North Korea Warns No Policy Changes Under New Leader

For the first time, North Korea is referring to the late Kim Jong Il's son as its "Great Leader." Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20's, is assuming leadership of the impoverished and reclusive country following his father's death, said to have occurred on December 17. The North is also sending a clear message, especially to the South, that it will be business as usual in Pyongyang.

Just a day after ending an official period of mourning, North Korea wasted no time bluntly telling the world not to expect any policy changes from Pyongyang.

The National Defense Commission issued a statement. It admonishes what it called "foolish politicians around the world" - especially those in South Korea - not to expect any change from the North.

The statement was broadcast for 11 minutes at noon Friday on North Korean television. It reverted to a very tough tone about South Korea and its leader. President Lee Myung-bak is termed the head of a traitor group whose "evil misdeeds" have climaxed by failing to allow Koreans in the South to pay their final respects to Kim Jong Il.

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Whimsical Tree - Wall Decals from Single Stone Studios

Whimsical Tree Vinyl Wall Decal

They have had several requests for this tree since posting a customer photo on the blog. Complete wall decal with extra leaves in a separate color, and 2 sets of their 3 Little Birdies.

The tree is available in any size, so feel free to call them if you need a size that is not available in their store. The larger version of the tree will come in 3 pieces.

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Seventeen People Dead in Myanmar Warehouse Blast

A pre-dawn blast at a warehouse in Myanmar's biggest city killed at least 17 people and injured dozens more on Thursday, sparking a blaze that took firefighters hours to tame, officials said.

Officials ruled out a bomb but said they had yet to determine the cause of the explosion in Yangon, formerly the capital.

Residents in several areas of the city were woken around 2:00 am (1930 GMT) by the blast, which appeared to have hit a medical warehouse in the eastern township of Mingalar Taung Nyunt, witnesses told AFP.

At least 17 people, including four firefighters, had died, while 79 others were injured, including around 30 firemen, a government official told AFP.

"It was not a bomb explosion," another official said, though he added that the cause of the blast, which sparked a large fire that destroyed many nearby storage units and houses, remained unknown.

Firefighters battled through the night to douse the flames and finally succeeded in extinguishing the massive fire at around 6:45 am, revealing a scene of utter devastation.

Myanmar has been hit by several bomb blasts in recent years, most of them minor, which the authorities have blamed on armed exile groups or ethnic minority fighters.

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3 big quakes rattle Christchurch, New Zealand

A series of strong earthquakes struck the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Friday, rattling buildings, sending goods tumbling from shelves and prompting terrified holiday shoppers to flee into the streets. There was no tsunami alert issued and the city appeared to have been spared major damage.

One person was injured at a city mall and was taken to a hospital, and four people had to be rescued after being trapped by a rock fall, Christchurch police said in a statement. But there were no immediate reports of serious injuries or widespread damage in the city, which is still recovering from a devastating February earthquake that killed 182 people and destroyed much of the downtown area.

The first 5.8-magnitude quake struck Friday afternoon, 16 miles north of Christchurch and 2.5 miles deep, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Minutes later, a 5.3-magnitude aftershock hit. About an hour after that, the city was shaken by another 5.8-magnitude temblor, the U.S.G.S. said, though New Zealand's geological agency GNS Science recorded that aftershock as a magnitude-6.0. Both aftershocks were less than 3 miles deep.

Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale said the quakes came at the worst possible time for retailers, with people rushing to finish their Christmas shopping.

Despite the sizable quakes, there was no visible damage in the central business district, where 28 stores have reopened in shipping containers after their buildings were wrecked by the February quake, he said.

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Clashes continue between Egyptian Security Forces and Protesters

Egyptian security forces have clashed with protesters in Cairo's Tahrir Square in a continued effort to disperse those calling for the ruling military council to step down.

Police and soldiers raided the square early Tuesday trying to clear the area in the center of the capital that served as the hub of protests against former leader Hosni Mubarak.

Protesters and security forces hurled stones at each other, and police fired shots to try to disperse the demonstrators as the clashes stretched into a fifth day.

At least 12 people have been killed and more than 500 others have been hurt since Friday.

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North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il Is Dead

Kim Jong Il, the dictator who used fear and isolation to maintain power in North Korea and his nuclear weapons to menace his neighbors and threaten the U.S., has died, North Korean state television reported early Monday.

His death opens a new and potentially dangerous period of transition and instability for North Korea and northeast Asia. Mr. Kim in September 2010 tapped the youngest of his three sons, Kim Jong Eun, to succeed him, and North Korean state television on Monday said the younger Mr. Kim will lead the country.

Mr. Kim, who was 69 or 70 years old, according to varying accounts, died during a train ride on Saturday, a weeping television announcer said. He was believed to have been in ill health since suffering a stroke in 2008, and North Korean media said he experienced an "advanced acute myorcardial infarction," or heart attack.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said late Sunday that the administration is "closely monitoring" reports of Mr. Kim's death, that President Barack Obama had been notified and that U.S. officials are in close touch with South Korea and Japan.

"We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies," Mr. Carney said.

South Korea put its military on "high alert" and President Lee Myung-bak convened a meeting of the national security council after the news of Mr. Kim's death, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Kim took power after the death in July 1994 of his father, Kim Il Sung, who founded North Korea in 1948. The country, a declining communist industrial power when he took control, fell into abject poverty under his rule. However, Mr. Kim continued to command attention and relevance in the world by building nuclear weapons and selling other arms.

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Ironworks Scroll Kit - Vinyl Wall Decals for Home Decor

Singlestonestudios have hundreds of stock-designed wall decals and can customize any of their decals to our specifications. They offer over 80 different colors/finishes (indoor and outdoor vinyl material), and can also make custom wall decals just for us.

They sell this kit in various colors like Little Black Dress, Actually Aqua, Ash Grey, etc. Also they have matte and gloss finish decals. Ironworks Scroll Decal Kit can be customized as per our needs.

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Assortment of Wall Decals from Single Stone Studios

Decorating one’s home isn’t a tedious and overhead task. It is in fact time consuming and enjoyable one as well. You ought to spend space and time when it comes to planning your home and decorating it accordingly. Having spent a major part of your investment on your home, there is no point in not spending quality time when it comes to decorating it. Interior designing related to homes have come a long way ever since the concept was introduced in the market. And as decades passed by various new concepts and designs have revolutionized our homes. Wall stickers have been present for quite some time now. They were more like wall papers back then that lost its charm somewhere down the line. However, thanks to science and technology, modern wall papers are rather vinyl wall decals that have comprehensive features. They are easy to install, they are quite flexible in terms of chopping and changing, more exquisite than their ancestors. They have modernized our homes and offices to a large extent to be precise.

Ever since these vinyl stickers came into the picture, interior design industry has picked up its business drastically as these stickers have become very popular among many communities. These stickers make your home quite easy to maintain as well. You can also incorporate changes to your walls as and when you please. Gone are the days where you need to make use of special cleansers to maintain your walls. Today, you have variety of options when it comes to choosing a wall art for your home. The most popular ones among them are the wall decals that have quotes. They are predominantly used in offices. They make your walls look more attractive, exquisite, lively and lovely. Single Stone Studios is a website that is a collection of wall decals. You have variety of options to choose from for your lovely home.

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Holiday Season - Sales Raise in US

Retailers were happy that their blend of deep discounts, investment openings and website produced a strong start to the holiday season. They are now planning further price cuts to keep cautious consumers interested in the remainder of the retail key.

The biggest shopping day after Thanksgiving day is Black Friday, sales rose 6.6% from a year ago, according to data from retail and consulting firm ShopperTrak, which uses the installed equipment in stores to measure traffic. That compares with an anemic 0.3% gain in 2010. Sales for the four days after Thanksgiving grew by 16.4%, according to the National Retail Federation, which surveyed 3826 people.

The NRF estimates that consumers spent an average of $ 398.62 on the weekend of Black Friday, up 9.1% from last year. Of that amount, $ 150.53, or 38%, came from online sales.

Positive indicators for e-commerce giant, along with strong sales in general line, predictions that prompted Cyber ​​Monday is a day for even larger Internet retailers. This is because web stores tend to save their biggest promotions of Cyber ​​Monday, a term coined online retailers in 2005 to organize the sale Monday after Thanksgiving.

Overall, the weekend numbers hopes that retailers will be able to overcome the resistance of high unemployment and slow economic growth to exceed the expectations of what had been a mediocre Christmas, a period that can account a fifth or more of sales from the chains of many. But traders warned that consumers remain frugal, and they said they are unsure of rhythm the first weekend can be maintained.

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Vehicle Break in Spree on US Americana Drive

A resident of the 2700 block of Northland Street reported that $28 worth of $2 bills had been stolen from her unlocked. She believes a juvenile who had been staying at the house stole the cash.

A car parked at the Quirk Cultural Center, 1201 Grant Avenue was broken down into and property valued at $405 was taken. A backpack, gray Amazon Kindle, silver TI-83 graphing calculator, wallet and other school supplies and clothing were taken.

A Munroe Falls resident told police a resident on the 2700 block of Northland Street has her daughter’s homecoming school dresses and refuses to revisit them. The dresses and other objects are valued at $305.

An occupier of the 4200 block of Americana Drive reported that the passenger side window of a car had been smashed and a purse and its contents were taken the night of Nov. 1. Damage was estimated at $250, and loss of goods was estimated at $340.

A resident of the 4200 block of Americana Drive reported that someone ruined the driver’s side window and stole the face plate of a car radio, valued at $150. Damage to the care was estimated at $150.

The front passenger window was cracked on a car parked on the 4200 block of American Drive the night of Nov. 1. Damage is probable at $200.

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Ohio election results: union curbs thrown out in blow to Republicans

Voters in Ohio have overwhelmingly rejected a law curbing union bargaining rights for public employees, dealing a blow to the Republican establishment in a state that could prove pivotal in deciding the outcome of next year's presidential election.

The vote buoyed Democrats, who are hoping to rebound from their sweeping losses in 2010, though experts agree the economy is still the biggest issue. "If the economy were to turn around in the next year, that's going to matter a lot more than what happens in ballot issues," said one political analyst, Justin Buchler.

Ohio's bill went further than a similar one in Wisconsin by including police officers and firefighters, and was considered by many observers to be a barometer of the national mood on the political conundrum of the day: what is the appropriate size and role of government, and who should pay for it.

Its defeat is anticipated to energise the labour movement, which largely supports the Democrats, ahead of Barack Obama's re-election effort.

The result indicated that voters in the industrial midwest may be growing disenchanted with the Tea Party-backed Republicans voted into office in 2010, who have advocated deep spending cuts and opposed tax increases.

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iPhone 4S launch: What is the difference in this version?

After much fanfare, a minor pre-order meltdown, and what was perhaps the largest collection of Apple software updates to go out in a single week, the next iPhone arrives tomorrow.

If it feels like a long time since the iPhone 4 went on sale, you're not mistaken. The iPhone 4S, Apple's follow-up to the iPhone 4, comes a few months later than Apple has typically released previous handsets, and it seems even longer given that leaks led to the world seeing the final design months before it was officially unveiled.

From the looks of it, Apple appears to have used that extra time to polish the latest version of its iOS software, which went out to users yesterday, as well as to ready Siri, the iPhone 4S exclusive voice assistant that's being launched as an uncharacteristic "beta." That's not all that's different though. This year's launch brings a number of other changes, which we've detailed beneath.

The iPhone 4 was originally promised in two colors, but what we ended up with was a 10-month wait for white version. In an interview with AllThingsD in April, the day the white version launched, Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller described the process of making that color "challenging" both in how the color held up over time and how it interacted with the phone's internal sensors.

Since last year's launch, Apple's offered a white iPad 2 on its first day of release and began offering a white version of the iPod Touch, which hit stores yesterday.

Last but not least, Apple's rolling out the iPhone 4S with a brand new version of its AppleCare service called AppleCare+. This optional protection boosts the iPhone's warranty from 90 days of tech support to two years.

To read the article in detail, please click here.

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Friends Lookup One Stop Search

Friends look up is one of a search engine where you look up people! If you are looking for someone who you have not met for ages or perhaps looking for a colleague online then this is the site for you. Just like you use Google to look up for things, this site will help you look up real people.

With the world moving online today, it is possible to find almost anyone and everyone online. With so many people online how do you find the people you are looking for? Friends search is one of the ways to keep in touch or just find information about someone online. This search engine will help you get all the information from the web about the person that you want.

Images, profiles, information and whatever else is available on the net about the person that you are looking for will be available to you after a quick search. With the help of friends look up, you can get it touch with who you want, when you want.

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NASA's UARS Re-Enters into Earth's Atmosphere

WASHINGTON – NASA’s decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) fell back to Earth between 11:23 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 23 and 1:09 a.m. Sept. 24, 20 years and nine days after its launch on a 14-year mission that produced some of the first long-term records of chemicals in the atmosphere.

The precise re-entry time and location of debris impacts have not been determined. During the re-entry period, the satellite passed from the east coast of Africa over the Indian Ocean, then the Pacific Ocean, then across northern Canada, then across the northern Atlantic Ocean, to a point over West Africa. The vast majority of the orbital transit was over water, with some flight over northern Canada and West Africa.

Six years after the end of its productive scientific life, UARS broke into pieces during re-entry, and most of it up burned in the atmosphere. Data indicates the satellite likely broke apart and landed in the Pacific Ocean far off the U.S. coast. Twenty-six satellite components, weighing a total of about 1,200 pounds, could have survived the fiery re-entry and reach the surface of Earth. However, NASA is not aware of any reports of injury or property damage.

The Operations Center for JFCC-Space, the Joint Functional Component Command at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., which works around the clock detecting, identifying and tracking all man-made objects in Earth orbit, tracked the movements of UARS through the satellite’s final orbits and provided confirmation of re-entry.

To read more about the re-entry of UARS Satellite, please click here.

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Saudi Women Got Rights to Vote for First Time - King Abdullah

Saudi women got the right to vote for the first time in modern history, as part of the changes King Abdullah said they will run in future elections.

"We refuse to marginalize the role of women in Saudi society in every field of work," Abdullah said yesterday on state television. "Women have the right to submit their candidacy for municipal council membership and have the right to take part in submitting candidates in accordance with Shariah."

Saudi Arabia applies the gender constraints interpreted from the Wahhabi version of Sunni Islam. Men and women are strictly segregated in public, even in schools, restaurants and fast food takeouts lines. What keeps women in sales jobs in malls and stores, unless the output caters exclusively to female customers, and are also excluded from driving.

The king also said yesterday that women can now become part of the Shura Council, its advisory body. Abdullah, who was born in 1924, is committed to improving the situation of women and opened the first co-educational college in 2009. Appointed deputy kingdom's first woman minister, Nora bint Abdullah al-Fayez, the same year and has said it will provide women greater access to jobs

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NASA - Re-entry of UARS Satellite to Earth

Re-entry of the NASA's abandoned UARS satellite into earth's atmosphere is expected in the early evening today. While NASA maintains that it will not be over North America at that time, they also insist it's too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any certainty.

Some 26 chunks of the old NASA satellite - roughly the size of a bus - will be dropping straight down at hundreds of miles per hour over an area of some 500 square miles at some point Friday night.

"We believe that the risk is sufficiently low that no one needs to, to change their behaviors," NASA's Mark Matney said Thursday.

As UARS - short for Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite - enters the atmosphere, everything changes. Bit by bit, pieces will cross the threshold about 60 miles up, enter the atmosphere and then drop straight down like stones - travelling at several hundred miles an hour depending on their shape.

The chunks will fall at different points along the satellite's path, meaning debris will cover 500 miles.

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Teaching your kids to make friends

Your son comes home from camp or school and cries out that no one likes him and he has no friends.

For many parents, hearing this statement from their child is painful. We all want our children to be accepted by their peers.

But while you may know that friends will come and go throughout his life, acknowledging his imminent concerns, consoling and supporting him by helping him work through the situation weighs heavily on how well he fares with his peers the next time.

"First, a parent should never discount their child's feelings or emotions," said licensed psychologist Sheldon J. Kaplan, who specializes in child and adolescent psychology. "Your child is expressing an emotion. Acknowledge the problem and help him work through it to find resolutions." That's exactly what Callahan resident Jamie Murkerson and her husband do with their children.

As parents of four girls, three of whom are school-age and one newborn, the Murkersons said say they discuss issues their daughters may have together as a family.

"It's important for us to be involved in our daughters' lives," said Murkerson. "If they are having problems with friends, we talk it out as a family and try to find a solution that makes everyone happy." Friendships and social interactions are important to everyone but particularly to children, Kaplan said. Friendships help build one's confidence and self-esteem, he added.

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Instantly turn your iOS device into a Network Camera with Camster Pro 2

Procypher Corporation has announced its revolutionary iPhone app which instantly turns your iOS device into a real-live network camera. No network setup required, just press a button and view your iPhone cam from anywhere in the world!

Camster Pro 2 - Network Camera can be viewed by 1 or more iOS devices or web browsers simultaneously. Also, record in camera and viewer mode for up to 48 continuous hours. Install on multiple devices for viewing and recording multiple network cameras at your home or business.

Great for use as nanny camera, surveillance camera, baby cam, security and entrance camera, spy camera, vehicle anti-theft camera, property protection cam, network camera, web cam, etc. Super easy to use, no need for any network configuration setup or third party vendors to view your iPhone cam remotely, which is normally a very complicated and costly process to go through for a personal network camera.

Device Compatibility:

Viewer mode works on all devices running iOS 3.0 and up including iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad - no camera required. Camera mode works on all devices with a camera running iOS 4.0 and up including iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

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Trust and Hardworking – Search engine genie’s way of life

Our boss Mr.Vijay has been with us throughout the growth period of our company. He has only one style of working. Regardless what we are paid we do quality work for all clients. Search engine genie follows the same principle what Google used to do. We follow don’t be evil policy. Searchenginegenie.com reflects what type of work we do in our company. Search engine genie is not behind money yes we need money to survive in this competitive industry but we don’t care we give best for everyone we work for.

Our quality level remains the same for clients paying 100$ month to 12000$ a month. Everyone is treated the same way. When a client is not happy we do our best to satisfy him with promises that we can deliver the results. 99% of the cases we delivered the results but if a client is not satisfied we offered him more work. One of recent searchenginegenie.com client was not happy with results we immediately offered to work 3 months for free and within a month he was happy with our results. He never asked us to work for free anymore. Search engine genie follows strong quality control principles in working premises. We follow best work ethics and strive to give best customer satisfaction. Working hard is only one side of the story getting the best out of our work is the primary stuff. We do both successfully.

Search engine genie respects client’s privacy. We never disclose our clients unless we get approval from client to be disclosed on our website or used for reference. Certain clients we sign NDA and we never disclose their name online or by any means.

Search engine genie is ever exploring areas to provide best service to customers and bring out ideas that will make this world of internet a successful and wonderful world to be. Search engines are good to people and we at searchenginegenie.com are good to the search engines. Search engine genie prefers it is important to keep a mutual understanding between the search engines and the seo companies. We do our best to achieve 100% approval rating from search engines.

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Taxi cab spy cameras 'capture' fare cheat

A TAXI spy camera scheme has netted its first criminal after a man was caught on CCTV running off without paying his cab fare.

Now, police and council bosses hope the cameras - which are hidden in the back of taxis - will make people think twice before abusing, attacking or stealing from drivers.

The Bolton News reported in February that cameras were due to be installed in some taxis in a bid to tackle hate crime, but the scheme will be officially launched in Victoria Square today.

Six taxis - two hackney carriages and four private hire cars-from Heaton Cars, Star Cars and Metro Cars now have the devices fitted inside.

They consist of a digital CCTV system with two cameras and a microphone, which are kept in two small domes in the back of the cab.

The system records both audio and video, which is then stored on a secure hard drive until needed. The cameras cost about £1,000 each, and are being paid for by the Government in a oneyear pilot. If the scheme is successful, it may be rolled out across Bolton.

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City police seek 600 more CCTV cameras

Hyderabad: The Mumbai blasts seem to have jolted the local police and the public alike. In less than a week since the serial blasts, the Hyderabad police have sought 600 additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras. On the other hand, the images of the blasts seem to have made a significant impact on Hyderabadis as the police control room is flooded with alerts about suspicious people or objects.

As of now, there are 225 CCTV cameras in the Hyderabad police commissionerate limits while there are 55 in the Cyberabad police jurisdiction.

According to Hyderabad police commissioner A K Khan, the cameras have been used for various purposes. "Apart from traffic regulation, they are useful in maintaining law and order. We have used the camera feed to nab some accused during communal clashes last year and the ongoing Telangana agitation," Khan added.

CCTV footage has been playing a crucial role in the investigation of several crime cases, including the recent Mumbai blasts and the murder of Mid Day scribe J Dey.

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NGOs use hidden cameras to capture crime

If there is something that the two recent sting operations carried out in Mumbai and Thane reveal, it is a subtle change of tactics. Instead of seeking an ambush, the decoy patients gathered as much evidence as possible-texts and audio-visual evidence of doctors' unknowingly confessing-before passing it on to the authorities.

"We have been able to establish a nexus between gynaecologists and radiologists. We found that either gynaecologists work alone-doing the ultrasound scans to establish the sex of the unborn child and sex-selected abortions-or in tandem with radiologists," said Varsha Desphande, a Satara-based advocate and a member of Lek Ladki, an NGO that carried out the raids.

Hidden cameras, too, seem to have made an appearance. Incidentally, state government health officials had in a meeting in Beed recently debated whether the government should allow NGOs enough budget to include spy cameras as an evidence-gathering tool in their sting operations.

Radiologist Jignesh Thakker, who is the general secretary of the Indian Radiological & Imaging Association, said that medical associations were now working closely with the government to reduce female foeticide. "IRIA has given a list to the state government of 21 radiologists across Maharashtra who reportedly indulge in sex-determination. We want to expose the black sheep in our profession so that others are not tainted in the same vein," he said.

Deshpande said that it is only in India that the girl child is killed in the womb. "In the last 10 years, of the 150 cases slapped against doctors for conducting sex determination tests in Maharashtra, only three have led to convictions." If you are in need of spy cameras, please visit the store. Buy spy cameras and hidden cameras here.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/NGOs-use-hidden-cams-to-capture-crime/articleshow/9191140.cms

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North Dakota opens recovery centers for flood victims

Three recovery centers will open Monday in North Dakota -- two in Minot and one in Bismarck -- for residents in the throes of record-settings floods.

Residents can visit the locations to find out about assistance programs and have their questions answered, Gov. Jack Dalrymple said. But, he said, it is not necessary for residents to visit the centers to register for disaster assistance, which can be done by telephone or online.

Dalrymple said a tour of the area Sunday was "sobering, to say the least."

The Souris River at Minot crested at 1,561.72 feet above sea level Sunday morning, the National Weather Service said -- below earlier predictions but still almost 4 feet above an 1881 record. Water levels had fallen to 1,561.4 feet by early Monday, according to the weather service website.

"At this point, the river has had its crest so far in Minot, but a number of locations downstream still have some high water yet to come," said Richard Kinney, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Bismarck, North Dakota.

A boil-water order, issued as a precaution Saturday, remained in effect. Minot officials told residents that tap water should be boiled for at least a minute before consuming in order to kill any dangerous organisms.

Republican Rep. Rick Berg said he had been in touch with officials in Washington -- which has authorized FEMA to grant assistance -- and expressed optimism that the government will work well with residents to overcome the challenges.

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Barack Obama pulling troops back to home from Afghanistan

Beginning to wind down a long and devastating war, President Barack Obama announced Wednesday night he was pulling home 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by next summer, withdrawing the "surge" of forces he had sent to rescue a flailing effort. Said Obama to a country eager for an exit: "The tide of war is receding."

A total of 10,000 troops will leave the war zone by the end of this year - fulfilling Obama's promise - and more than 20,000 additional forces will leave by the summer of 2012, shortly before the president will go before voters in search of a second term.

Still, almost 70,000 U.S. troops will remain in an unstable country, fighting in a war bound to see more Americans killed. Obama said they will leave at a steady pace, but the U.S. combat mission is not expected to end until December 2014 - and even then, a sizable and enduring contingent may remain in a different role.

Obama's announcement from the White House came in a perilous political environment, with Americans soured on the war and the economy, many members of Congress pushing him to get troops home even faster, and his Republican presidential rivals taking shots at his leadership at every chance. Conceding the economic strain of waging war at a time of rising debt and fiscal constraint, Obama said it was time for America "to focus on nation building here at home."

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Apple may abandon Samsung as dispute escalates

Samsung is demanding to see Apple's upcoming products as the legal melee between the companies escalates, and the schism between the competing allies widens.

The Asian consumer electronics giant is insisting access in hopes that it can better "prepare its defense against any preliminary injunction motion brought against Samsung by Apple for trademark or trade dress infringement."

In recent weeks Apple has charged the rival with copying its product ideas, so its slightly ironic that the request for product access isn't Samsung's idea in the first place.

Apple last week asked a California district court to order Samsung to turn over a variety of its devices, including the to-be-released Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet. The court agreed, but imposed the condition that only Apple's external lawyers would be allowed access to any of Samsung's pre-production products.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/154442/20110530/apple-raises-the-bar-in-samsung-dispute.html

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Does Libya mission need ground troops after all?

The deployment of foreign troops on the ground in Libya could boost the NATO-led mission to protect civilians, though opponents of such a scenario from within the coalition may be difficult to convince, leading analysts say.

On Tuesday the European Union revealed that it would be prepared to launch a military operation for humanitarian assistance in the war-torn North African country if it is supported by the United Nations.

The mission, featuring "definitely less than 1,000" troops, would "contribute to the safe movement and evacuation of displaced persons" and support humanitarian agencies in their activities, The Council of the European Union said in a statement.

Separately, Britain, France and Italy also confirmed they would be sending military officers to Libya to advise the rebels, though French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet ruled out sending ground troops to fight alongside them.

To read full article, please visit here.

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Japan Nuclear Plant Operator to Pay Damages

Japan's government on Friday ordered Tokyo Electric Power Company to begin paying provisional compensation to nearly 50,000 families who lived near the damaged Fukushima-1 nuclear plant.

Industry Minister Banri Kaieda says he wants the company to quickly hand out the payments.

Kaieda says the money is meant to assist with short-term living expenses for those who had to quickly evacuate with only the most basic of necessities.

Tokyo Electric president Masataka Shimizu announced families within a radius of 30 kilometers from the nuclear plant will get one million yen - which is about $12,000 - while single-member households will received 75 percent of that amount.

To read the full article, please visit here.

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Talks set stage for various areas of cooperation

A joint statement issued at the end of the two-day Home/Interior Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan here on Tuesday flagged various areas of cooperation, including countering drug and human trafficking, streamlining visa procedure, fake currency, cyber crimes and maritime cooperation.

India provided information on the ongoing probe into the Samjhauta Express blast. It was also agreed that after filing the report in the court, updated information will be shared with the Pakistani authorities concerned.

On the issue of providing India voice samples of alleged masterminds of the attack, sources said Pakistani officials had said that a lower court had rejected their case in this regard. An appeal had been filed with the High Court and a positive outcome was expected, the Indian delegation was told.

The statement said both the sides agreed to set-up a joint working group to examine the modalities for streamlining the visa procedure/modalities and for giving a final shape to revision of the bilateral visa agreement.

Official sources indicated that a proposal had been put forth to relax norms for issuance of visa to journalists, businessmen, senior citizens and patients coming for medical treatment.

The Indian side also proposed to relax norms for people who have a valid visa and want to travel again within the span of two years, by removing time-consuming security background check process, which is done from here.

The Indian High Commission in Pakistan will be empowered to issue necessary permissions to such travellers, the sources said. The delegations also exchanged views on the decisions taken in the last round of talks held in Islamabad in 2008.

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Oscar winning actress - Sandra Bullock donates $1 million to Japan

Actress Sandra Bullock sent a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross this week to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, the Red Cross said Thursday.

It is the largest celebrity donation to the Red Cross to be announced since the disaster struck last Friday, although the charity may have gotten large contributions that were kept confidential at the donors' request.

"This contribution is vitally important as the Red Cross works to provide critical assistance and essential relief items in this time of urgent need for so many people in Japan," the relief organization said.

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Spotlight on Solar Energy - Intelligence Report

Executive Summary:

• Rising global demand for energy is driving investment in both traditional and alternative energy sources.
• Fear of cutbacks in European subsidies have pressured solar stocks – offering attractive valuations.
• China’s energy demand should pick up European slack as the country sets aggressive renewable energy goals.
• Three key solar stocks are well-positioned trading opportunities as the solar market rebounds:JA Solar Holdings (JASO), JinkoSolar Holding Co. (JKS) and ReneSola Ltd. (SOL)

In a market traditionally dominated by coal and oil, energy demand has broadened to include natural gas, nuclear power, wind, geothermal and of course solar. But despite viable alternatives entering the marketplace, an advancing global population continues to face supply challenges and the potential for energy shortages.

Recent unrest in the Middle East has added uncertainty to the mix as energy traders scramble to put together scenarios for different regime possibilities. Egypt’s revolution caught the limelight as the country has been a relatively strong US ally, and a stabilizing factor for the entire region. If Mubarak’s stranglehold on the country is replaced by a less peaceful regime, it could dramatically change the political and economic landscape.

But in addition to Egypt, unrest is popping up in other countries like Iran, Tunisia, and Algeria. Rising inflation (specifically food costs) is lighting the kindling of revolution that has sat dormant for generations. The political and economic landscape of the Middle East may experience vast change in the next 12 to 36 months.

The Effect on Alternative Energy

Significant disruptions (or even the possibility of disruptions) in traditional energy markets spurs demand for alternatives. Over the past few months, a number of non-oil energy companies like Uranium Miners, Natural Gas Producers got attractive opportunities.

Now Solar energy market is experiencing its own rebound both in terms of improving business dynamics, as well as a better trading environment for solar stocks.

The solar energy market is loosely correlated to traditional oil prices. As oil prices increase, solar energy becomes more competitive and catches the attention of investment managers. Of course there are other factors such as competition against natural gas electricity plants, as well as traditional coal economics.

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