U.S. Fed gives Indonesia a brief respite from debt pain

By Saeed Azhar and Janeman Latul

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA | Sun Sep 22, 2013 10:24pm BST

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve has given Indonesian companies an unexpected window of opportunity to refinance a foreign debt burden that has nearly doubled to $134 billion since 2008.

The borrowing binge was a product of Indonesia's strong economic growth and record-low global interest rates. But Southeast Asia's largest economy was hit hard in an emerging market selloff this year as investors prepared for a slowdown in the U.S. central bank's purchases of government debt.

The rupiah is down 15 percent this year, pinching companies that issue U.S. dollar-denominated debt but earn their revenue in rupiah. Data from Indonesia's central bank shows that 89 percent of its corporate debt is denominated in U.S. dollars.

As the currency slides, debt servicing costs rise. Indonesia's central bank has raised its benchmark interest rates by 150 basis points to 7.25 percent this year to try to stem the currency decline, threatening economic growth.

The Fed's surprise decision last week to maintain a policy of buying $85 billion in bonds a month until the U.S. economy strengthens sent investors back into emerging markets.

But the reprieve may be short-lived.

"Uncertainty around the timing of an inevitable Fed tapering will no doubt return," said Philipp Lotter, a Singapore-based managing director of corporate finance with credit ratings agency Moody's.

"The bigger concern is around some of the bigger importers and those that have dollar debt coming due over the near term," he said. "Interest rates in Indonesia are rising, and this could have a knock-on effect on Indonesian growth."

The pockets of pain are concentrated in the resources and transportation sectors, where a downturn in the global commodities cycle and drop in shipping rates weigh heavily.

A Reuters analysis of Indonesian corporate debt maturities and cash holdings showed that the companies facing the biggest short-term refinancing hurdle included coking coal miner PT Borneo Lumbung Energi & Metal (BORN.JK), state-owned carrier PT Garuda Indonesia (GIAA.JK), auto distributor PT Astra International (ASII.JK), telecom firm PT Indosat (ISAT.JK) and PT Bumi Resources (BUMI.JK).

"Indonesian bond issuers are poorly hedged for rupiah depreciation," said Ani Deshmukh, a credit analyst with BofA Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong. "We estimate only about 20-30 percent of the total non-miner exposure to dollar debt is hedged."

Eric Thompson, Singapore-based managing director of consultancy and corporate restructuring firm AlixPartners, expects "plenty of restructurings in Indonesia from borrowers who have debt coming due in the next 12 months."

LUMPS OF COAL

The coal sector is particularly vulnerable because global prices have plummeted this year. Indonesia is the world's largest exporter of thermal coal.

Bumi Resources, which had just $91 million in cash as of the first quarter and $619 million in short-term debt, is in talks to settle debts and "looking at various options to deleverage", said Dileep Srivastava, a Bumi director.

The coal company is caught up in a battle between Indonesia's politically connected Bakrie group and financier Nat Rothschild for the control of London-listed Bumi Plc (BUMIP.L), which partially owns Bumi Resources.

Bumi Resources owns 87 percent of Bumi Resources Minerals Tbk (BRMS.JK), which has $360 million in loans maturing in September. Banking sources said a refinancing of the loans could mirror what the group did in August, when Bumi Resources took a 15-month loan to replace a maturing three-year facility.

The new loan, arranged by Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX), came at a hefty cost though, with an annual yield of around 18 percent, well above the 11 percent it paid on earlier loans, sources said. A Credit Suisse spokeswoman declined to comment.

Borneo Lumbung Energi is in talks to renegotiate a Standard Chartered-led $1 billion loan after it suffered a $550 million annual loss due to its troubled investment in Bumi and a drop in coking coal prices, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

The company is owned by Samin Tan, an Indonesian businessman who became a white knight for the Bakrie group in 2011.

Standard Chartered (STAN.L) is becoming cautious on the loan and now asking for a monthly report as well as more money to put aside on an account for loan repayment, a person familiar with the matter said.

A Standard Chartered spokeswoman in Singapore said the bank would not comment on client activity. Borneo did not respond to a Reuters query seeking comment.

VOLATILE MIX

Oil services firm PT Apexindo Pratama Duta Tbk (APEX.JK) is to push ahead with a bond sale following the Fed meeting, aiming to raise as much as $400 million in five-year debt, people familiar with the plan said.

A company spokeswoman was not available to comment.

But some companies are finding market conditions too volatile. PT Kawasan Industri Jababeka (KIJA.JK), one of Indonesia's largest industrial park developers, said on Thursday it was postponing a $350 million global bond issue due to market volatility.

Astra, a conglomerate with interests from coal to autos, said it would service its $2.85 billion in short-term debt with cash flow from operations, and fund future expansion with bonds or commercial loans, spokesman Yulian Warman said.

Jababeka, which has 1.6 trillion rupiah in short-term liabilities, was still considering its refinancing options.

"We haven't decided yet whether we want to raise money from commercial loans or bonds. We still have room to raise 500 billion rupiah of new debt based on our debt service (coverage) ratio," said Mulyadi Suganda, Jababeka's corporate secretary.

An Indosat official, who declined to be identified under company policy, said most of its short-term debt is in rupiah, which will be paid through cash flow and debt refinancing.

Garuda did not reply to requests for comment.

(Additional reporting by Umesh Desai in HONG KONG, Patturaja Murugaboopathy in BANGALORE, Prakash Chakravarti and Christopher Langner of IFR/LPC, Anshuman Daga in SINGAPORE, Fergus Jensen and Fathiya Dahrul in JAKARTA; Editing by Emily Kaiser and Neil Fullick)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/Reuters/UKBusinessNews/~3/RCtkqoss5Eo/story01.htm

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Best iPhone 5s cases and covers

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Source: http://www.phonearena.com/news/Best-iPhone-5s-cases-and-covers_id47544

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Mayweather bout judge stepping away from ring

In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 14, 2012, boxing judge Cynthia C.J. Ross, left, waits to hand her scorecard to the referee after the seventh round of the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas. Ross is temporarily stepping away from the ring after drawing widespread criticism for scoring the fight a draw when two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 14, 2012, boxing judge Cynthia C.J. Ross, left, waits to hand her scorecard to the referee after the seventh round of the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas. Ross is temporarily stepping away from the ring after drawing widespread criticism for scoring the fight a draw when two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)

In this photo taken, Sept. 14, 2013, boxing judge Cynthia C.J. Ross, left, watches as Canelo Alvarez throws a jab at Floyd Mayweather Jr. during a world junior middleweight title fight in Las Vegas. Ross is temporarily stepping away from the ring after drawing widespread criticism for scoring the fight a draw when two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

In this photo taken Saturday, Sept. 14, 2012, boxing judge Cynthia C.J. Ross, center, watches as Canelo Alvarez, right, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. move around the ring during a world junior middleweight title fight in Las Vegas. Ross is temporarily stepping away from the ring after drawing widespread criticism for scoring the fight a draw when two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? A veteran Nevada boxing judge who drew widespread criticism after scoring a weekend title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez a draw is giving up her ringside job, at least temporarily.

"I'm taking time away," Cynthia C.J. Ross told The Associated Press on Wednesday in a brief telephone interview from her home outside Las Vegas.

The 64-year-old Ross said she won't judge any fights "in the immediate future," and hadn't made a decision whether to quit.

Ross scored the world 152-pound title fight a 114-114 draw on Saturday night, but Mayweather won a majority decision after two other judges scored Mayweather the clear winner. Those scorecards had the fight 116-112 and 117-111 for Mayweather, who remained an undefeated 45-0.

Alvarez fell to 42-1-1 before a big crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and a large pay-per-view audience.

Nevada boxing regulators generally backed Ross, although Nevada Athletic Commission Chairman Bill Brady told reporters the panel could have looked more closely at her selection for the Mayweather fight. Brady promised changes to protect fighters, fans and bettors. He didn't immediately respond Wednesday to messages.

Ross also drew attention as one of two judges who scored Timothy Bradley the winner in a controversial split-decision welterweight title bout over Manny Pacquiao in June 2012 in Las Vegas.

The decision spurred a call by the manager of both fighters, Bob Arum, for a review by Nevada state Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. She said she found nothing illegal or criminal in the scoring.

State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer said Wednesday he respected Ross' decision to take time off and appreciated her more than 20 years of service to boxing.

Ross, a retired casino surveillance official and mechanical designer, said she has been scoring fights for 22 years and estimated that she had judged more than 30 previous championship bouts.

She defended her scoring of the 12-round Mayweather-Alvarez fight.

"I had six rounds for each fighter," she said. "Every round was close. I no idea of the controversy until the next day."

Ross said she thought second-guessing on social media has changed boxing.

"Controversy happens in a lot of fights. With the help of social media, people expressing opinions, it brings things to a different light," she said. "I'm taking the brunt of it."

Immediately after Saturday's fight, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer called Ross' scorecard "a disgrace" and said she shouldn't have been hired after the controversy of the Bradley-Pacquiao fight.

Mayweather, who was seen on pay-per-view television expressing shock that the fight had been scored a majority decision, was diplomatic in interviews.

"Things happen," he told reporters. "The best commission in the world is the Nevada commission, so I'll leave it in their hands."

Kizer said all three ringside judges said Mayweather outperformed Alvarez overall. But the athletic commission executive noted the fight was scored as 12 individual rounds.

"Obviously, this fight was one of the most watched in history, so you're going to be under a bigger microscope," Kizer said. "Hopefully, the story by the time Mayweather fights again is what a great fighter he is and how well he fought."

_____

AP Boxing Writer Tim Dahlberg contributed to this report.

_____

Find Ken Ritter on Twitter: http://twitter.com/krttr

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-09-18-BOX-Mayweather-Alvarez-Judge/id-7851a542ffd14d58837ee2e703e77016

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Navy Yard shooting victims had long careers there

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A dozen people died in a shooting rampage Monday at the Washington Navy Yard. It was the deadliest attack at a domestic military installation since November 2009, when an Army psychiatrist killed 13 people and wounded 30 others at Fort Hood, Texas. Early Tuesday, the stories of some of those who died started to surface.

___

Michael Arnold, 59, of Lorton, Va., was a Navy veteran and avid pilot who was building a light airplane at his home, said his uncle, Steve Hunter.

"It would have been the first plane he ever owned," Hunter said in a telephone interview from Rochester, Mich., Arnold's hometown. "It's partially assembled in his basement."

Arnold graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and served in the Navy for 29 years, before retiring as a captain last October, according to an article in the Navy Supply Corps Newsletter. Arnold, who had two master's degrees from the University of Washington in Seattle, then went to work for LMI, a consulting firm based in McLean, Va.

Hunter said his nephew worked at the Navy Yard on a team that designed vessels such as the USS Makin Island, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship used by the Marine Corps. Jeff Bennett, a vice president at LMI, told The Washington Post that Arnold "was just a solid, solid citizen ... great American."

Arnold and his wife, Jolanda, had been married for more than 30 years, Hunter said. They had two grown sons, Eric and Christopher.

Hunter said Arnold returned to Michigan for Labor Day to visit his 80-year-old mother, Patricia.

"He was a loving son of his mother and his wife, and great father to his kids," said Hunter. "It's tragic. How can you get up in the morning and go to work and have that happen? How do bad things like that happen to good people?"

___

Sylvia Frasier, 53, had worked at Naval Sea Systems Command as an information assurance manager since 2000, according to a LinkedIn profile in her name.

Frasier studied at Strayer University, earning a bachelor of science in computer information systems in 2000 and a master's in information systems in 2002. Her duties at NAVSEA included providing policy and guidance on network security, and assuring that all computer systems operated by the headquarters met Department of Navy and Department of Defense requirements.

She also led efforts "to establish and implement procedures to investigate security violations or incidents," according to the profile.

Her brother, James Frasier, declined comment Monday night.

___

Kathleen Gaarde, 63, of Woodbridge, Va., was a financial analyst who supported the organization responsible for the shipyards, her husband, Douglass, wrote in an email to the AP early Tuesday.

Douglass Gaarde declined to speak, but wrote that he was unable to sleep.

"Today my life partner of 42 years (38 of them married) was taken from me, my grown son and daughter, and friends," he wrote. "We were just starting to plan our retirement activities and now none of that matters. It hasn't fully sunk in yet but I know I already dearly miss her."

Madelyn Gaarde, of Grand Junction, Colo., who's married to Douglass Gaarde's brother, said her sister- and brother-in-law met while he was studying electrical engineering at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

Douglass Gaarde, an Illinois native, also worked for the Navy until his retirement last year, his sister-in-law said.

"She was a very gracious person and very welcoming," she said of Kathleen Gaarde.

___

Kenneth Proctor, 46, worked as a civilian utilities foreman at the Navy Yard, his ex-wife, Evelyn Proctor, said. He spent 22 years working for the federal government, Evelyn Proctor said.

The Waldorf, Md., woman spoke to Kenneth early Monday morning before he left for work at the Navy Yard. It was his regular call. The high school sweethearts talked every day, even after they divorced this year after 19 years of marriage, and they shared custody of their two teenage sons.

She was in shock about her ex-husband's death.

"He just went in there in the morning for breakfast," Proctor said Monday night of the building where the shooting took place. "He didn't even work in the building. It was a routine thing for him to go there in the morning for breakfast, and unfortunately it happened."

Proctor said she tried to call her ex-husband throughout the day and drove to the Navy Yard on Monday afternoon, fearing the worst. After waiting for about three hours alongside other relatives concerned about their loved ones, she was informed around 8 p.m. that he was among the dead. Officials did not detail the circumstances of his shooting, she said.

The Proctors married in 1994 and divorced this year. Their older son, Kenneth Proctor Jr., 17, enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school this spring and is in basic training in Oklahoma. Their younger son, Kendull Proctor, is 15.

"We were still very close. It wasn't a bitter divorce," Evelyn Proctor said. "We still talked every day, and we lived 10 minutes away from each other."

Kenneth Proctor was born and raised in Charles County, Md., where he lived until his death.

"He loved the Redskins. Loved his kids ? a very loving, caring, gentle person. His kids meant a lot to him," Evelyn Proctor said.

___

Associated Press writers Amanda Kell, Ben Nuckols and Allen G. Breed contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/navy-yard-shooting-victims-had-long-careers-043237470.html

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Iran foreign minister says Facebook page hacked

TEHRAN: The Facebook page of Iran's foreign minister was taken over briefly by unidentified hackers who protested against the crackdown on protesters after the disputed 2009 presidential election, media reported Saturday.

"My Facebook page was pirated by someone who changed the password, but the problem has since been sorted," Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

"If this happens again, I may have to stop having a Facebook page," he added.

The US-educated diplomat regularly updates his Facebook page (facebook.com/jzarif) where he posts in Farsi, and sometimes interacts with some of his more-than 184,000 fans.

Zarif also has a Twitter account in which he posts in English -- despite no one inside the country being allowed legally to read his tweets.

Using the newly activated account @JZarif, the foreign minister caused a diplomatic shockwave on September 5 when he wished Jews a happy Rosh Hashanah (new year) and also stated that Iran did not deny the Holocaust.

Tehran blocks access to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and numerous other sites, including blogs and pornographic hubs, as it tries to stop Iranians from surfing content authorities seen as undermining the Islamic regime, or as being immoral.

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Sep-14/231299-iran-foreign-minister-says-facebook-page-hacked.ashx

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Real Estate Weekly - 9/13/13 | Maryland Daily Record

Mullan completes renovation of Jesuit middle school

Mullan Contracting Co., of Lutherville, has completed construction and renovation work at Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy, an independent Jesuit middle school for boys that moved from its former location on North Calvert Street to a 27,000-square-foot building, the former Catholic Community School, at 300 E. Gittings St. in Baltimore?s Federal Hill. Work included the upgrade of all classrooms, science laboratories, the gymnasium and the library-media center. The newly renovated space is approximately twice as large as the school?s old building on Calvert Street. The school accepts only students from low-income families, who are not charged tuition.

COPT joint venture to gain from planned hotel in Alabama

Corporate Office Properties Trust, a Columbia-based office real estate investment trust, announced that a Marriott TownPlace Suites hotel will be built on a 3.1-acre parcel in Redstone Gateway, a 4.2 million-square-foot business and industrial development park of 52 buildings being built on property owned by Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. The hotel developer, Redstone Hospitality LLC, which is not an affiliate of COPT, will pay LW Redstone Co. LLC, a joint venture between COPT and Jim Wilson & Associates LLC, a ground rent in accordance with a ground lease between the two parties. The developer expects to break ground before March 31, 2014, and to complete construction approximately one year later. The hotel, to be built to a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard, will contain approximately 125 guest rooms, a breakfast area, meeting rooms, a fitness and health facility, indoor pool and other amenities.

Merritt starts construction of White Marsh athletic club Merritt Athletic Clubs, of Woodlawn, announced it has started construction on a new, 45,000-square-foot facility at 5301 Campbell Blvd. in White Marsh. The new ?super? club, which is being developed by Merritt Construction Services, will open in spring 2014 and will feature a state-of-the-art outdoor aquatics center with an Olympic-style pool, family fun pool and kiddy pool. Other amenities include a dynamic kids club with an interactive play maze and party room, a restaurant/caf?, saunas, a cardio theater room, and three separate fitness studios for yoga, cycling and group exercise. The fitness floor will feature the latest in technology and equipment to give members a full workout experience. A preview center will open on the site later this fall. Merritt?s currently owns and operates nine athletic clubs located in downtown, Fort Avenue and Canton in Baltimore city, Towson, Woodlawn, Owings Mills, Cockeysville, Hanover and Eldersburg.

Owings Mills celebrates completion of Dolfield Blvd.?s final section

Baltimore County elected officials headed by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz joined Owings Mills area community and business leaders and officials of the county Department of Public Works on Thursday to celebrate the official opening of the final section of Dolfield Boulevard connecting Reisterstown Road to Lakeside Boulevard. The $6.5 million road project extends the popular and heavily used roadway its final half-mile, providing a much-needed connection between the Reisterstown Road corridor and the Owings Mills Town Center and Red Run Boulevard business community. The four-lane roadway is expected to ease long-standing traffic congestion. Construction was completed in just one year ? about half of the estimated construction schedule ? due to a mild winter and an unusually fair spring and summer.

Bank of America Charitable Foundation awards housing grants to nonprofits

The Bank of America Charitable Foundation announced $203,000 in housing grants to 10 Baltimore-area nonprofits to help individuals and families achieve and sustain financial stability. The foundation said the investments will help improve access to affordable housing, preserve neighborhoods, provide financial education and coaching for future homeowners, and support organizations and initiatives that contribute to the success of local communities. Those receiving grants are Belair-Edison Neighborhoods Inc.; Healthy Neighborhoods Inc.; St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center Inc.; Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers; Baltimore Museum of Art; Comprehensive Housing Assistance; Govans Ecumenical Development Corp.; Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake; Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna; and Neighborhood Housing Services.

20 buildings built by St. John Properties have earned LEED certifications St. John Properties Inc., of Baltimore, announced that 8160 Maple Lawn Blvd., a four-story, 105,000-square-foot Class A office building in the Maple Lawn Business Community in Howard County, has earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This marks St. John?s 20th certification from the USGBC for satisfying Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design requirements and elements in the construction of commercial office buildings. The buildings, totaling more than 1 million square feet of commercial office space, are located in five different counties in Maryland, and have all been constructed since 2009. Nineteen of the 20 have earned either Gold or Silver certification.

MacKenzie Commercial representing

Williams Scotsman building in White Marsh MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate Services LLC, of Lutherville, announced that F. Joseph Bradley III, a MacKenzie vice president, has been selected by Baltimore-based Blue Ocean Realty to represent the former Williams Scotsman building at 8211 Town Center Drive in White Marsh. The 70,000-square-foot building, currently vacant, is adjacent to The Avenue and White Marsh Mall. Blue Ocean Realty purchased the property, along with 201 N. Charles St. in downtown Baltimore, and 6901 Security Plaza at the crossroads of Interstates 695 and 70 in Woodlawn. The three-story, former Williams Scotsman building in White Marsh is undergoing renovation, with changes to the fa?ade and lobby areas nearing completion. ?This building is an ideal fit for a large firm looking for an employee-friendly location to grow and maintain a productive workforce,? said Bradley.

College of Southern Maryland dedicates new building at Prince Frederick Campus

The College of Southern Maryland dedicated its newest building Tuesday at the Prince Frederick Campus. Building B adds 30,000 square feet of space with 3,000 square feet dedicated to a multipurpose room for hosting conferences, lectures, cultural events and concerts, and 3,000 square feet dedicated to the Center for Nuclear Energy Training. In addition, there is classroom space, faculty and staff offices, a student lounge, computer lab, conference room, health care program lab and tutoring rooms. ?The building is designed to meet at least [LEED] silver level certification but we are trying for gold status,? said CSM Vice President Richard Fleming, who as dean of the Prince Frederick Campus served as project lead for the construction. ?This will be only the second LEED-certified building in Calvert County.? The building features the only green roofs in Calvert County, which help with water runoff and energy efficiency. All of the HVAC and electrical systems are computer-controlled so the building is constantly monitoring itself and making automatic changes in energy and lighting usage and in air quality control. The building uses recycled materials and almost all of the construction waste is recycled.

AE Productions opens new video studio

AE Productions LLC, of Silver Spring, a provider of video production services, added a full-service video and television production studio and facility to its operation. The facility includes high-definition cameras, two broadcast studios, captioning and transcription equipment, and fiber conductivity, green screen-ready, editing suites and streaming services, as well as seminar and conference room rental space. The company hosted an open house on Thursday to show off its new capabilities. AE Productions provides production services to large sports facilities, network and cable television providers, large and small businesses and corporations, nonprofits and government agencies.

APG interchange reconstruction hailed

Completion of an important highway interchange near Aberdeen Proving Ground brought Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown and other state and federal and county officials to Harford County on Monday. The reconstruction of the US 40/MD 715 interchange and roadway widening project leading to the entrance of APG in Harford County cost about $33 million and employed more than 300 workers during the three-year construction period. The reconstruction took on added necessity after hundreds of civilian and military personnel moved to the area of the Army base as a result of the Base Realignment and Closing, or BRAC, process. The project is part of a $129 million state effort to improve roadways leading to APG.

Sky Zone makes debut in Howard County

Howard County officials, headed by County Executive Ken Ulman, held a ceremonial ribbon cutting Friday for Sky Zone, a new trampoline park in Columbia, and the first in the state of Maryland. The privately owned facility is part of a national franchise chain headquartered in California. Sky Zone features three dodge ball courts, one main court, a foam zone and a SkyJam area, with basketball hoops of various heights for slam dunks. The facility will open to the public next week, and has already hired 80 people for its opening, with intentions to have over 130 employees when fully staffed.

Annapolis? Market House reopens

Annapolis? historic Market House officially reopened on Sept. 7 with eight new businesses. The market includes a smoothie bar, a gelateria and a seafood and oyster bar. Also open is Amsterdam Falafelshop, which also has a location in the District of Columbia. Market House has been plagued by problems over the past decade, including damage from Tropical Storm Isabel in 2003 and legal disputes with prior tenants. Officials said they?ve now improved the air conditioning of the building, which previously could become very hot.

UMES plans to install two wind turbines

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore plans to install two wind turbines with enough power to fuel hundreds of homes to serve as instruments for student and faculty research, The Daily Times of Salisbury reported. G. Dale Wesson, UMES? vice president for research and economic development, said the university is negotiating the project through the Hawk Corp. research foundation with Eastern Shore Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based National Renewable Solutions. Wesson said plans call for two, 2-megawatt turbines capable of supplying direct electrical power to meet campus utility needs. Specific details such as the turbines? height and location will be announced after an agreement is reached.

Real Hospitality Group to manage Dunes hotels

Real Hospitality Group, of Ocean City, a provider of property management and business development services for hotels, resorts and similar properties, announced it has been selected by Genesar Inc., of Ocean City, the owner of the 170-room Dunes Manor Hotel and the 111-room Dunes Motel, to manage the properties, both located in Ocean City. RHG will work with Genesar on long-term planning for the assets, and to capitalize on an extensive renovation program completed earlier this year. RHG manages 41 hotel properties containing 5,564 rooms in such locations as New York, Philadelphia, Morgantown, W.Va., Glen Falls and Montauk, N.Y., and Ocean City.

Ritz-Carlton unveils expansion plans

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. LLC, a luxury hotel brand headquartered in Chevy Chase, announced a major expansion and development initiative to add 20 hotels and resorts to its portfolio by 2016, raising the number of Ritz-Carlton branded properties to 100 worldwide. The plan will expand the brand to urban capitals and emerging tourist destinations, ranging from Morocco to Japan, and from Israel to India. Six new Ritz-Carlton hotels are scheduled to open in the last quarter of this year, including properties in Chengdu and Tianjin, China; on the Caribbean island of Aruba, and in three new countries: Herzliya, Israel; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Bangalore, India.

LEASES?

Merritt Properties LLC reported the following recently signed leases

* Grid One Solutions Inc., a utility metering services company, leased 8,400 square feet of warehouse space at 10711 Red Run Blvd. in Owings Mills.

* Lucky Day Furniture Installation LLC, a furniture installation company, leased 6,300 square feet of warehouse and office space (5,500 warehouse, 800 office) at 4240 Shannon Drive in Baltimore.

* Starline Industries Inc., a window manufacturer and distributor, leased 10,925 square feet of warehouse and office space (9,925 warehouse, 1,000 office) at 4240 Shannon Drive in Baltimore.

In all three of these transactions, Merritt Properties, the landlord, was represented by its in-house leasing team of Pat Franklin, Whit Levering, Lou Boeri and Ashley Combs. The tenants? representatives were not disclosed.

Source: http://thedailyrecord.com/2013/09/13/real-estate-weekly-91313/

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Live! Watch The Disrupt SF 2013 Hackathon Presentations Live Here

It's time! After almost 24 hours straight of nose-to-the-grindstone coding, the developers and designers at our Disrupt SF 2013 Hackathon are getting ready to debut their projects to the world. It's been an exhausting (beer-filled!) night, but it'll all be worth it

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Ohio State QB sidelined after being hit

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller has left the third-ranked Buckeyes' game against San Diego State after being pinned between tacklers.

Miller, a junior tabbed as one of the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy, carried on fourth-and-1 at the Aztecs 12 early in the game. He cut inside left end and was hit by defensive back King Holder and middle linebacker Jake Fely, Miller's helmet popping off as he fell.

He lay on the field on his back for a moment, holding his head. He then was helped to his feet and walked under his own power to the sideline before going to the locker room on a cart.

With Kenny Guiton taking his place, the Buckeyes scored on the next play for a 7-0 lead.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-09-07-FBC-T25-Ohio-St-Miller-Injured/id-32f6166144fe4002b50a6712f994e029

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The News from the Apple Event is No News on Apple TV

The News from the Apple Event is No News on Apple TV

Expecting that big announcement of the upcoming release of new Apple TV hardware at next week?s Apple Event? You are going to be a bit disappointed at the news?.or lack of it.

Earlier in the week, global trade intelligence company Panjiva discovered some suggestive shipments of "set-top boxes," kicking up a widespread rumor that Apple would unveil a new piece of hardware next week.

Comments

Posted by Al 12:02 PM (DST)??

Source: http://www.hardocp.com/news/2013/09/07/news_from_apple_event_no_on_tv/

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PST: Handicapping Eastern Conference schedules

Only Sporting Kansas City has clinched a playoff spot in the East, leaving New York, Chicago, D.C. United, Houston and Montreal to compete for the remaining four spots.

The MLS Eastern Conference standings are here.

Through highly unscientific and completely subjective methodology, here is how I would rank the five teams still in playoff contention in strength of schedule remaining (easiest to hardest):

• 1. Houston
• 2. Chicago
• 3. New York
• 4. D.C. United
• 5. Columbus

Here?s the important thing to know: Houston has the clearest part ahead by a long way. Two home games and one on the road, and none against teams destined to make the playoffs. It?s all there for Dominic Kinnear?s side.

Chicago is surely next because the Fire has four matches (one extra), including two at home. One of those is against already eliminated Philadelphia and another against a D.C. Untied side that is markedly better at home than on the road. Plus, Frank Klopas? team finishes at New England, and who knows what frame of mind the Revs will be in by Match Day 34?

Honestly, after that it?s pretty much a grab bag.

Neither New York, D.C. United nor Columbus have an easy time ahead. Plus, United and Columbus meet on Oct. 20, destined to pick points off one another.

Best guess: what we have all thought for a few weeks now, that New York, Chicago and Houston will find a way in, leaving Columbus and D.C. United will scrap it out for that final spot.

Here are the remaining matches for each side:

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/30/handicapping-the-eastern-conference-schedules/related

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Self Improvement | Coping with Change: Develop Your Personal ...

By Steve Singleton -

Why do we resist change?

As the saying goes, the only people who like change are busy cashiers and wet babies. We find change disorienting, creating within us an anxiety similar to culture shock, the unease visitors to an alien land feel because of the absence of the familiar cues they took for granted back home. With an established routine, we don?t have to think! And thinking is hard work.

Change is a business fact of life

Is your company is currently undergoing major changes that will affect the lives of all of its employees? These changes are probably in response to the evolving needs of your customers. They are made possible because of improvements in telecommunications and digital technology. They are likely guided by accepted principles and practices of total quality management. And you can expect that they will result in significant improvements profitability?a success that all employees will share. Because our customers? needs are NOW, we must make changes swiftly, which means that all of us must cooperate with the changes, rather than resist them.

How do we resist change?

We tend to respond to change the same way we respond to anything we perceive as a threat: by flight or fight. Our first reaction is flight?we try to avoid change if we can. We do what futurist Faith Popcorn calls ?cocooning?: we seal ourselves off from those around us and try to ignore what is happening. This can happen in the workplace just by being passive. We don?t volunteer for teams or committees; we don?t make suggestions, ask questions, or offer constructive criticism. But the changes ahead are inescapable. Those who ?cocoon? themselves will be left behind.

Even worse is to fight, to actively resist change. Resistance tactics might include negativity, destructive criticism, and even sabotage. If this seldom happens at your company, you are fortunate.

Take a different approach to change

Rejecting both alternatives of flight or flight, we seek a better option?one that neither avoids change nor resists it, but harnesses and guides it.

Change can be the means to your goals, not a barrier to them.

Both fight and flight are reactions to perceiving change as a threat. But if we can change our perceptions, we can avoid those reactions. An old proverb goes, ?Every change brings an opportunity.? In other words, we must learn to see change as a means of achieving our goals, not a barrier preventing us from reaching them.

Another way of expressing the same thought is: A change in my external circumstances provides me with an opportunity to grow as a human being. The greater the change is, the greater and faster I can grow. If we can perceive change along these lines, we will find it exciting and energizing, rather than depressing and debilitating.

Yet this restructuring of our perspective on change can take some time. In fact, coping with change follows the same steps as the grieving process.1 The steps are shock and denial that the old routine must be left behind, then anger that change is inevitable, then despair and a longing for the old ways, eventually replaced by acceptance of the new and a brighter view of the future. Everyone works through this process; for some, the transition is lightning fast, for others painfully slow.

Realize your capacity to adapt.

As one writer put it recently:

Our foreparents lived through sea changes, upheavals so cataclysmic, so devastating we may never appreciate the fortitude and resilience required to survive them. The next time you feel resistant, think about them and about what they faced?and about what they fashioned from a fraction of the options we have. They blended old and new worlds, creating family, language, cuisine and new life-affirming rhythms, and they encouraged their children to keep on stepping toward an unknown but malleable future.²

Human beings are created remarkably flexible, capable of adapting to a wide variety of environments and situations. Realizing this can help you to embrace and guide change rather than resisting or avoiding it.

Develop a coping strategy based on who you are.

Corporate employees typically follow one of four decision-making styles: analytical, directive, conceptual, and behavioral. These four styles, described in a book by Alan J. Rowe and Richard O. Mason,3 have the following characteristics:
Analytical Style

- technical, logical, careful, methodical, needs much data, likes order, enjoys problem-solving, enjoys structure, enjoys scientific study, and enjoys working alone.

Conceptual Style ? creative and artistic, future oriented, likes to brainstorm, wants independence, uses judgment, optimistic, uses ideas vs. data, looks at the big picture, rebellious and opinionated, and committed to principles or a vision.

Behavioral Style ? supportive of others, empathetic, wants affiliation, nurtures others, communicates easily, uses instinct, avoids stress, avoids conflict, relies on feelings instead of data, and enjoys team/group efforts.

Directive Style- aggressive, acts rapidly, takes charge, persuasive and/or is manipulative, uses rules, needs power/status, impatient, productive, single-minded, and enjoys individual achievements.

Read once more through these descriptions and identify which style best describes you. Then find and study the strategy people who share your style follow to cope with change:

Analytical coping strategy

- You see change as a challenging puzzle to be solved. You need plenty of time to gather information, analyze data, and draw conclusions. You will resist change if you are not given enough time to think it through.

Conceptual coping strategy ? You are interested in how change fits into the big picture. You want to be involved in defining what needs to change and why. You will resist change if you feel excluded from participating in the change process.

Behavioral coping strategy ? You want to know how everyone feels about the changes ahead. You work best when you know that the whole group is supportive of each other and that everyone champions the change process. If the change adversely affects someone in the group, you will perceive change as a crisis.

Directive coping strategy- You want specifics on how the change will affect you and what your own role will be during the change process. If you know the rules of the change process and the desired outcome, you will act rapidly and aggressively to achieve change goals. You resist change if the rules or anticipated results are not clearly defined.

Realizing what our normal decision-making style is, can enable us to develop personal change-coping tactics.

How can we cope with change?

1. Get the big picture. ? Sometimes, not only do we miss the forest because of the trees, but we don?t even see the tree because we?re focused on the wood. Attaining a larger perspective can help all of us to cope with change, not just the conceptualists. The changes underway at my company are clearly following at least four important trends, which I believe are probably reflective of businesses in general:

?

• Away from localized work toward network-based work,

?

• Away from a feast-or-famine working environment toward a routinely busy working environment,

?

?

• Away from site-limited approaches toward approaches that are consistent company-wide, and

?

?

• Away from vertical, top-down management toward a more horizontal management structure, with shared accountability.

?

?

Getting at least this much comprehension of the big picture will help us to understand where each of us fits.

2. Do some anchoring. ? When everything around you is in a state of flux, it sure helps to find something stable that isn?t going to change, no matter what. Your company?s values (whether articulated or not) can provide that kind of stability for you. Ours include the Company Family, Focus on the Customer, Be Committed to Quality, and Maintain Mutual Respect. These values are rock-solid; they are not going to disappear or rearrange themselves into something else. Plus, each of us has personal values that perhaps are even more significant and permanent. Such immovables can serve as anchors to help us ride out the storm.

3. Keep your expectations realistic. ? A big part of taking control of the change you experience is to set your expectations. You can still maintain an optimistic outlook, but aim for what is realistically attainable. That way, the negatives that come along won?t be so overwhelming, and the positives will be an adrenaline rush. Here are some examples:

?

• There will be some bumps along the road. We shouldn?t expect all of the changes ahead to be painless, demanding only minimal sacrifice, cost, or effort. In fact, we should expect some dead ends, some breakdowns in communications, and some misunderstandings, despite our best efforts to avoid them. We may not be able to anticipate all of the problems ahead, but we can map out in general terms how we will deal with them.

?

• Not everyone will change at the same rate. The learning rates of any employees will distribute themselves along a bell curve. A few will adapt rapidly, most will take more time, and a few will adjust gradually. Also, many younger employees may find change, especially technological innovations, easier than those older. The reason may be, as one observer explains, ?Older people?s hard disks are fuller.?⁴ On the other hand, you may find some younger ones surprisingly reluctant to take on a new challenge.

?

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• The results of change may come more slowly than we would want. As participants in an ?instant society,? conditioned by the media to expect complex problems to reach resolution in a 60-minute time frame, we may find the positive results of change slow to arrive from the distant horizon. If we are aware of this, we won?t be so disappointed if tomorrow?s results seem so similar to today?s.

?

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4. Develop your own, personal change tactics.Get plenty of exercise, plenty of rest, and watch your diet. Even if you take all the right steps and follow the best advice, undergoing change creates stress in your life, and stress takes energy. Aware of this, you can compensate by taking special care of your body.

Invest time and energy in training. Sharpen your skills so that you can meet the challenges ahead with confidence. If the training you need is not available through Bowne, get it somewhere else, such as the community college or adult education program in your area.

Get help when you need it. If you are confused or overwhelmed with the changes swirling around you, ask for help. Your supervisor, manager, or coworkers may be able to assist you in adjusting to the changes taking place. Your human resources department and any company-provided counseling services are other resources available to you.

Make sure the change does not compromise either your company values or your personal ones. If you are not careful, the technological advances jostling each other for your attention and adoption will tend to isolate you from personal contact with your coworkers and customers. E-mail, teleconference, voice-mail, and Intranet can make us more in touch with each other, or they can keep us antiseptically detached, removed from an awareness that the digital signals we are sending reach and influence another flesh-and-blood human being.

Aware of this tendency, we must actively counteract the drift in this direction by taking an interest in people and opening up ourselves to them in return. We have to remember to invest in people?all of those around us?not just in technology.

The ?new normalcy?

Ultimately, we may discover that the current state of flux is permanent. After the events of September 11, Vice President Richard Cheney said we should accept the many resultant changes in daily life as permanent rather than temporary. ?Think of them,? he recommended, ?as the ?new normalcy.??

You should take the same approach to the changes happening at your workplace. These are not temporary adjustments until things get ?back to normal.? They are probably the ?new normalcy? of your life as a company. The sooner you can accept that these changes are permanent, the better you can cope with them all?and enjoy their positive results.

Notes

1. Nancy J. Barger and Linda K. Kirby, The Challenge of Change in Organizations: Helping Employees Thrive in the New Frontier (Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publ., 1995). This source is summarized in Mary M. Witherspoon, ?Coping with Change,? Women in Business 52, 3 (May/June 2000): 22-25.

2. Susan Taylor, ?Embracing Change,? Essence (Feb. 2002): 5.

3. Alan J. Rowe and Richard O. Mason, Managing with Style: A Guide to Understanding, Assessing and Improving Decision-Making (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Management Series, 1987) cited in Witherspoon, ?Coping with Change.?

4. Emily Friedman, ?Creature Comforts,? Health Forum Journal 42, 3 (May/June 1999): 8-11. Futurist John Naisbitt has addressed this tendency in his book, High tech/high touch: Technology and our search for meaning (New York: Random House, 1999). Naisbitt co-wrote this book with his daughter Nana Naisbitt and Douglas Philips.

* * *Copyright ?2006 Steve SingletonSteve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles. He has been an editor, reporter, and public relations consultant. He has taught college-level Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses and has taught seminars in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his DeeperStudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore ?The Shallows,? plumb ?The Depths,? or use the well-organized ?Study Links? for original sources in English translation. Check out the DeeperStudy Bookstore for great e-books, free books, and great discounts. Subscribe to his free ?DeeperStudy Newsletter? or ?DeeperStudy Blog.?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Singleton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Coping-with-Change:-Develop-Your-Personal-Strategy&id=51313

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Source: http://theselfimprovementblog.com/self-improvement/self-improvement-skills/coping-with-change-develop-your-personal-strategy-3/

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When Banks Erase a Debt That Isn?t There - New York Times

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Source: www.linkfest.com --- Saturday, September 29, 2012
@moorehn , @bobivry ...

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/30/business/when-banks-erase-a-debt-that-isnt-there.html

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Son of China's Bo Xilai defends his father

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Harvard-educated son of disgraced Chinese political leader Bo Xilai defended his father against charges of taking bribes and having improper sexual relationships, saying he believed in his father's good character.

"Personally, it is hard for me to believe the allegations that were announced against my father, because they contradict everything I have come to know about him throughout my life," Bo Guagua said in a statement posted on the microblog site Tumblr.

"Although the policies my father enacted are open to debate, the father I know is upright in his beliefs and devoted to duty," he added. Bo confirmed the statement, posted on Saturday, with Reuters.

Since graduating from Harvard University in May with a master's degree in public policy, Guagua, 24, has kept a low profile, in contrast to reports earlier this year of a playboy lifestyle in the United States that created a firestorm on the Internet back in China.

The younger Bo's statement came a day after China's ruling Communist Party accused his father of abusing his power, taking huge bribes and other crimes.

Bo will be handed over for criminal investigation, state media reported on the latest phase in a scandal of murder and cover-ups that has shaken China's leadership. Bo had been seen as a strong contender to become a member of the powerful Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Political Bureau later this year.

Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, and his former police chief, Wang Lijun, have both been jailed over the scandal stemming from the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in the southwestern city of Chongqing, where Bo was Communist Party chief.

At her trial on August 9, Gu admitted to poisoning Heywood last November.

Gu and Heywood got into a dispute over a soured real estate deal, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Gu said she believed Heywood threatened Guagua's personal safety.

"I suffered a mental breakdown after learning that my son was in jeopardy," Gu said, according to official accounts.

Last week's government statement carried by Xinhua said that in the murder scandal, Bo "abused his powers of office, committed serious errors and bears a major responsibility".

Bo has been expelled from the party as well as the elite decision-making Politburo and Central Committee.

ONLY CHILD

Guagua is the only child of Bo and Gu. Though his friends and acquaintances say he would like to challenge the negative perception of his parents more forcefully, Guagua has said very little publicly because he fears it could only make matters worse.

"He has always taught me to be my own person and to have concern for causes greater than ourselves," Guagua said in his statement. "I have tried to follow his advice. At this point, I expect the legal process to follow its normal course, and I will await the result."

This past summer Guagua traveled along the Maine coast and visited Westchester County in New York, according to friends and acquaintances. He has been somewhat isolated, though, as he takes stock of his uncertain future. Friends said Guagua has had little or no communication with his mother since March, shortly before she was accused of murder. Communication with his father has been intermittent at best, they said.

Several friends and acquaintances interviewed said they did not want their names used because they fear fallout from being associated with the biggest scandal in Chinese politics in more than two decades.

"The whole thing is just radioactive," one of Guagua's friends told Reuters. "He's under tremendous pressure."

In private, Guagua, who declined to comment for this story, has told friends his father did not flirt with the extremism exhibited by Mao Zedong during China's 1966-76 Cultural Revolution.

According to Guagua's accounts to friends, Bo Xilai encouraged the singing of so-called red songs, but only as a means to promote unity and morality in Chongqing, a sprawling municipal district of about 30 million people that is wracked with street crime and other forms of corruption.

Bo Xilai promoted the reading of Maoist poems, but he also referenced the works of Thomas Jefferson, friends said, relating conversations with Guagua.

In August, Guagua bristled at the suggestion that his father may have given him documents as a sort of insurance policy against his enemies in the Communist Party.

"My father has no need for any such things because he has always been aboveboard, regardless of how people who don't know him can speculate," he said in an email exchange with Reuters.

(Editing by Jackie Frank)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/son-chinas-bo-xilai-defends-father-193242417.html

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Switched On: iOS 6 gets back from the app

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Apple's App Store has more smartphone apps than those of its competitors. But the sheer size of the library is not the only source of consternation for Google or Microsoft, which would both readily concede that it's also important to obtain the kind of key apps, optimized apps and platform-first apps the iPhone enjoys. The iPhone's commanding marketplace lead is due to several factors. These include the huge number and historical affluence of its users and the ease of its App Store.

The iPhone, though, was not the first phone to have apps. In fact, in its early days, it didn't have apps at all as the company urged developers to create optimized web apps for the platform similar to what Mozilla is now advocating for its streamlined mobile operating system Boot2Gecko. Apple originally put its efforts into creating archetypical apps for tasks such as calling, browsing, email and mapping. Rather than open the iPhone to third-party developers at first, it handpicked partners for various features, such as Google for maps and Yahoo for weather and stocks.

Continue reading Switched On: iOS 6 gets back from the app

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software

Switched On: iOS 6 gets back from the app originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sudan tells UN that debts must be canceled as it struggles to recover from losing oil revenue to South Sudan - @Reuters

UNITED NATIONS | Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:39pm EDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Sudan told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday that its debts must be canceled and its economy supported as it struggles to recover from losing three-quarters of its critical oil revenue to South Sudan when it seceded a year ago.

The International Monetary Fund this week urged Sudan to meet donors to discuss debt relief and some IMF board members called for "exceptional efforts" from the IMF and the global community to help Sudan reduce its debt of about $40 billion.

"Sudan requires assistance to go through this very sensitive stage towards better horizons. For that we believe that debts must be canceled and its economy supported," Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti said.

South Sudan seceded in July 2011. Leaders from both states finally reached a border security deal on Wednesday to restart badly needed oil exports, but failed to solve the other key conflicts left over from when they split.

The pair failed to settle the fate of at least five disputed oil-producing regions along the border. Tensions over the unmarked 1,200-mile (1930-km) common border spilled over into fighting in April, when South Sudan's army briefly occupied the Heglig oilfield, vital to Sudan's economy.

They were also unable to reach a solution for the border region of Abyei, which has symbolic significance to both and is rich in grazing lands. Plans for a referendum have failed over the question of who should participate.

"We have been determined to tackle the reasons for war and strife despite the strong economic and political pressures being brought to bear against my country and unfair sanctions imposed by the United States," Karti said.

Washington still maintains its 1997 embargo on the country over Sudan's role in hosting prominent Islamist militants. The sanctions restrict U.S. trade and investment with Sudan and block the assets of the Sudanese government.

The United States and other powers criticize Sudan for human rights violations and a harsh crackdown on rebels. Western powers also shun Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir who was indicted by the International Criminal Court over war crimes in Darfur, the site of a nearly decade-old insurgency. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/29/us-un-assembly-sudan-idUSBRE88S0FR20120929

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India launches 101st space mission, and looks to Mars

The mission will be carried out without international help, highlighting the growth and ambition of India's home-grown space program, which plans to launch a mission to Mars.

By Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar,?Correspondent / September 29, 2012

India's space program is advancing at a breakneck pace with a goal of reaching Mars with an unmanned vehicle by 2014. Here, a satellite launch from earlier in September.

Arun Sankar K/AP/File

Enlarge

India marked its 101^st space mission today with the launch of its heaviest communications satellite, GSAT-10, from French Guyana.

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The satellite, carrying 30 communication transponders and a navigation payload, is the first of 10 missions slated for the coming year, a hectic schedule that the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) hopes will have glorious finale in November 2013 with the launch of an orbiter to Mars.

India?s Red Planet mission is to be carried out without international help, highlighting the growth of the agency.

?At the moment, we plan to do it on our own,? said ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan at the agency?s headquarters here last week.

After 50 years and 100 missions, the Indian space program is growing faster than ever. India?s scientists, some NASA-trained, assembled the country?s first rocket in a village church in the 1960s. Today, India?s home-grown space program is considered one of the top six in the world.

In recent years, the mission has expanded its original development agenda to embrace more commercial and exploratory interests ? though to what extent remains to be seen.

Budget parallels India?s economic growth

The government has increased budgets, accelerating the pace of missions and moving toward more prestigious ? and sometimes controversial ? projects throughout the past decade.

?The first 50 missions took 27 years, the next 50 took place in the last 10 years and the next 58 missions will happen in the next five years,? said Mr. Radhakrishnan, whle emphasizing the agency?s ?success on a shoestring? story. ?

ISRO?s budget is barely 7.5 percent the size of NASA, but it has been growing every year since the early 2000s, jumping from $591 million in 2004-05 to $1.3 billion in 2012-2013.

?I can think of no other major space program in the world that has enjoyed such a level of sustained annual budgetary growth,? says Asif Siddiqi, an associate professor of history at Fordham University, who is working on a book on the Indian space program.

The budget expansion parallels India?s economic growth in the past decade, notes Mr. Siddiqi. And high-profile successes have also helped boost government support for ISRO, he says.

Shift in mission

For five decades, ISRO stuck close to founder Vikram Sarabhai?s vision to reject ?the fantasy of competing with economically advanced countries" to explore the moon and instead use space technology to improve the lives of ordinary people.

The result: India has built one of the largest communication satellite systems ? ?used to support telemedicine and tele-education programs for rural areas ? and one of the world?s best remote sensing systems, which helps with forecasting the weather and monitoring natural resources, including locating water sources.

But the agency?s recent forays into space exploration ? including the 2008 Chandrayan 1 lunar probe and proposed missions to the sun ? and reconnaissance satellites is a ?fundamental shift? from Sarabhai?s ?space for development? agenda, says Siddiqi.?

India?s uncertainty about that shift was evident last month with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh?s announcement of the Mars mission, called Mangalyaan (Sanskrit for ?To Mars?), which was met with mixed response. The mission, timed to coincide with the next window when the planet is closest to earth, is intended to help collect data on methane sources.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/I1y6EXuYx58/India-launches-101st-space-mission-and-looks-to-Mars

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Univision: The untold story of what 'Fast and Furious' wrought in Mexico

Sunday evening, Univision airs an investigative report on how the botched 'Fast and Furious' program resulted in a deadly toll in Mexico when US authorities allowed guns to 'walk' across the border.

By Patrik Jonsson,?Staff writer / September 29, 2012

Part of a cache of seized weapons displayed at a news conference in Phoenix. The ATF is under fire over a Phoenix-based gun-trafficking investigation called "Fast and Furious," in which agents allowed hundreds of guns into the hands of straw purchasers in hopes of making a bigger case.

Matt York/AP

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When a journalist for Univision asked President Obama last week why he hasn?t fired Attorney General Eric Holder over the ?Fast and Furious? gun walking fiasco, the reporter, it turns out, had an inside scoop that added urgency to the question.

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At 7 p.m. on Sunday, Univision says it?ll air a blockbuster investigation detailing the impact of the deeply flawed gunrunning investigation, which operated between Oct. 2009 and January 2011.

The Spanish-language channel says the ?Aqui y Ahora? program will expose the true deadly toll of a covert program where US officials allowed over 2,000 high-powered rifles to ?walk? into the hands of violent Mexican cartels. Expecting American interest, Univision will caption the program in English.

In the US, ?Fast and Furious? is most noted for its ties to the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and for political fallout over the extent of involvement of the Obama administration, including Attorney General Holder. But in Mexico, the program may reignite furor over how a US government that had promised to try to halt the border gun traffic instead covertly contributed to it.

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?Americans have been getting a lot of information about the possible cover-up in the Justice Department, the tragedy of Brian Terry getting killed, but what about the Mexicans?? says Miami-based Gerardo Reyes, Univision?s director of investigative reporting, in an interview Saturday with the Monitor.

?The sinister part of this, and I know it sounds very hard, is that the success of this operation depended in part on the fact that the guns were used in Mexico to kill,? says Mr. Reyes. ?In order to reach the target of the operation, which was identifying the drug traffickers who were using the guns, [ATF agents] were waiting for the guns to be used. And how are guns used in Mexico? Killing people. I talked to an ATF agent who said there was no other way to explain it.?

ATF is the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

By cross referencing gun tracing data, Univision identified 57 weapons linked to murders and crimes in Mexico, and used that data to highlight ?the face of the tragedy in Mexico,? says Mr. Reyes.

Reyes said the program will detail Fast and Furious ties to the massacre of 16 teenage boys and girls in Ciudad Juarez, the nation-shaking murder of Mario Gonzalez Rodriguez, the brother of the former Chihuahua attorney general, the extent to which the Mexican government knew about the program, and an interview with a drug trafficker who says he heard from colleagues that the US government was selling guns to the cartels.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/TOiq3SftH8I/Univision-The-untold-story-of-what-Fast-and-Furious-wrought-in-Mexico

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