friday after taking a hit from the dual snafus.
This article originally appeared in The Huffington Post
To test the strength of the hardware, the consumer watchdog placed the phone on two wooden points, then applied force on top with a high-precision compression machine. While the iPhone 6 and the larger iPhone 6 Plus bent under less pressure than did the iPhone 5, the Apple phones were not the weakest: The HTC One deformed and separated from its case under less pressure than the other phones tested.
“Impressively, despite some serious damage from our Instron machine, some of the phone continued to work,” Consumer Reports wrote in a post on Friday. “Several of the screens illuminated and were functional to the touch; we even completed a call from one phone to another.”
Apple this week scrambled to rebut the fallout of a video that went viral showing a bent iPhone 6. On Thursday, the infamously tight-lipped company sent an unusually long statement to The Huffington Post explaining that the bend is “extremely rare.”
Still, coupled with the botched rollout of a glitchy update to the iOS 8 operating system, Apple had a rough week. The company’s stock rebounded on Friday after taking a hit from the dual snafus.
This article originally appeared in The Huffington Post
Monday, September 22, 2014
La Liga Competiveness
With scores of 8-2 (Real Madrid/ Deportivo) and 5-0 (Barcelona/ Levante), is the La Liga getting weaker or the stronger teams just get more stronger? With Real Madrid and Barcelona winning at least one title every decade, just how many trophies do the teams want?
Thursday, September 18, 2014
The Scotland Independence Vote
With more than 50% of the votes taken in from the Scotland referendum in seems that the Scottish will support the "Yes," campaign. This will continue the British rule that has been going on for more than tree centuries.
Air Canada to charge for first checked bag, following WestJet
Air Canada stated that it will start to charge passengers $25 for their first checked luggage, following the steps of their rival WestJet several days later.
Starting September 18, 2014, customers purchasing Air Canada’s lowest Economy Class Tango fare for travel on or after November 2, 2014 on domestic flights within Canada and to and from the Caribbean and Mexico will now be charged $25 for a first checked bag, in line with the baggage allowance policies of other North American carriers.
This change is expected to affect an estimated one in five Air Canada passengers on domestic flights within Canada, representing approximately 5 per cent of the airline’s customers system-wide, Air Canada said.
The U.S. fee for first checked luggage is still the same since 2011.
WestJet said on Monday its $25 fee would apply to about 20 per cent of the airline’s 18.5 million customers a year, beginning with flights booked Sept. 14 for travel as of Oct. 29. Baggage fees generated $3.35-billion (U.S.) for U.S. airlines last year.
The move sparked a flurry of upgrades for WestJet stock amid expectations of higher earnings. Air Canada stock also spiked, in anticipation of similar measures. Air Canada said at the time it was evaluating the WestJet announcement.
Starting September 18, 2014, customers purchasing Air Canada’s lowest Economy Class Tango fare for travel on or after November 2, 2014 on domestic flights within Canada and to and from the Caribbean and Mexico will now be charged $25 for a first checked bag, in line with the baggage allowance policies of other North American carriers.
This change is expected to affect an estimated one in five Air Canada passengers on domestic flights within Canada, representing approximately 5 per cent of the airline’s customers system-wide, Air Canada said.
The U.S. fee for first checked luggage is still the same since 2011.
WestJet said on Monday its $25 fee would apply to about 20 per cent of the airline’s 18.5 million customers a year, beginning with flights booked Sept. 14 for travel as of Oct. 29. Baggage fees generated $3.35-billion (U.S.) for U.S. airlines last year.
The move sparked a flurry of upgrades for WestJet stock amid expectations of higher earnings. Air Canada stock also spiked, in anticipation of similar measures. Air Canada said at the time it was evaluating the WestJet announcement.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
ISIS war chest grows by an estimated $3M every day
Islamic State militants, who once relied on wealthy Persian Gulf donors for money, have become a self-sustaining financial juggernaut, earning more than $3 million a day from oil smuggling, human trafficking, theft and extortion, according to U.S. intelligence officials and private experts.
The extremist group's resources exceed that "of any other terrorist group in history," said a U.S. intelligence official who, like others interviewed, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss classified assessments. Such riches are one reason that American officials are so concerned about the group even while acknowledging they have no evidence it is plotting attacks against the United States.
The Islamic State group has taken over large sections of Syria and Iraq, and controls as many as 11 oil fields in both countries, analysts say. It is selling oil and other goods through generations-old smuggling networks under the noses of some of the same governments it is fighting: Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, Turkey and Jordan.
While U.S. intelligence does not assess that those governments are complicit in the smuggling, the Obama administration is pressing them do to more to crack down. The illicit oil is generally transported on tanker trucks, analysts said.
"There's a lot of money to be made," said Denise Natali, who worked in Kurdistan as an American aid official and is now a senior research fellow at National Defense University. "The Kurds say they have made an attempt to close it down, but you pay off a border guard you pay off somebody else and you get stuff through."
The price the Islamic State group fetches for its smuggled oil is discounted — $25 to $60 for a barrel of oil that normally sells for more than $100 — but its total profits from oil are exceeding $3 million a day, said Luay al-Khatteeb, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution's Doha Center in Qatar.
The group also has earned hundreds of millions of dollars from smuggling antiquities out of Iraq to be sold in Turkey, al-Khatteeb said, and millions more from human trafficking by selling women and children as sex slaves.
Other revenue comes from extortion payments, ransom from kidnapped hostages, and outright theft of all manner of materials from the towns the Islamic State group has seized, analysts say.
"It's cash-raising activities resemble those of a mafia-like organization," a second U.S. intelligence official said, reflecting the assessment of his agency. "They are well-organized, systematic and enforced through intimidation and violence."
Extortion, bank robberies, ransom
Even prior to seizing Mosul in June, for example, the group began to impose "taxes" on nearly every facet of economic activity, threatening death for those unwilling to pay, U.S. intelligence officials say. An analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations estimated the group was reaping $8 million a month from extortion in Mosul alone.
Once the group took over Mosul, in northern Iraq, and other areas, it grabbed millions of dollars in cash from banks, though not the hundreds of millions initially reported, U.S. intelligence officials say.
This spring, four French and two Spanish journalists held hostage by Islamic State extremists were freed after their governments paid multimillion-dollar ransoms through intermediaries.
The Islamic State group "has managed to successfully translate territorial control in northern Syria and portions of Iraq into a means of revenue generation," said a third U.S. intelligence official.
Analysts say the group is relying on the fact that the area along the border between Iraq and Turkey has long been a smugglers haven, and was made more so by the fall of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003. Generations of families have illicitly moved goods through the region.
The Islamic State is the successor to al-Qaeda in Iraq, which was founded by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. For a time, the group was allied with the Nusra Front, the al-Qaida affiliate that is a key player among the rebels battling Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Islamic State group has since broken with the Nusra Front and al-Qaeda.
In the early days of the Syrian civil war, the Islamic State group was funded in large part by donations from wealthy residents of Gulf States, including Kuwait and Qatar, American officials have said.
"A number of fundraisers operating in more permissive jurisdictions — particularly in Kuwait and Qatar — are soliciting donations to fund ... al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Nusra Front, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS)," David Cohen, the Treasury department's top counterterrorism official, said in a speech in March.
That stream of funding has diminished in recent months as the group's violent tactics have drawn worldwide attention, U.S. intelligence officials say.
The group's reliance on oil as its main source of revenue could easily be disrupted by American airstrikes, officials say. But so far, no decision has been made to target Iraqi or Syrian oil infrastructure, which is serviced by civilian workers who may have been conscripted.
The extremist group's resources exceed that "of any other terrorist group in history," said a U.S. intelligence official who, like others interviewed, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss classified assessments. Such riches are one reason that American officials are so concerned about the group even while acknowledging they have no evidence it is plotting attacks against the United States.
The Islamic State group has taken over large sections of Syria and Iraq, and controls as many as 11 oil fields in both countries, analysts say. It is selling oil and other goods through generations-old smuggling networks under the noses of some of the same governments it is fighting: Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, Turkey and Jordan.
While U.S. intelligence does not assess that those governments are complicit in the smuggling, the Obama administration is pressing them do to more to crack down. The illicit oil is generally transported on tanker trucks, analysts said.
"There's a lot of money to be made," said Denise Natali, who worked in Kurdistan as an American aid official and is now a senior research fellow at National Defense University. "The Kurds say they have made an attempt to close it down, but you pay off a border guard you pay off somebody else and you get stuff through."
The price the Islamic State group fetches for its smuggled oil is discounted — $25 to $60 for a barrel of oil that normally sells for more than $100 — but its total profits from oil are exceeding $3 million a day, said Luay al-Khatteeb, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution's Doha Center in Qatar.
The group also has earned hundreds of millions of dollars from smuggling antiquities out of Iraq to be sold in Turkey, al-Khatteeb said, and millions more from human trafficking by selling women and children as sex slaves.
Other revenue comes from extortion payments, ransom from kidnapped hostages, and outright theft of all manner of materials from the towns the Islamic State group has seized, analysts say.
"It's cash-raising activities resemble those of a mafia-like organization," a second U.S. intelligence official said, reflecting the assessment of his agency. "They are well-organized, systematic and enforced through intimidation and violence."
Extortion, bank robberies, ransom
Even prior to seizing Mosul in June, for example, the group began to impose "taxes" on nearly every facet of economic activity, threatening death for those unwilling to pay, U.S. intelligence officials say. An analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations estimated the group was reaping $8 million a month from extortion in Mosul alone.
Once the group took over Mosul, in northern Iraq, and other areas, it grabbed millions of dollars in cash from banks, though not the hundreds of millions initially reported, U.S. intelligence officials say.
This spring, four French and two Spanish journalists held hostage by Islamic State extremists were freed after their governments paid multimillion-dollar ransoms through intermediaries.
The Islamic State group "has managed to successfully translate territorial control in northern Syria and portions of Iraq into a means of revenue generation," said a third U.S. intelligence official.
Analysts say the group is relying on the fact that the area along the border between Iraq and Turkey has long been a smugglers haven, and was made more so by the fall of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003. Generations of families have illicitly moved goods through the region.
The Islamic State is the successor to al-Qaeda in Iraq, which was founded by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. For a time, the group was allied with the Nusra Front, the al-Qaida affiliate that is a key player among the rebels battling Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Islamic State group has since broken with the Nusra Front and al-Qaeda.
In the early days of the Syrian civil war, the Islamic State group was funded in large part by donations from wealthy residents of Gulf States, including Kuwait and Qatar, American officials have said.
"A number of fundraisers operating in more permissive jurisdictions — particularly in Kuwait and Qatar — are soliciting donations to fund ... al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, the Nusra Front, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS)," David Cohen, the Treasury department's top counterterrorism official, said in a speech in March.
That stream of funding has diminished in recent months as the group's violent tactics have drawn worldwide attention, U.S. intelligence officials say.
The group's reliance on oil as its main source of revenue could easily be disrupted by American airstrikes, officials say. But so far, no decision has been made to target Iraqi or Syrian oil infrastructure, which is serviced by civilian workers who may have been conscripted.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Growing up poor erodes a sense of control over life well into adulthood, study finds
More than a half century after Stanford University’s landmark marshmallow test, in which children who managed to defer the pleasure of eating a candy for a few minutes were rewarded with two, self-control is still said to be the key to success. And current educational thinking exalts the value of overcoming obstacles with grit and perseverance.
But those very qualities, said to lead to achievement and happiness, are eroded by the experience of childhood poverty, researchers say. A University of Minnesota study (pdf), released Wednesday by the American Psychological Association, presents evidence suggesting that growing up poor can influence people’s sense of control over their lives well into adulthood, even if they have become much wealthier. The result, the researchers say, is more impulsive decision-making and giving up quickly on challenging tasks in uncertain situations.
“Persistence is directly tied to myriad important outcomes, including self-control, academic achievement, substance abuse, criminal behavior, healthy eating and overspending,” one of the study’s co-authors, Vladas Griskevicius, said in a release on the paper. “Future research should investigate strategies to prevent individuals from poor childhoods from potentially quitting challenging tasks in the face of adversity.”
The researchers conducted five experiments with adults in different age and income brackets and at different stages of their life, to test how exposure to economic uncertainty influenced their sense of control. Researchers asked how much they agreed with statements such as “I can do just about anything that I really set my mind to” or “Whether or not I am able to get what I wa
One of the more revealing tests found that among 95 people, those who grew up poor had a lower sense of control after looking at photos depicting economic hardship, such as unemployment lines, home foreclosure signs, and empty office buildings.
But those very qualities, said to lead to achievement and happiness, are eroded by the experience of childhood poverty, researchers say. A University of Minnesota study (pdf), released Wednesday by the American Psychological Association, presents evidence suggesting that growing up poor can influence people’s sense of control over their lives well into adulthood, even if they have become much wealthier. The result, the researchers say, is more impulsive decision-making and giving up quickly on challenging tasks in uncertain situations.
“Persistence is directly tied to myriad important outcomes, including self-control, academic achievement, substance abuse, criminal behavior, healthy eating and overspending,” one of the study’s co-authors, Vladas Griskevicius, said in a release on the paper. “Future research should investigate strategies to prevent individuals from poor childhoods from potentially quitting challenging tasks in the face of adversity.”
The researchers conducted five experiments with adults in different age and income brackets and at different stages of their life, to test how exposure to economic uncertainty influenced their sense of control. Researchers asked how much they agreed with statements such as “I can do just about anything that I really set my mind to” or “Whether or not I am able to get what I wa
One of the more revealing tests found that among 95 people, those who grew up poor had a lower sense of control after looking at photos depicting economic hardship, such as unemployment lines, home foreclosure signs, and empty office buildings.
The researchers conclude, however, that sometimes persistence is not the most logical behavior, especially when people are faced with an impossible task. “Although past research has viewed persistence on such impossible tasks as good and desirable, the adaptive behavior is to quit, since persisting on the task is not all that different from dancing in hopes that it will start raining,” they write. “Time and energy are limited resources, and sometimes it is adaptive to stop expending effort on an endeavor one cannot control in order to pursue more promising opportunities.”
nt is in my own hands.” To hone in on the issue of childhood poverty, they asked participants to describe their childhood household incomes by indicating agreement with statements such as: “My family usually had enough money for things when I was growing up,” or “I felt relatively wealthy compared to the other kids in my school.”
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Twitter record smashed by Brazil v Chile World Cup match
A record 16.3 million tweets were sent during Saturday's World Cup game between Brazil and Chile, the most ever for a live event on the social network.
The game saw the World Cup hosts go through to the quarter finals after a nail-biting encounter that went to extra time, with Brazil finally winning 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
The final moments of the match -- which saw Chile miss their final penalty -- generated 388,985 tweets a minute.
This broke a record previously set during the Super Bowl, when 382,000 tweets were sent per minute.
Unsurprisingly, Brazilian striker Neymar, who scored the team's final penalty, was the player mentioned most frequently on the site during the game.
Twitter said on Friday that more than 300 million messages had been sent about the tournament since the group stages of the football competition began, with the event "already becoming one of the most talked about events on Twitter of all time".
Before Saturday, the record for the most-commented-on match on the network was that between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, which saw 12.2 million messages sent.
The game saw the World Cup hosts go through to the quarter finals after a nail-biting encounter that went to extra time, with Brazil finally winning 3-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
The final moments of the match -- which saw Chile miss their final penalty -- generated 388,985 tweets a minute.
This broke a record previously set during the Super Bowl, when 382,000 tweets were sent per minute.
Unsurprisingly, Brazilian striker Neymar, who scored the team's final penalty, was the player mentioned most frequently on the site during the game.
Twitter said on Friday that more than 300 million messages had been sent about the tournament since the group stages of the football competition began, with the event "already becoming one of the most talked about events on Twitter of all time".
Before Saturday, the record for the most-commented-on match on the network was that between Brazil and Croatia on June 12, which saw 12.2 million messages sent.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Cavaliers continue remarkable lottery luck, win No. 1 pick for second straight year
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Cleveland Cavaliers' lottery luck just keeps going.
The Cavaliers continued their remarkable run Tuesday, winning the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft for the second straight year and third time in the last four. They moved up from the ninth spot, when they had just a 1.7 per cent chance of winning the top selection.
"It seems surreal," Cavs vice chairman Jeff Cohen said. "This is three out of four years and we had a 1.7 per cent chance of coming up with the first pick and we pulled it off again."
They drafted Kyrie Irving first in 2011 and will hope to do better with this win than last year, when they took Anthony Bennett, who had a forgettable rookie season.
Nick Gilbert, the son of Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, was on the podium for the previous two wins, but general manager David Griffin was there this time.
Griffin had a pin on his lapel from his late grandmother and was carrying one of Nick Gilbert's bowties, which was as lucky in his breast pocket as it was with Nick wearing it.
The Cavs can now choose among the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid of Kansas, Duke's Jabari Parker, or another player from what's considered a deep draft.
"This means everything," Cohen said. "This is the deepest draft arguably since LeBron (James) and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony came out."
The Cavs won that one, too, in 2003, when they picked James. But they have been lottery regulars since he bolted for Miami in 2010, and they want that to stop.
"Rebuilding is a process and we lost a player a number of years back that it was going (to take) some time. Quite frankly it's taken a little bit longer then we'd like, but we've been patient," Cohen said.
"I think now is the time we're going to reap the rewards of our patience."
The Milwaukee Bucks fell one spot to second and the Philadelphia 76ers will draft third. The Bucks had a 25 per cent chance of winning after a league-worst 15-67 record, but the team with the best odds hasn't won since 2004.
The expected strength of the class led to speculation that teams were tanking in hopes of getting a high pick. But the Cavs had playoff expectations, hoping a strong season could make them attractive to James if he was interested in returning home as a free agent.
Nick Gilbert said last year he expected the Cavs to be done with the lottery, but they were right back in Times Square after a disappointing season that resulted in them firing Mike Brown after just one year and a 33-49 record in his second stint with the team. Another top selection surely will make Cleveland more attractive to prospective coaches.
The city of Cleveland may be on a 50-year championship drought, but sure does have this lottery thing figured out.
The 2011 win was also a stunner, when the Cavs moved up from the No. 8 spot with a pick they had acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers.
And by moving up this year, they hurt the Detroit Pistons, who started eighth but by falling back, had to trade the pick to Charlotte as part of a deal for Ben Gordon.
Orlando dropped a spot to fourth and also will have the No. 12 pick from Denver. Utah is No. 5 and the Lakers and Boston Celtics couldn't make the most of rare lottery appearances, with Los Angeles at No. 7 and Boston at No. 6.
The 76ers couldn't move up even with Hall of Famer Julius Erving representing them, but they will have two top-10 picks: their own and New Orleans' at No. 10 from last year's trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans.
"If we had No. 3 alone, I would be a little disappointed and so would our group. But the fact that we also have the 10th pick, we may have done better than anyone else," Erving said. "We can get two players out of this draft or leverage those two picks."
Nick Gilbert was the hit of the 2011 lottery, his big glasses and bowtie charming viewers. This time it was Mallory Edens, the 18-year-old daughter of incoming Bucks co-owner Wes Edens. She gained thousands of Twitter followers after her brief on-camera interview.
But her Bucks pin wasn't lucky enough to end the run of back luck for the worst teams.
"I was really nervous, but I'm really happy we got the second pick," Mallory Edens said.
Things kept rolling for the Cavs, who duplicated the feat of Orlando, which went back-to-back at No. 1 in 1992-93. The latter win, after the Magic had gone 41-41 in Shaquille O'Neal's rookie season, caused the league to change the lottery to a weighted format that gave the worst teams the most chances.
The tanking talk has led to discussions to change it again, something Commissioner Adam Silver has said will be discussed this summer. But he has also said that if there was an ideal solution, the league would have implemented it by now.
The Cavaliers continued their remarkable run Tuesday, winning the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft for the second straight year and third time in the last four. They moved up from the ninth spot, when they had just a 1.7 per cent chance of winning the top selection.
"It seems surreal," Cavs vice chairman Jeff Cohen said. "This is three out of four years and we had a 1.7 per cent chance of coming up with the first pick and we pulled it off again."
They drafted Kyrie Irving first in 2011 and will hope to do better with this win than last year, when they took Anthony Bennett, who had a forgettable rookie season.
Nick Gilbert, the son of Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert, was on the podium for the previous two wins, but general manager David Griffin was there this time.
Griffin had a pin on his lapel from his late grandmother and was carrying one of Nick Gilbert's bowties, which was as lucky in his breast pocket as it was with Nick wearing it.
The Cavs can now choose among the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid of Kansas, Duke's Jabari Parker, or another player from what's considered a deep draft.
"This means everything," Cohen said. "This is the deepest draft arguably since LeBron (James) and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony came out."
The Cavs won that one, too, in 2003, when they picked James. But they have been lottery regulars since he bolted for Miami in 2010, and they want that to stop.
"Rebuilding is a process and we lost a player a number of years back that it was going (to take) some time. Quite frankly it's taken a little bit longer then we'd like, but we've been patient," Cohen said.
"I think now is the time we're going to reap the rewards of our patience."
The Milwaukee Bucks fell one spot to second and the Philadelphia 76ers will draft third. The Bucks had a 25 per cent chance of winning after a league-worst 15-67 record, but the team with the best odds hasn't won since 2004.
The expected strength of the class led to speculation that teams were tanking in hopes of getting a high pick. But the Cavs had playoff expectations, hoping a strong season could make them attractive to James if he was interested in returning home as a free agent.
Nick Gilbert said last year he expected the Cavs to be done with the lottery, but they were right back in Times Square after a disappointing season that resulted in them firing Mike Brown after just one year and a 33-49 record in his second stint with the team. Another top selection surely will make Cleveland more attractive to prospective coaches.
The city of Cleveland may be on a 50-year championship drought, but sure does have this lottery thing figured out.
The 2011 win was also a stunner, when the Cavs moved up from the No. 8 spot with a pick they had acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers.
And by moving up this year, they hurt the Detroit Pistons, who started eighth but by falling back, had to trade the pick to Charlotte as part of a deal for Ben Gordon.
Orlando dropped a spot to fourth and also will have the No. 12 pick from Denver. Utah is No. 5 and the Lakers and Boston Celtics couldn't make the most of rare lottery appearances, with Los Angeles at No. 7 and Boston at No. 6.
The 76ers couldn't move up even with Hall of Famer Julius Erving representing them, but they will have two top-10 picks: their own and New Orleans' at No. 10 from last year's trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Pelicans.
"If we had No. 3 alone, I would be a little disappointed and so would our group. But the fact that we also have the 10th pick, we may have done better than anyone else," Erving said. "We can get two players out of this draft or leverage those two picks."
Nick Gilbert was the hit of the 2011 lottery, his big glasses and bowtie charming viewers. This time it was Mallory Edens, the 18-year-old daughter of incoming Bucks co-owner Wes Edens. She gained thousands of Twitter followers after her brief on-camera interview.
But her Bucks pin wasn't lucky enough to end the run of back luck for the worst teams.
"I was really nervous, but I'm really happy we got the second pick," Mallory Edens said.
Things kept rolling for the Cavs, who duplicated the feat of Orlando, which went back-to-back at No. 1 in 1992-93. The latter win, after the Magic had gone 41-41 in Shaquille O'Neal's rookie season, caused the league to change the lottery to a weighted format that gave the worst teams the most chances.
The tanking talk has led to discussions to change it again, something Commissioner Adam Silver has said will be discussed this summer. But he has also said that if there was an ideal solution, the league would have implemented it by now.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Ottawa seeks public input on wireless radiation
TORONTO - Health Canada has opened an online public consultation process so Canadians can comment on proposed updated guidelines governing safe exposure to radiofrequency waves emitted by cellphones and other electronic devices.
Called Safety Code 6, the draft revised guidelines have been posted on Health Canada’s website — http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/consult/_2014/safety_code_6-code_securite_6/index-eng.php — which is open for comment from Canadians until July 15.
The federal department said Friday it will consider comments related to the scientific and technical aspect of Safety Code 6 in the development of its final revised guidelines, expected to be published this fall.
Recommended limits to exposure to radiofrequency waves are based on established scientific evidence and provide protection against all known adverse health effects, said Health Canada, noting that Canada’s limits are consistent with those in such countries as the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
The public consultation follows an April 1 report by a Royal Society of Canada expert panel on Safety Code 6, which is aimed at protecting the health of workers and the general public.
The panel was asked by Health Canada to recommend any necessary changes to the code following a review of the latest research on adverse health effects linked to radio waves from mobile phones, Wi-Fi equipment, cellular phone towers and TV/radio broadcast antennas.
While the eight-member panel concluded that current exposure limits are designed to avoid all known health hazards and no additional precautionary measures should be introduced, there was one caveat.
Panel members said Health Canada should pursue research aimed at determining if there is a link between exposure to radiofrequency waves from ubiquitous wireless devices and cases of cancer.
Paul Demers, the director of Toronto's Occupational Cancer Research Centre who chaired the panel, said at the time that studies investigating a potential association between exposure to radio waves and the development of cancer have had inconsistent results.
The non-profit group Canadians for Safe Technology, whose stated goal is to educate Canadians and policy makers about the dangers of exposure to unsafe levels of radiofrequency radiation, reacted angrily to the findings.
The organization accused the panel of siding with the wireless industry and ignoring scientific data warning of health risks related to the technology.
Health Canada said the proposed update to Safety Code 6, which was reviewed by the Royal Society panel, includes radiofrequency exposure limits that are more restrictive than those in the current version, written in 2009.
Called Safety Code 6, the draft revised guidelines have been posted on Health Canada’s website — http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/consult/_2014/safety_code_6-code_securite_6/index-eng.php — which is open for comment from Canadians until July 15.
The federal department said Friday it will consider comments related to the scientific and technical aspect of Safety Code 6 in the development of its final revised guidelines, expected to be published this fall.
Recommended limits to exposure to radiofrequency waves are based on established scientific evidence and provide protection against all known adverse health effects, said Health Canada, noting that Canada’s limits are consistent with those in such countries as the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
The public consultation follows an April 1 report by a Royal Society of Canada expert panel on Safety Code 6, which is aimed at protecting the health of workers and the general public.
The panel was asked by Health Canada to recommend any necessary changes to the code following a review of the latest research on adverse health effects linked to radio waves from mobile phones, Wi-Fi equipment, cellular phone towers and TV/radio broadcast antennas.
While the eight-member panel concluded that current exposure limits are designed to avoid all known health hazards and no additional precautionary measures should be introduced, there was one caveat.
Panel members said Health Canada should pursue research aimed at determining if there is a link between exposure to radiofrequency waves from ubiquitous wireless devices and cases of cancer.
Paul Demers, the director of Toronto's Occupational Cancer Research Centre who chaired the panel, said at the time that studies investigating a potential association between exposure to radio waves and the development of cancer have had inconsistent results.
The non-profit group Canadians for Safe Technology, whose stated goal is to educate Canadians and policy makers about the dangers of exposure to unsafe levels of radiofrequency radiation, reacted angrily to the findings.
The organization accused the panel of siding with the wireless industry and ignoring scientific data warning of health risks related to the technology.
Health Canada said the proposed update to Safety Code 6, which was reviewed by the Royal Society panel, includes radiofrequency exposure limits that are more restrictive than those in the current version, written in 2009.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Atletico Madrid win La Liga title after draw at Barca
BARCELONA - A towering Diego Godin header secured Atletico Madrid a 1-1 draw against Barcelona and a first La Liga title for 18 years in a thrilling climax to the campaign on Saturday.
Barca needed to beat Atletico in a final-day showdown to snatch the title away and Alexis Sanchez gave the hosts hope when he rifled home from an acute angle after 33 minutes at a packed Nou Camp.
But four minutes after the break Godin powered home from a corner and Atletico defended robustly to earn the draw they needed and claim their first championship since 1995-96.
The result prompted Barcelona's Argentine coach Gerardo Martino to announce his resignation after just one season in the job.
"The work and effort of this team is the key and nobody makes any compromises. The team understands this," Atletico coach Diego Simeone told a news conference.
"Today will be one of the most important days in the history of the club. To become champions against Barcelona is a great feeling."
Following the final whistle, the Nou Camp crowd applauded the new champions as they celebrated on the pitch.
"This was something unimaginable at the start of the season but totally deserved," Atletico captain Gabi told Spanish television as his delirious team mates celebrated on the pitch behind him.
"It is a honour to be part of this and to be able to compete with the big clubs.
"We always believed in ourselves, even when we fell behind today," he added.
"Let the fans enjoy this now because they deserve it. We will celebrate this great title now and from Monday we will focus on the Champions League which is the priority now."
Atletico, who contest next Saturday's European showpiece against Real Madrid in Lisbon, finished with 90 points, with Barca second on 87 and Real, also with 87, in third.
It is the first time in 10 years that either Barca or Real Madrid did not win the league and Barca finished without major silverware for the first time in six years.
"We had it within our grasp for 45 minutes but all we can do now is congratulate Atleti," Barca playmaker Andres Iniesta told Spanish TV.
"After we went ahead their goal really hurt us and they are worthy champions," added the Spain international.
"We tried to the very end but today we are left empty-handed. This season is over for us and now we just have to move forward."
Gerard Pique and Neymar were back in the Barca side after injury while the surprise in coach Martino’s lineup was the choice of Cesc Fabregas in midfield ahead of Xavi.
Pique’s return was a boost due to Atletico’s strength in the air and he was soon in the thick of the action as the visitors looked to test the Barca defence. He was booked after just five minutes for a foul on Koke.
The visitors suffered a blow as Diego Costa went off injured after 15 minutes as his hamstring problems continued. Shortly afterwards Arda Turan also limped off.
Needing only to draw, Atletico tried to slow the game down, while the tension meant a scrappy contest only came to life in spurts.
Sanchez was looking the most lively for Barca in the first half and having gone close with a header, he rifled home a shot from a tight angle, beating Thibaut Courtois at his near post.
It would be harsh to blame the Atletico keeper, however, such was the ferocity of the strike.
Atletico came out in determined mood after the restart and once Godin got the equaliser from a Gabi corner they always looked in control.
Messi made some dangerous runs and found the net with an effort that was ruled offside, while Neymar, the marquee signing ahead of the season, also failed to make an impact with the Atletico defence staying rock solid.
After months of speculation about his future, Barcelona coach Martino said he was standing down in the wake of the result.
"I would like to thank the club for putting their confidence in me and I am sorry that I was unable to deliver," the Argentine told a news conference.
Barca needed to beat Atletico in a final-day showdown to snatch the title away and Alexis Sanchez gave the hosts hope when he rifled home from an acute angle after 33 minutes at a packed Nou Camp.
But four minutes after the break Godin powered home from a corner and Atletico defended robustly to earn the draw they needed and claim their first championship since 1995-96.
The result prompted Barcelona's Argentine coach Gerardo Martino to announce his resignation after just one season in the job.
"The work and effort of this team is the key and nobody makes any compromises. The team understands this," Atletico coach Diego Simeone told a news conference.
"Today will be one of the most important days in the history of the club. To become champions against Barcelona is a great feeling."
Following the final whistle, the Nou Camp crowd applauded the new champions as they celebrated on the pitch.
"This was something unimaginable at the start of the season but totally deserved," Atletico captain Gabi told Spanish television as his delirious team mates celebrated on the pitch behind him.
"It is a honour to be part of this and to be able to compete with the big clubs.
"We always believed in ourselves, even when we fell behind today," he added.
"Let the fans enjoy this now because they deserve it. We will celebrate this great title now and from Monday we will focus on the Champions League which is the priority now."
Atletico, who contest next Saturday's European showpiece against Real Madrid in Lisbon, finished with 90 points, with Barca second on 87 and Real, also with 87, in third.
It is the first time in 10 years that either Barca or Real Madrid did not win the league and Barca finished without major silverware for the first time in six years.
"We had it within our grasp for 45 minutes but all we can do now is congratulate Atleti," Barca playmaker Andres Iniesta told Spanish TV.
"After we went ahead their goal really hurt us and they are worthy champions," added the Spain international.
"We tried to the very end but today we are left empty-handed. This season is over for us and now we just have to move forward."
Gerard Pique and Neymar were back in the Barca side after injury while the surprise in coach Martino’s lineup was the choice of Cesc Fabregas in midfield ahead of Xavi.
Pique’s return was a boost due to Atletico’s strength in the air and he was soon in the thick of the action as the visitors looked to test the Barca defence. He was booked after just five minutes for a foul on Koke.
The visitors suffered a blow as Diego Costa went off injured after 15 minutes as his hamstring problems continued. Shortly afterwards Arda Turan also limped off.
Needing only to draw, Atletico tried to slow the game down, while the tension meant a scrappy contest only came to life in spurts.
Sanchez was looking the most lively for Barca in the first half and having gone close with a header, he rifled home a shot from a tight angle, beating Thibaut Courtois at his near post.
It would be harsh to blame the Atletico keeper, however, such was the ferocity of the strike.
Atletico came out in determined mood after the restart and once Godin got the equaliser from a Gabi corner they always looked in control.
Messi made some dangerous runs and found the net with an effort that was ruled offside, while Neymar, the marquee signing ahead of the season, also failed to make an impact with the Atletico defence staying rock solid.
After months of speculation about his future, Barcelona coach Martino said he was standing down in the wake of the result.
"I would like to thank the club for putting their confidence in me and I am sorry that I was unable to deliver," the Argentine told a news conference.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
West prepares Russia sanctions amid fears of Ukraine invasion
sanctions on Russia on Monday over the escalating crisis in east Ukraine, as Western leaders fear Moscow is preparing to send in troops.
The Group of Seven top economies and the European Union signalled they would step up economic pressure on Moscow early next week as tensions spiked over the kidnapping of a team of international military observers by pro-Kremlin rebels.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk claimed Russia violated his country's airspace seven times overnight with an aim "to provoke" Ukraine into starting a war.
US Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that Washington was concerned about "provocative" troop movements along its border with Ukraine and its support for the separatists, which he said "are undermining stability, security and unity in Ukraine".
Yatsenyuk cut short a visit to the Vatican as concern grew that the tens of thousands of Russian troops conducting military drills on the border could soon be ordered to invade.
But Moscow denied any transgression by its warplanes, with Lavrov calling for "urgent measures" to calm the crisis, which has plunged East-West relations to their lowest point since the Cold War.
A Western diplomat warned: "We no longer exclude a Russian military intervention in Ukraine in the coming days."
The diplomatic source noted that Russia's UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin, "has been recalled urgently to Moscow" for consultations.
- 'Human shield' -
Meanwhile, international efforts were underway to secure the release of a 13-member mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe held hostage by pro-Russian militants in the flashpoint city of Slavyansk.
The chief of the insurgents' self-styled "Republic of Donetsk", Denis Pushilin, accused them of being "NATO spies" and said they would only be released in a prisoner swap for militants detained by Ukrainian forces.
As indignant Western powers demanded their release, Russia's envoy to the OSCE said Moscow would "take all possible steps in this case".
"We believe that these people should be released as soon as possible," said Andrei Kelin, Russia's envoy to the OSCE.
Russian's foreign ministry added that Moscow was "taking measures" to resolve the situation, but blamed the Ukrainian authorities for the hostage crisis.
"They were invited by the Ukrainian authorities" and their safety "rests fully with the receiving side", the foreign ministry in Moscow said.
The OSCE observers were sent to Ukraine to monitor an April 17 accord signed in Geneva between Russia, Ukraine, the US and EU that was meant to take the heat out of the crisis in the ex-Soviet republic.
An OSCE spokeswoman at the group's Vienna headquarters told AFP there were eight monitors from the mission: four Germans, a Dane, a Pole, a Swede and a Czech.
Poland and the Czech Republic both strongly condemned the kidnapping and urged "all parties involved in the conflict to undertake the necessary steps" for their release.
The monitors were accompanied by five Ukrainian army personnel, said Kiev's defence ministry.
Speaking to reporters in Rome, Yatsenyuk said the detention was "unbelievable and unacceptable".
"This is another proof and evidence that these so-called peaceful protesters with Russian ideas are terrorists," he said.
Ukraine's own secret services said one of those detained "urgently" needed medical help.
The hostages were being held in "inhuman conditions" and were likely to be used as "a human shield effectively terrorising the whole international community", said the Kiev authorities.
- Fresh sanctions -
As the West and Russia traded barbs, the G7 group agreed on the need for further sanctions on the government of President Vladimir Putin.
In a joint statement, the G7 consisting of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US said it would "move swiftly to impose additional sanctions on Russia".
"These sanctions will be coordinated and complementary, but not necessarily identical. US sanctions could come as early as Monday," a senior US administration official said.
The US and EU have already targeted Putin's inner circle with visa and asset freezes and imposed sanctions on a key Russian bank.
US officials said the next round would target "individuals with influence on the Russian economy, such as energy and banking" and could be bolstered if the situation escalated.
EU sources in Brussels said senior diplomats from the 28-member European bloc would also hold talks Monday to consider new sanctions.
An EU diplomat said a list adding 15 people to the 55 Russians and Ukrainians already blacklisted by the EU had been approved in principle.
- 'Choose a peaceful resolution' -
The crisis heightened after Russia refused to accept the legitimacy of Kiev's new pro-EU government, which came to power after four months of street protests forced the ouster of the Kremlin-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych.
Last month, Moscow annexed Ukraine's peninsula of Crimea after deploying troops, sparking international outrage.
While President Barack Obama has ruled out sending US or NATO forces into Ukraine, Washington has begun deploying 600 US troops to bolster NATO's defences in nearby eastern European states.
Ukraine has stepped up its offensive against insurgents they claim are supported by Moscow, who have seized towns in the east of the country.
Ukrainian army units are besieging Slavyansk with sporadic fighting at checkpoints but authorities have pledged a measured response to avoid civilian casualties.
The insurgents have also conducted their own operations. On Friday, they blew up an army helicopter on the ground with a rocket-propelled grenade, wounding the pilot.
Lavrov has claimed the push against rebels was part of a US plot to "seize" Ukraine for its own "geopolitical ambitions".
But the White House has urged Moscow to "choose a peaceful resolution to the crisis" by implementing the Geneva deal, which calls for "illegal armed groups" to lay down weapons.
Earlier Saturday, Moscow denied reports that Obama and Putin were no longer talking, saying they remain in touch.
The Group of Seven top economies and the European Union signalled they would step up economic pressure on Moscow early next week as tensions spiked over the kidnapping of a team of international military observers by pro-Kremlin rebels.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk claimed Russia violated his country's airspace seven times overnight with an aim "to provoke" Ukraine into starting a war.
US Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, that Washington was concerned about "provocative" troop movements along its border with Ukraine and its support for the separatists, which he said "are undermining stability, security and unity in Ukraine".
Yatsenyuk cut short a visit to the Vatican as concern grew that the tens of thousands of Russian troops conducting military drills on the border could soon be ordered to invade.
But Moscow denied any transgression by its warplanes, with Lavrov calling for "urgent measures" to calm the crisis, which has plunged East-West relations to their lowest point since the Cold War.
A Western diplomat warned: "We no longer exclude a Russian military intervention in Ukraine in the coming days."
The diplomatic source noted that Russia's UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin, "has been recalled urgently to Moscow" for consultations.
- 'Human shield' -
Meanwhile, international efforts were underway to secure the release of a 13-member mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe held hostage by pro-Russian militants in the flashpoint city of Slavyansk.
The chief of the insurgents' self-styled "Republic of Donetsk", Denis Pushilin, accused them of being "NATO spies" and said they would only be released in a prisoner swap for militants detained by Ukrainian forces.
As indignant Western powers demanded their release, Russia's envoy to the OSCE said Moscow would "take all possible steps in this case".
"We believe that these people should be released as soon as possible," said Andrei Kelin, Russia's envoy to the OSCE.
Russian's foreign ministry added that Moscow was "taking measures" to resolve the situation, but blamed the Ukrainian authorities for the hostage crisis.
"They were invited by the Ukrainian authorities" and their safety "rests fully with the receiving side", the foreign ministry in Moscow said.
The OSCE observers were sent to Ukraine to monitor an April 17 accord signed in Geneva between Russia, Ukraine, the US and EU that was meant to take the heat out of the crisis in the ex-Soviet republic.
An OSCE spokeswoman at the group's Vienna headquarters told AFP there were eight monitors from the mission: four Germans, a Dane, a Pole, a Swede and a Czech.
Poland and the Czech Republic both strongly condemned the kidnapping and urged "all parties involved in the conflict to undertake the necessary steps" for their release.
The monitors were accompanied by five Ukrainian army personnel, said Kiev's defence ministry.
Speaking to reporters in Rome, Yatsenyuk said the detention was "unbelievable and unacceptable".
"This is another proof and evidence that these so-called peaceful protesters with Russian ideas are terrorists," he said.
Ukraine's own secret services said one of those detained "urgently" needed medical help.
The hostages were being held in "inhuman conditions" and were likely to be used as "a human shield effectively terrorising the whole international community", said the Kiev authorities.
- Fresh sanctions -
As the West and Russia traded barbs, the G7 group agreed on the need for further sanctions on the government of President Vladimir Putin.
In a joint statement, the G7 consisting of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US said it would "move swiftly to impose additional sanctions on Russia".
"These sanctions will be coordinated and complementary, but not necessarily identical. US sanctions could come as early as Monday," a senior US administration official said.
The US and EU have already targeted Putin's inner circle with visa and asset freezes and imposed sanctions on a key Russian bank.
US officials said the next round would target "individuals with influence on the Russian economy, such as energy and banking" and could be bolstered if the situation escalated.
EU sources in Brussels said senior diplomats from the 28-member European bloc would also hold talks Monday to consider new sanctions.
An EU diplomat said a list adding 15 people to the 55 Russians and Ukrainians already blacklisted by the EU had been approved in principle.
- 'Choose a peaceful resolution' -
The crisis heightened after Russia refused to accept the legitimacy of Kiev's new pro-EU government, which came to power after four months of street protests forced the ouster of the Kremlin-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych.
Last month, Moscow annexed Ukraine's peninsula of Crimea after deploying troops, sparking international outrage.
While President Barack Obama has ruled out sending US or NATO forces into Ukraine, Washington has begun deploying 600 US troops to bolster NATO's defences in nearby eastern European states.
Ukraine has stepped up its offensive against insurgents they claim are supported by Moscow, who have seized towns in the east of the country.
Ukrainian army units are besieging Slavyansk with sporadic fighting at checkpoints but authorities have pledged a measured response to avoid civilian casualties.
The insurgents have also conducted their own operations. On Friday, they blew up an army helicopter on the ground with a rocket-propelled grenade, wounding the pilot.
Lavrov has claimed the push against rebels was part of a US plot to "seize" Ukraine for its own "geopolitical ambitions".
But the White House has urged Moscow to "choose a peaceful resolution to the crisis" by implementing the Geneva deal, which calls for "illegal armed groups" to lay down weapons.
Earlier Saturday, Moscow denied reports that Obama and Putin were no longer talking, saying they remain in touch.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Blizzard warning issued for Canada's Atlantic coast
Canada's Atlantic seaboard braced Wednesday for a spring blizzard, closing schools, government offices and businesses, and cancelling flights in anticipation of a record snowfall, powerful winds and flooding.
Authorities said winds could reach up to 180 kilometers per hour (112 miles per hour) and as much as 40 centimeters (15 inches) of snow was expected to fall in parts of the region.
Visibility was nil in the morning across much of the Maritimes due to blowing snow.
Most worrying, however, is the possibility of hurricane force winds causing a high tide to swell and damage wharves and flood coastal areas.
The storm, which is forecast to be the worst in a decade, has been consolidating its energy from several low pressure areas as it moved north along the US eastern seaboard to Canada.
It is expected to reach the island province of Newfoundland on Thursday after sweeping through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Authorities said winds could reach up to 180 kilometers per hour (112 miles per hour) and as much as 40 centimeters (15 inches) of snow was expected to fall in parts of the region.
Visibility was nil in the morning across much of the Maritimes due to blowing snow.
Most worrying, however, is the possibility of hurricane force winds causing a high tide to swell and damage wharves and flood coastal areas.
The storm, which is forecast to be the worst in a decade, has been consolidating its energy from several low pressure areas as it moved north along the US eastern seaboard to Canada.
It is expected to reach the island province of Newfoundland on Thursday after sweeping through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Planes, ships chase new leads in search for Malaysian jet
PERTH/KUALA LUMPUR - New satellite images have revealed more than 100 objects in the southern Indian Ocean that could be debris from a Malaysian jetliner missing for 18 days, while planes scouring the frigid seas on Wednesday also reported seeing potential wreckage.
The latest sightings came as searchers stepped up efforts to find some trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, thought to have crashed on March 8 with the loss of all 239 people aboard after flying thousands of miles off course.
"We have now had four separate satellite leads, from Australia, China and France, showing possible debris," Malaysian Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told a news conference. "It is now imperative that we link the debris to MH370."
The latest images were captured by France-based Airbus Defence & Space on Monday and showed 122 potential objects in a 400-sq-km (155-sq-mile) area of ocean,Hishammuddin said. The objects varied in size from one metre to 23 metres (75 ft) in length, he said.
Flight MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, and investigators believe someone on the flight may have shut off the plane's communications systems.
Partial military radar tracking showed it turning west and recrossing the Malay Peninsula, apparently under the control of a skilled pilot.
Malaysia's air force has released few details of its radar tracking beyond saying the plane was last detected off the northwest coast heading towards India.
But the country's deputy defence minister, Abdul Rahim Bakri, told parliament that no action was taken when the unidentified plane was spotted because it was assumed it had been ordered to turn back, local media said.
"It was detected by our radar, but the turn back was by a non-hostile plane and we thought maybe it was at the directive of the control tower," he was quoted as saying.
Asked at the news conference whether air force radar operators thought the plane had been told to turn back by air traffic controllers, Hishammuddin, who is also defence minister, said he could not confirm it.
"The crash zone is as close to nowhere as it's possible to be but it's closer to Australia than anywhere else," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, before leading the country's parliament in a moment's silence.
"A considerable amount of debris has been sighted in the area where the flight was last recorded. Bad weather and inaccessibility have so far prevented any of it from being recovered. But we are confident that it will be."
Wednesday's good weather was unlikely to last, in an area renowned among mariners for high winds and big waves.
"This is only going to be a narrow window of opportunity by the looks of things, because another weather system is moving in for Thursday, which looks like that will bring an increase in winds again and also lead to a reduction in visibility through the rain associated with the cold front," Neil Bennett, a spokesman for Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak this week confirmed Flight MH370 had crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.
Citing satellite-data analysis by British company Inmarsat, he said there was no doubt the Boeing 777 came down in one of the most remote places on Earth.
Recovery of wreckage could unlock clues about why and how the plane had diverted so far off course in one of aviation's most puzzling mysteries. Theories range from a hijacking to sabotage or a possible suicide by one of the pilots, but investigators have not ruled out technical problems.
Australia, China and France have all released satellite images over the past week showing possible debris in the same general area as the latest sighting, but no confirmed wreckage has been located.
Two Chinese ships were looking for a two-metre floating object spotted earlier in the day by an aircraft, China's state news agency Xinhua reported.
The United States has sent an undersea Navy drone and a high-tech black box detector which will be fitted to an Australian Defence vessel due in Perth in the coming days.
The so-called black boxes, the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, record what happens during flight, but time is running out to pick up locator beacons that stop about a month after a crash due to limited battery life.
Malaysia said on Tuesday that the U.S. "Towed Pinger Locator" would not arrive in the search area until April 5, which would give it only a few days to find the black box before the beacon battery would be expected to run out.
At the Pentagon, the U.S. and British defence chiefs acknowledged the incident remained a mystery.
"On the terrorism question, I don't think at this point we can rule anything in or out. I think we have to continue to search," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.
"Unless and until we recover the cockpit voice recorder, we will not know for certain," British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said.
FBI Director James Comey said at a Washington hearing on Wednesday he expected his agency to finish an investigation of computer files related to the flight in the next day or two. He did not say what results he expected.
The prolonged and so far fruitless search and investigation have taken a toll, with dozens of distraught relatives of Chinese passengers clashing with police in Beijing on Tuesday, accusing Malaysia of "delays and deception".
Malaysia's confused initial response to the plane's disappearance and a perception of poor communications have enraged many relatives of the more than 150 Chinese passengers and have strained ties between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.
Chinese special envoy Zhang Yesui met Malaysia's Najib on Wednesday and called for "unremitting efforts" to find the plane, Xinhua said.
The latest sightings came as searchers stepped up efforts to find some trace of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, thought to have crashed on March 8 with the loss of all 239 people aboard after flying thousands of miles off course.
"We have now had four separate satellite leads, from Australia, China and France, showing possible debris," Malaysian Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told a news conference. "It is now imperative that we link the debris to MH370."
The latest images were captured by France-based Airbus Defence & Space on Monday and showed 122 potential objects in a 400-sq-km (155-sq-mile) area of ocean,Hishammuddin said. The objects varied in size from one metre to 23 metres (75 ft) in length, he said.
Flight MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, and investigators believe someone on the flight may have shut off the plane's communications systems.
Partial military radar tracking showed it turning west and recrossing the Malay Peninsula, apparently under the control of a skilled pilot.
Malaysia's air force has released few details of its radar tracking beyond saying the plane was last detected off the northwest coast heading towards India.
But the country's deputy defence minister, Abdul Rahim Bakri, told parliament that no action was taken when the unidentified plane was spotted because it was assumed it had been ordered to turn back, local media said.
"It was detected by our radar, but the turn back was by a non-hostile plane and we thought maybe it was at the directive of the control tower," he was quoted as saying.
Asked at the news conference whether air force radar operators thought the plane had been told to turn back by air traffic controllers, Hishammuddin, who is also defence minister, said he could not confirm it.
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
A dozen aircraft from Australia, the United States, New Zealand, China, Japan and South Korea were once more scouring the seas some 2,500 km (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth in the hunt for wreckage on Wednesday, after bad weather the previous day forced the suspension of the search."The crash zone is as close to nowhere as it's possible to be but it's closer to Australia than anywhere else," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, before leading the country's parliament in a moment's silence.
"A considerable amount of debris has been sighted in the area where the flight was last recorded. Bad weather and inaccessibility have so far prevented any of it from being recovered. But we are confident that it will be."
Wednesday's good weather was unlikely to last, in an area renowned among mariners for high winds and big waves.
"This is only going to be a narrow window of opportunity by the looks of things, because another weather system is moving in for Thursday, which looks like that will bring an increase in winds again and also lead to a reduction in visibility through the rain associated with the cold front," Neil Bennett, a spokesman for Australia's Bureau of Meteorology, said.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak this week confirmed Flight MH370 had crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.
Citing satellite-data analysis by British company Inmarsat, he said there was no doubt the Boeing 777 came down in one of the most remote places on Earth.
Recovery of wreckage could unlock clues about why and how the plane had diverted so far off course in one of aviation's most puzzling mysteries. Theories range from a hijacking to sabotage or a possible suicide by one of the pilots, but investigators have not ruled out technical problems.
Australia, China and France have all released satellite images over the past week showing possible debris in the same general area as the latest sighting, but no confirmed wreckage has been located.
PASSENGER RELATIVES DISTRAUGHT
An Australian navy ship returned to the area after being driven away by gale force winds and 20-metre (66 ft) waves on Tuesday, while a Chinese icebreaker and three Chinese navy vessels were also in the search zone.Two Chinese ships were looking for a two-metre floating object spotted earlier in the day by an aircraft, China's state news agency Xinhua reported.
The United States has sent an undersea Navy drone and a high-tech black box detector which will be fitted to an Australian Defence vessel due in Perth in the coming days.
The so-called black boxes, the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, record what happens during flight, but time is running out to pick up locator beacons that stop about a month after a crash due to limited battery life.
Malaysia said on Tuesday that the U.S. "Towed Pinger Locator" would not arrive in the search area until April 5, which would give it only a few days to find the black box before the beacon battery would be expected to run out.
At the Pentagon, the U.S. and British defence chiefs acknowledged the incident remained a mystery.
"On the terrorism question, I don't think at this point we can rule anything in or out. I think we have to continue to search," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said.
"Unless and until we recover the cockpit voice recorder, we will not know for certain," British Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said.
FBI Director James Comey said at a Washington hearing on Wednesday he expected his agency to finish an investigation of computer files related to the flight in the next day or two. He did not say what results he expected.
The prolonged and so far fruitless search and investigation have taken a toll, with dozens of distraught relatives of Chinese passengers clashing with police in Beijing on Tuesday, accusing Malaysia of "delays and deception".
Malaysia's confused initial response to the plane's disappearance and a perception of poor communications have enraged many relatives of the more than 150 Chinese passengers and have strained ties between Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.
Chinese special envoy Zhang Yesui met Malaysia's Najib on Wednesday and called for "unremitting efforts" to find the plane, Xinhua said.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Two objects spotted possibly related to MH370: Australia
Two objects possibly related to the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have been sighted, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Thursday in a potential breakthrough.
Abbott told parliament "new and credible information" had come to light nearly two weeks after the plane vanished.
He said an Australian air force Orion had already been diverted to look into the objects with three more surveillance planes to follow. He did not specify where they were but Australia has taken charge of the search in the southern Indian Ocean.
"The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has received information based on satellite information of objects possibly related to the search," Abbott said, adding that he had informed Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
"Following specialist analysis of this satellite imagery, two possible objects related to the search have been identified."
But he warned against drawing any premature conclusions.
"We must keep in mind the task of locating these objects will be extremely difficult and it may turn out that they are not related to the search for flight MH370," he said.
AMSA was due to hold a news conference with more details at 0430 GMT.
Authorities in Kuala Lumpur on Monday asked Canberra to take responsibility for the "southern vector" of the operation to locate the Boeing 777, which disappeared on March 8 en route to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board.
The Malaysian government believes the jet was deliberately diverted and flew for several hours after leaving its scheduled flight path -- either north towards Central Asia, or towards the southern Indian Ocean.
Australian, US and New Zealand long-range surveillance planes have been scouring a vast tract of the southern Indian Ocean since Tuesday with the search focused on an area of 305,000 square kilometres (122,000 square miles), some 2,600 kilometres southeast of Perth.
Abbott told parliament "new and credible information" had come to light nearly two weeks after the plane vanished.
He said an Australian air force Orion had already been diverted to look into the objects with three more surveillance planes to follow. He did not specify where they were but Australia has taken charge of the search in the southern Indian Ocean.
"The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has received information based on satellite information of objects possibly related to the search," Abbott said, adding that he had informed Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.
"Following specialist analysis of this satellite imagery, two possible objects related to the search have been identified."
But he warned against drawing any premature conclusions.
"We must keep in mind the task of locating these objects will be extremely difficult and it may turn out that they are not related to the search for flight MH370," he said.
AMSA was due to hold a news conference with more details at 0430 GMT.
Authorities in Kuala Lumpur on Monday asked Canberra to take responsibility for the "southern vector" of the operation to locate the Boeing 777, which disappeared on March 8 en route to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board.
The Malaysian government believes the jet was deliberately diverted and flew for several hours after leaving its scheduled flight path -- either north towards Central Asia, or towards the southern Indian Ocean.
Australian, US and New Zealand long-range surveillance planes have been scouring a vast tract of the southern Indian Ocean since Tuesday with the search focused on an area of 305,000 square kilometres (122,000 square miles), some 2,600 kilometres southeast of Perth.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Crocodiles can climb trees: researchers
ORLANDO - Most people entering crocodile territory keep a wary eye out on water and land, but research suggests they need to look up.
Though the reptiles lack obvious physical features to suggest this is possible, crocodiles in fact climb trees all the way to the crowns, according to University of Tennessee researcher Vladimir Dinets.
Researchers in the climbing study observed crocodiles in Australia, Africa and North America. The study documented crocodiles climbing as high as six feet off the ground. But Dinets said he received anecdotal reports from people who spend time around crocodiles of the reptiles climbing almost 30 feet.
Dinets said crocodiles lack the toe and foot structure that would be expected of a climber. However, smaller and juvenile crocodiles in particular were observed climbing vertically while larger ones tended to climb angled trunks and branches, all of which is a measure of the reptiles' spectacular agility, he said.
"They just go slowly," he said. "Eventually they get there."
The finding was reported in January in Herpetology Notes in collaboration with Adam Britton from Charles Darwin University in Australia and Matthew Shirley from the University of Florida.
The researchers believe the crocodiles climb to keep a lookout on their territory and to warm themselves in the sun.
"The most frequent observations of tree-basking were in areas where there were few places to bask on the ground, implying that the individuals needed alternatives for regulating their body temperature," the authors wrote.
"Likewise, their wary nature suggests that climbing leads to improved site surveillance of potential threats and prey."
People who spend time around crocodiles have known about the climbing ability for decades, Dinets said, but this study is the first to thoroughly examine the climbing and basking behavior.
Dinets also was co-author of a widely reported study in 2013 that demonstrated crocodiles used sticks and twigs to hunt, balancing nest-building material on their snouts just above the water line to lure birds. The crocodiles lay in wait for hours and lunged when a bird ventured near.
That finding was the first reported use of tools by any reptile and the first known case of predators timing the use of lures to a seasonal behavior in their prey, according to a University of Tennessee press release at the time.
The latest climbing study suggests paleontologists studying extinct species should be cautious about drawing conclusions from fossils, adds Dinets.
"If crocodiles were extinct and you only knew them from fossils, you wouldn't be able to guess they climb trees because they don't have any physical adaptations," Dinets said.
"Assumptions based on fossils, he said, can be "far less correct than people think."
Though the reptiles lack obvious physical features to suggest this is possible, crocodiles in fact climb trees all the way to the crowns, according to University of Tennessee researcher Vladimir Dinets.
Researchers in the climbing study observed crocodiles in Australia, Africa and North America. The study documented crocodiles climbing as high as six feet off the ground. But Dinets said he received anecdotal reports from people who spend time around crocodiles of the reptiles climbing almost 30 feet.
Dinets said crocodiles lack the toe and foot structure that would be expected of a climber. However, smaller and juvenile crocodiles in particular were observed climbing vertically while larger ones tended to climb angled trunks and branches, all of which is a measure of the reptiles' spectacular agility, he said.
"They just go slowly," he said. "Eventually they get there."
The finding was reported in January in Herpetology Notes in collaboration with Adam Britton from Charles Darwin University in Australia and Matthew Shirley from the University of Florida.
The researchers believe the crocodiles climb to keep a lookout on their territory and to warm themselves in the sun.
"The most frequent observations of tree-basking were in areas where there were few places to bask on the ground, implying that the individuals needed alternatives for regulating their body temperature," the authors wrote.
"Likewise, their wary nature suggests that climbing leads to improved site surveillance of potential threats and prey."
People who spend time around crocodiles have known about the climbing ability for decades, Dinets said, but this study is the first to thoroughly examine the climbing and basking behavior.
Dinets also was co-author of a widely reported study in 2013 that demonstrated crocodiles used sticks and twigs to hunt, balancing nest-building material on their snouts just above the water line to lure birds. The crocodiles lay in wait for hours and lunged when a bird ventured near.
That finding was the first reported use of tools by any reptile and the first known case of predators timing the use of lures to a seasonal behavior in their prey, according to a University of Tennessee press release at the time.
The latest climbing study suggests paleontologists studying extinct species should be cautious about drawing conclusions from fossils, adds Dinets.
"If crocodiles were extinct and you only knew them from fossils, you wouldn't be able to guess they climb trees because they don't have any physical adaptations," Dinets said.
"Assumptions based on fossils, he said, can be "far less correct than people think."
Monday, February 3, 2014
U.N. nuclear agency may press Iran on rare isotope in probe
VIENNA - The U.N. nuclear watchdog says it wants Iran to clarify past production of small amounts of a rare radioactive material that can help trigger an atomic bomb explosion, but which also has non-military uses.
The comment about polonium by U.N. atomic agency chief Yukiya Amano at a weekend security conference in Munich suggested the issue may be raised at talks between his experts and Iranian officials on February 8.
It also signaled his determination to get to the bottom of suspicions that Iran may have worked on designing a nuclear warhead, even as world powers and Tehran pursue broader diplomacy to settle a decade-old dispute over its atomic aims.
The silvery-grey soft metal polonium gained notoriety eight years ago in the poisoning of a former Russian spy, Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, in London. The interest of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a Vienna-based U.N. agency, stems from its potential role in atomic arms.
"The separation of polonium-210, in conjunction with beryllium, can be part of a catalyst for a nuclear chain reaction," the Arms Control Association, a U.S. research and advocacy group, said on its web site.
It was not immediately clear why Amano would bring up polonium-210 now. The IAEA had said in a report as far back as 2008 it had discussed the substance and Iran had answered its questions about it.
Back then, it cited Iran as saying that some of its scientists had proposed a research project on the production of the material in the 1980s but that the chemist working on it left the country before its completion and it was aborted.
The IAEA said in 2008 it had concluded that the Iranian explanations were consistent with its own findings: "The agency considers this question no longer outstanding at this stage."
Robert Kelley, a former senior IAEA official, said the matter had been settled at the time and that it was a question of "minor experiments that weren't part of any organized programme".
Mark Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment think-tank said one possibility was that the IAEA had received new intelligence information regarding polonium-210. Hibbs said it had been his understanding that the issue was not seen as urgent and essential by the U.N. agency.
IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said it was not a new issue, but an example of one "that the agency is keeping an eye on and that would benefit from further clarification." Amano referred to it in response to an audience question, Tudor added.
An IAEA investigation into Iran's behavior is running in parallel with new measures to curb Iran's nuclear programme under a deal negotiated with world powers in November in return for limited easing of U.S. and European Union sanctions.
The big powers' interim agreement focused mainly on preventing Tehran obtaining nuclear fissile material to assemble a future bomb, rather than on the question of whether Iran sought atom bomb technology in the past.
The U.N. body has made clear it wants Iran to start addressing long-standing allegations that it may have researched how to make a nuclear bomb, a charge it denies.
Amano's statement offered a hint that polonium-210 may be among topics it wants to discuss at the February 8 meeting: "Polonium can be used for civil purposes like nuclear batteries, but can also be used for a neutron source for nuclear weapons. We would like to clarify this issue too," he said.
A U.S. think-tank, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), said Iran had admitted to producing small amounts of polonium-210 in a Tehran research reactor in the early 1990s.
"Iran claims that the polonium was produced as part of a study of the production of neutron sources for use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators and not for use in a nuclear weapons neutron initiator," it added on its web site.
Often strained in the past, ties between Iran and the IAEA have improved since last year's election of a relative moderate, Hassan Rouhani, as new Iranian president on a platform to ease Tehran's international isolation.
The IAEA's investigation into what it calls the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme is separate from, though still closely linked to, the more wide-ranging negotiations between Tehran and the six major states - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.
Under an agreement signed just weeks before the powers reached their own agreement to cap Iran's nuclear activity, the U.N. agency has already visited a heavy water production plant and a uranium mine in Iran. However, those first steps do not go to the heart of the IAEA's investigation.
Western diplomats say the U.N. body's investigation will be taken into account during talks, due to start on February 18, between Iran and the major powers on a long-term agreement to scale back Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for a lifting of sanctions.
The comment about polonium by U.N. atomic agency chief Yukiya Amano at a weekend security conference in Munich suggested the issue may be raised at talks between his experts and Iranian officials on February 8.
It also signaled his determination to get to the bottom of suspicions that Iran may have worked on designing a nuclear warhead, even as world powers and Tehran pursue broader diplomacy to settle a decade-old dispute over its atomic aims.
The silvery-grey soft metal polonium gained notoriety eight years ago in the poisoning of a former Russian spy, Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, in London. The interest of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a Vienna-based U.N. agency, stems from its potential role in atomic arms.
"The separation of polonium-210, in conjunction with beryllium, can be part of a catalyst for a nuclear chain reaction," the Arms Control Association, a U.S. research and advocacy group, said on its web site.
It was not immediately clear why Amano would bring up polonium-210 now. The IAEA had said in a report as far back as 2008 it had discussed the substance and Iran had answered its questions about it.
Back then, it cited Iran as saying that some of its scientists had proposed a research project on the production of the material in the 1980s but that the chemist working on it left the country before its completion and it was aborted.
The IAEA said in 2008 it had concluded that the Iranian explanations were consistent with its own findings: "The agency considers this question no longer outstanding at this stage."
Robert Kelley, a former senior IAEA official, said the matter had been settled at the time and that it was a question of "minor experiments that weren't part of any organized programme".
Mark Hibbs of the Carnegie Endowment think-tank said one possibility was that the IAEA had received new intelligence information regarding polonium-210. Hibbs said it had been his understanding that the issue was not seen as urgent and essential by the U.N. agency.
IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said it was not a new issue, but an example of one "that the agency is keeping an eye on and that would benefit from further clarification." Amano referred to it in response to an audience question, Tudor added.
An IAEA investigation into Iran's behavior is running in parallel with new measures to curb Iran's nuclear programme under a deal negotiated with world powers in November in return for limited easing of U.S. and European Union sanctions.
The big powers' interim agreement focused mainly on preventing Tehran obtaining nuclear fissile material to assemble a future bomb, rather than on the question of whether Iran sought atom bomb technology in the past.
The U.N. body has made clear it wants Iran to start addressing long-standing allegations that it may have researched how to make a nuclear bomb, a charge it denies.
Amano's statement offered a hint that polonium-210 may be among topics it wants to discuss at the February 8 meeting: "Polonium can be used for civil purposes like nuclear batteries, but can also be used for a neutron source for nuclear weapons. We would like to clarify this issue too," he said.
A U.S. think-tank, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), said Iran had admitted to producing small amounts of polonium-210 in a Tehran research reactor in the early 1990s.
"Iran claims that the polonium was produced as part of a study of the production of neutron sources for use in radioisotope thermoelectric generators and not for use in a nuclear weapons neutron initiator," it added on its web site.
Often strained in the past, ties between Iran and the IAEA have improved since last year's election of a relative moderate, Hassan Rouhani, as new Iranian president on a platform to ease Tehran's international isolation.
The IAEA's investigation into what it calls the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme is separate from, though still closely linked to, the more wide-ranging negotiations between Tehran and the six major states - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.
Under an agreement signed just weeks before the powers reached their own agreement to cap Iran's nuclear activity, the U.N. agency has already visited a heavy water production plant and a uranium mine in Iran. However, those first steps do not go to the heart of the IAEA's investigation.
Western diplomats say the U.N. body's investigation will be taken into account during talks, due to start on February 18, between Iran and the major powers on a long-term agreement to scale back Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for a lifting of sanctions.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
First teams arrive in Sochi as Russia races to finish
Russia on Sunday welcomed the first teams to its southern resort of Sochi less than a week ahead of the start to the Olympic Games, as organisers worked all out to finish accommodation on time.
The Games, the biggest event Russia has hosted since the fall of the Soviet Union, are to get underway on February 7 at a ceremony starting at 2014 local time (1614 GMT) that is expected to project Russia’s status as a world and sporting power.
Athletes from five teams, including New Zealand and Japan, were given official welcoming ceremonies as they arrived at the Olympic Village ahead of the main influx of athletes next week.
Media arriving early for the Games have found organisers racing against the clock to finish accommodation on time, with rooms still being furnished even after journalists had checked in.
"There are still some issues to be solved as it is always just before the games," International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach acknowledged as he attended a session of the IOC executive board in Sochi.
"But always in this respect we are in contact with the organising committee and we hope that the situation will be solved in the next couple of days," he added.
After winning the right to host the Games in a bid spearheaded by President Vladimir Putin, Russia had to build almost all its infrastructure from scratch in an almost virgin area, a drive that has caused huge concern among environmental activists.
"The first time I visited the Olympic Park was in August 2009 and it was an empty site. I’m not afraid that things are not yet completed -- they are tiny details and will be finished soon,” said Oleg Kharchenko, the chief architect from state contractor Olympstroi.
Teams from New Zealand, Mongolia, Japan, Belgium and the Philippines are the first being ceremonially welcomed on Sunday in the two Olympic villages by the sea and by the mountains. The Russian team is due to arrive on February 5.
The world will be scrutinising Russia to see whether it is capable of hosting a world class Games amid concerns about issues ranging from the risk of attacks by Caucasus militants and Russia’s now notorious law against gay propaganda.
Russia is proudly presenting what it sees as a new concept for the Games, with stadium events like figure skating and ice hockey held in the Olympic Park on the temperate coastline and the alpine and nordic events in the snowy mountains above.
Despite being billed as the Sochi Games, the event is centred over 30 kilometres to the south of the city close to the resort of Adler, with self contained "mountain" and "coastal" clusters.
A security blanket has descended on the area after the deadly suicide bombings in Volgograd in December that killed 34 people and exposed the risk of militant attacks on the Games.
Cars need a special permit to enter the Sochi area and airport-style security is in force for commuters using local trains, with hundreds of volunteers body-searching passengers at each station.
The so-called “mayor” of the coastal Olympic village is the Russian pole vault champion Elena Isinbayeva who caused a furore with her anti-gay remarks at the World Athletics Championships in August.
The weather, however should pose little problem.
According to the Russian weather centre’s chief Sochi forecaster Valery Lukyanov, temperatures are near ideal for the first days of the Games, reaching up to 12 degrees Celsius by the sea but freezing nicely down to a minimum of minus 12 at night in the mountains.
The Games, the biggest event Russia has hosted since the fall of the Soviet Union, are to get underway on February 7 at a ceremony starting at 2014 local time (1614 GMT) that is expected to project Russia’s status as a world and sporting power.
Athletes from five teams, including New Zealand and Japan, were given official welcoming ceremonies as they arrived at the Olympic Village ahead of the main influx of athletes next week.
Media arriving early for the Games have found organisers racing against the clock to finish accommodation on time, with rooms still being furnished even after journalists had checked in.
"There are still some issues to be solved as it is always just before the games," International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach acknowledged as he attended a session of the IOC executive board in Sochi.
"But always in this respect we are in contact with the organising committee and we hope that the situation will be solved in the next couple of days," he added.
After winning the right to host the Games in a bid spearheaded by President Vladimir Putin, Russia had to build almost all its infrastructure from scratch in an almost virgin area, a drive that has caused huge concern among environmental activists.
"The first time I visited the Olympic Park was in August 2009 and it was an empty site. I’m not afraid that things are not yet completed -- they are tiny details and will be finished soon,” said Oleg Kharchenko, the chief architect from state contractor Olympstroi.
Teams from New Zealand, Mongolia, Japan, Belgium and the Philippines are the first being ceremonially welcomed on Sunday in the two Olympic villages by the sea and by the mountains. The Russian team is due to arrive on February 5.
The world will be scrutinising Russia to see whether it is capable of hosting a world class Games amid concerns about issues ranging from the risk of attacks by Caucasus militants and Russia’s now notorious law against gay propaganda.
Russia is proudly presenting what it sees as a new concept for the Games, with stadium events like figure skating and ice hockey held in the Olympic Park on the temperate coastline and the alpine and nordic events in the snowy mountains above.
Despite being billed as the Sochi Games, the event is centred over 30 kilometres to the south of the city close to the resort of Adler, with self contained "mountain" and "coastal" clusters.
A security blanket has descended on the area after the deadly suicide bombings in Volgograd in December that killed 34 people and exposed the risk of militant attacks on the Games.
Cars need a special permit to enter the Sochi area and airport-style security is in force for commuters using local trains, with hundreds of volunteers body-searching passengers at each station.
The so-called “mayor” of the coastal Olympic village is the Russian pole vault champion Elena Isinbayeva who caused a furore with her anti-gay remarks at the World Athletics Championships in August.
The weather, however should pose little problem.
According to the Russian weather centre’s chief Sochi forecaster Valery Lukyanov, temperatures are near ideal for the first days of the Games, reaching up to 12 degrees Celsius by the sea but freezing nicely down to a minimum of minus 12 at night in the mountains.
Seattle Seahawks beat Denver Broncos 43-8 to win first Super Bowl title
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Seattle Seahawks have won their first Super Bowl title, crushing the favoured Denver Broncos 43-8.
Linebacker Malcolm Smith returned an interception of Peyton Manning 69 yards for a touchdown late in the first half Sunday, and Percy Harvin returned the opening kickoff of the second half 87 yards for another TD.
The Seahawks led 36-0 before Denver finally scored on the last play of the third quarter.
Manning was 34 of 49 for 280 yards, but most of that came after Seattle had all but put the game away. He was flustered by Seattle's fierce defence for most of the first half, throwing two interceptions. The second fluttered into Smith's hands after Cliff Avril struck the five-time NFL MVP's arm as he was releasing the ball.
Second-year quarterback Russell Wilson was coolly efficient for the Seahawks, throwing for two touchdowns.
Linebacker Malcolm Smith returned an interception of Peyton Manning 69 yards for a touchdown late in the first half Sunday, and Percy Harvin returned the opening kickoff of the second half 87 yards for another TD.
The Seahawks led 36-0 before Denver finally scored on the last play of the third quarter.
Manning was 34 of 49 for 280 yards, but most of that came after Seattle had all but put the game away. He was flustered by Seattle's fierce defence for most of the first half, throwing two interceptions. The second fluttered into Smith's hands after Cliff Avril struck the five-time NFL MVP's arm as he was releasing the ball.
Second-year quarterback Russell Wilson was coolly efficient for the Seahawks, throwing for two touchdowns.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Barack Obama urges 'year of action' in state of union speech
President Barack Obama is vowing to bypass a divided Congress and take action on his own to bolster America's middle class in a state of the union speech he used to try to breathe new life into his second term after a troubled year.
Standing in the House of Representatives chamber before legislators, Supreme Court justices and VIP guests, Obama declared his independence from Congress by issuing a raft of executive orders — a move likely to inflame already tense relations between the Democratic president and Republicans.
Obama's actions, while relatively modest, collectively amounted to an expression of frustration at the pace of legislative action with Republicans who control the House of Representatives and are able to slow the president's agenda.
The president says he plans to issue an executive order in the coming weeks requiring federal contractors to pay their federally funded employees at least $10.10 an hour, and urged Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to the same amount.
"Say yes. Give America a raise."
He also announced the creation of a "starter savings account" to help millions of people save for retirement.
"I'm eager to work with all of you," Obama said. "But America does not stand still — and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do."
Obama touted the work of Republicans and Democrats is producing a budget last month that "undoes some of last year's severe cuts to priorities like education," saying the budget compromise should leave the government freer to focus on creating new jobs.
"In the coming months, let's see where else we can make progress together. Let's make this a year of action. That's what most Americans want — for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations. And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all — the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead," he said.
"Let's face it: that belief has suffered some serious blows. Over more than three decades, even before the great recession hit, massive shifts in technology and global competition had eliminated a lot of good, middle-class jobs, and weakened the economic foundations that families depend on."
A central theme of the address, Obama's sixth such annual speech in the House chamber, is addressing income inequality, as middle-class Americans struggle to get ahead even while wealthier people prosper in the uneven economic recovery.
'Let's get immigration reform done'
Obama's strategy means he has scaled back ambitions for large legislative actions and wants to focus more on small-bore initiatives that can reduce income inequality and create more opportunities for middle class workers.
Obama defended his controversial health-care law, whose troubled roll-out last October rocked his presidency and sent his job approval ratings tumbling to around 40 per cent.
"I don't expect to convince my Republican friends on the merits of this law," Obama said. "But I know that the American people aren't interested in refighting old battles."
On one of his biggest priorities, immigration reform, Obama urged Congress to work together on an overhaul, but he held his fire on the issue, with signs of possible progress developing in recent days among House Republicans.
"Let's get immigration reform done this year," he said.
Obama also pledged to continue to work to reduce violence in the United States despite a lack of support in Congress for gun control measures he failed to get passed last year.
"I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors, and police officers all over this country who say, 'We are not
afraid,' and I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theatres, shopping malls, or schools," Obama said, according to the text of his state of the union address.
Both immigration and gun control were reforms on Obama's to- do list last year that stalled in Congress.
He also told lawmakers he will veto any efforts to increase sanctions on Iran while the United States and other Western powers were in diplomatic talks with Tehran over its nuclear program.
"The sanctions that we put in place helped make this opportunity possible," Obama said, according to the text of his address, referring to diplomatic talks.
"But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it. For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed."
Closing Guantanamo Bay
In his speech, Obama said this needs to be the year the prison at Guantanamo Bay is closed.
"Because we counter terrorism not just through intelligence and military action, but by remaining true to our constitutional ideals, and setting an example for the rest of the world," he said.
Obama said the U.S. government will "support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility for its own future," without making any specific promises around troop levels in the country.
"If the Afghan government signs a security agreement that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan forces, and counterterrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al-Qaeda," he said.
"For while our relationship with Afghanistan will change, one thing will not: our resolve that terrorists do not launch attacks against our country."
Standing in the House of Representatives chamber before legislators, Supreme Court justices and VIP guests, Obama declared his independence from Congress by issuing a raft of executive orders — a move likely to inflame already tense relations between the Democratic president and Republicans.
Obama's actions, while relatively modest, collectively amounted to an expression of frustration at the pace of legislative action with Republicans who control the House of Representatives and are able to slow the president's agenda.
The president says he plans to issue an executive order in the coming weeks requiring federal contractors to pay their federally funded employees at least $10.10 an hour, and urged Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to the same amount.
"Say yes. Give America a raise."
He also announced the creation of a "starter savings account" to help millions of people save for retirement.
"I'm eager to work with all of you," Obama said. "But America does not stand still — and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do."
Obama touted the work of Republicans and Democrats is producing a budget last month that "undoes some of last year's severe cuts to priorities like education," saying the budget compromise should leave the government freer to focus on creating new jobs.
"In the coming months, let's see where else we can make progress together. Let's make this a year of action. That's what most Americans want — for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations. And what I believe unites the people of this nation, regardless of race or region or party, young or old, rich or poor, is the simple, profound belief in opportunity for all — the notion that if you work hard and take responsibility, you can get ahead," he said.
"Let's face it: that belief has suffered some serious blows. Over more than three decades, even before the great recession hit, massive shifts in technology and global competition had eliminated a lot of good, middle-class jobs, and weakened the economic foundations that families depend on."
A central theme of the address, Obama's sixth such annual speech in the House chamber, is addressing income inequality, as middle-class Americans struggle to get ahead even while wealthier people prosper in the uneven economic recovery.
'Let's get immigration reform done'
Obama's strategy means he has scaled back ambitions for large legislative actions and wants to focus more on small-bore initiatives that can reduce income inequality and create more opportunities for middle class workers.
Obama defended his controversial health-care law, whose troubled roll-out last October rocked his presidency and sent his job approval ratings tumbling to around 40 per cent.
"I don't expect to convince my Republican friends on the merits of this law," Obama said. "But I know that the American people aren't interested in refighting old battles."
On one of his biggest priorities, immigration reform, Obama urged Congress to work together on an overhaul, but he held his fire on the issue, with signs of possible progress developing in recent days among House Republicans.
"Let's get immigration reform done this year," he said.
Obama also pledged to continue to work to reduce violence in the United States despite a lack of support in Congress for gun control measures he failed to get passed last year.
"I have seen the courage of parents, students, pastors, and police officers all over this country who say, 'We are not
afraid,' and I intend to keep trying, with or without Congress, to help stop more tragedies from visiting innocent Americans in our movie theatres, shopping malls, or schools," Obama said, according to the text of his state of the union address.
Both immigration and gun control were reforms on Obama's to- do list last year that stalled in Congress.
He also told lawmakers he will veto any efforts to increase sanctions on Iran while the United States and other Western powers were in diplomatic talks with Tehran over its nuclear program.
"The sanctions that we put in place helped make this opportunity possible," Obama said, according to the text of his address, referring to diplomatic talks.
"But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it. For the sake of our national security, we must give diplomacy a chance to succeed."
Closing Guantanamo Bay
In his speech, Obama said this needs to be the year the prison at Guantanamo Bay is closed.
"Because we counter terrorism not just through intelligence and military action, but by remaining true to our constitutional ideals, and setting an example for the rest of the world," he said.
Obama said the U.S. government will "support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility for its own future," without making any specific promises around troop levels in the country.
"If the Afghan government signs a security agreement that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan forces, and counterterrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al-Qaeda," he said.
"For while our relationship with Afghanistan will change, one thing will not: our resolve that terrorists do not launch attacks against our country."
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