PBS 'Masterpiece' producer has book deal

NEW YORK (AP) ? A longtime producer at PBS is ready to pull back the curtains on "Downton Abbey" and other "Masterpiece" favorites.

Rebecca Eaton, executive producer of the "Masterpiece" series for more than a quarter century, has a deal with Viking for "Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes of Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery!"

The publisher announced Wednesday that the book will come out Oct. 29. Patricia Mulcahy will co-write "Making Masterpiece."

According to Viking, Eaton will share stories about Daniel Radcliffe, Maggie Smith and other performers and will write about such popular programs as "Downton Abbey" and "Prime Suspect." Productions from "Masterpiece" have won numerous Emmy, Peabody and Golden Globe awards.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pbs-masterpiece-producer-book-deal-172634563.html

mariah carey Macklemore History Channel The Bible alex smith alex smith The Bible History Channel Melissa King

Dow ends at another record close as cyclicals rally

By Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks advanced on Tuesday, with the Dow closing at a record high on a rally in cyclical shares and as earnings season started to heat up.

With the day's advance, the S&P 500 again neared its all-time intraday high of 1,576.09, recovering from steep losses last week, the index's worst of 2013.

The return to near-record levels indicates that investors are again using market declines as buying opportunities. The top sectors of the day, technology and energy, are groups that are closely tied to the pace of economic growth.

"It's encouraging that we're seeing cyclical sectors lead the rally. It's a healthy sign - investors believe the market can continue to run higher," said Joseph Tanious, global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds in New York.

Among blue-chip technology stocks, Microsoft Corp jumped 3.6 percent to $29.61 as the Dow's top percentage gainer. Intel Corp shares shot up 3.1 percent to $21.75 while Hewlett-Packard rose 1.3 percent to $22.22. The S&P technology sector <.splrct> advanced 0.8 percent while the Philadelphia semiconductor sector <.sox> gained 0.9 percent.

An S&P index of energy shares <.spny> rose 0.8 percent, climbing alongside a rise of 0.9 percent in the price of U.S. crude oil, which was up on inflation data from China that reduced concerns about monetary tightening. Halliburton Co rose 1.8 percent to $39.11 and Chevron Corp gained 0.7 percent to $118.64.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> advanced 59.98 points, or 0.41 percent, to 14,673.46, a record closing high. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> gained 5.54 points, or 0.35 percent, to 1,568.61. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> added 15.61 points, or 0.48 percent, to close at 3,237.86.

The Dow also touched a record intraday high at 14,716.46.

Stocks also got a boost from a promising start to the earnings season. While only 5 percent of S&P 500 companies have reported results so far, almost three-quarters of them have topped expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data. Still, profits are seen rising just 1.5 percent from a year-ago quarter, down from estimates in January for growth of 4.3 percent.

"Expectations have gotten managed down to the point where we could more easily see companies beat expectations, making it easier for us to pop," said Kristen Scarpa, a New York-based investment strategist at Barclays, which has a year-end target of 1,595 for the S&P 500.

Late Monday, Alcoa Inc reported adjusted earnings that beat expectations, though revenue was below forecasts. Shares of Alcoa, which as the first Dow component is unofficially seen as setting the tone for the earnings season, closed flat on the day at $8.39.

There have been 4.7 negative first-quarter preannouncements for each positive one, according to Thomson Reuters data, the worst ratio since the third quarter of 2001.

Bucking that trend, however, was First Solar Inc , which surged 45.5 percent to $39.35 as the S&P 500's top gainer by far after forecasting 2013 earnings and revenue well above expectations.

The news lifted the solar sector, with Yingli Green Energy climbing 21 percent to $2.24 and Trina Solar up 14.6 percent at $4.40. The Market Vectors Solar Energy ETF rose almost 13 percent to $40.68.

About 56 percent of the shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange closed in positive territory. In contrast, 53 percent of Nasdaq-listed shares closed lower.

Volume was light, with about 5.71 billion shares changing hands on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and NYSE MKT, below the daily average so far this year of about 6.48 billion shares.

Recent data have shown the U.S. economy is growing but at a slow pace. The March payrolls report showed jobs creation was less than half of what economists had expected. Analysts said, however, that the market has the momentum to push indexes higher, even with the Dow Jones industrial average up about 12 percent and the S&P 500 up about 10 percent for the year.

J.C. Penney was the S&P 500's largest percentage loser, tumbling 12.2 percent to $13.93 after the department store's board ousted Chief Executive Ron Johnson and replaced him with his predecessor.

Though Penney's board may not face serious legal challenges, shareholders may question whether the move to replace Johnson with Myron Ullman, who Johnson himself replaced in late 2011, is good for them.

Shares of nutritional company Herbalife fell 3.8 percent to $36.95 after the company announced KPMG had resigned as Herbalife's independent accountant after one of its senior partners engaged in insider trading in Herbalife stock.

Earlier, the stock was halted from trading after the New York Times reported KPMG would resign.

(Editing by Jan Paschal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-futures-signal-mixed-open-093026199--finance.html

norovirus Coachella 2013 Eclampsia Kendrick Lamar JJ Abrams New Orleans Pelicans chris brown

Few to no work efficiencies when different providers read different scans on same patient

Public release date: 9-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Shawn Farley
PR@acr.org
703-648-8936
American College of Radiology

Medicare estimates of potential work savings greatly exaggerated

According to a new study published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, any efficiencies in physician interpretation and diagnosis gained when different providers interpret different medical imaging scans performed on the same patient are minute and vary by procedure.

Specifically, no potential intra-service work duplication was found when different exam interpretations were rendered by different physicians in the same group practice. Small potential efficiencies were found possible regarding pre- and post-service activities. Across all modalities (scan types), this corresponds to a maximum Medicare professional component physician fee reduction of only 0.95 percent to 1.87 percent for services regarding the same type of scan. For services from different modalities, potential duplications were too small to even quantify.

This issue is debated in health policy circles because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently enacted a 25 percent Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction to Medicare reimbursement for interpretation of advanced diagnostic imaging scans performed on the same patient, in the same session. This reduction applies across all physicians in a group or practice. It does not affect the number of scans ordered, only interpretation of scans already performed. This type of reduction has recently been expanded to physical therapy, cardiovascular and ophthalmology technical services as well.

"These findings are important because the exams affected are primarily used to care for the most sick or injured patients those with massive head and body trauma, stroke or widespread cancer. These people often require interpretations by different doctors to survive. This study shows that the data Medicare used to justify funding cuts was inflated by 1,200 percent and not reflective of clinical practice," said Geraldine McGinty, M.D., chair of the American College of Radiology Commission on Economics.

Because each imaging study produces a set of images requiring individual interpretation, a physician is ethically and professionally obligated to expend the same time and effort, regardless of the date or time of service. Studies show that medical imaging use and imaging costs are down significantly since 2006.

"While potential efficiencies exist in physician pre- and post-service work when same-session, same-modality imaging services are rendered by different physicians in the same group practice, these are relatively minuscule, and have been grossly overestimated. These findings support the need for greater transparency and methodological rigor when health care regulatory actions are taken," said McGinty.

###

To arrange an interview with an ACR spokesperson, please contact Shawn Farley.

---

[ | 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.

Public release date: 9-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Shawn Farley
PR@acr.org
703-648-8936
American College of Radiology

Medicare estimates of potential work savings greatly exaggerated

According to a new study published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, any efficiencies in physician interpretation and diagnosis gained when different providers interpret different medical imaging scans performed on the same patient are minute and vary by procedure.

Specifically, no potential intra-service work duplication was found when different exam interpretations were rendered by different physicians in the same group practice. Small potential efficiencies were found possible regarding pre- and post-service activities. Across all modalities (scan types), this corresponds to a maximum Medicare professional component physician fee reduction of only 0.95 percent to 1.87 percent for services regarding the same type of scan. For services from different modalities, potential duplications were too small to even quantify.

This issue is debated in health policy circles because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently enacted a 25 percent Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction to Medicare reimbursement for interpretation of advanced diagnostic imaging scans performed on the same patient, in the same session. This reduction applies across all physicians in a group or practice. It does not affect the number of scans ordered, only interpretation of scans already performed. This type of reduction has recently been expanded to physical therapy, cardiovascular and ophthalmology technical services as well.

"These findings are important because the exams affected are primarily used to care for the most sick or injured patients those with massive head and body trauma, stroke or widespread cancer. These people often require interpretations by different doctors to survive. This study shows that the data Medicare used to justify funding cuts was inflated by 1,200 percent and not reflective of clinical practice," said Geraldine McGinty, M.D., chair of the American College of Radiology Commission on Economics.

Because each imaging study produces a set of images requiring individual interpretation, a physician is ethically and professionally obligated to expend the same time and effort, regardless of the date or time of service. Studies show that medical imaging use and imaging costs are down significantly since 2006.

"While potential efficiencies exist in physician pre- and post-service work when same-session, same-modality imaging services are rendered by different physicians in the same group practice, these are relatively minuscule, and have been grossly overestimated. These findings support the need for greater transparency and methodological rigor when health care regulatory actions are taken," said McGinty.

###

To arrange an interview with an ACR spokesperson, please contact Shawn Farley.

---

[ | 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/2013-04/acor-ftn040913.php

2013 Oscars academy awards Sally Field The Oscars Searching For Sugar Man george clooney Zero Dark Thirty

Cuba turning over Florida couple, children to U.S.

HAVANA (AP) ? A Florida couple accused of kidnapping their two young sons and fleeing by boat to Havana will be handed over to the United States, Cuban officials said after taking them into custody at a marina in the capital.

U.S. diplomats in Havana said in a statement early Wednesday that the two children had left Cuba and "are safely on their way home." The statement did not mention whether the parents had left for the U.S.

"We would like to express our appreciation to the Cuban authorities for their extensive cooperation to resolve this dangerous situation quickly," said the statement released by the U.S. Interests Section in Havana.

Earlier Tuesday, Foreign Ministry official Johana Tablada told The Associated Press in a written statement that Cuba had informed U.S. authorities of the country's decision to turn over Joshua Michael Hakken, his wife Sharyn, and their two young boys.

U.S. authorities say Joshua Michael Hakken kidnapped his sons, 4-year-old Cole and 2-year-old Chase, from his mother-in-law's house north of Tampa. The boys' maternal grandparents had been granted permanent custody of the boys last week.

Tablada did not say when the handover would occur, but reporters saw Sharyn Hakken leaving the dock of the Hemingway Marina in the back seat of a Cuban government vehicle and workers later said that all four Hakkens had been taken away.

An AP reporter spotted the family earlier Tuesday beside their boat at the marina. A man who resembled photographs of Joshua Michael Hakken yelled out "Stop! Stay back!" as the reporter approached, but there was no outward sign of tension or distress between the family members.

Tablada said Cuba tipped the State Department off to the Hakkens' presence on Sunday and that from that moment "diplomatic contact has been exchanged and a professional and constant communication has been maintained."

The U.S. and Cuba share no extradition agreement and the island nation is also not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international treaty for governmental cooperation on such cases.

Cuba has harbored U.S. fugitives in the past, though most of those cases date back to the 1960s and 70s, when the island became a refuge for members of the Black Panthers and other militant groups. More recently, dozens of Cuban Medicare fraud fugitives in the U.S. have tried to escape prosecution by returning to the island.

But Cuba has also cooperated with U.S. authorities in returning several criminal fugitives in recent years, including Leonard B. Auerbach in 2008. Auerbach was wanted in California on federal charges of sexually abusing a Costa Rican girl and possessing child pornography. He was deported.

In 2011, U.S. marshals flew to Cuba and took custody of two American suspects wanted in a New Jersey murder.

Hakken lost custody of his sons last year after a drug possession arrest in Louisiana and later tried to take the children from a foster home at gunpoint, authorities said. A warrant has been issued for his arrest on two counts of kidnapping; interference with child custody; child neglect; false imprisonment and other charges.

"My team and I working very hard to ensure safety for two Amcit kids," Conrad Tribble, the No. 2 U.S. diplomat on the island, said via Twitter later Tuesday, using a shorthand for "American citizens."

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Hakken entered his mother-in-law's Florida house last Wednesday, tied her up and fled with his sons. Federal, state and local authorities searched by air and sea for a boat Hakken had recently bought. The truck Hakken, his wife and the boys had been traveling in was found Thursday, abandoned in Madeira Beach, Florida.

"He'll have to face in Hillsborough county the charges he has with the sheriff's office," spokeswoman Cristal Bermudez Nunez Nunez said. She said she did not know how the family would be returned or what will happen when they arrive on U.S. soil.

Terri Durdaller, a spokeswoman at the Florida Department of Children and Families, said it was not clear where the children will ultimately be placed.

"Louisiana is the ultimate decision maker on where these children will reside. It's likely they will be placed back in Florida with the grandmother," she said.

The family's flight to Cuba harkened back to the 1999 child custody case involving Elian Gonzalez, though unlike Gonzalez, the Hakkens had no apparent ties to the island.

In 1999, 5-year-old Gonzalez was found clinging to an inner tube off Florida after his mother and others drowned while fleeing Cuba toward American soil. The boy was taken to Miami to live with relatives, but his father in Cuba demanded the boy be sent back.

U.S. courts ultimately ruled Gonzalez should be sent back, though his Miami relatives refused to return him. In April 2000, U.S. federal agents raided the family's home and he was returned to Cuba soon after. He has since grown into a young man and joined a military academy.

At the Havana marina on Tuesday, the family showed no sign they knew a decision about their fate had been made. The four strolled by an outdoor restaurant as security officials kept reporters at a distance. The youngest child was seated in a stroller and the elder boy sat down on a curb.

_____

Associated Press writers Christine Armario, Curt Anderson and Kelli Kennedy in Miami; Kevin McGill in New Orleans; and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

_____

Paul Haven on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paulhaven

Peter Orsi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Peter_Orsi

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cuba-turning-over-florida-couple-children-us-072345527.html

bernard hopkins nfl draft grades devils la riots rachel maddow gia utah jazz

Louisville beats Michigan 82-76 for NCAA title

Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) walks off the court as confetti falls on Louisville players, including Russ Smith (2), Luke Hancock (11), Stephan Van Treese (44) and Zach Price (25), after the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game, Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville won 82-76. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)

Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) walks off the court as confetti falls on Louisville players, including Russ Smith (2), Luke Hancock (11), Stephan Van Treese (44) and Zach Price (25), after the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game, Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville won 82-76. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Curtis Compton)

Louisville forward Chane Behanan (21) reacts after defeating Michigan after the second half of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville won 82-76. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Louisville guard/forward Luke Hancock (11) reacts to play against the Michigan during the first half of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino celebrates after the team defeated Michigan 82-76 during the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game, Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Louisville guard Peyton Siva (3) and Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) work during the second half of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

ATLANTA (AP) ? What a week for Rick Pitino! He's elected to the Hall of Fame. His horse is headed to the Kentucky Derby. His son gets a prominent head coaching job.

Then he caps it off with what he wanted most.

Another national championship.

For that, he can thank 13 of the grittiest guys he's ever coached.

Luke Hancock produced another huge game off the bench, scoring 22 points, and Pitino became the first coach to win national titles at two schools when Louisville rallied from another 12-point deficit to beat Michigan 82-76 in the NCAA championship game Monday night.

"This team is one of the most together, toughest and hard-nosed teams," the coach said. "Being down never bothers us. They just come back."

More like relentless to the very end.

They're not stopping now, either. The players intend to hold Pitino to a promise he made: If they won a national title, he'd get a tattoo.

Better leave a lot of space, coach, if you want to make this a tribute to the team.

"I have a couple of ideas," said Hancock, who became the first sub in tournament history to be designated as most outstanding player. "He doesn't know what he's getting into."

"Our biggest motivation," Peyton Siva added, "was to get coach a tattoo."

That's about the only thing that didn't exactly turn out in Petino's favor. Earlier Monday, he was introduced as a member of the latest Hall of Fame class. On Saturday, his horse won the Santa Anita Derby to set up a run for the roses. And last week his son got the coaching job at Minnesota.

The Cardinals (35-5) lived up to their billing as the top overall seed in the tournament, though they sure had to work for it.

Louisville trailed Wichita State by a dozen in the second half before rallying for a 72-68 victory. This time, they fell behind by 12 in the first half, then unleashed a stunning spurt led by Hancock that wiped out the entire deficit before the break.

"I had the 13 toughest guys I've ever coached," Pitino said. "I'm just amazed they could accomplish everything we put out there."

No one was tougher than Hancock, who matched his season high after a 20-point effort in the semifinal victory over Wichita State. This time, he came off the bench to hit four straight 3-pointers in the first half after Michigan got a boost from an even more unlikely player.

Freshman Spike Albrecht made four straight from beyond the arc, too, blowing by his career high before the break with 17 points. Coming in, Albrecht was averaging 1.8 points a game and had not scored more than seven all season.

Albrecht didn't do much in the second half, but Hancock finished what he started for Louisville. He made it 5-for-5 when he hit his final 3 from the corner with 3:20 remaining to give the Cardinals their biggest lead, 76-66. Michigan wouldn't go away, but Hancock wrapped it up by making two free throws with 29 seconds left.

While Pitino shrugged off any attempt to make this about him, there was no doubt the Cardinals wanted to win a national title for someone else ? injured guard Kevin Ware.

Watching again from his seat at the end of the Louisville bench, his injured right leg propped up on a chair, Ware smiled and slapped hands with his teammates as they celebrated in the closing seconds, the victory coming just 30 miles from where he played his high school ball.

Ware's gruesome injury during the regional final will forever be linked to this tournament. He landed awkwardly, snapped his leg and was left writhing on the floor with the bone sticking through the skin. On this night, he hobbled gingerly onto the court with the aid of crutches, basking in a sea of confetti and streamers.

Louisville again came out wearing Ware's No. 5 on the back of their warmup jerseys; the front said, "Ri5e to the Occasion." When the title belonged to the Cardinals, Ware put on a championship cap and got a big hug from Pitino. Then, they lowered the basket so the injured player could cut a strand out of the net.

This one belonged to him as much as anyone on the court.

"These are my brothers," Ware said. "They got the job done. I'm so proud of them, so proud of them."

Siva added 18 points for the Cardinals, who closed the season on a 16-game winning streak, and Chane Behanan chipped in with 15 points and 12 rebounds as Louisville slowly but surely closed out the Wolverines (31-8).

Michigan was in the title game for the first time since the Fab Five lost the second of two straight championship games in 1993. Players from that team, including Chris Webber, cheered on the latest group of young stars.

But, like the Fab Five, national player of the year Trey Burke and a squad with three freshman starters came up short in the last game of the season.

"A lot of people didn't expect us to get this far," said Burke, who led the Wolverines with 24 points. "A lot of people didn't expect us to get past the second round. We fought. We fought up to this point, but Louisville was the better team today, and they're deserving of the win."

Louisville has a chance to make it two national titles in 24 hours.

The surprising women's team faces Connecticut on Tuesday night in the championship game at New Orleans.

Good luck matching this breakneck finale. The first half, in particular, might have been the most entertaining 20 minutes of the entire men's tournament.

Burke started out on fire for Michigan, hitting his first three shots and scoring seven points to match his output from the semifinal victory over Syracuse, when he made only 1-of-8 shots.

Albrecht took control when Burke picked up his second foul and had to go to the bench for the rest of the half. The kid whose nickname comes from his first pair of baseball spikes showed he's a pretty good hoops player, knocking down one 3-pointer after another to send the Wolverines to a double-digit lead.

When Albrecht blew by Tim Henderson with a brilliant hesitation move, Michigan led 33-21 and Louisville was forced to call timeout. The freshman was mobbed on the Michigan bench, as if the Wolverines had already won the national title, with one teammate waving a towel in tribute.

"That was honestly, probably back to high school days," Albrecht said, remembering when he's had a similar stretch. "Coach (John) Beilein doesn't play guys with two fouls in the first half, so I knew I was in the rest of the half, and I was fortunately hitting shots. Teammates were finding me. That's about it."

It didn't last. Not against Louisville.

The Cardinals came back one more time.

"We just went into war right there with a great Michigan team," Hancock said. "We needed a rally and we've been doing it for a couple of games straight, being down. We just had to wait and make our run."

Burke, who played only six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, finished with 24 points and did his best to give Michigan its first championship since 1989. But he couldn't do it alone. Albrecht was held scoreless after the break, and no one else posted more than 12 points for the Wolverines.

Still, it was quite a run for a fourth-seeded team that knocked off No. 1-seeded Kansas with the greatest comeback of the tournament, rallying from 14 points down in the second half to beat the Jayhawks in the round of the 16.

But they came up against the ultimate comeback team in the final.

"I've had a lot of really good teams over the years, and some emotional locker rooms, and that was the most emotional we've ever had," Beilein said. "The team unity we had, the sacrifice we had from five seniors who did not get to play very much, to these young guys buying into the team concept.

"We feel bad about it. There are some things we could have done better and get a win, but at the same time, Louisville is a terrific basketball team. We have not seen that quickness anywhere."

Louisville had already pulled off a stunning rally in the Big East championship game ? down by 16 in the second half, they won by 17 ? and another against Wichita State. They surged back again behind their own ace off the bench.

Hancock matched Albrecht from the 3-point stripe. Then, trapping the youngster and knocking the ball away, he set up a fast break that ended with Siva flipping up a lob that Montrezl Harrell slammed through for a dunk, capping a stunning 16-3 run in less than 4 minutes that gave the Cardinals their first lead of the night, 37-36.

Glenn Robinson III made two free throws with two seconds left to give Michigan a 38-37 lead at halftime.

But everyone knew this game was just getting started.

And when it was done, Pitino, Ware and the Cardinals were celebrating in the middle of the mammoth Georgia Dome, assuring the national title will stay in the bluegrass another year.

Last season, it was Kentucky winning it all, the same team that gave Pitino his first title in 1996.

Now, he's got another one ? right down the road in Louisville.

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-09-NCAA%20Championship/id-7572fb62a4944fcf81330ab91c332d77

bloom energy franklin graham jambalaya taylor swift and zac efron basketball wives manny ramirez easter 2012

Death toll in Egypt's Muslim-Christian clashes at Cairo cathedral rises to 2

CAIRO - A senior Egyptian health ministry official says the death toll in clashes between Muslims and Christians in Cairo has risen to two. Eighty-nine people were injured.

Health Ministry official Khaled el-Khateib said Monday that the identity of the second fatality was not immediately known. The first fatality was Christian.

The clashes took place outside the St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo on Sunday following a funeral service for four Christians killed in sectarian violence the day before. A Muslim was also killed in the violence in Khosoos, a town just north of Cairo.

During the funeral service, mourners chanted against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, calling on him to step down. Morsi condemned the violence, saying he considered any attack on the cathedral as an attack against him personally.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/death-toll-egypts-muslim-christian-clashes-cairo-cathedral-100009896.html

mac virus santorum drops out bby zimmerman website miami marlins marlins marlins

Stocks open mixed on Wall Street ahead of earnings

Trader Luigi Muccitelli, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, April 4, 2013. Stocks are notching small gains in early trading after the U.S. government reported that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level since late November. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Luigi Muccitelli, right, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, April 4, 2013. Stocks are notching small gains in early trading after the U.S. government reported that the number of people applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level since late November. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks are mixed in early trading on Wall Street as traders gear up for the beginning of corporate earnings reports.

The Dow Jones industrial average was off 23 points, or 0.2 percent, at 14,541 shortly after the opening bell Monday.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down less than a point, or 0.04 percent, at 1,552. The Nasdaq composite rose five points, or 0.1 percent, to 3,208.

Investors are turning their attention to U.S. corporate earnings results following a dismal report on employment on Friday.

Aluminum maker Alcoa becomes the first company in the Dow Jones industrial average to report its results later Monday, after the close of trading.

European markets were slightly higher.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-08-US-Wall-Street-Open/id-7d2e03d042944d17911e4f3b058969e1

Petraeus Mia Love wall street journal us map Electoral Map concede Obama Acceptance Speech

Officials: Explosions kill 2 in northern Iraq

BAGHDAD (AP) ? Officials say two explosions in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul have killed two soldiers and wounded another seven people.

A police officer says five soldiers were among those wounded in a car bomb Sunday in an industrial area of the city, 360 kilometers (225 miles) northwest of Baghdad. He says two civilians also were wounded when another bomb placed under a vehicle exploded.

A health official confirmed the casualties.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings.

Sunni militants often attack soldiers, hoping to erode confidence in the Shiite-led government.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/officials-explosions-kill-2-northern-iraq-155418980.html

weather channel Rivals Kaepernick Eddie Vanderdoes puppy bowl national pancake day bar refaeli

Outsourcing under scanner? Canada to probe RBC&#39;s work with ...

Toronto: Canada is investigating a report that its largest bank is using temporary foreign workers hired by outsourcing company iGate,which has most of its operations in India, to effectively replace existing staff, a situation the government said it would not accept.

A Conservative government minister revealed the probe on Saturday after a report from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC story said Royal Bank of Canada? was planning to eliminate about 50 employees in its investor services division in Toronto and have the work done by outsourcing company iGate Corp.

Labour groups say employers are not doing enough to find Canadians to fill those jobs. Reuters

RBC said on Sunday it had not directly hired temporary foreign workers to take over the work of its current employees.

But Zabeen Hirji, the bank?s chief human resources officer, said RBC looked to suppliers like iGate to ensure it complies with existing Canadian laws. She said she was not sure of the exact visa status of iGate?s employees working at the Canadian offices of the bank.

?We ask them to undertake that they follow all the rules and regulations for everything including employment ? at the end of the day iGate has to answer that question,? she told Reuters in a telephone interview, adding that the bank was seeking further information from iGate about the status of the workers.

The US-incorporated outsourcing company did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Canada?s Conservative government has already said it will review a temporary foreign worker programme that lets employers fill jobs with non-Canadians when qualified citizens or permanent residents are not available because of skills and labour shortages.

Labour groups say employers are not doing enough to find Canadians to fill those jobs.

In a statement after the CBC report, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley said late on Saturday that Canadians must always be the first in line for hiring opportunities.

The programme ?was never intended as a means to bring in temporary foreign workers in order to replace already-employed Canadian workers. This is why we have launched a review of the program,? she said in a statement.

The government minister said she instructed staff to work with citizenship and immigration officials ?to determine the next steps? in the RBC and iGate situation.

RBC?s Hirji said about 45 workers were affected by the outsourcing plan. She said so far about 20 of those were set to find other jobs in the bank or had accepted retirement packages. She added the hope is a majority will find work somewhere within RBC.

Canada?s banking industry is dominated by a half dozen major lenders, which emerged largely unscathed from the global financial crisis and have repeatedly been ranked among the world?s most stable.

Reuters

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/business/outsourcing-under-scanner-canada-to-probe-rbcs-work-with-igate-689706.html

clayton kershaw tyler perry face transplant fab melo google glasses kim kardashian and kanye west henrik stenson

Final Four: It's Louisville and The Other Guys

Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. works with a ball during practice the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game against Syracuse, Friday, April 5, 2013, in Atlanta. Michigan plays Syracuse in a semifinal game on Saturday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. works with a ball during practice the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game against Syracuse, Friday, April 5, 2013, in Atlanta. Michigan plays Syracuse in a semifinal game on Saturday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Michigan head coach John Beilein walks on the floor during practice the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game against Syracuse, Friday, April 5, 2013, in Atlanta. Michigan plays Syracuse in a semifinal game on Saturday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino speaks to his players during practice for their NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball semifinal game against Wichita State, Friday, April 5, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville plays Wichita State in a semifinal game on Saturday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA (AP) ? Tip-off time is nearing. Time to see if Louisville can live up to the hype or one of those other guys can turn the Final Four into their party.

The Cardinals are not only the favorites to win the national championship, they've become sentimental favorites, as well, after rallying around Kevin Ware, the guard whose compound leg fracture in last week's regional final turned stomachs, while also warming hearts and setting the story line for this week in Atlanta.

"With Kevin going down, especially the way he did, it's just making us play harder," Louisville forward Wayne Blackshear said Friday.

In Saturday's opening national semifinal at the Georgia Dome, the Cardinals ? No. 1 seeds in the entire tournament ? play ninth-seeded Wichita State, which has sprung upsets of Gonzaga and Ohio State en route to that program's first Final Four appearance since 1965.

The second semifinal pits a pair of No. 4 seeds, Michigan and Syracuse, two programs with plenty of tradition but largely considered subplots in a week dominated by Louisville and Ware. (To say nothing of the news going down at Rutgers, where video of coach Mike Rice hitting players led to his ouster, the departure of the athletic director and other problems.)

"I'm just glad to know Kevin Ware now even more because he's probably the most famous person I know," Louisville guard Peyton Siva said. "You know, when you have Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama call you, it's pretty good to say you know that person."

Wichita State has one player (Carl Hall) who salvaged his career after working in a light bulb factory and two more (Ron Baker and Malcolm Armstead) who paid their way to come to school and started on the team as walk-ons. Its coach has invited fans into the locker room after big wins. In most years, this would be the school with all the makings of a team the whole country can get behind.

Problem is, in this case, Louisville and Ware are already tugging on America's heart strings.

"We're brothers for life," swingman Luke Hancock said. "I have that guy's back in any situation. I know he has mine."

Louisville (33-5) is a 10?-point favorite against the Shockers (30-8).

The second semifinal is expected to be more competitive. Michigan (30-7) is a 2-point favorite against Syracuse (30-9). The Wolverines are back at the Final Four for the first time since the Fab Five led them there in 1993. Syracuse returns on the 10-year anniversary of its only title, led by Carmelo Anthony.

The featured players in this game: For Michigan, Trey Burke, The Associated Press Player of the Year. And for Syracuse, well, it's coach Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone defense.

How will Boeheim try to stop Burke, whose long-range 3-pointer against Kansas sent the game into overtime and set the stage for the Wolverines run to Atlanta?

"I don't pay attention to matchups," Boeheim said. "It's teams. Teams play."

Indeed, during interviews Friday, the Syracuse players sounded plenty confident that their team could stop Burke and the rest of the Wolverines, who followed their victory over top-seeded Kansas with a 20-point blowout of Florida in the regional final.

"It's tough to go against our zone when you've never seen it before," forward C.J. Fair said. "We want to force him to do some things he's not done before."

While Burke may be the most-watched player in the second game, all eyes figure to be on Ware in the opener, even though he'll never touch a basketball.

He lives near Atlanta and traveled with the team for the Final Four. When the Cardinals arrived Wednesday night, he was in a wheelchair and the plan is for him to be on the bench for the game.

Louisville faces some practical concerns not having Ware in the lineup.

He was the main substitute for Russ Smith and Siva, the guards who guide the Louisville press and its offense, as well.

"Our players totally understand the challenge that lies ahead with this Wichita State team," coach Rick Pitino said. "We understand with Kevin out that we not only have to play very hard, we have to play very, very smart."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-06-Final%20Four/id-90e2ccf73fd0438ca0e754430880a751

tagged Heptathlon London 2012 shot put London 2012 Track And Field Jordyn Wieber michael phelps Kerri Strug

10 Best Educational Websites For Students - blog*spot

Educational websites help students learning any kind of subject easily. You can find thousands of helpful educational websites on the internet that help students learning courses and other things very easily.?In this article, you can see some useful educational websites that help student free of cost.

1.?W3schools - W3school is one of the best educational websites where users can learn free computer languages. This site provides many useful tools and examples so that users can understand easily any subject. W3schools teaches student HTML, XML ,Javascript , jQuery , SQL , ASP.NET etc free of charge. Users don't need to join or register on the site, just visit the site and start learning easily.

2. Google Books - Google Books is one of the best web portals where users can find millions of useful books free of cost. One of the best services on the internet?by Google?that is available for free.

3. ESLgold - If you want to improve your English to use this language professionally, this site could be the best option for you because it offers many useful tools and free study materials so that users can learn English easily.

4. Refdesk - Refdesk is a useful reference websites that helps users finding useful resources on the internet. Thousands of users visit the site to get free information on the web.

5. Tutsplus - Tutsplus is one of the best educational websites where users can learn creatives and technical skill easily. Tutsplus offers many useful online courses on different subjects such as designing , photography , web development , business , graphic etc. You can find here useful online study materials , different kinds of online courses & eBooks.

6.?Mathway?- If you want to solve your Math problems within few seconds, this site could be very useful for you. One of the best educational websites to learn Mathematics and solve all kinds of Maths problems.

7.?Math?- Math.com is a useful website for students where they can learn Mathematics deeply by using its Mathematics study materials such as Maths for beginners, Daily Mathematics Practices, Math Tools and Calculators etc.

8.?PurpleMath?- PurpleMath is a dedicated website for Algebra. If you want to learn Algebra easily , this site could be very useful because it offers many free online algebra lessons and tutorials which can help students learning algebra easily.

9. Wikipedia - One of the largest web portals on the internet that is mainly known for getting useful information about people, organization, places , popular websites , online services, and?definition of words in different languages. Wikipedia can also be used as a useful educational website to get useful information.

10. Reference - Reference is one of the most visited educational websites on the internet that is used by millions of internet users ?to get useful reference on the web. Reference is one of the largest free online encyclopedias on the internet. Great place to find word reference and translate sentences.

Source: http://topmosts.blogspot.com/2013/04/10-best-educational-websites-for.html

scalloped potatoes the ten commandments charlton heston moses tulsa shooting doug fister the perfect storm

China warns against "troublemaking" on Korean peninsula

By Ben Blanchard and Jane Chung

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - China warned against "troublemaking" on its doorstep, in an apparent rebuke to North Korea, and the United States said it was postponing a missile test to help calm high tension on the divided Korean peninsula.

The North, led by 30-year-old Kim Jong-un, has been issuing vitriolic threats of war against the United States and U.S.-backed South Korea since the United Nations imposed sanctions in response to its third nuclear weapon test in February.

Pyongyang's anger appears heightened by U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises. But most analysts say it has no intention of starting a conflict that would bring its own destruction and instead is out to wring concessions from a nervous international community.

The North told diplomats late last week to consider leaving Pyongyang because of the tension, but embassies appeared to view the appeal as more rhetoric and staff have stayed put.

South Korea said it was ready for any kind of action that the North's unpredictable leaders might make - including a possible missile launch - by Wednesday, after which the North said it could not guarantee diplomats' safety.

China, North Korea's sole financial and diplomatic backer, has shown growing irritation with Pyongyang's warnings of nuclear war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, addressing a forum on the southern island of Hainan, did not name North Korea but said no country "should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain".

Stability in Asia, he said, "faces new challenges, as hot spot issues keep emerging and both traditional and non-traditional security threats exist".

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed similar frustration in a statement late on Saturday, relating a telephone conversation with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"We oppose provocative words and actions from any party in the region and do not allow trouble making on China's doorstep," Wang said, according to a ministry statement on its website.

On Sunday, the ministry expressed "grave concern" at rising tension and said China had asked North Korea to "ensure the safety of Chinese diplomats in North Korea, in accordance with the Vienna Convention and international laws and norms".

China's embassy, it said, was "understood" to be operating normally in Pyongyang.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, addressing the Hainan forum, said avoiding conflict on the peninsula was vital. "There, any aggression is a threat to the interests of every country in the region," she said.

British Foreign Minister William Hague said North Korea's nuclear ambitions had to be taken seriously.

Interviewed by Sky News, he said the international response "should also be very clear, very united and calm at all times because it's important not to feed that frenetic rhetoric that we've seen over the last few weeks".

Switzerland's Foreign Ministry offered to mediate, saying it was "always willing to help find a solution, if this is the wish of the parties, such as hosting meetings between them".

Kim, the third member of his dynasty to rule North Korea, is thought to have spent several years in Switzerland being educated under a pseudonym. He took over in December 2011 after the death of his father Kim Jong-il, who confronted South Korea and the United States throughout his 17-year rule.

FEAR OF "MISCALCULATION"

In Washington, a defense official said a long-scheduled test of the Minuteman III intercontinental missile, due to take place at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, would be postponed.

"This test ... has been delayed to avoid any misperception or miscalculation in light of recent tensions on the Korean peninsula," the official said on Saturday. "This is the logical, prudent and responsible course of action to take."

He said the test had been unconnected to "anything related to North Korea" and added that another test launch could be expected next month. The United States remained fully prepared to respond to any North Korean threat, the official said.

The South Korean president's office said the country had a "firm military readiness" for any eventuality. It described as "planned behavior" the North's call for South Korean workers to leave the Kaesong joint industrial park, just inside North Korea, and for diplomats to evacuate Pyongyang by Wednesday.

"Ahead of that time, a situation like a North Korean missile launch could occur," Kim Haing, a spokeswoman for the presidential Blue House, quoted the chief of the National Security office as saying. "As of now, there are no signs of all-out war, but if a local conflict breaks out, North Korea should be aware that it will pay the price."

South Korean media said on Friday the North had moved two medium-range missiles to the country's east coast, but there has been no confirmation of such a move.

The North has always condemned joint exercises off the South Korean coast, but its rhetoric has been especially furious this year as the United States sent nuclear-capable stealth bombers from their home bases.

North Korean state television showed a military training session, with soldiers putting dogs through their paces, including one seen tearing to pieces an effigy of South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin. Soldiers were shown firing at pictures of the minister and a depiction of a U.S. serviceman.

"As you all know, on the Korean peninsula, it is not a matter of whether we will have a war or not, but whether it will take place today or tomorrow," an unidentified soldier said.

"This is a situation like being on the eve of a big explosion. Every minute, every second counts. We are right now set to march, once the order is given."

There was no evidence of any tension in the South Korean capital, Seoul, with residents strolling in the city center on a chilly spring day.

(Writing by Ron Popeski and Andrew Roche; Additional reporting by Koh Gui Qing in Hainan and Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/embassies-staying-put-north-korea-despite-tension-001315898--business.html

the maldives harper lee mega millions numbers the fray seahawks new uniforms 2012 tornadoes in dallas anchorman 2

Griner, McGraw are AP player and coach of the year

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Brittney Griner has had no equal in her stellar career at Baylor. Now she's part of a very select group.

The 6-foot-8 senior star earned The Associated Press player of the year award for the second straight season Saturday. Notre Dame's Muffet McGraw was selected coach of the year.

Griner is just the third player to earn the award in consecutive years, joining Seimone Augustus of LSU and Chamique Holdsclaw of Tennessee. Connecticut's Maya Moore won it twice in a three-year span.

"Those names are pretty big; to have my name in there is an honor," Griner said.

The three-time All-American got 37 votes from the 40-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Stanford's Chiney Ogwumike received two votes while Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins earned the other.

Griner helped hand McGraw's team its only loss of the season back in early December. The Irish haven't lost since, winning a school record 30 straight games. Not bad for a team that graduated three starters from last season.

"I think she's one of the best players to play the game," McGraw said. "She definitely has been a really dominating presence in every way."

McGraw, who also won the award in 2001, received 24 votes. She did one of her best coaching jobs this season, getting the Irish back to the Final Four for a third straight season.

"She's well deserving of the award this year with what we lost," Diggins said. "To keep us winning like this that means a lot. She's a great person and knows how to win and motivate her players to give their all for her. When you have someone who cares about you, you'll do anything."

McGraw was happy to share the award with her coaching staff and team who were in attendance for the ceremony and let out a loud cheer when she accepted it.

Last year's winner, Griner's coach Kim Mulkey, was second with seven votes. Cal coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who guided the Golden Bears to their first Final Four, was third.

"It's certainly an honor and truly a staff award," McGraw said. "I got the best staff in women's basketball and we definitely are a great team."

McGraw, who also won the award in 2001, became the second coach to win it multiple times. She joined UConn's Geno Auriemma ? a seven time recipient.

Griner averaged 23.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.1 blocks this season. She shot 61 percent from the field and 71 percent from the free throw line. Griner's father, godfather and brother were with her when she accepted the award. Griner said she will put it with the one she won last year.

She really appeared to be having a lot more fun on the court this season. Griner had 11 dunks, including three against Florida State in the second round of the NCAA tournament. She finished her career with 18; only six other women have ever dunked in a college game and the group had 15 combined.

Her college career ended sooner than expected, though, after Baylor lost to Louisville in the NCAA tournament regional semifinals.

Griner was the second all-time scorer in women's NCAA history, with 3,283 points. She is the top shot blocker ever, shattering both the men's and women's college marks with 748.

Her play has drawn the praise of LeBron James.

"She's dominating that sport, the women's side of the game," he said. "There's really no one that can match her right now."

___

Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-06-AP%20Awards/id-54852cefa694453ba29f10937cdf7ddf

Ncaa Basketball Tournament NCAA Bracket 2013 Robert Morris spring lululemon jon hamm southern university

The Evolution of Indian Army&#39;s ICT Infrastructure | idrw.org

SOURCE: MILITARY AEROSPACE

The Indian Army is set to trail blaze along the information pathway asit transforms into a netcentric force Communications are critical for all military operations. During the world war era, Armies used to rely on primitive systems and even send messages using pigeons to deliver important orders. Modern Armies use high-tech satellite systems, ultra high bandwidth optical fiber cables, radio based mobile adhoc networks and cognitive radio technology to make sure that all personnel in the battlefield are aware of the battle situation and function as a cohesive whole. Communications have become the greatest battle winning factor after soldiers and weapon systems. Under the netcentric doctrine being followed by most modern Armies, communications are perceived as the most important combat power enhancement factor.

The world has witnessed a strange role reversal as far as the relationship between Defence Forces and Communication Technology Providers is concerned. In the fifties and sixties, Defense was the most important and perhaps the largest user of communications. Communications technologies were developed keeping in mind Defence requirements. The Internet started out as the DARPANET in the US which was later adapted for civilian usage. Similarly the CDMA cellular technology was originally developed for Defence forces to avoid interception and jamming by enemy Electronic Warfare agencies. However, in the nineties, explosive growth in the sheer volume of civilian communications led to a new business model and thus the information revolution. This made service providers as the prime focus of the communications industry. In an intense,market driven economy, Defense requirements have today taken a backseat. Defense forces, all over the world are being increasingly forced to look towards Commercial-off the-Shelf (COTS) technologies to fulfill their requirements. While this is a winning situation for the industry, which is now able to service both the commercial and Defense sectors using similar technologies, this has often led to long delays in short listing of technologies for Defense usage and delayed fructification of important Defense projects. The Indian Army?s communication network infrastructure is looked after by the Corps of Signals. In the last two decades, the ICT infrastructure within the Army has undergone a paradigm shift mimicking the telecom growth in the country. The Army boasts of its own secure national converged network called the Army One Network. While details of the network are not widely known, this network is fault tolerant to meet military specifications and includes redundancy and recovery mechanisms for automatic traffic re-routing. The Army also operates its own cellular network in J&K providing carrier grade cellular facilities to soldiers involved in counter insurgency operations. The Army?s satellite nodes are spread throughout the length and breadth of the country and provide communication facilitiesin remote and difficult areas like the Siachen glacier. The Army is also developing several hundred kilometers of optical fiber cabling to provide high bandwidth communications to support the exponential growth of communication traffic.The Directorate General of Information Systems(DGIS) develops applications for the Army.

?

The DGIS provides IT and ITES verticals, starting from software applications which manage the clothing requirements of Army jawans till complex decision support systems. The DGIS has equipped Army units and formations with necessary IT resources to usher in Army wide

automation and assist operational information gathering and exploitation. Though nascent in implementation, almost all systems which will host Army wide information systems are in the pipeline as per a sound roadmap.

Going State of the Art

As in the commercial world, the Army is also now witnessing the network-application ?meltdown? with applications driving network growth and network capacity in turn leading to increase in application complexity. Accordingly, today the Indian Army is on the verge of replacing a large number of existing ICT systems with the state ? of ? the ? art. The Army?s? old workhorse network is called the Army Radio Engineered Network (AREN). This indigenously conceived system for the field formations was launched more than three decades ago and is on the verge of being replaced by the Tactical Communication System (TCS). TCS, valued at more than `10,000 Crores is India?s first ?Make? program. Government owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in the public sector will join the race for prototype development with a Ministry selected Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Company. Led by L&T, the SPV includes Tata Power SED and HCL Infosystems Limited. It is the first-ever program wherein three major private sector companies have formed a consortium together to provide indigenous solution for strategically important acquisition of the Army. As is the trend worldwide, TCS is envisaged to have a large percentage of COTS technologies, albeit customized and hardened for usage by the Army in the tactical battlefield. It is envisaged to use state of the art technologies like mobile adhoc networks and emerging 3G/4G cellular technologies. As a paradigm switch, TCS would link the forward most soldier to the high capacity national networks and carry critical voice, video and data for the digitized battlefield of the future. The Army is also set to transform its backbone network called Army Static Switched Communication Network (ASCON). ASCON was evolved to integrate the telecommunication infrastructure of the hinterland with the tactical communication networks. It is a digital, fully automated,secure, reliable communication system based on microwave radio, optical fiber cable and satellite equipment. Value added Services such as fax, telex, data transfer were also available to defence users on this network. Currently the existing ASCON network is being expanded and undergoing a technology upgrade. Simultaneously, BSNL is developing a Pan India backbone that shall be fully owned by the Army. Called project NFS (Network for Spectrum) the OFC network will be laid over 60,000 km to provide connectivity for 129 Army, 162 Air Force and 33 Naval stations. It is being built by BSNL in lieu of the commercial mobile spectrum vacated by the Defence services.

Expanding Network

The Army is also planning to expand its integral cellular network to ther parts of the country in a phased manner. Priority is being decided for the rollout of the ext generation cellular networks of the Army. The network will be expanded into areas of the northern and eastern parts of the country in the next few years. While adding critical tworking and infrastructure capabilities, the Army is constantly upgrading its cyber posture. Recently, the Army unveiled plans to complement ICT with Electronics and Cyber apabilities. Labeled ICTEC, (Information Communication Technologies Electronics and Cyber), the new paradigm envisages to integrate electronic warfare and cyber aspects with information and communication architecture from the ground up achieving full spectrum dominance. The recently concluded DEFCOM seminar deliberated on these aspects. The Indian Army is set to trail blaze along the information pathway as it transforms into a netcentric force. As it develops new capabilities, the Army is ensuring that its personnel are fully trained to handle the challenges of next generation information warfare. At the Military College of Telecommunications

?As it develops new capabilities, the Army is ensuring that its personnel are fully

trained to handle the challenges of the information war looming on the horizon?

Engineering, located at Mhow, near Indore in Madhya Pradesh, the Corps of Signals trains its information warriors in next generation warfare amidst global standards. Specializing in network control operations, network planning, electronic warfare and cyber security, personnel are being trained in specialized technical fields. The Army which trains its own engineers at the diploma, graduate, post graduate and doctorate levels is ensuring that its key personnel are fully prepared to meet the challenges in deployment, maintenance and exploitation of planned ICT infrastructure in military operations.

Source: http://idrw.org/?p=20522

invisible children garbage pail kids st bonaventure ncaa tournament 2012 peyton manning 49ers andy pettitte tyler clementi

Israel: U.N. observers failing mandate to track Hezbollah arms

By Dan Williams

TEL AVIV | Fri Apr 5, 2013 6:29am BST

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have failed to report on Hezbollah guerrilla armaments as required, a senior Israeli official said on Thursday, arguing that Israel could not rely on foreign intervention for its security.

The remarks underscored the conservative strategies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as instability rocks Israel's neighbours and world powers urge it to roll back its West Bank occupation to make way for a Palestinian state.

"Under pressure, a multi-national force is like an umbrella that gets folded up on a rainy day," Yaakov Amidror, Netanyahu's national security adviser, said in a Tel Aviv University speech.

Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah, Amidror said, has been building its arsenal despite the 35-year presence of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in its heartland.

"Has Hezbollah avoided bringing any kind of rocket, missile or other arms into southern Lebanon because UNIFIL is there?" he said. Israel believes Hezbollah has amassed 60,000 rockets, including 5,000 with heavy warheads capable of hitting Tel Aviv.

"Under their (UNIFIL) mandate, they cannot stop Hezbollah and confiscate its arms, but they can write a report. There has been no UNIFIL report about any weapon of any Hezbollah person since UNIFIL has existed," Amidror said.

As part of the U.N. ceasefire that ended Israel's inconclusive 2006 war with Hezbollah, UNIFIL's mandate was enhanced to include "assisting" the Lebanese army with keeping guerrilla "personnel, assets and weapons" out of south Lebanon.

UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti said that since 2006, the U.N. peacekeepers had "not witnessed the entry of any illegal weapons into the UNIFIL area of operations in south Lebanon".

While the border is largely quiet, Israel fears Hezbollah could pound it with rockets in retaliation should it carry out long-threatened strikes on Iran's nuclear sites.

Israel also worries that Hezbollah could obtain advanced weapons, including chemical munitions, from Syria. But the militia has said its current capabilities are sufficient.

In their own breach of the 2006 truce, the Israelis have regularly sent warplanes on surveillance flights over Lebanon.

Israel withdrew from south Lebanon in 2000 after 22 years of occupation, and from the Gaza Strip in 2005 after 38 years of occupation. Armed threats from Hezbollah in the former, and Palestinian Hamas Islamists in the latter, have been cited by Netanyahu as justifying his reluctance to give up the West Bank.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Hamas rival who governs in the West Bank, has accused Israel of sabotaging diplomacy by peppering the territory with Jewish settlements and holding up funds for his U.S.-backed administration.

The Israelis question Abbas's ability to govern long-term.

"If there aren't the appropriate security arrangements, it would be better for Israel to go without an accord (with the Palestinians) than to have an accord that will endanger its security and could bring about a situation in which in the next war, Israel will lose," Amidror said.

(This story was fixed to add dropped word in second paragraph)

(Writing by Dan Williams and Dominic Evans; Editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/05/uk-israel-lebanon-hezbollah-un-idUKBRE93404U20130405?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

sunspots pac 12 tournament sun storm tri international criminal court ios 5.1 apple tv update

Freezing Food Doesn&#39;t Kill E. Coli And Other Germs : Bay Area Bites

The NPR Science Desk freezer: now we know we can?t presume it?s germ-free. Photo: Daniel M.N. Turner/NPR

Post by Nancy Shute, The Salt at NPR Food (4/5/13)

Think that freezing food kills E. coli and other nasty microbes? Think again.

That?s the lesson from the new E. coli outbreak caused by frozen chicken quesadillas and other snacks that has sickened 24 people in 15 states.

Freezing does slow down the microbes that cause food to spoil, but it?s pretty much useless for killing dangerous bugs.

?It actually does a pretty good job of preserving many of the pathogens and microbes that will cause problems later if thawed out,? says Trevor Suslow, an extension research specialist at the University of California, Davis, who studies food safety.

The strain of E. coli ? shiga toxin-producing 0121 ? involved in the current outbreak hasn?t been seen in frozen food before, but other pathogens have caused illness through frozen foods like pot pies, says Martin Wiedmann, a professor of food science at Cornell University. He is working with Rich Products Corporation of Buffalo, N.Y., producer of the foods involved in the outbreak, to figure out the source of the contamination.

A product recall first issued last week was expanded Thursday to include all food produced at the company?s Waycross, Ga., plant. Its frozen snacks, cheesesteak sandwiches, and the like are sold nationwide.

Weidmann also wasn?t surprised to hear that frozen food could harbor E. coli. ?We store a lot of microbes in the lab,? he says. ?The easiest way is at minus 80 degrees.?

But while freezing doesn?t defeat pathogens, heat will.

Bacteria die if they?re heated to 165F. Cooking instructions on frozen food packages are designed to deliver a temperature of 165F to the coldest part of the product, according to the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

The foods involved in this outbreak are all meant to be cooked, not just warmed up, before they?re eaten. Snacky foods like mini pizza slices and cheese steaks implicated in the outbreak are often heated in microwaves, and microwave ovens are notorious for heating food unevenly. Thus the sometimes-intricate package instructions involving turning, stirring, and waiting.

The median age of the people who have fallen ill is 17. It?s easy to imagine a scenario where a hungry teenager briefly nukes the pizza dippers and dives in. That?s not to say that?s what happened in this outbreak. ?I don?t mean by any stretch to imply that the consumer is at fault here,? Wiedmann says.

But safe equals piping hot when it comes to frozen foods. Wiedmann says the most foolproof way to do that is to give up the convenience of the microwave and put foods that require cooking in the oven for a good hot bake.

?With a frozen ready-to-cook food, I would always go with the stove, not the microwave,? he says.

Copyright 2013 NPR.

Related posts

Tags: e. coli, frozen food, germs, the salt

Category: health and nutrition, NPR food, politics, activism, food safety

Source: http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/04/05/freezing-food-doesnt-kill-e-coli-and-other-germs/

Turkey Cooking Times Butterball mashed potatoes Apple Black Friday how to cook a turkey emma stone Frys