5 things to watch for in Obama vs. Romney sequel

Ready for Round Two? President Obama and Mitt Romney square off Tuesday night in their second debate, this time answering questions posed by undecided voters.

The town hall-style debate will be held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. Moderator Candy Crowley of CNN will select the questions from the 80-member audience, who were picked in advance by Gallup.

USA TODAY will have full coverage on all of its platforms. Check your local listings on where to catch the action, starting at 9 p.m. ET. Our guide to the five things to watch:

A second chance for Obama: The president said he was too polite in his first face-to-face meeting with Romney, who got a boost in public opinion polls because of his strong debate performance two weeks ago. Obama's advisers promise he will be "aggressive" and "energetic." But if Obama swings too hard in challenging Romney's assertions, will he come off like a bully?

The wind at Romney's back: The Republican's team says the momentum belongs to Romney after the Oct. 3 debate in Denver. Romney has been practicing the same way he did for the Denver debate, by focusing on what he wants to do if elected and why the time is right for America to change course. Can he build on the gains he has already made?

The challenge of speaking directly to voters: The people posing the questions want to be persuaded, which means Obama and Romney have to be engaging, empathetic, believable, likable and presidential -- sometimes all at the same time. It's a danger to appear disengaged, as George H.W. Bush did when he looked at his watch in the 1992 town hall debate. Or to get in your opponent's face, as Al Gore did in 2000 when he walked right up to George W. Bush.

Apple iPhone 4, 4S prices slashed in India again

In an unprecedented move, Apple India has slashed the prices of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S within a week of lowering their retail prices, say media reports. Industry sources have stated that an Apple spokesperson confirmed the second price cut of the last two iPhones. Moreover, the spokesperson also said iPhone 3GS has been discontinued in India, just like in the global market.

After the recent price cut, the 8GB model of Apple iPhone 4 will cost Rs 26,500, whereas the 16GB variant of Apple iPhone 4S will be retailed at Rs 38,500. During the price revision of last week, the prices of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S were Rs 28,300 and Rs 41,500.

The Apple spokesperson also said the company will retail its smartphones through Ingram Micro and Redington in India now onwards, as reported previously. The former will be responsible for distributing the iPhones for large format retails, while the latter will sell the same via regional channels. This is a shift in gears from its earlier strategy of distributing iPhones via Aircel and Airtel, who bundled it with their own data and call packages.

This means that many cellular operators in India will keep nano sim cards in stock, which are only used in iPhone 5.

Apple is expected to launch iPhone 5, the fastest selling smartphone ever, in India on October 26. It was earlier reported that the 16GB variant of iPhone 5 will cost around Rs 46,000 to 48,000 in India, while the 32GB model is expected to be rolled out at Rs 51,000 and Rs 53,000. The price of the top end 64GB variant of the latest iPhone is expected to range from Rs 58,000 and Rs 61,000.

Maruti's new Alto gets 10K pre-orders

India's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India today launched the new Maruti Alto in petrol and CNG options priced between Rs 2.44 lakh to Rs 3.56 lakh.

The petrol variant of the new Alto has been priced at Rs 2.44 lakh and would go up to Rs 2.99 lakh and promises a fuel efficiency of 22.74 kmpl.

While, the CNG variant has been priced at Rs 3.19 lakh to Rs 3.56 lakh with a fuel efficiency of 30.46 km/kg.

"We have started the booking for this new Alto since late September and before the launch we have received over 10,000 bookings," Maruti Suzuki India Managing Director and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi told reporters here.

Nakanishi further said that: "Around 200 engineers from Suzuki Motor Corporation and Maruti Suzuki were jointly involved in development of this vehicle for over four years".

The Alto was first launched in September 2000 and has registered sales of over 2 million units so far.

The price of the existing alto (petrol) ranges between Rs 2.49 and 3 lakh while the CNG variant is priced in the range of Rs 2.97 to RS 3.48 lakh.

Obama’s second chance

By Eugene Robinson,

First, he has to show up. Then, in his second debate with Mitt Romney, President Obama needs to offer not just history lessons and dire warnings but also a hopeful vision for the next four years.

It would be hard for Obama to turn in a worse performance Tuesday night at Hofstra University than he did at the first debate in Denver. All he has to do is show a little energy and enthusiasm, and the next morning’s headlines will surely be full of “comeback” metaphors. But that’s not enough.

Obama’s passivity in the first debate was so striking, and so surprising, that it overshadowed all the other ways in which the president failed. Romney came with a story to tell — a fraudulent story, to be sure, since it so contradicted the tale he told during the Republican primaries, but a well-crafted story nonetheless. Obama came, apparently, with a handsome necktie.

Romney now seeks to portray himself as an unthreateningly moderate technocrat, as opposed to the “severely conservative” ideologue we met earlier this year. One of Obama’s more easily achievable goals Tuesday night should be to remind voters — and perhaps Romney himself, who seems to forget — of previous Romney positions such as “self-deportation” for undocumented immigrants.

In the first debate, Romney’s worst moment was when he tried, and failed, to explain how he would cut income tax rates by 20 percent without adding a penny to the deficit. Obama tried to note the inconsistency, but Romney bulled his way through by simply insisting that up was, in fact, down. “Strong and wrong” shouldn’t trump “weak and right,” but in a debate it often does. I’d suggest the president think about perhaps raising his voice every once in a while, especially when Romney says things that cannot possibly be true.

I’d also suggest that the president prepare — and practice, in front of an audience or at least a mirror — his closing statement. Wrong approach: “I said that I’m not a perfect man and I wouldn’t be a perfect president.” Right approach: anything else.

And please, no looking down at the podium, even to take notes. If necessary, aides should confiscate any writing implements before the president takes the stage. He can look at Romney, at the moderator, at the audience, at the camera — anywhere but down.

Body language is important. Millions of Americans are proud of the accomplishments of the Obama administration. The president should look as if he is, too.

These are relatively easy fixes. The bigger and more important task is demonstrating to Americans they will have a brighter future with Obama in the White House for four more years.

This was Obama’s biggest failure of the first debate — or rather, Romney’s biggest success. Romney promised to lead the nation to a Valhalla of jobs and prosperity. It was a cynical, empty promise because he offers nothing more than a repackaging of the trickle-down policies that have brought us to this parlous state. But Romney was forceful, hopeful and optimistic, and my reading of the post-debate polls is that substantial numbers of undecided voters were impressed.

It’s necessary — but not enough — for Obama to call him on this deceit. Obama also needs to make his own promises to the American people. And unlike Romney’s, they can even be genuine.

In Denver, Obama pledged to fight for the middle class. That’s an admirable sentiment, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough. Obama needs to explain how the policies he has implemented, and those he plans to pursue, will make our lives better.

Under his administration, the economy has created more than 4 million private-sector jobs. The nation has taken a huge step toward universal health insurance, and soon will come a day when Americans don’t face bankruptcy just because they become ill. We are more sensibly exploiting our reserves of oil and natural gas while actively seeking to develop the energy sources of the future. We’re engaged in an ambitious program of nation-building here at home — in education and infrastructure, especially — to ensure that we enjoy another American Century.

Romney’s real success in the first debate was to look past the challenges the nation faces and focus on the opportunities he sees ahead. Obama has to do more than explain why Romney’s vision is a mirage. The president has to tell us what he sees on the horizon and why that’s the direction we must go.

Microsoft turns on new Xbox music service

New Xbox Music service brings streaming, subscription and music store to Xbox 360 and Windows 8 PCs, tablets and phones with cloud-based storage.

 October 15. 2012 - Microsoft is pushing the play button on a new music initiative to take on iTunes and streaming services, such as Spotify.

Under the umbrella of Xbox Music, Microsoft will launch a streaming service, that is free on Windows 8 PCs and tablets, a music subscription service and a pay-as-you-go music store that sells individual tracks and albums.

Microsoft's music play coincides with the Oct. 26 launch of its Windows 8 operating system for computers and Windows RT for tablets and the arrival of new Windows phones later this fall.

As the service expands over the coming weeks — from the Xbox 360 to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 — its cloud-based connectivity will allow access to playlists and music collections across devices. "We went from saying, 'Let's not do a device-specific thing, (to) let's really create an all-in-one solution," says Jerry Johnson, Microsoft's general manager for Xbox Music.

Despite Microsoft's attempts with its Zune devices and music player and, before that, MSN Music, Apple remains dominant in digital music sales. In the second quarter of 2012, Apple accounted for 64% of digital music sales, according to market research firm NPD Group. Apple also sells nearly one-third (29%) of all music, digital or physical. While Amazon commands 16% of the digital market, Microsoft and others, including Google Play, had market shares of 5% or lower, NPD says.

Digital music sales are expected to increase 10% this year, NPD estimates, while interest in streaming and on-demand music is on the rise.

ITunes, Internet radio services such as Pandora, and on-demand music purveyors such as Spotify all are "strong players," says Johnson, but none represents a one-stop musical shop. Integration of music across Windows devices, he says, "really solves a consumer problem that exists out there."

When Xbox Music hits the Xbox 360 video game console Tuesday as part of an overall system update, users can apply for a free 30-day trial of Xbox Music Pass (after that it's $9.99 monthly). That will give them access to on-demand streaming playback of a library of 18 million songs in the U.S. That's comparable to streaming services such as Spotify, Rdio and MOG, which top out at about 18 million.

Owners of computers and tablets upgraded to Windows 8 – and new Windows 8 device purchasers – will have an ad-supported free Xbox Music streaming on-demand program on board. Upgrading to the $9.99 monthly service allows ad-free streaming across devices and offline play.

Playlists and music bought through the new Xbox Music store, which launches on PCs and tablets Oct. 26 (tracks cost 99 cents to $1.29), are also stored in a cloud-based music locker. The store will also be found on new Windows phones.

Also hitting that day (Oct. 26) is Microsoft's Smartglass app that lets you move music from Windows computers, tablets and phones to the Xbox 360 to see on the TV and hear on a home stereo. The tablet then offers a second screen experience with artist information, art, photos, lyrics and related artists. Microsoft plans to develop music apps for iOS and Android devices, too.

Establishing Xbox as its entertainment brand is a good move for Microsoft because in the past "it has been all over the place," says Michael Gartenberg of tech research firm Gartner.

The free streaming service that appears on Windows 8 computers and tablets is "a way for Microsoft to break into the music market in a way that consumers understand," he says. "Once you have someone using the service, you have a better chance of getting them into the subscription services and buying music from there. This looks like a pretty complete and thought-out service that encompasses the entire Microsoft ecosystem."

 

Polls: Obama, Romney in tight race

 October 15. 2012 - Another poll, another close result between President Obama and Mitt Romney.

Obama leads by a single point -- 49%-48% -- in the latest Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll released Monday morning, well within the margin of error.

On the other hand, Romney leads 50%-48% in the poll's 10 top "battleground states:" Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll gives Obama a 49%-46% lead among likely voters.

Various polls also show a tossup race in the Electoral College.

Obama once led most polls, but things have tightened in recent days for one major reason: The first debate on Oct. 3, perceived by many as a Romney victory.

Obama and Romney debate again Tuesday night in New York, and a third time a week from tonight in Boca Raton, Fla.

Some other highlights of the Politico-GWU Battleground Poll:

-- Of the 86% of voters who watched the first presidential debate, three in four declared Romney the winner; only 16% thought Obama prevailed.

-- Romney leads with independents by 8 points, 49%-41%.

-- Obama still leads with women, 54%-43%.

-- Regardless of whom they're supporting, only 53% of voters now believe Obama will win the election (down from 61% before the first presidential debate).

Earthquake rattles northern Japan

A MAGNITUDE 7.3 earthquake has struck wide areas of northern and north-eastern Japan, the Meteorological Agency says.

No immediate casualties or damage were reported and no tsunami warning was issued. The quake occurred at 12:01pm (1.01pm AEST) today with its epicentre in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Japan's northern island of Hokkaido at a depth of 590km, the agency said. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami hit north-eastern Japan, leaving nearly 19,000 people dead or missing.

Rising sea level predictions: 'This isn't Chicken Little,' Peconic Baykeeper says

Long Island is smack in the middle of a "hot spot" for sea-level rise, where the sea is rising at a rate three to four times faster than it is globally, according to a report released late last month by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Rates of sea-level rise along a 600-mile stretch of the Atlantic Coast from Cape Hatteras, N.C. to north of Boston, Mass. are increasing three to four times faster than sea level rise globally, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report published June 24.

The USGS says sea levels globally will increase two to three feet by the end of this century.

A state task force created by the legislature in 2007 to study the issue found that "sea- level rise and coastal flooding from storm surge are already impacting and will increasingly affect New York’s entire ocean and estuarine coastline" and issued a call for action.

Chaired by the state environmental conservation commissioner, the task force included state emergency management, insurance, health and transportation officials, as well as representatives of NYC, Nassau and Suffolk county governments. It issued a report to the legislature in December 2010 identifying numerous hazards associated with the predicted increases and recommending steps to be taken by state and local governments to better understand the risks and prepare for the consequences.

But that report "went over like a lead balloon," according to Peconic Baykeeper Kevin McAllister.

"There has been almost no discussion of it," McAllister said.

The report said rising sea levels will result in septic system failures due to higher groundwater tables, increased flooding, increases in permanent inundation, loss of tidal wetlands, greater storm surges, increased coastal erosion and and damage to crucial infrastructures such as energy facilities, transportation networks, wastewater management systems and drinking water supplies.

The task force recommended immediately identifying and mapping vulnerable areas, so that land use planning decisions can take sea level rise into account. Those decisions should include discouraging continued development in coastal areas and imposing new, much stiffer penalties for violations of the state's coastal erosion hazard areas act — increasing penalties from $500 to $10,000 per violation, according to the report. The task force also said the government should discontinue its subsidy of low-cost flood insurance for vulnerable coastal areas, because such subsidies encourage development in areas where it should be discouraged.

"This is not Chicken Little," McAllister said. "This is a very serious issue we have completely ignored," he said.

A request to the state DEC public information office in Albany for information on the status of the task force recommendations elicited the following email response on Friday:

"DEC is working with other state agencies to develop information necessary to incorporate sea-level rise considerations into agency decision-making and to assist local governments in planning for hazards associated with sea-level rise and enhanced storm surge," DEC spokesperson Emily DeSantis said in the email.

"One example is an ongoing project to acquire more accurate elevation data, which can then be used to assess vulnerability to coastal hazards. The agencies are also developing a tool that would allow coastal communities to voluntarily assess the status of local resiliency planning."

The Nature Conservancy has already produced a coastal resiliency mapping tool for Long Island and coastal Connecticut. It depicts areas of predicted inundation in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s, based on a sea-level rise of one meter by the end of this century, as originally forecast by the USGS.

According to the TNC mapping tool, the entire parking lot on the south side of East Main Street will likely be under water 70 years from now, as will much of the town's coastline along the river and bay.

But sea-level rise isn't even on the radar as far as local land-use planning is concerned, according to Riverhead Town planning director Rick Hanley. It was not part of the discussion in the comprehensive plan developed a decade ago, he said.

That's typical of local governments, according to McAllister.

"We absolutely have had our heads in the sand," he said.

And when local governments do take action, it's "totally reactionary," he said.

"Our response is always to fortify the coast, whether bay or Sound or ocean," McAllister said. "We're headed down a path we'll really regret, because ultimately we're going to destroy these beaches with the armory we're installing."

But calls to back off coastal development — or even regulate it more stringently — meet with strong opposition from private property rights advocates, many of whom argue that global warming is not backed by scientific evidence, and theories about global warming and sea-level rise are, at best, speculative.

"Personally I think it's a cycle," said Riverhead Councilwoman Jodi Giglio, who says she's not convinced on the subject of human-induced climate change and the effects, such as sea-level rise, believed to be caused by global warming.

"We have very harsh winters, then we have very warm summers," she said. "There are arguments both ways."

"There's clear evidence we are seeing sea level rise locally," McAllister says. "I've seen it in the field. There's no question the bays have expanded over the last 10, 20 or 30 years," he said.

"There are oak trees dead as a doornail with high tide at their feet," Mcallister said. "They can't live in a moist substrate. When you have mature oak trees now standing dead in the water, that's physical evidence of rising sea levels. Those oaks grew there when they were high and dry."

"The state has revised the flood maps and put stricter flood plains restrictions in place," Giglio said.

More regulations impede private property rights and hurt businesses, according to the councilwoman, who also operates a permit expediting firm.

"You have to look at the effect of every law you put in place," she said.

Malaria-carrying mosquitoes rendered harmless after scientists use GM bacteria to kill off parasite in stomach

Malaria could be stopped by infecting mosquitoes with genetically engineered bacteria.

The modified bug destroys the parasite that causes the disease - meaning their bites will only be itchy, not deadly.

Known as Pantoea agglomerans, it was altered to secrete proteins poisonous to the malaria organism - but not harmful to mosquitoes or humans.

A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed the new bacteria virtually wiped out the malaria parasite in the insects.

Professor Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, said: 'In the past we worked to genetically modify the mosquito to resist malaria, but genetic modification of bacteria is a simpler approach.

'The ultimate goal is to completely prevent the mosquito from spreading the malaria parasite to people.'

P agglomerans is found in the midguts of Anopheles gambiae, the most important malaria carrying mosquito species in Africa.

The engineered strain inhibited development of the deadliest human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum by up to 98 percent within the mosquito.

After the insects were infected with the bacteria by feeding them with cotton pads soaked in sugar the proportion carrying parasites decreased by up to 84 percent.

Prof Jacobs-Lorena said: 'We demonstrate the use of an engineered symbiotic bacterium to interfere with the development of P. falciparum in the mosquito.

'These findings provide the foundation for the use of genetically modified symbiotic bacteria as a powerful tool to combat malaria.'

Malaria is one of the most widespread and dangerous insect-transmitted human disease in the world.

It infects more than 500 million people - about one in twelve humans - and causes between one and two million deaths each year.

It is found in large areas of Central and South America, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Singer Cheryl Cole fell seriously ill with the disease in 2010 after picking it up on holiday in Tanzania.

The incidence of malaria is increasing and new measures to combat it are desperately needed.

US approves first HIV-prevention drug

For the first time, a once-a-day pill which reduces the chance of contracting HIV among high risk groups "significantly" has got green signal in the US, where 1.2 million people are infected by the deadly disease.

The drug,'Truvada' can now be used by those at high risk of the infection and anyone who may engage in sexual activity with HIV-infected partners, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced.

"In two large clinical trials, daily use of the drug was shown to significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection," it said yesterday.

However, some health workers and groups active in the HIV community opposed the approval for the once-a-day pill.

There are concerns that circulation of such a drug could engender a false sense of security and mean people will take more risks. There have also been fears that a drug-resistant strain of HIV could develop.

People diagnosed with HIV that without treatment develops into AIDS take antiviral medications to control the infection that attacks their immune system.

In a statement, the FDA stressed that the drug should be used as part of a "comprehensive HIV prevention plan", including condom use and regular HIV testing.

An advisory group of health experts recommended approval for the pill in May this year.

Truvada, is already backed by the FDA to be taken with existing antiretroviral drugs for people who have HIV.

Studies have shown that Truvada reduced the risk of HIV in healthy gay men - and among HIV-negative heterosexual partners of HIV-positive people - by between 44 per cent and 73 per cent.

"In the 80s and early 90s, HIV was viewed as a life-threatening disease; in some parts of the world it still is. Medical advances, along with the availability of close to 30 approved individual HIV drugs, have enabled us to treat it as a chronic disease most of the time," Debra Birnkrant, director of the Division of Antiviral Products at FDA, said.

"But it is still better to prevent HIV than to treat a life-long infection of HIV," she said.

Studies have shown the drug manufactured by a California-based company can reduce the risk of contracting Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

About 1.2 million Americans have HIV. The body’s immune system is devastated by AIDS, leaving those who have it vulnerable to deadly infections. Each year, about 50,000 adults and adolescents in the US are newly diagnosed with HIV.

Sea levels may rise much higher due to warming

Sea levels may rise much higher than previously thought, as a new study on fossil corals has found that warmer climes in the past promoted dramatic melting of polar ice.

Researchers built an extensive database by compiling age and elevation data of fossil corals that live near the sea surface, using a model to factor in the physics of how changing masses of ice sheets would affect regional sea level at the various fossil coral sites, a statement from the Australian National University said.

“In this way, we were able to account for the geographic variability in sea level observations from this time period and compute the highest point that average global sea level attained. The observations from the corals confirmed the sea level patterns that we predicted using the geophysical model,” Andrea Dutton, who is currently based at University of Florida, said.

The research concluded that sea level during the last interglacial period peaked at 5.5 to 9 metres above present sea level.

“Sea level change — in the past, present, and future — is geographically variable and we must consider this variability to infer what the average global sea level was doing in the past. We observed 5.5 to 9 metres of sea level rise,” said Dutton.

“To explain that, polar ice sheets must have melted: part of Greenland, most of the West Antarctic ice sheet, and perhaps some of the East Antarctic ice sheet. Our findings have important implications for future sea levels,” added Dutton.

“For the period we studied, the poles were probably only three to five degrees warmer than present. That amount of polar warming is well within what we are predicted to reach this century. This implies that the polar ice sheets may be very sensitive to small increases in temperature,” the statement quoted Dutton as saying.

“This magnitude of sea level rise — up to 9 metres — is obviously not going to happen overnight. But it could happen within a few centuries, so it is important to consider the long-term commitment we make in terms of total sea level rise when we talk about various targets and emission scenarios, concluded Dutton.

Andrea Dutton, formerly of the Australian National University College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, teamed up with Kurt Lambeck, ANU professor to analyse fossil corals around the world from the last interglacial period, 125,000 years ago.

BMW 3-series to be launched in India on July 27, 2012

The 2012 3-series (F30) will bow into India on July 27, aiming at being the ultimate 3-series ever launched.

The all-new 3-series had been creating a lot of buzz and speculation about its launch date. While many, including BMW’s own micro-site hinted at an August 3, 2012 launch for the new 3, some claimed that July 19, 2012 was the chosen date. However, seems like we won the automotive roulette, for the new 3-series comes into India by the end of this month – July, 27, to be precise.

BMW will launch the new 3-series in Mumbai, followed by subsequent launches throughout the country. The car will go on sale immediately after its launch with many prospective customers having lined-up for the new F30 3-series. We are being told that the long-awaited 3-series ran into a problem with the customs due to the significant change in the taxation after the Union Budget 2012 was put into effect a few months back. With the additional import duties, we expect the 3-series to be slightly pricier than the outgoing model – but on par with the competition i.e. the Mercedes Benz C-class, the revised Audi A4, the Volvo S60 and the Nissan Teana.

As we mentioned earlier, BMW is participating in heavy social media activity surrounding the 2012 3-series. The car is expected to come with two petrol and two diesel options at launch with three trim levels – Sport Line, Modern Line and Luxury Line. Stay tuned to OnCars as we reveal more details of the 2012 BMW 3-series soon.

Why does the counter viewpoint push my apparent sketch?

Dui lawyers available on the web

It is such a shame that even after the many accidents that we have witnessed and the numerous lives that have been lost, we can still afford to drink and drive. You should ask yourself what you would do if your loved one was in a car accident because of a drunk driver. How would you really feel? In the same way, it cannot be emphasized enough, do not drink and drive. If you really have to drink and travel then get a designated driver. If not, there are taxi companies that have services where they drive you home safely and then drive you back in the morning to get you car at no extra cost. What more do you need. If you are caught drinking and driving, contact your phoenix dui lawyer . A dui lawyer is supposed to represent you in a court of law while you face this charge that has been brought against you. He or she is supposed to prepare a defence by conducting an investigation to authenticate the machines that were used to conduct the test that proved that you were not sober. If such a machine is faulty then there is proof of reasonable doubt and the charges should be dismissed. The advantage of this is that you will not have a criminal record. Some of the compulsory punishments for those found guilty include mandatory counselling for substance abuse, an increase in the amount that you pay in premiums to your insurance company and a possible suspension of your license. The AZ DUI Team is one of the best teams where you will find competent and experienced lawyers. With the number of wins that these lawyers have under their belt, they are the kind of people that you need to represent you at your dui court case.

Coffee lowers risk of skin cancer

Drinking more coffee could lower the risk of basal cell carcinoma, the commonest form of skin cancer, according to a new study. ”Our data indicate that the more caffeinated coffee you consume, the lower your risk of developing basal cell carcinoma (BCC),” said Jiali Han, associate professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

“I would not recommend increasing your coffee intake based on these data alone. However, our results add basal cell carcinoma to a list of conditions for which risk is decreased with increasing coffee consumption,” said Han, the journal Cancer Research, reported. 

Even though BCC is slow-growing, it places a burden on health care systems. Though the cancer rarely kills, it can cause significant destruction and disfigurement by invading surrounding tissues. ”Given the large number of newly diagnosed cases, daily dietary changes having any protective effect may have an impact on public health,” said Han, according to a university statement.

Of the 112,897 participants included in the analyses, 22,786 developed basal cell carcinoma during the more than 20 years of follow-up in the two studies.  ”These results really suggest that it is the caffeine in coffee that is responsible for the decreased risk of basal cell carcinoma associated with increasing coffee consumption,” said Han. 

How Hard is it to Maintain a Nissan?

Lots of deals at Metronissanmontclair.Com! It is one of my favorite websites to visit considering they always have new discounts that are extremely helpful. It doesn't take that long to save up for a brand new Nissan since they are so reasonably priced. If you want to buy smart and make sure not to lose any money, you should invest in a Nissan. Many dealerships are available, such as Los Angeles Nissan and Fontana Nissan. Tons of employees are available to help you find the exact car you're looking for. Try the West Covina dealership as well. Both offer great customer service and a wonderful selection of different Nissan models. No matter what you want, may it be a new Nissan Altima or an older version of the Nissan Cube, they've got you covered! As dealerships they know exactly what consumers are looking for when it comes to cars. They that you want both a great looking and great running car at an affordable price. They know that you expect outstanding customer service, and they know that you desire specials and deals all year round to help you afford care for your car. They keep all of this in mind while maintaining their business and paying their employees. The consumer is the most important part of any business, and so as all other car dealerships (and businesses) go, they really do work to satisfy you. If you walk into a car dealership with absolutely no clue as to what kind of car you want, the people who work there are trained to help you out. They will listen to your needs and tell you the best fit for not only your personality, but your financial situation as well. They aren't going to push a 50K car on you if they know you can't afford to go over 10K. They really do try to be both sensitive and helpful at the same time. Take their suggestions into consideration because you never know when they might have picked out the exact car that is right for you (and you may have never even heard about it!). Nissan car dealerships are constantly working to offer you the best selection of Nissan models and customer service. Going to Corona or Nissan Ontario for your next Nissan purchase is a great idea. Make sure to get the most out of your car by getting repairs and oil changes done on time. Anyways, as long as you are working and can save up money, you should be able to buy a Nissan in no time! But honestly, one of the deciding factors in choosing a dealership should be how much money you can save.

Finding Buyers for a Used Rolex Watch

I bought my first used rolex submariner awhile back, and I have never regretted it. I know that some people may not like used Rolex watches, but I see absolutely no problem with them. I mean, why not? The ever popular Black rolex submariner brand watches are extremely wanted right now in the market. Also in high demand include the stunning all black models. One special type of Rolex brand watches include the pvd Rolex model. PVD stands for "physical vapor deposition" and is the process used when creating these PVD Rolex watches. It is a very thin coating bonded to the stainless steel of the watch and is unable to flake or be destroyed. The surface is even more scratch resistant than it's counterpart of pure stainless steel. Celebrities are often found wearing the high class PVD Rolex watches. This is very good for the brand considering that celebrities tend to be the ones who start or continue important fashion trends or movements. Rolex watches have consistently appeared on the wrists of celebrities and will continue to do so long into the future. Rolex is a household name and should not ever be taken for granted. Once you own a Rolex watch, it most likely becomes your most prized possession. Considering how much you (or another person) spent on it, the actual value of the watches themselves, and the time and effort it takes to carefully craft one of these beautiful timepieces will make it extremely valuable and possibly your favorite item that you own. My friend's father bought a Rolex about five to ten years back and it is still his favorite item. The watch he bought has increased expontentially in value and although he gets plenty of offers for it, he refuses to sell it. He honestly loves it way too much. I've always had a dream about getting a Rolex watch and after saving up for maybe five more years I will finally be able to have my own. I don't think I'd ever sell it either, just because of how much time and work I put into getting it. If you want something that you can cherish for years and years to come, look into getting a Rolex brand watch. My Rolex has become my favorite item that I own, and for a good reason. It was actually given to me by my son for a birthday present. Even if it's used, it is still worth a lot of money and the quality is outstanding. The time it takes to manufacture such a beautiful watch is admirable and I constantly thank my son for such a beautifl gift.

London 2012 Olympics: Team GB men's hockey defeat New Zealand in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup

Great Britain kept their hopes of winning the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup alive with a much improved performance against the tournament’s top side, New Zealand.

First half goals from Ashley Jackson and Matt Daly secured the 2-1 victory over the Black Sticks, who had been unbeaten in their first three games. Kiwi penalty-corner specialist Andrew Hayward pulled a goal back in the second half, but it wasn't enough as Great Britain’s defence stood strong.

Head coach Jason Lee earlier this week warned that his side would not stand a chance of winning an Olympics medal if they continued their poor form as they succumbed to a 3-2 loss to Argentina.

But on Wednesday he was delighted with his side’s performance and said: “It was a much improved performance following the Argentina game where I had been very disappointed. I thought the players showed a lot of spirit and we played some good tactics to win the game.”

The final few minutes saw exciting end-to-end play and several good attacks from Great Britain, Jonty Clarke and Jackson in the thick of it. Despite several balls going straight across the goal there were no Great Britain players in range to finish and the score remained 2-1.

Lee added: “I thought Matt Day played very well considering this is only his third game back from a long term injury. He scored a very good individual goal and it is encouraging to see him getting into the right positions.”

Deadly Quake Hits Northern Italy

ROME – Less than ten days after an earthquake devastated the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy, a 5.8-magnitude tremor shook the area Tuesday morning, killing at least eight people, Italian news agencies reported. The new quake destroyed more buildings and once again tested the fortitude of an already unsettled population.

In Mirandola, identified as the epicenter of the earthquake, rescue workers searched the ruins of a warehouse that collapsed looking for a missing worker, the news agency ANSA reported. Though many factories were still closed after the magnitude 6.0 earthquake that hit the region on May 20, many businesses were starting to reorganize so that they could reopen or start production again.

Early news reports set an initial death toll at eight, though there were fears that it could grow. At least 7,000 people from the area had been forced to abandon their homes after the first quake and were living in makeshift dormitories in schools and in tent camps. Thousands of others were still sleeping in their cars, because aftershocks had continued all week.

When the earthquake took place at 9:03 AM on Tuesday morning, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was in Rome in a meeting with Vasco Errani, the president of the Emilia Romagna region, and other officials, to discuss reconstruction efforts.

In a televised statement Mr. Monti said that the government pledged to immediately cope with the aftermath of the new earthquake. “The state will do everything it can as quickly as it can to guarantee the return to normal life in this very special area, so productive for Italy,” Mr. Monti said. “We want to return to a normal life and to a recovery of businesses.”

Mr. Errani said that the priority would be to ensure the safety of citizens in the area, a task that had already begun, and he promised that the next phase would focus on reconstruction. “We acknowledge that there has been damage to companies and citizens, and we pledge to initiative a course to recovery,” he said.

Some towns that had survived the May 20 earthquake relatively unscathed were struck by the new tremor. One person died in the town of Concordia and there were dozens injured, mayor Carlo Marchini told Sky News, and the situation in general in the historic center of the town was “very serious,” he said.

The cathedral in Carpi collapsed, killing the parish priest, the news agency ANSA reported.

The earthquake was felt throughout northern Italy and buildings were evacuated in Genoa and in Pisa. After earlier slowdowns, high speed trains were returning to normal, a spokesman for the national railway system said, but some local lines were still interrupted.

Questions About Divorce? Ask a Lawyer!

If you're wondering about more of the in-depth questions concerning divorce, keep in mind that there are plenty of divorce attorney phoenix lawyers that can help you out. They receive questions all the time from people who are not clients and [depending on the attorney] they really don't care about answering them. 

They will help pretty much anyone because they know that there is a chance of them getting a new client out of it. Searching for answers on the web can be both helpful and misleading. There are a lot of wrong sources and information all over the internet, and who is to decide what is right? If the case is important to you, I would rather highly suggest that you ask an actual attorney your questions so that you are getting information from someone who really knows what they are talking about. Know exactly what you want to discuss about your case when you walk into the attorneys office. Looking like you are very knowledgable is a great first impression and will help you to get the assistance that you need. 

If you choose to go to an attorneys office with another person, make sure that you are the one that does most of the talking unless it is their case. This just shows that you know what you want and are confident about it. You don't need anyone else to talk for you, that just gives the image that you don't quite know what you want. If you need help talking about something because it is a personal problem for you than that is different and just be sure to explain that to your attorney. Trust him or her with everything you need help with and everything that you would like to happen and I'm sure they will do their very best to win your case for you.

Soy Protein Reduce Symptoms of Heart Disease

We have been familiar with soy as a source of healthy food. Recently found evidence that soy protein can reduce the symptoms of liver disease.

University of Illinois scientists report that the protein may reduce the accumulation of fat asses and trigeliserida in the liver that can lead to the emergence of liver disease, especially in people who are obese. This is because soy is able to restore some of the key functions of the organ signaling pathway.

"Nearly a third of American adults have fatty liver disease, and many of them without experiencing certain symptoms. Obesity is a key risk factor for this condition and this can lead to liver failure," said Hong Chen, assistant professor of food science and nutrition humans at the University of Illinois as reported from Health24, Wednesday (25/04/2012).

In general, fat is metabolized in the liver, but the people who are obese, fat transport to the tissues can be slowed down so adiposanya become dumping grounds for excess liver fat, he said.

"When fat accumulates in an organ that is not supposed to store fat, such as the liver, the function of vital organs can become dangerous," he added. But eating soy protein sources like tofu and soy yogurt seems to reduce some pressure on the liver fat, he said.

Chen compared the accumulation of fat in lean rats and rat liver obesity. The result, Chen did not find any effect of diet on rat liver thin profile. However, obese rats that were fed soy showed a reduction in triglycerides and fat accumulation by 20 percent so that Chen believed that soy protein can be used to reduce the symptoms of fatty liver disease.

Furthermore, researchers also found that soy protein partially restored the protein Wnt signaling pathway as a crucial player in lipid metabolism.

"In the obese, there is a traffic problem in the body. When there is more fat that can make a way out of the heart, pressure on the organs that could be reduced," he said.
 

Obama kicks off battle versus Romney with big money lead

Mitt Romney had his best fundraising month yet in March, but the presumed Republican nominee remained far behind Democratic President Barack Obama in the money game, filings with the Federal Election Commission showed on Friday.

Romney reported raising nearly $12.7 million last month, with some $10.1 million left in the bank as he sought to wrap up the nomination and focus on raising money for the costly fight to unseat Obama in the November 6 election.

The deep-pocketed "Super" political action committee, or PAC, that supports Romney, Restore Our Future, brought in $8.7 million in March, with three-quarters of it remaining on hand.

Democratic PACs have struggled to match the prowess of Restore Our Future, but Obama's campaign - spared the strenuous nominating process - raised $34.8 million in March and had $104 million left in the bank at the end of the month.

Republicans and Democrats are waging a war to raise as much money as possible to fund crucial television and radio airtime and get-out-the-vote efforts, projected to total $1 billion on each side of the aisle.

Romney's March haul came at a time when the former Massachusetts governor was still facing stiff competition from his last big conservative challenger, Rick Santorum, who has now dropped out of the race.

The pro-Obama group Priorities USA - a Super PAC that can raise and spend unlimited funds but cannot coordinate with the campaign - reported raising $2.5 million in March. It spent only a fraction of it, $318,254, and had $5 million left on hand.

While Romney just started fundraising jointly with the Republican National Committee this month, Obama has been taking full advantage of that option with his party organization, the Democratic National Committee since last year.

The joint fund greatly increases how much a donor can give to help a candidate, thanks to larger contributions allowed for party organizations in addition to the campaign.

Obama's two joint funds shared with the DNC had about $6.5 million in cash on hand and sent $7.5 million to the Obama campaign and $10.5 million to the DNC.

Both the RNC and the DNC plan to spend nearly everything they raise to help their candidates.

The RNC in March also had its best month, raising $13.7 million and reporting $32.7 million in cash on hand, according to the FEC filings. The DNC reported receiving a total of $17.9 million in March, with $24.4 million in the bank.

ROMNEY'S SUPER PAC ALLIES

But donations to outside Democratic groups have lagged those given to Republicans, a source of concern for Democrats.

Campaigns can take only $2,500 from each donor, once for the primary process and again for the general election. Super PACs can take unlimited donations as long as they do not coordinate with the campaigns, and these have largely taken over the dirty task of negative advertising.

The pro-Obama Super PAC, Priorities USA Action, has struggled to catch up to the pro-Romney PAC Restore Our Future.

Restore Our Future on Friday reported raising $8.7 million in March, spent $12.7 million on knocking Santorum out of the race but still emerged with $6.5 million on hand.

The group's biggest donors last month included Texas billionaire banker Harold Simmons, who gave another $600,000 for a total of $800,000; hedge fund manager Kenneth Griffin of Citadel LLC, who gave $850,000 for a total of $1.1 million; and Huron Carbon LLC, which gave $1 million and shares an address in Florida with Oxbow Carbon, run by Bill Koch and itself a big donor to the Super PAC.

Other big donors included Charles Schwab Corp founder Charles Schwab and his wife, Helen, Cisco Systems Inc Chairman and Chief Executive John Chambers, New Balance Athletics Chairman James Davis, Marriott International Inc CEO J.W. Marriott Jr. and his brother Richard Marriott, chairman of Host Hotels and Resorts Inc.

Priorities received $1 million from Amy Goldman, heir to the fortune of New York real estate mogul Sol Goldman, and a second installment of $500,000 from Kareem Ahmed, CEO of California medical billing and collecting firm Landmark Medical Management.

The PAC also received $250,000 from Anne Earhart, granddaughter of oil baron J. Paul Getty. Earhart is also the top donor to another Democratic Super PAC, opposition research-focused American Bridge.

Other big donors included U.S. standup comedian and talk show host Chelsea Handler and longtime Democratic donor New York investor Bernard Schwartz, both of whom gave $100,000.

MORE SUPER PAC HELP

Helping Romney bridge the gap between his money power and Obama's is American Crossroads, perhaps the most formidable Republican Super PAC, which was co-founded by Karl Rove, former top aide and election strategist for President George W. Bush.

American Crossroads and its non-profit sister group Crossroads GPS have made plans to spend up to $300 million on this election cycle and by the end of March were two-thirds of the way to raising that sum, having hauled in $99.8 million over 2011 and the first quarter of 2012.

American Crossroads reported $24.4 million left in cash on hand, but raised only $1.2 million in March. Citadel investor Griffin was its top donor with his $700,000 contribution.

The non-profit Crossroads GPS is not legally required to report its fundraising or donors to the FEC.

The groups have been running ads slamming Obama, his policies and his party's congressional candidates. The $300 million plan covers the efforts launched last year into the rest of the cycle, with two-thirds focusing on the presidential race and the rest on Senate and House of Representatives races.

One of Romney's two rivals left in the Republican race is Texas Representative Ron Paul. His campaign's FEC filing on Friday showed he raised $2.6 million and had $1.8 million left in cash on hand at the end of March.

The second rival, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, was heavily in debt, running up a $4.3 million tab. He raised $1.7 million and spent about $2 million in March.

The Super PAC backing Gingrich, Winning Our Future, has been heavily reliant on Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his family. In March, despite Gingrich's campaign fading far into Romney's shadow, Adelson's wife, Miriam, gave another $5 million, bringing the total Adelson clan contribution to the Super PAC to $21.5 million.

Santorum, who ended his campaign on April 10, also had nearly $2 million in debt and has continued to try to raise money to pay for it. He raised almost $5 million in March and spent $5.8 million.

The Super PAC backing his candidacy ended the month with less than $270,000 on hand, having spent almost all of the $8.3 million it had raised over the campaign cycle. Foster Friess, Wyoming millionaire investor and Santorum's friend, gave another $500,000 to the PAC in March for a total of $2.1 million.

Mini iPad: The good, bad and ugly

Apple generates more gossip than the Kardashians.

There's a constantly spinning mill of rumors about Apple products, most of which turn out to be untrue. What's unusual this week is that talk has revived of a smaller iPad model, an idea company founder Steve Jobs derided publicly a year before he died.

Apple and its suppliers aren't commenting. Rumors of a smaller iPad, or "iPad mini" have percolated ever since the first iPad was launched two years ago. This time around, they're fed by media reports from South Korea, China and Taiwan, saying Apple has ordered Samsung screens that are 7.86 inches measured on the diagonal. That would make the screen about two-thirds the size of the current iPad, which has a diagonal measurement of 9.7 inches.

Why it's a good idea: A smaller tablet would help Apple further its lead in the tablet market.

"From a competitive standpoint, we believe an iPad mini with a lower price point would be the competition's worst nightmare, says Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee. "Most (competitors) already have a tough enough time competing against the iPad 2, as well as the new iPad."

Apple has successfully fended off competitors who have tried to sell tablets in iPad's size range. But last year, Amazon.com Inc. figured out how to crack Apple's stranglehold on tablets by making a half-size, no-frills tablet. The result was the Kindle Fire, which sells for $199 —basically, the cost of production. Amazon has sold millions of them.

Apple sells the iPod Touch for $199, but its screen is about a quarter of the size of the Kindle Fire — a big disadvantage for people who want to enjoy books, movies and games. It also sells the older iPad model for $399. It has nothing in between.

Price isn't the only reason customers might prefer a smaller tablet. A 7-inch model would fit in many handbags, unlike the current iPad.

Wu says he's seen evidence of Apple experimenting with both smaller and larger tablet screens since 2009, and doesn't sense that the release of an iPad mini is "imminent."

What it might cost: It could be hard for Apple to make money from an iPad-quality 7-inch tablet that sells for $299. Analysts at IHS iSuppli estimate that a smaller tablet would cost around $250 to produce, a figure that doesn't include development costs, packaging or patent royalties. That suggests Apple would price it at $329 or $349.

"The first thing you always have to keep in mind is: Apple is not going to sell an unprofitable product," says Rhoda Alexander at iSuppli.

Why it's a bad idea: A smaller iPad would be a headache for software developers.

"Going to a different screen size ends up being a ton of work," says Nate Weiner, the creator of Pocket, an application that stores Web pages and other material for later reading.

"If you take, for an example, an interface built for the iPad and try to cram it into the Kindle Fire, it just doesn't fit," he says.

However, developers who have already adapted their programs to the Kindle Fire or other 7-inch tablets wouldn't face a big hurdle in adapting to a third Apple screen size, Weiner says.

What jobs thought: Apple's late CEO made a rare appearance on an October 2010 earnings conference call to launch a tirade against the 7-inch tablet Samsung Electronics Inc. was set to launch as the first major challenger to the iPad.

"The reason we wouldn't make a 7-inch tablet isn't because we don't want to hit a price point, it's because we don't think you can make a great tablet with a 7-inch screen," Jobs said. "The 7-inch tablets are tweeners, too big to compete with a smartphone and too small to compete with an iPad."

He said the resolution of the display could be increased to make up for the smaller size, but that would be "meaningless, unless your tablet also includes sandpaper, so that the user can sand down their fingers to around one quarter of the present size."

"There are clear limits of how close you can physically place elements on a touch screen before users cannot reliably tap, flick or pinch them. This is one of the key reasons we think the 10-inch screen size is the minimum size required to create great tablet apps," he said.

Jobs failed to mention Apple's success developing apps that use taps, flicks and pinches on the iPhone, with its 3.5-inch screen.

Plane Crash in Pakistan

Civilian aircraft crashes in bad weather near Islamabad international airport: Pakistani television channels.

Over 120 passengers were on board

The plane had flown from Karachi, and was due to land in Islamabad at 6:40pm local time.
Rescue teams were en route to the crash site, located near the Pakistan Air Force base Chaklala.

New James Bond director admits 'doubts' about Daniel Craig

LONDON –  The director of the new James Bond movie said he initially had doubts about Daniel Craig being cast in the role of the legendary British spy.

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes admitted his concern at the media launch of the 23rd Bond movie, "Skyfall."

Speaking at Pinewood Studios, he said, "I was one of the people who said I didn't think he was the right casting. At the time, I was asked in an interview and I said, 'I'm not sure, I would advise him not to do it'."

Mendes, who directed Craig alongside Jude Law in 2002 movie "Road To Perdition," admitted he was wrong.

"I watched him go through that intense pressure and come through that with flying colors," Mendes said. "I bumped into him after 'Casino Royale' and I was so excited to see him as Bond. It was great to watch him come through that and prove the doubters wrong."

Craig said that working with Mendes for the second time -- and the first on a Bond film -- had helped him deal with the pressures of the role.

"I have got an awful lot to worry about when making a movie like this -- it's another level making a Bond movie," Craig said.

He added, "Sam has allowed me to forget about that and concentrate on the job. I have been able to remember why I love this job."

Audi said to be set to buy Ducati for $1.1 billion

Audi is poised to purchase Italian motorcycle maker Ducati from owner Investindustrial for about 860 million euros ($1.1 billion), a person familiar with the matter said.

Audi has reached an agreement with Investindustrial to buy the maker of luxury motorbikes, with VW's supervisory board set to approve the deal on Wednesday, said the person, who declined to be identified discussing the private negotiations.

Audi and Investindustrial declined to comment. At that price the deal, minus debt, would value Ducati at about seven times last year's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

Ducati's total liabilities are less than 200 million euros, buyout firm Investindustrial said last month.

Volkswagen Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who turned 75 today, has long coveted the brand, publicly expressing interest in buying Ducati in April 2008 before eventually losing out to Investindustrial.

The purchase will make Ducati the 11th brand in VW's portfolio, alongside super-car marques Lamborghini and Bugatti and heavy-duty truck manufacturers Scania AB and MAN SE.

"Ducati is one of the finest machines you can buy but strategically it's insignificant for Volkswagen," said Christoph Stuermer, a Frankfurt-based analyst with IHS Automotive. "Its revenue is more than Lamborghini's and Bugatti's combined, but to the automotive operations, it's a mere accessory."

BMW competition

Ducati would complement Audi's luxury-car lineup with products such as the $28,000 Superbike 1199 Panigale S Tricolore and expand the brand's competition with BMW, which makes BMW and Husqvarna motorcycles.

Ducati, which last year sold about 42,000 motor bikes, had revenue for 2011 of 480 million euros.

For Volkswagen, the deal would mean an entry into the motorcycle business and gaining another asset in Italy after buying super-car brand Lamborghini and Italdesign Giugiaro. Piech has also expressed interest in the past in Fiat's Alfa Romeo brand.

Hero MotoCorp Ltd., India's biggest motorcycle maker, had also expressed interest in Ducati after Investindustrial made it known in February that it planned to sell the company. Daimler reiterated on Tuesday that it's not interested in acquiring Ducati.

Ducati, which was founded in 1926, sells the Superbike, Monster, Streetfighter, Hypermotard, Multistrada and the new Diavel models in 65 countries. Over the past 60 years it has won 17 manufacturer's World Championship titles, most recently winning the 2011 World Superbike Championship title.

Suu Kyi to visit Norway, UK after 24 yrs in Myanmar

Yangon: Nobel Peace Prize laureate and newly elected lawmaker Aung San Suu Kyi will travel outside Myanmar for the first time in 24 years after accepting invitations to visit Norway and Britain in June, her party said on Wednesday.

Her travel caps months of dramatic change in Myanmar, including a historic by-election on April 1 that won her a seat in a year-old parliament that replaced nearly five decades of oppressive military rule. 

Her trip will include a visit to British city Oxford, where she attended university in the 1970s, said National League for Democracy (NLD) party spokesman Nyan Win.

"But I don't know the exact date yet," Nyan Win said, adding he did not know which country she would visit first. She has previously indicated that it would be Norway.

Suu Kyi, 66, was first detained in 1989, and spent 15 of the next 21 years in detention until her release from house arrest in November 2010, refused to leave the country during the brief periods when she was not held by authorities, for fear of not being allowed to return.

She won one of her party's 43 seats in this month's by-election following a series of reforms under President Thein Sein, a former general, including the release of political prisoners, more media freedom, dialogue with ethnic militias and an exchange rate unification seen crucial to fixing the economy.
   

'Great progress'

Suu Kyi was invited to visit Britain when she met Prime Minister David Cameron in Yangon on Friday. At the time, she said the fact that she would consider the offer, rather than reject it outright, showed "great progress" had been achieved in Myanmar.

"Two years ago I would have said thank you for the invitation, but sorry," she added.

Suu Kyi's long refusal to leave Myanmar characterized her steely determination to defy the ruling junta, which offered to release her from house arrest to be with her late husband, Michael Aris, who died of cancer in Britain in 1999.

Their story was played out on the big screen late last year in the film "The Lady", as she is affectionately known, with Malaysian action star Michelle Yeoh playing Suu Kyi.

The daughter of assassinated independence hero Aung San visited Myanmar in April 1988 to take care of her dying mother, Khin Kyi, a former ambassador to India and Nepal.

Her NLD went on to win by a landslide a 1990 election for a constitution-drafting assembly, but the military ignored the result, leading to a two-decade political stalemate between the junta and Suu Kyi's opposition.

Agni-V to be test fired today

Taking a major leap forward in missile technology and military deterrent capability, India is all set to test fire its 5,000 km range Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-5 today from a test range off the coast of Odisha. 

 

The test fire of the missile will be conducted today from a test range in Wheeler island off the coast of Odisha. 

Preparations have reached their last stage to conduct maiden flight of the missile, Defence Ministry officials said. 

DRDO Chief V K Saraswat had recently said the missile is being integrated at various facilities for the test launch which will be witnessed by military officials and other agencies which participated in its development.

Only the US, Russia, France and China possess the capability to operate an ICBM. 

DRDO plans to conduct more such tests of the missile over the next one year after studying and analyzing the parameters achieved in each subsequent trial. 

On the timeline fixed for fully developing Agni-5, Saraswat had said another one year of testing will be involved. 

In November last year, DRDO had successfully test fired the 3,500 km range Agni-4 missile giving muscle to India's deterrent capability against the military adversaries. 

DRDO has also placed necessary equipments to collect data on the trajectory and flight of the missile and other necessary data which will be studied further for its future development. 

Agni-5 will be a three-stage, all solid fuel powered, 17-metre tall missile with capability to carry various forms of payload, officials said.

Yahoo's 1Q results show progress under new CEO

Yahoo's first-quarter results showed signs of progress that may help boost the credibility of recently hired CEO Scott Thompson as he tries to turn around the long-sputtering Internet company.

The strides announced Tuesday were small compared with the huge gains that rivals such as Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. have been reaping as advertisers shift more of their budgets to the Internet.

Nevertheless, Yahoo's showing for the first three months of the year included an elusive breakthrough. The company's revenue increased from the prior year for the first time since the U.S. economy was sinking into the depths of the Great Recession in the autumn of 2008. It broke a streak of 13 consecutive quarterly declines in Yahoo's net revenue _ the amount of money that the company keeps after paying commissions to its ad partners.

"We still have a lot of work to do, but it's an important milestone for us,'' Tim Morse, Yahoo's chief financial officer, said in an interview.

Yahoo's earnings also rose in the first quarter, but that's not a new phenomenon. The company's net income had also been rising under Thompson's predecessor, tough-talking Carol Bartz, mostly because of cost cutting.

But Bartz never could produce a year-over-year increase in Yahoo's quarterly revenue before she was fired last September. Yahoo lured Thompson away from eBay Inc.'s online payment service, PayPal, three months ago.

In Thompson's first full quarter as CEO, Yahoo earned $286 million, or 23 cents per share. That represented a 28 percent increase from net income of $223 million, or 17 cents per share, at the same time last year.

The earnings for this year's quarter exceeded the average estimate of 17 cents per share among analysts surveyed by FactSet.

Thompson didn't spend much time crowing about the first-quarter revenue increase, probably because it was such a small gain. Net revenue totaled $1.08 billion, an increase of $13 million, or 1 percent, from the same time last year.

Google's first quarter net revenue, in contrast, soared by 24 percent from last year to $8.14 billion. The overall Internet ad market in the U.S. increased by about 23 percent, according to the research firm eMarketer.

In a Tuesday conference call, Thompson assured analysts he won't be happy until Yahoo's revenue is keeping pace with the rest of the Internet ad market.

"Yahoo must be nimble, responsive and act with a real sense of urgency,'' Thompson said on the call. ``We have to think and to move like a growth company.''

Investors evidently liked what they saw in the numbers and what they heard from Thompson. Yahoo shares rose 43 cents, or nearly 3 percent, to $15.44 in Tuesday's extended trading. The stock hasn't traded above $20 since the third quarter of 2008 _ the last time Yahoo's revenue climbed from the previous year.

The vote of confidence comes as Thompson tries to ward off a rebellion from one of Yahoo's largest shareholders, Daniel Loeb, who is waging a campaign to gain four seats on the company's board of directors.

Yahoo is trying to bring in more money with fewer workers and products. Earlier this month, Thompson announced the largest layoffs in Yahoo's 17-year history in a cost-cutting move that will save the company about $375 million annually. The housecleaning will jettison 2,000 employees, or 14 percent of Yahoo's workforce.

Jet Airways, IndiGo dump MakeMyTrip in protest against opaque fares scheme

Jet Airways and budget carrier IndiGo, which fly almost half the total air-passengers of the country, have pulled out inventory from Nasdaq-listed website makemytrip.com in protest against the 'opaque fares' scheme the portal deployed on its website.
 

The move came even as the portal claimed that it had absolved itself from such practices, after the government disallowed airlines from participating in such schemes.

'Opaque fares' was a scheme offered by a few travel portals such as yatra.com and makemytrip.com, which offered heavily discounted air tickets without disclosing the airline name until the payment was made. However, the country's aviation regulator DGCA had directed all airlines to "immediately withdraw" participation from such schemes through a directive on March 28.

IndiGo, India's second largest airline by market share, sent out an official statement on Tuesday saying it has withdrawn all content from makemytrip.com as "the arbitrary display of fares and opaque pricing is anti consumer and in violation of DGCA norms and directives."

The airline President Aditya Ghosh, in a text message, further said, "We have raised this with MMT on several occasions but unfortunately, there has been no resolution. We were, therefore, left with no choice. IndiGo can't be seen supporting a blatant violation of the law and something that is apparently anti-consumer."

Meanwhile, Jet Airways, which had earlier called opaque fares a scam and had threatened to pull out inventory from makemytrip.com last month, also confirmed the move.

"Jet Airways has not pulled out its inventory from makemytrip.com. However, we have limited the inventory available to them for sale," the airline spokesperson said through a text message.

A person from the travel industry, who did not want to be identified, however, said that these protesting airlines are deploying pressure tactics to make the travel portal drop Kingfisher Airlines from its list. "You will soon see everything fall back into place. These airlines are trying to thwart ailing Kingfisher's chances," he said.

The aim of this scheme (opaque fares), described variously as discount or special fares by the portals, was largely to get rid of tickets of Kingfisher Airlines, a debt-laden carrier. Some passengers, unaware that they were buying Kingfisher tickets, have subsequently been booked on flights that have later been cancelled.

Meanwhile, an official statement from makemytrip.com said that all fares are displayed with the approval of participating airlines.

"We would like to maintain as before that fares and inventory on our website is controlled by the airlines. All the fares are displayed as per the guidelines received and approved by airlines, including the special fares that has been approved by the participating airlines. As India's leading online travel agency, MakeMyTrip strives to give customers the best quality of services and value based offerings," the company said in an emailed response.

iPhone + Cute Puppy = i-Puppy

Some people love their iPhones. Some people love their puppies. Bandai Co., Ltd., which specializes in character-related products from toys to costumes to various Pokemon snacks and gadgets, has figured out a way to blend the two, with its new “Smart Pet”– a kind of i-Puppy.

iPhone + Cute Puppy = i-Puppy

It starts with the robotic body of a dog not quite seven inches tall. Owners download a Smart Pet app onto to their iPhone or iPod touch. Then they nestle it between the floppy ears of the robot, and the iPhone becomes the dog’s face and brain.

The machine then transforms into an animated robotic dog, which will recognize its “owner,” can be “fed,” do more than one hundred tricks, and for all intents and purposes be a man’s best friend–without the necessary daily walks, vet visits, dog chow, and pooper scoopers that a flesh dog would require. (It’s reminiscent of Sony Corp.’s much-beloved Aibo, and has similarities to Bandai’s turn-of-the century digital pet, Tamagotchi.

And the mechanical Sparky can do all sorts of things real dogs can’t. It can help charge the iPhone, serve as an alarm clock, and, should a call happen to come in while the owner is playing with the pet, turn into a hands-free phone set. In another less-normal canine feature, the Smart Pet’s face is removable, so users can take it outside without the body, legs, and tail of the dog. In addition, owners with two Smart Pets—they run in white and black—can use the communication function to synchronize the two dogs as they dance and sing.

The battery-charged Smart Pet is designed so that the robotic dog “learns” more tricks, games, and facial expressions as its owner continues to use it, “playing” chores like feeding the pooch, simulating the relationship between a real dog an its owner. Smart Pets also have a mic and camera installed inside that enable them to do various tricks at the owners’ beck and call.

Smart Pets will run from Y7,800 yen starting April 28. Bandai expects its “completely innovative and new” not-so-furry friend to “not once bore its owners throughout the day,” according to its promotional video. As of now, the Smart Pet will only be available in Japan.

Tsunami unlikely after 8.6 earthquake hits Indonesia

Jakarta: A tsunami watch was issued for countries across the Indian Ocean after a 8.6-magnitude earthquake, the eight worst in the last 100 years, hit waters off Indonesia on Wednesday, triggering widespread panic as residents along coastlines fled to high ground in cars and on the backs of motorcycles. But earthquake and tsunami experts say that quake was horizontal and not vertical, lessening the threat of a tsunami. The National Disaster Management Authority in India said that there was no likelihood of tsunami being formed anywhere in the Indian Ocean. 

Tsunami unlikely after 8.6 earthquake hits Indonesia

The US Geological Survey said the 8.6-magnitude quake was centered 20 miles (33 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor around 269 miles (434 kilometers) from Aceh's provincial capital. 

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore. 

According to earlier reports the tsunami waves were likely to be more than 6 metres high. A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent. 

Said, an official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency who goes by only one name, said a tsunami warning has been issued for cities all along the coast of Sumatra island. Residents in Banda Aceh are already moving to higher ground. 

There was chaos in the streets, with fierce shaking continuing for nearly four minutes. 

"I was in the shower on the fifth floor of my hotel," Timbang Pangaribuan told El Shinta radio from the city of Medan. "We all ran out. ... We're all standing outside now." 

He said one guest was injured when he jumped from the window of his room. 

The tremor was felt in Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia and India. High-rise apartments and offices on Malaysia's west coast shook for at least a minute. 

Thailand's National Disaster Warning Center issued an evacuation order to residents in six provinces along the country's west coast, including the popular tourist destinations of Phuket, Krabi and Phang-Nga. Indonesia agency also reported an aftershock of 6.5 quake Richter scale in Aceh. 

Tremors were also felt in Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Patna, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Cuttack, Bhubaneshwar and several other cities on the eastern coast of India. India has also issued tsunami warning for coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands following the earthquake. 

The Chennai port has been shut down due to tsunami alert. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have already been rushed to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. 

Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity. 

A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, nearly three quarter of them in Aceh.