nero.mao: মে 2013

বৃহস্পতিবার, ৩০ মে, ২০১৩

Iran leader not backing presidential candidate

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's top leader says he is not backing a particular candidate among the eight running for president.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told lawmakers Wednesday, "Nobody knows for whom the top leader votes."

It's the third time in recent weeks that Khamenei has insisted that he is neutral. He is apparently responding the reports that he favors one of the candidates.

He called the rumors "unreal" in remarks broadcast on Iran's state TV.

All eight candidates are seen insiders and loyalists to Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters. Other candidates, including reformers and centrists, were disqualified. The election is set for June 14.

Ahead of every presidential campaign in past years, political activists have tried to spread rumors about Khamenei's favorite to drum up support for their candidates.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-leader-not-backing-presidential-candidate-145823886.html

peyton manning broncos mexico city earthquake stand your ground law dancing with the stars season 14 david garrard michael bay ninja turtles san antonio weather

France's first gay marriage is broadcast to nation

Vincent Autin, right and Bruno Boileau, exchange a kiss during their civil wedding at Montpelier City Hall, Wednesday May 29, 2013. Bruno Boileau, 30, from Paris and Vincent Autin, 40, are the first same-sex couple to marry in France, since French government voted a new law legalizing same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Vincent Autin, center left, and Bruno Boileau, center, arrive at Montpelier City Hall, for their civil wedding, Wednesday May 29, 2013. Bruno Boileau, 30, from Paris and Vincent Autin, 40, are the first same-sex couple to marry in France, since French government voted a new law legalizing same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

Vincent Autin, left, and Bruno Boileau, arrive at Montpelier City Hall, for their civil wedding, Wednesday May 29, 2013. Bruno Boileau, 30, from Paris and Vincent Autin, 40, are the first same-sex couple to marry in France, since French government voted a new law legalizing same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

A man who threatens Vincent Autin and Bruno Boileau as they arrive at Montpelier City Hall, for their civil wedding, is grabbed by plainclothes policemen, Wednesday May 29, 2013. Bruno Boileau, 30, from Paris and Vincent Autin, 40, are the first same-sex couple to marry in France, since French government voted a new law legalizing same-sex marriage. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)

MONTPELLIER, France (AP) ? In a historic ceremony broadcast live on French television, the first gay couple to marry in France said "oui," then sealed the deal with a lengthy and very public kiss.

Hundreds of invited guests including a government minister gathered for the moving ceremony Wednesday inside city hall in southern French city of Montpellier. Hundreds more flocked to the square outside the building as Vincent Autin, 40, and his 30-year-old partner, Bruno Boileau, were wed.

The politically charged ceremony was held under tight police surveillance ? a stark reminder of the months of bruising opposition to the new gay marriage law that French lawmakers passed earlier this month.

Although the marriage itself went undisrupted, outside the city hall it was not trouble-free. A plainclothes policeman dragged back one protester on Wednesday who shouted threats and tried to approach the couple as they were being escorted into the building, before the ceremony. Police also used tear gas to push back a small group of demonstrators who gathered behind the city hall.

"Even if we have passed the hurdle of equality, there are still more battles to fight... But for now, it's a moment for festivity, for love," Autin said after exchanging vows. Some cried, others smiled as Frank Sinatra's hit "Love and Marriage" blasted out, marking them tying the knot.

The two men then walked hand-in-hand to the city hall balcony to wave to well-wishers alongside Montpellier Mayor Helene Mandroux, who officiated at the ceremony. Smiling proudly, Mandroux called the marriage a "historic moment" and "a stage in the modernization of our country."

The two men, who will adopt the names "Messieurs Bruno et Vincent Boileau-Autin," were holding a separate, private ceremony later Wednesday for close friends and family.

"Many people have been waiting for this law on marriage and adoption. Now, it's done. Many people are going to be doing as we did, and celebrating their unions... We are very pleased and honored," said Boileau.

It is not clear yet when the first gay adoption will take place.

News of the marriage will not be welcomed in every corner of France. Just last Sunday, tens of thousands of people protested fiercely in Paris against the new gay marriage law, demonstrations that ended with riot police shooting tear gas.

A plan to legalize same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt was a liberal cornerstone of Socialist Francois Hollande's election manifesto last year. It initially looked like a shoo-in for the French president ? since the measures were supported by a majority of the country ? and an easy way to break with his conservative predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.

But the issue became a touchstone as Hollande's popularity sunk to unprecedented lows, largely over France's ailing economy. The law became a political hot potato that exposed bitter divisions between urban France, where homosexuality is widely accepted, and the Catholic heartland where conservative attitudes hold sway.

"What happened in our country to create so many divisions?" Mandroux said Wednesday, reflecting on the wrenching debate.

Demonstrations against the gay marriage law have often spilled into violence.

In Sunday's protest in the French capital, several hundred protesters clashed with police, throwing bottles and chasing journalists. Interior Minister Manuel Valls said police arrested some 100 far-right protesters.

Paris police estimated that 150,000 people took part in the demonstration but march organizers claimed on their Twitter account that more than a million people did.

At the same time Sunday, on the shores of the Mediterranean, the prestigious 66th Cannes Film Festival gave the Palme d'Or, its top honor, to "Blue is the Warmest Color: The Life of Adele," a graphic French film about a tender, sensual lesbian romance.

France is the 14th country so far ? and the biggest in political and economic weight ? to recognize gay marriage.

___

Thomas Adamson reported from Paris. Follow him at Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-29-France-Gay%20Wedding/id-77717fbbb97f44b5a2012de2e1912a1f

jimmy kimmel amzn white house correspondents dinner phoenix coyotes bruce irvin charlie st cloud nba playoffs

Embattled Mayor Ford says media distorting the facts, he doesn't like ...

As the allegations against Ourtown Mayor Freddy Ford continue to dominate headlines, The Daily Dad caught up with the mayor between meetings for this exclusive interview. Following is the transcript of Daily Dad?s conversation with the embattled mayor.

Daily Dad: Mr. Mayor. How are you? Can I get a minute?

Mayor: It?s fine. All fine. How is the family? Are you still doing the Africa thing, still going back and forth? I didn?t see you at our last barbecue.

Daily Dad: Yes, sir, still doing it. Back and forth. The family is fine. Thanks for asking. You know, a few little adjustments with the kids. They go through a lot with all the travel, but they?re pretty tough.

Mayor: Well, I?m glad for that. What can I do for you today?

Daily Dad: It?s the allegations, Mr. Mayor. On the Coke issue. And everything else. Your aids are leaving in droves. The allegations on your family?s drug past. There?s a lot happening.

Mayor: Look, the fine people of Ourtown know how to look through media manipulation of the facts and as far as I?m concerned it?s business as usual.

Daily Dad: In all respect, your previous denial of ever using Coke wasn?t very clear. Can you tell The Daily Dad definitively now? It?might help everyone understand. Not if you think of yourself as an addict or not, but if you?ve? ever used Coke.?Do you, in fact, need help?

Mayor: The truth of the matter is that I don?t drink any soft drinks of any kind.

Daily Dad: None? Ever?

Mayor: Well, come on, you?re a dad. I don?t know what you exactly give your kids to drink, but have you ever seen the science on that stuff? All that sodium nitrate and toxins and crap? Rats roll over dead when they?re given Coke. I just don?t get involved with it. ?What?s over there to drink in Africa, anyway?

Daily Dad: Well, sure, there are soft drinks like Coke. And we have milk there, but some days it?s not fit to give to the cat. It?s good to be back home for the milk here, for sure. But, back to you, sir. You?ve never had a little Coke? Ever? What about this alleged video?

Mayor: Listen, the only thing I drink is water. I prefer water because it?s such a good cleanser for the liver. And that helps with regularity, you know what I mean? I drink a glass before each meal, which is also good because then I eat less. It?s just a great way to diet.?I drink it during meetings too, and after my daily run, and then in the evening with my vitamins. I?ve been doing this for a long time, this formula, which is an easy way to get eight to ten glasses in every day. This is the real story, the one that nobody is bothering with.

Daily Dad: Mr. Mayor, what about the reports in the national media about your family?s well-known past with street drugs?

Mayor: Sure, this has all been hard on my family. We?re people. We have feelings. We?ve worked hard for Ourtown and this has really hit us hard. I won?t deny that. But something is really wrong, really, really, really?wrong, when things fall to this level, when some internet gossip site can raise the kind of money it has from hard working people to buy a non-existent video with all that money going where? To drug dealers! Holy Cow, Dad, it?s all just a bit too much, don?t you think? I mean does anyone think drug dealers should be supported like this? And now my family?s supposed history?

Daily Dad: But what about this pot, even?in the past. The whole country is now reading about it, the pot.

Mayor: Let me ask you something. Have you ever had any pot? I mean just a little? Have you ever had a little pot?

Daily Dad: Are you asking me, or admitting you?ve had a little pot yourself?

Mayor: I?m saying that I like flowers as much as the next guy. And I had a little pot once. It was a little black and brown and green pot. And I put an African violet ? you can relate to African violets ? in this pot and then I put it by the window and someone saw it. They liked the pot and wanted to buy the pot. It was in my younger years and I wasn?t the only one ? sure there were friends and family and plenty of others involved. This sort of pot was good for all sorts of people who are into flowers, everyday people just wanting to brighten up their days a bit with something fresh in the home or office.

Daily Dad: Is this what you?re saying, that it was all a flower business?

Mayor: What I?m saying is that the media can?t be trusted anymore. It distorts all the facts, which is why we?re all, in fact, experiencing the implosion of the media as we know it. Nobody trusts the morning news for the weather anymore. Too many other places to get our facts, our truth, from. Tell me I?m wrong. Tell me the media always gets it right. Tell me that everyone loves you and that you?re all just in booming times these days.

Daily Dad: Well, sure, it?s pretty hard to keep on top of it all, all the tweeting and YouTubing on top of your regular work, and then keeping all those facts straight too. Newspapers are doing a lot more with a lot less. Sure. It?s not easy.

Mayor: How are you doing over there with it all, anyway?

Daily Dad: Well, we?re down to a staff of one now.

Mayor: Just one, eh? Don?t know you do it. Good for you, though.?What about that old press? Are you still selling it?

Daily Dad: Maybe.

Mayor: Would you take five bucks?

Daily Dad: I was thinking twenty.

Mayor: Listen, Dad, my advice is this. Don?t get too excited about too much. Truth, like I was saying, isn?t what it once was. It?s like love, you know? It?s?in the eye of the beholder. And if you want to, say, give your kids a bit of Coke, I personally won?t hold it against you. And neither would plenty of others. My preference is water. Someone else prefers Coke. I mean, what?s the big deal? What you do in the privacy of your personal life is just that: private and personal. If we can all agree on this, we?d all find things go a lot smoother. This is what you need to tell your readers.?I hope this all helps clarify things.?I do have to go now. Do say hello to the family. And keep that press for me. You know I love antiques.

Daily Dad: Yes, okay, thank you, Mr. Mayor.

(All characters in Ourtown and in?this post are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.)

Source: http://www.dailydad.net/2013/embattled-mayor-ford-says-media-distorting-the-facts-he-doesnt-like-coke/

fox 8 news angelina jolie leg daytona artie lange nascar daytona 2012 kasey kahne angelina jolie right leg

Turkish foreign minister joins push to solve Syria opposition crisis

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu joined senior Arab and Western envoys on Wednesday in a last-ditch effort to solve a crisis in Syria's opposition which threatens to derail a planned peace conference.

The Syrian National Coalition members meeting in Istanbul have so far failed to agree to attend the Geneva conference, provisionally planned for June, or who should represent them, and is deadlocked over appointing a new leadership and Western-backed proposals to widen its membership.

"Davutoglu addressed the coalition and told them that the international community is not taking sides but that the coalition needs to be representative to retain credibility," one source at the meeting said.

"The message was clear that if they don't re-organize themselves there are other parties that could attend Geneva."

Davutoglu joined senior Saudi, Qatari, Jordanian, U.S. and French officials who have been monitoring the talks, now in their seventh day, at a hotel in Istanbul to meet with those opposition members who had not left in frustration.

"This is really the last-ditch effort. Either it succeeds or the coalition effectively collapses," said one senior source within the alliance.

The 60-member coalition has failed to agree on the wider involvement of a liberal bloc led by opposition campaigner Michel Kilo, to the dismay of Western and some Arab backers keen to reduce the influence of Islamists.

Failure to broaden the coalition, in which Qatar and a bloc largely influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood has been playing the driving role, could prompt defections by some of its members and undermine the legitimacy of the coalition.

Russia and the United States are trying to bring Assad's representatives and the opposition together at the Geneva conference, the first serious diplomatic effort in nearly a year to end a war which has killed more than 80,000 people.

Syria's government has said it will attend, but the opposition has not yet committed, potentially a major embarrassment for Washington and the alliance's other backers.

(Reporting by Khaled Oweis; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkish-foreign-minister-joins-push-solve-syria-opposition-155828816.html

Andrea Rebello wfaa prince christina aguilera david beckham Bill Hader kfor

Apple agrees to $53 million settlement for some iPhones, iPods denied warranty coverage

Documents have been filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California for a $53 million settlement between Apple and customers denied warranty coverage on their iPods and iPhones due to water damage. The case is due to Apple's policy not to extend warranty coverage on devices where the indicator tape inside them showed exposure to liquids, however plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit argued the indicator could change color due to moisture or humidity. Apple does not acknowledge any wrongdoing in the settlement, which is still awaiting approval from the court, however customers with warranty claims denied prior to June 2010 (iPod touch) or December 31st, 2009 could be eligible for as much as $300 depending on the device owned and how many claims are filed. The scenario the plaintiffs cite is just the kind of thing we worried about back in 2006, and will probably remain in the back of our minds if we need to have any of our hardware serviced in the future no matter how much Apple and others work on more advanced detection systems.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple

Comments

Via: Phone Arena, CNET

Source: Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Wired

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/29/apple-settlement-water-damage-warranty-iphone/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

ben and jerrys free cone day tornado in dallas texas the island president the maldives harper lee mega millions numbers the fray

বুধবার, ২৯ মে, ২০১৩

Husband And Wife Architects Create The Sugar Lab, A Foundry For 3D Printed Sweets

Kyle and Liz von Hasseln aren't your typical designers. Initially focused on architecture, the pair stumbled upon an interesting business idea when they wanted to make a special cake for a friend's birthday: the Sugar Lab.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/M72ycR_OZpI/

Voting Results 2012 pbs ron paul Cnn Electoral Map roseanne barr guy fawkes gary johnson

LG VP comments on Nexus 5 'misinterpreted'

Manufacturer says it's not currently working on Nexus 5, but wouldn't turn down the opportunity

An interview with European LG Mobile VP Won Kim sparked a bit of excitement this morning, as selected quotes appeared to show that the manufacturer wasn't interested in collaborating with Google on a future Nexus smartphone. In an article in Dutch publication AllAboutPhones, Kim is quoted as saying "The Nexus 4 was a great success despite the production problems for us and Google. However we do not need such a marketing success again."

Kim also appeared to distance himself from any possibility of a "Google Edition" version of top LG handsets (as Samsung will do with the Galaxy S4) saying it has "no plans" to offer such a phone.

However LG quickly released a statement to clarify matters, saying that Kim's comments had been misinterpreted. The official message passed to The Next Web states that “What Mr. Won Kim said is that we are not currently working on a Nexus 5, which is true. But that doesn’t mean we would turn down the opportunity.”

The news comes amid rumors from the Korean press in recent weeks stating that LG is indeed the chosen partner for the next Nexus smartphone. Regardless, we're still five or six months out from the usual launch window for new Nexus devices, so we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out.

Source: The Next Web, AllAboutPhones

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/aSTQbD0Tx7k/story01.htm

tyson chandler the pirates band of misfits cleveland browns minnesota twins bobby abreu 2012 draft colt mccoy

Tech News Headlines - Yahoo! News

The Easiest Ways Not to Get Hacked

It took three hackers less than a day?to decipher the majority of a list of 16,000 encrypted passwords, all?because of the laughably easy-to-crack More??

The Atlantic Wire - 11 hrs ago

Vintage Apple-1 Sells for $671,000

The $10,000 gold-plated iPad?has a rival in the battle of most expensive Apple computer of the year. Over the weekend, one of the first Apple-1 computers More??

ABC News Blogs - Mon, May 27, 2013

Source: http://rss.news.yahoo.com/rss/techblog

the quiet man yellow cab dropkick murphys guernsey colcannon dystonia tourettes

Israel warns Russia against giving Syria missiles

An Israeli soldier acting as if he is wounded waits for Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit during a drill in Azur, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Israel has launched a national civil defense drill, which the army said this year will focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit wear protective gear during a drill in Azur, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Israel has launched a national civil defense drill, which the army said this year will focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit take cover as an air raid siren sounds during a search and rescue drill at a site simulating a collapsed school, in the northern Israeli city of Nazareth Illit, Monday, May 27, 2013. Israel is holding a national emergency response drill on Monday simulating a large scale missile attack which the army said will this year focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit have their lunch during a search and rescue drill at a site simulating a collapsed school, in the northern Israeli city of Nazareth Illit, Monday, May 27, 2013. Israel is holding a national emergency response drill on Monday simulating a large scale missile attack which the army said will this year focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's defense minister on Tuesday signaled that his military is prepared to strike shipments of advanced Russian weapons to Syria, in a rare implied threat to Moscow.

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon issued his warning shortly after a top Russian official said his government reserves the right to provide Syria with state-of-the-art S-300 air defense missiles.

Israel has been lobbying Moscow to drop the sale, fearing the missiles would upset the balance of power in the region and could slip into the hands of hostile groups, including the Lebanese militant Hezbollah, a close ally of the Syrian regime.

"As far as we are concerned, that is a threat," Yaalon told reporters when asked about the S300s.

"At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent," he said. But "if God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do."

Since Syria's civil war erupted in March 2011, Israel has repeatedly voiced concerns that Syria's sophisticated arsenal, including chemical weapons, could either be transferred to Hezbollah, a bitter enemy of Israel, or fall into the hands of rebels battling Syrian President Bashar Assad. The rebels include al-Qaida-affiliated groups that Israel believes could turn their attention toward Israel if they topple Assad.

Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria that are believed to have destroyed weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah. Israel has not confirmed carrying out the attacks. The delivery of the Russian missiles to Syria could limit the Israeli air force's ability to act.

In Moscow, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, wouldn't say whether Russia has shipped any of the long-range S-300 air defense missile systems, but insisted that Moscow isn't going to abandon the deal despite strong Western and Israeli criticism.

"We understand the concerns and signals sent to us from different capitals. We realize that many of our partners are concerned about the issue," Ryabkov said. "We have no reason to revise our stance."

He said the missiles could be a deterrent against foreign intervention in Syria and would not be used against Syrian rebels, who do not have an air force.

"We believe that such steps to a large extent help restrain some 'hotheads' considering a scenario to give an international dimension to this conflict," he said.

Russia has been the key ally of the Syrian regime, protecting it from United Nations sanctions and providing it with weapons despite the civil war there that has claimed over 70,000 lives.

It is unclear if Moscow has already provided Damascus with any of the S-300s missiles, which have a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) and the capability to track and strike multiple targets simultaneously.

Ryabkov's statement came a day after European Union's decision to lift an arms embargo against Syrian rebels. He criticized the EU decision, saying it would help fuel the conflict.

Israel's defense chief spoke at an annual civil defense drill to prepare for missile attacks on Israel. This year's exercise comes at a time of heightened concerns that Israel could be dragged into the Syrian civil war.

A number of mortar shells from the fighting in Syria have landed in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. While Israel believes most of the fire has been errant, it has accused Syria of firing intentionally at Israeli targets on several occasions, and last week the sides briefly exchanged fire.

Israel's civil defense chief, Home Front Minister Gilad Erdan, said this week's drill was not specifically connected to the tensions with Syria.

"But of course we must take into consideration that something like that might happen in the near future because of what we see in Syria, and because we know that chemical weapons exist in Syria and might fall to the hands of radical Muslim terror groups," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-05-28-Israel-Syria/id-c8c8090d49bb469ea2b6dc4a47885a98

npr Oblivion Hemlock Grove Boston Bomber Death Photo Fox Boston Bomber cnn news

মঙ্গলবার, ২৮ মে, ২০১৩

Burkina Faso soldiers in Mali worry about defense

TIMBUKTU, Mali (AP) ? African soldiers in the fabled city of Timbuktu worry their equipment, training and circumstances are not adequate to defend against another takeover by Islamic extremists who know the terrain as a double bombing by radical elements has also threatened neighboring Niger.

Burkina Faso soldiers officially took over at the end of April after hundreds of French forces left the northern Malian town several months after their military operation largely ousted the radical Islamic fighters from the area.

French forces parachuted into Timbuktu in late January to liberate the city from the radical Islamic fighters who had occupied it for 10 months. Al-Qaida's wing in Africa imposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic law, requiring women to wear the veil and carrying out public whippings. The French are now scaling down their deployment from 4,000 to 1,000 soldiers in its former colony by the end of the year, leaving other forces in charge.

But a report by obtained by The Associated Press this week indicates that some 500 soldiers from the neighboring West African country are facing problems with defense.

"Insufficient night vision capabilities and radio communications with the Malian army for coordination," are among the issues, the report turned in to the head of the African-led mission in Mali said.

Col. Gilles Bationo, who leads the Burkina Faso soldiers, also said that their second-generation night vision equipment doesn't allow them to see if there is wind, dust or no moon in this desolate area of the world. He said that the jihadists also circulate faster through the deserts in their vehicles because they know the terrain so well, making it difficult for the forces to capture them.

"Weak capacity engineering, the need for air combat assets on site, transport logistics," and shielding tactics are also missing, according to the report and Bationo.

The fight against the radicals is also hindered by an airplane runway that is blocked by trees.

"The trees around the airport prevent U.S. military from coming into the airport, and security is not guaranteed," Bationo said, adding that jihadists also can hide out in the thick trees to shoot at any planes landing or taking off.

He said that they also lack reliable electricity. Bationo submitted the report to Pierre Buyoya, the head of the African-led mission, in hopes the battalion's concerns will be addressed. Buyoya visited Timbuktu on Monday.

"The battalion is going to stay in place in Timbuktu and will transform into the MINUSMA which is the U.N. mission for maintaining peace around July," Buyoya said. "The Burkina Faso battalion will be made up of 850 soldiers."

Bationo said the situation in Timbuktu remains calm, despite frequent reports of robberies and inter-communal clashes in neighboring communities, but that amped up defenses are needed.

"The double bombing in Niger means we must prepare," he said, adding that an attack on Timbuktu is likely after suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing at least 35 people, according to Niger's president.

The attacks that began at dawn Thursday were claimed by the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, and by Algerian terrorist Moktar Belmoktar. Both are believed to have fighters in Mali. Belmoktar, whose brigade known as "Those Who Sign in Blood" is also responsible for the devastating attack in January on the Ain Amenas gas plant, where 37 foreigners including American, French, Irish and British citizens were killed.

U.N. peacekeepers are supposed to take over in July from a 6,000-member African-led mission now in Mali, although the deployment date is subject to change depending on security conditions. The U.N. force will be tasked with helping to restore peace. However, it will not be authorized to launch offensive military operations or chase terrorists in the desert, which French forces will continue to do.

Mali fell into turmoil after a March 2012 coup created a security vacuum that allowed secular Tuareg rebels to take over the country's north as a new homeland. Months later, the rebels were kicked out by Islamic jihadists who carried out public executions, amputations and whippings.

When the Islamic rebels started moving into government-controlled areas in the south, France launched a military offensive on Jan. 11 to oust them. The fighters, many linked to al-Qaida, fled the major towns in the north, but many went into hiding in the desert and continue to carry out attacks including suicide bombings.

Tuareg separatists have since reclaimed the northern city of Kidal. The government is in talks with the separatists as elections are slated for this year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/burkina-faso-soldiers-mali-worry-defense-114726081.html

Hunter Pence NBCOlympics Danell Leyva Ye Shiwen OJ Murdock Olympics Live Mens Gymnastics

সোমবার, ২৭ মে, ২০১৩

KISS ME DEADLY proteins may help improve crop yields

Public release date: 27-May-2013
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: John Cramer
john.d.cramer@dartmouth.edu
603-646-9130
Dartmouth College

Dartmouth study identifies new regulator for plant hormone signaling

Dartmouth College researchers have identified a new regulator for plant hormone signaling -- the KISS ME DEADLY family of proteins (KMDs) that may help to improve production of fruits, vegetables and grains.

The study's results will be published the week of May 27 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Journalists can access the paper, titled "SCFKMD controls cytokinin signaling by regulating the degradation of type-B response regulators," through EurekAlert!.

Professor G. Eric Schaller, the paper's senior author, studies the molecular mechanisms by which a plant recognizes a hormone and then responds to it. Among the hormones he studies are "anti-aging" cytokinins, which play critical roles in regulating plant growth and development, including stimulating yield, greening, branching, metabolism and cell division. Cytokinins are used in agriculture for multiple purposes, from crops to golf course greens.

In their PNAS paper, the researchers identify KMDs as a new regulator for cytokinin signaling. To regulate plant growth, plants need to perceive cytokinins and convert this information into changes in gene expression. The KMDs target a key group of cytokinin-regulated transcription factors for destruction, thereby regulating the gene expression changes that occur in response to cytokinin. In other words, increases in KMD levels result in a decreased cytokinin response (or less crop growth), while decreases in KMD levels result in a heightened cytokinin response (or greater crop growth).

The results suggest that KMDs represent a natural means by which plants can regulate the cytokinin response and may serve as a method to help regulate agriculturally important cytokinin responses.

"We expect that a better understanding of cytokinin activity and KMDs could lead to improved agricultural productivity," said Schaller, who is available to comment at george.e.schaller@dartmouth.edu.

###

Broadcast studios: Dartmouth has TV and radio studios available for interviews. For more information, visit: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~opa/radio-tv-studios/.

[ | E-mail |

Share ]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

KISS ME DEADLY proteins may help improve crop yields

Public release date: 27-May-2013
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: John Cramer
john.d.cramer@dartmouth.edu
603-646-9130
Dartmouth College

Dartmouth study identifies new regulator for plant hormone signaling

The results suggest that KMDs represent a natural means by which plants can regulate the cytokinin response and may serve as a method to help regulate agriculturally important cytokinin responses.

"We expect that a better understanding of cytokinin activity and KMDs could lead to improved agricultural productivity," said Schaller, who is available to comment at george.e.schaller@dartmouth.edu.

###

Broadcast studios: Dartmouth has TV and radio studios available for interviews. For more information, visit: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~opa/radio-tv-studios/.

[ | E-mail |

Share ]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/dc-kmd052213.php

david ortiz record store day cnn News nbc news msnbc reddit

Kelly Rowland Breaks Down Singing About Beyonce

Source:

hcg drops reason rally mad hatter azerbaijan ryan howard ps i love you ray charles

Space station astronauts snap amazing photos of Alaskan volcanic eruption

Pavlof Volcano has been erupting for over a week, releasing a humongous plume of ash, steam, and smoke visible from the International Space Station. The eruption has quieted down, but seismic data suggests that it's not over.

By Liz Fuller-Wright,?Correspondent / May 24, 2013

Space station astronauts captured this picture of Pavlof Volcano on Saturday.

Courtesy of the ISS Expedition 36 crew / NASA

Enlarge

Astronauts on the International Space Station?captured jaw-dropping pictures of a volcanic eruption last Saturday. Since then, the volcano has been hidden from sight, shrouded in thick clouds.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; // google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Pavlof Volcano has been belching ash and spewing lava since May 13, when tremors and rising surface temperatures gave way to fountains of molten rock bursting from the volcano's north flank.

When that lava hit ice and snow, it created explosive steam clouds that could be seen for dozens of miles ? and photographed from space. The steam, ash, and gas plumes have climbed over 20,000 feet into the sky, and left a grey streak stretching for a hundred miles.

Prior to last week, Pavlof hadn't erupted since 2007.

Is it over?

Pavlof has been playing it cool for the past few days, reports the Alaska Volcano Observatory, which celebrated its 25th?anniversary last month.

Though the ash eruptions have disrupted local air travel, the violence seems to have subsided for now, with a more relaxed release of ash and lava continuing steadily. Even through the clouds hiding Pavlof from sight, satellites can measure high surface temperatures indicating that the lava is still flowing.

After about a week of steady seismic rumbles,?the shaking calmed down on Tuesday morning and hasn't restarted, though a huge seismic blast this morning suggests that Pavlof had another volcanic explosion ? but through the clouds, it's hard to know just what or where.

The scientists at Alaska Volcano Observatory have the volcano threat level set at "Watch," which is one step down from the highest level, "Warning." But they caution that massive explosions ? like the one that created that giant, 20,000-foot plume ? can occur without warning.

The Aleutian Islands are sparsely enough settled that the primary hazard from volcanoes like Pavlof is that airborne ash could endanger planes flying between North America and Asia. In fact, in 1989, a wide-body passenger jet encountered an ash plume from Redoubt, another Alaska volcano, and lost power in all four engines.?Fortunately for the passengers, after the plane plummeted two miles in five minutes, the crew restarted the engines and landed safely in Anchorage, about a hundred miles away.

Why did Pavlof erupt?

Like the rest of the Aleutian Islands (and, for that matter, the Cascades), Pavlof sits on the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American plate. When the dense ocean floor runs into the less-dense continental crust, its weight pulls it down into the mantle, where the heat and pressures make it start to melt.

When rock melts, magma forms ? and when magma reaches the earth's surface, it erupts as lava. The more water or gases were trapped in the magma, the more explosive the eruption will be.

Though scientists know exactly how volcanoes form, volcanologists can't yet predict eruptions. But they've made huge strides, thanks to regular monitoring of hundreds of active volcanoes around the world.

Volcano monitoring became a political punching bag in 2009, after Louisiana's Gov. Bobby Jindal highlighted it as "wasteful spending" in the Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address. "Instead of monitoring volcanoes, what Congress should be monitoring is the eruption of spending in?Washington, D.C.," said Mr. Jindal. The eruption of Redoubt Volcano a month later ? the same volcano that had nearly crashed a passenger jet in 1989 ? was seen by some as a definitive response, but video monitoring shrunk in recent years due to budget pressures and the sequester.

Alaska's 52 active volcanoes once had 200 working seismic instruments. Now 80 of those instruments have fallen into disrepair and can?t be fixed because of the USGS budget cuts, the Associated Press reported last week. That means that five of Alaska's 52 active volcanoes aren?t monitored electronically at all, and the number could rise if more instruments go without maintenance.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/XbIheICvLB4/Space-station-astronauts-snap-amazing-photos-of-Alaskan-volcanic-eruption

jason campbell doobie brothers jennie garth peter facinelli marques colston free agents nfl 2012 milwaukee bucks bear grylls

রবিবার, ২৬ মে, ২০১৩

Aid group describes siege of Afghan compound

Foreign troops, part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), investigate the site a day after an assault on an international compound in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 25, 2013. A would-be suicide bomber died when his explosives-rigged vest went off prematurely in Afghanistan's capital on Saturday morning, police said. The apparent failed attack came a day after a major Taliban assault on an international compound in Kabul left many people dead including, the attackers.(AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid)

Afghan men investigate at the site of an attack on an international compound in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, May 25, 2013. A would-be suicide bomber died when his explosives-rigged vest went off prematurely in Afghanistan's capital on Saturday morning, police said. The apparent failed attack came a day after a major Taliban assault on an international compound in Kabul left many people dead including the attackers.(AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? The head of an international aid agency has described how nine of its workers were trapped in a fortified room as an attack by the Taliban raged around them in Afghanistan's capital. He praised the work of the Afghan police who rescued them during an eight-hour battle in one of Kabul's most upscale neighborhoods.

Richard Danziger, chief of mission for the International Organization for Migration, said Sunday he had no idea why the group was targeted. The IOM works with a United Nations mission to help resettle migrants returning to Afghanistan.

He said early reports that a Nepalese guard was killed in the Friday attack were untrue. He said five Nepalese guards were wounded, one seriously. Four IOM staff were injured including an Italian woman seriously burned by a grenade.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-26-AS-Afghanistan/id-aead49ca23ad4e9896448543e64cbe23

jay z and beyonce baby cpac powell the last lecture josh powell madonna halftime show linsanity

The Simplest Flashlight Is Just a Rolled Up Piece of Paper

A flashlight is a crucial thing to have around the house, but even though it can be super useful, it's probably plastic and/or filled with D batteries. Not exactly elegant. The Paper LED Torch Light on the other hand, is the picture of simplicity.

Will 'American Idol' Alumni Take Over The Judges' Table?

American Idol has now been around long enough that it can turn to the celebrities the show itself made famous to act as judges. With Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Randy Jackson and Keith Urban reportedly not returning to the Fox singing competition, the new stars rumored to replace the judges all come from Idol's past.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/jennifer-hudson-signed-judge-american-idol-season-13/1-a-537287?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ajennifer-hudson-signed-judge-american-idol-season-13-537287

the lake house petrino arkansas roy williams divine mercy chaplet matt lauer albert pujols the shining

শনিবার, ২৫ মে, ২০১৩

Community outreach key to Obama counterterror plan (The Arizona Republic)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/308261566?client_source=feed&format=rss

austin rivers austin rivers sweet home alabama etch a sketch the host hoodie hoosiers

Gigabyte introduces BRIX, a customizable mini PC powered by Ivy Bridge CPUs

The mini PC market isn't exactly a crowded one, but it's never a bad thing to have options. Well, if you're into the idea of adding an ultra-compact to your setup, Gigabyte's just announced its highly customizable BRIX. The palm-sized PC appears to be the very same one we saw back at this year's CES, but it's now taken on a more polished, ready-to-hit-shelves look. Gigabyte's providing interested parties the ability to load this itty-bitty thing with a vast selection of Ivy Bridge chips (Core i3, i5 and i7), plus their own SSD / RAM combo and operating system of choice. Ports-wise, there are two USB 3.0 sockets, HDMI and a Mini DisplayPort -- Gigabyte notes it can power up to two displays simultaneously. Naturally, the cost depends on the specs you choose, and the company only goes as far as to say that the BRIX covers "a range" of price points.

Gallery: Gigabyte BRIX press shots