Workstation design improvements for drone operators may reduce costs and mishaps, researchers suggest

Feb. 27, 2013 ? The U.S. Department of Defense reports that drone accidents in which personnel or aircraft are damaged or destroyed occur 50 times more often than mishaps involving human-operated aircraft. The U.S. Marines and Army reported 43 mishaps that involved human factors issues associated with drone ground control workstations and technology during 2006?2007.

Human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) researchers Qaisar Waraich, Thomas Mazzuchi, Shahram Sarkani, and David F. Rico suggest that multimillion-dollar drone losses might be prevented if long-established and broadly applied HF/E workstation design standards had been used in designing workstations used by ground controllers.

In their Ergonomics in Design article, "Minimizing Human Factors Mishaps in Unmanned Aircraft Systems," the authors propose applying long-established commercial computer workstation standards, particularly ANSI/HFES 100-2007 Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations, in the absence of more specific guidelines for drone ground control workstations or a federal agency that is responsible for setting workstation standards.

Waraich et al. interviewed 20 drone operators about their ground control workstations, finding up to 98% similarity between input/output devices used in ground control workstations and those used for general purposes. Therefore, results, the authors posit that standards that have been used to improve general-purpose workstations could have the same result for drone operators' workstations. The researchers included UAS designers with the U.S. Navy, systems engineering researchers from George Washington University, and engineers from top airframe manufacturers.

Application of design guidelines from ANSI/HFES 2007-100 might have prevented the awkward placement of a landing gear button and the subsequent loss of a $1.5-million drone in 2006. Similarly, had design guidelines been applied for reducing glare from a computer screen, a drone operator might not have mistakenly shut off engines midair, resulting in the loss of a $4.34 million drone.

"The application of this standard could help to ensure that operator workstation equipment and layouts have been designed with human compatibility considerations," says Waraich. "Commercial computer workstation standards provide quantitative parameters based on empirical data and well-established HF/E engineering practices."

Drones have been, and will continue to be, used in a broad range of applications, including police surveillance and natural disaster research, and ground control workstation designers can benefit from incorporating HF/E principles and standards.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/yMTGHkiqGvA/130227162018.htm

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These Headphones Are Your Practically-Indestructible Deal of the Day

Although V-Moda is a relatively new audio company (at least compared to AKG or Audio-Technica), they've made a name for themselves in a short amount of time. What's interesting is V-Moda didn't do it through sound quality — although by most accounts it's very good — but rather through smart design and durability. If people are using their headphones every day on public transport, an easy way to improve them is to increase the amount of punishment they can handle. That's exactly what V-Moda has done with the Crossfade line. Mario Aguilar reviewed the V-Moda Crossfade M-100, the big brother to this set, and really liked them. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GkOakNNz818/these-v+moda-headphones-are-your-practically+indestructible-deal-of-the-day

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US, Europe move to expand role in Syrian conflict

This photo taken Feb. 27, 2013 shows Secretary of State John Kerry arriving at the Foreign Ministry in Paris. The U.S. is moving closer to direct involvement in Syria?s civil war with the delivery of non-lethal assistance directly to the rebels fighting President Bashar Assad?s regime. Officials say the decision to offer ready-made meals and medical supplies to the rebels may be a step toward eventual U.S. military aid, which the administration has so far resisted. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

This photo taken Feb. 27, 2013 shows Secretary of State John Kerry arriving at the Foreign Ministry in Paris. The U.S. is moving closer to direct involvement in Syria?s civil war with the delivery of non-lethal assistance directly to the rebels fighting President Bashar Assad?s regime. Officials say the decision to offer ready-made meals and medical supplies to the rebels may be a step toward eventual U.S. military aid, which the administration has so far resisted. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, left, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, pose for a photograph before their meeting at the Hotel Excelsior in Rome on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Rome, where talks will Syria be held, is the fourth leg of Kerry's first official overseas trip, a hectic nine-day dash through Europe and the Middle East. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry embraces his long time friend, U.S. Ambassador to Italy David Thorne, left, as Kerry arrives at Ciampino Airport, in Rome on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. where talks on Syria will be held. Rome is the fourth leg of Kerry's first official overseas trip, a hectic nine-day dash through Europe and the Middle East. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry disembarks at Ciampino military airport, in the outskirts of Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Kerry will attend an international conference on Syria in Rome Thursday. The United States is looking for more tangible ways to support Syria's rebels and bolster a fledgling political movement that is struggling to deliver basic services after nearly two years of civil war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi, right, as he arrives at Villa Madama in Rome, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Kerry will attend an international conference on Syria in Rome Thursday. The United States is looking for more tangible ways to support Syria's rebels and bolster a fledgling political movement that is struggling to deliver basic services after nearly two years of civil war, Kerry said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)

ROME (AP) ? The United States and some European allies are edging closer to direct involvement in Syria's civil war with plans to deliver meals, medical kits and other forms of nonlethal assistance to the rebels battling President Bashar Assad.

The U.S., Britain, France and Italy aren't planning to supply the Free Syrian Army with weapons or ammunition. But moves are afoot to significantly boost the size and scope of their aid to the political and military opposition. Such decisions could be announced as early as Thursday at an international conference on Syria in Rome.

Britain and France are keen to give the rebels the means to protect themselves from attacks by Assad's forces, including Scud missiles fired in recent days against the city of Aleppo, U.S. and European officials say.

Assistance could mean combat armor, vehicles and other equipment not deemed to be offensive, the officials said. It could include training in battlefield medical care and the protection of human rights, they said.

For now, the Obama administration is advancing more modestly. It is nearing a decision whether to give ready-made meals and medical supplies to the opposition fighters, who have not received direct U.S. assistance.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was expected to announce the new contributions at the Rome conference, in addition to tens of millions of dollars intended for rule of law and governance programs.

The shifts in strategy are part of a step-by-step process that could lead to direct military aid to carefully screened members of the Free Syrian Army if the nearly 2-year conflict continues. Some 70,000 people have died in the fighting.

The European Union last week renewed an arms embargo against Syria for three months. But foreign ministers made clear that the decision could be reviewed while they look at ways to increase pressure on Assad to leave.

Washington has provided $385 million in humanitarian aid to Syria's war-weary population and $54 million in communications equipment, medical supplies and other nonlethal assistance to Syria's political opposition. The U.S. also has screen rebel groups for Turkey and American allies in the Arab world that have armed rebel fighters.

No U.S. dollars or provisions have gone directly to rebels. That decision reflects concerns about forces that have allied themselves with more radical Islamic elements since Assad's initial crackdown on peaceful protesters in March 2011.

Kerry said Wednesday in Paris that both the U.S. and Europe want a negotiated solution to the crisis and would speak to the leaders of the Syrian National Coalition about that. He also said the world must be prepared to do more to support the rebels and he accused Assad's government of engaging in "criminal behavior."

"We want their advice on how we can accelerate the prospects of a political solution because that is what we believe is the best path to peace, the best way to protect the interests of the Syrian people, the best way to end the killing and the violence," he said at a news conference with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

"That may require us to change President Assad's current calculation," Kerry said. "He needs to know that he can't shoot his way out of this. And so we need to convince him of that, and I think the opposition needs more help in order to be able to do that."

Fabius offered a similar assessment.

"The situation is unbearable and we need to find the means to a transition and for Assad's departure," he said. "We agree all of us on the fact that Mr. Bashar Assad has to quit."

Britain's Foreign Office also said it would increase its support for Syria's opposition.

The possibility of a sudden change in U.S. strategy comes as President Barack Obama begins a second term and Kerry succeeds Hillary Rodham Clinton as the top U.S. diplomat.

Freed from the constraints of a re-election campaign, administration officials say there is greater leeway now for new approaches than last year, when Obama rebuffed a plan by Clinton, then-CIA Director David Petraeus and then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to arm the Syrian rebels.

The administration remains cautious, officials say, and is resisting European pressure to expand military aid to include the kind of items that Britain and France are considering.

Few Americans want to see their country dragged into another war of complicated loyalties and sectarian rivalries in the Muslim world, a little more than a year after leaving Iraq and with 66,000 U.S. combat troops still in Afghanistan.

Administration officials say they don't have enough assurances that rebel units under the sway of Islamic fundamentalists won't turn their weapons on Israel or other U.S. allies and fragile states in the region.

Lebanon is torn by some of the same internal sectarian divisions as Syria and Jordan is struggling with its political reform path.

Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, warned on Wednesday that a victory by Syrian rebels would lead to more fighting in Iraq and a new haven for al-Qaida.

Greater instability in any of Syria's neighbors would pose a whole new set of problems.

Still, officials said the U.S. was considering a gradually upgraded involvement in Syria to bolster moderate forces within the rebel ranks and help the fledgling political opposition win greater backing among Syrians, especially minority groups that have remained largely loyal to Assad and his government.

Debate within the administration on how best to accomplish these goals has increased in recent months as diplomatic efforts have failed to end the war. The Syrian opposition insists that only weapons, intelligence support and other forms of military aid truly can tip the balance.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, urged the administration to consider lethal aid.

"We should want the best organized, the best equipped and most dominant groups in the opposition to be groups that are friendlier to our national interests," Rubio, a Florida Republican, said Wednesday at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

The position is similar to one Kerry held as a senator, and one he reminded reporters of this week when he proposed the creation of opposition safe zones and suggested providing rebels with U.S. weaponry.

But in his first month as secretary of state and on his first official trip overseas, the 2004 presidential candidate has been vaguer.

"We have a lot of ideas on the table, and some of them, I am confident, will come to maturity by time we meet in Rome," Kerry said this week. "Others may take a little more of a gestation period, but they're no less part of the mix and part of the discussion.

"What I can tell you is we are determined that the Syrian opposition is not going to be dangling in the wind wondering where the support is or if it's coming, and we are determined to change the calculation on the ground for President Assad."

__

Klapper reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Kenneth Thomas in Washington, Sylvia Hui in London, and Silvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-27-US-Syria/id-e5f6708b1ec443d6885c418bc4b10e08

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NASW Joblink - The Social Work Career Center: Operations jobs ...

JobLink is free to all job seekers; however only NASW members receive unlimited access to all JobLink features:

Employee Assistance Consultant 3 Job Code: 3717234 POSTED: Feb 25 Salary: $ 75,000.00 - 95,000.00 Location: Los Angeles, and San Francisco, California Employer: Wells Fargo Bank Type: Full Time - Experienced Sector: Private Industry Discipline: Operations Required Education: Masters ? ?

About Wells Fargo Bank Wells Fargo provides diversified financial services for 23 million+ customers across North America and internationally and employs 279,000 team members. View all our jobs

The EAC Consultant 3 position includes a broad range of Employee Assistance and Organizational Risk Management/Influence competencies including: management consultations to Wells Fargo managers, Human Resource and other corporate partners; direct support to assigned Wells Fargo business groups; behavioral risk management services; and significant participation/leadership on EAC service and project teams. Key Position Responsibilities: - Provide specialized behavioral health telephonic consultation on the impact of robberies, natural disasters, critical incidences and other complex risk management areas as needed to support Wells Fargo team members, managers and HR and other corporate partners - Provide professional telephonic consultation to Wells Fargo managers and HR professionals about behavioral health issues affecting the workplace, workplace conduct issues, resiliency, preventing workplace exhaustion or other business line issues/goals - Provide individual, confidential personal support to Wells Fargo managers - Conduct individual and workplace threat screenings and ongoing threat management in conjunction with corporate partners - Coordinate Fitness-For-Duty evaluations in conjunction with Wells Fargo Law department, Employee Relations and external FFD evaluators - Establish and maintain key line of business or corporate group customer influential relationships and provide Business Support services as appropriate - Provide on site incident responses as needed - Provide leadership on an EAC Functional Team and contribute to completion of annual Functional Team goals (examples of functional Teams include: Quality Assurance, Threat Services and Robbery Response) - Contribute to EAC Quality Assurance activities - Manage and/or monitor vendor performance and service issues NOTES: 2 openings. Additional Salary Information: This is a bonus eligible position

Minimum Qualifications - Licensed to practice mental health - 2-4 years post-Masters clinical experience - 1+ years Employee Assistance or comparable corporate setting experience - Excellent behavioral health consultation/clinical assessment and action planning skills - Highly effectively collaboration/consultation skills in working with managers, HR partners and team members on a diverse range of workplace and personal topics - Ability to create and grow internal and external partner relationships independently - Excellent verbal and written communication skills - Proficient user of Microsoft Office Applications - Excellent collaboration, team work and conflict resolution skills with peers - Ability to work a flexible work schedule covering regular daytime business hours, some evening and weekend regular and on call shift work- Preferred Skills: - Five or more years of Employee Assistance or corporate/organizational experience

Wells Fargo Bank

Los Angeles, and San Francisco CA

http://www.wellsfargo.com "); febox .html('') .addClass('featured-employer-box') .appendTo($('body')) .css({ "height":fWin.height() - 50, "width":980, "background-color": "#fff" }) .overlay({ top: 20, closeOnClick:true, load: false }); feframe = $('#featured-employer-frame'); }); $('body').delegate('.fe-popup','click',function(e) { var el = $(this); feframe.contents().find('body').html(""); feframe.attr('src',el.data('url')); febox.overlay().load(); }); })(jQuery);

Source: http://joblink.socialworkers.org/jobs/5218992/employee-assistance-consultant-3

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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis To Perform At 2013 mtvU Woodie Awards

Joey Bada$$ and English indie rockers Alt-J will also be on hand to perform at the Woodies Festival on March 14 in Austin, Texas.
By Rob Markman

Macklemore
Photo: Anthony Pidgeon/ Redferns

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1702557/macklemore-ryan-lewis-mtvu-woodie-awards-2013.jhtml

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Titanic II blueprints unveiled, but don't call it 'unsinkable'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Australian mining entrepreneur Clive Palmer on Tuesday unveiled blueprints for Titanic II, a modern replica of the doomed ocean liner, although he stopped short of calling the vessel unsinkable.

The ship will largely recreate the design and decor of the fabled original, with some modifications to keep it in line with current safety rules and shipbuilding practices, and the addition of some modern comforts such as air conditioning, Palmer said at a press conference in New York.

The three passenger classes, however, will be prevented from mingling, as in 1912, Palmer said.

"I'm not too superstitious," Palmer said when asked whether recreating a ship best known for sinking was tempting fate.

White Star Line, the operator of the original ship, had said the Titanic was designed to be unsinkable. Some 1,500 people died on Titanic's maiden voyage in 1912 from Southampton to New York after the ship collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

Palmer, who created the company Blue Star Line last year, declined to make a similar boast.

"Anything will sink if you put a hole in it," Palmer said. "I think it would be very cavalier to say it."

Unlike the original, Titanic II will have more than enough space in its lifeboats for every person on board and will have additional escape staircases. Markku Kanerva, sales director at Deltamarin, the Finnish company designing the ship, said it would be the "safest cruise ship in the world."

Palmer declined to answer questions about the project's cost. Although the Titanic was the world's largest ship in her time, she would be smaller than many of today's modern cruise ships.

"It's not about the money," Palmer said. "I've got enough money for it, I think that's all that matters."

Forbes estimated Palmer's net worth to be $795 million in 2012. He describes himself as a billionaire.

Titanic II will be built by Chinese state-owned CSC Jinling Shipyard, which is already building four ore carriers for Palmer's mining business, he said. The contract to build Titanic II has not yet been signed, Palmer said.

"Oh, probably next week, something like that," Palmer said, when asked when that would happen. "Most things I say I'll do I do."

He hoped construction would begin later this year, and that the maiden voyage, recreating the trans-Atlantic crossing of the original, would take place in 2016, he said.

"But if it takes longer, it takes longer," he said. "But we'll do it. We've got a big pile of money."

Jaime Katz, an analyst who tracks the cruise industry, said Titanic II may find it difficult to compete with established cruise lines, particularly the economies of scale of their larger fleets. She said the Titanic II could be marketed to wealthier passengers and could draw repeat business by varying its routes rather than focusing on trans-Atlantic crossings.

"People are going to be really cautious or superstitious regarding getting on a second version of the Titanic, or it could be a really compelling idea for history buffs who really want to live the story or the legend behind it," Katz said.

"There's an audience for all sorts of cruises," she said.

Titanic II will operate as a cruise ship, and passengers will find 1912-style clothing in their rooms should they wish to dress up and pretend they are living in an earlier era as they visit facsimiles of the original gilded first-class dining and smoking rooms, if they have the appropriate ticket.

Although the classes will be kept largely separate, Palmer said he was considering offering ticket packages that would allow passengers to experience all three classes during a typical six-day Atlantic crossing.

Prices for the tickets will be announced later.

Helen Benziger, a descendant of Titanic survivor Margaret Brown, better known as the Unsinkable Molly Brown, said at the press conference that the ship would be a chance to experience the sort of grace and civility she said was sometimes lacking in the modern world.

"I think it's a chance to go back in time," said Benziger, who has joined the project's advisory board.

Palmer said he plans to travel in third class on Titanic II's maiden voyage.

"I'll be looking forward to it as you bang the drum and play the fiddle, twirling around like Leonardo does," he said, meaning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of the repeated references he made to the 1997 James Cameron film ?Titanic.'

(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Phil Berlowitz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-ii-blueprints-unveiled-dont-call-unsinkable-195203971.html

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Magnitude 6.2 quake jolts eastern Japan, no tsunami warning

It began as a seemingly awkward Jack Nicholson introduction of the very long list on nominees, but the Best Picture denouement?at a very long Oscars ceremony on Sunday turned into a surprise appearance by Michelle Obama, via satellite from the Governors' Ball in Washington, D.C.?where earlier she had sat next to Chris Christie?to introduce and announce the winner,?Argo.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/magnitude-6-2-quake-jolts-eastern-japan-no-073652409.html

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US Troops In Africa To Build A New Drone Base

The Drone War is expanding as al Qaeda surges across much of Africa. US troops have arrived in Niger in an expansion of the president's Drone War. The Drone War is the way the American left tries to fight conflicts overseas. Here's the story:

"President Obama announced Friday that about 100 U.S. troops have been deployed to the West African country of Niger, where defense officials said they are setting up a drone base to spy on al-Qaeda fighters in the Sahara.

It was the latest step by the Pentagon to increase its intelligence-gathering across Africa in response to what officials see as a rising threat from militant groups...

In response to the proliferation of extremist groups, the Pentagon has greatly expanded its base network for drones and other surveillance aircraft across Africa.

...In a letter to Congress, Obama said about 40 U.S. service members arrived in Niger on Wednesday, bringing the total number of troops based there to ?approximately? 100. He said the troops, which are armed for self-protection, would support a French-led military operation in neighboring Mali, where al-Qaeda fighters and other militants have carved out a refuge in a remote territory the size of Texas.

The base in Niger marks the opening of another far-flung U.S. military front against al-Qaeda and its affiliates, adding to drone combat missions in Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia. The CIA is also conducting drone airstrikes against al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan and Yemen..."

Read more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...2a9_story.html

Source: http://www.politicalforum.com/latest-world-news/290900-us-troops-africa-build-new-drone-base-new-post.html

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Visa and Samsung ink worldwide NFC deal, practically guarantees payWave on your Galaxy S IV

First, the good news. It appears that Visa and Samsung's Olympics trial went over so well, that it's expanding those mobile payment dreams to a global audience. Now, the rough news -- Visa has convinced Samsung to pre-load the payWave app onto every future Samsung smartphone with an NFC module. Granted, you'd be using that anyway for contactless payments... but only if you had a Visa card. At this point, it's practically a given that the impending Galaxy S IV will boast not only an NFC chip, but payWave integration from the factory.

The deal also gives banks the ability to load payment account information over-the-air to a secure chip embedded in Samsung devices (thanks, Mobile Provisioning Service), but neither company is coming clean on what devices in particular will be taking advantage. Unfortunately, this news may be even gloomier for non-Visa users -- it's unlikely Samsung's contract will allow it to announce similar deals with competing mobile payment services, but we suppose we'll see in time.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Comments

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Visa

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/YKz2uZEN-jw/

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Apple iPhone 6 Rumors: Release Date In 2013 'Makes Sense' For Cheaper iPhone 5, Analyst Says

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty issued a note (via Business Insider) to clients on Friday after her meeting with Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer.

"We also see several signs that a lower priced iPhone makes sense," Huberty said. "1) iPad Mini is expanding Apple's customer base with 50% of purchases in China/Brazil representing new customers to the ecosystem. 2) Chinese consumers show a desire to purchase the latest version of iPhone (instead of discounted older generations.) 3) iPhone 4 demand surprised to the upside in the December quarter. Even at a low 40% gross margin and 1/3 cannibalization rate, we see an 'iPhone Mini' as incremental to revenue and gross profit dollars."

Two years ago this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook (then COO) told Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi that Apple was doing "clever things" to attack the prepaid market. He said he wanted Apple to be "for everyone," not "just for the rich." Cook also said "price is big factor in the prepaid market" but Apple is not "ceding any market," noting how China is "a classic prepaid market."

These analyst notes align well with recent rumors about Apple's cheaper iPhone in development. In January, a slew of reports from supply chain sources, and even major US news sites like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, took notice of a new iPhone in development strategically targeted toward lower-income, emerging markets like China and?India.

Why Apple Should Release The Low-Cost iPhone In 2013

Apple?s Q1 2013 earnings, despite breaking all previous quarterly earnings records held by the company, was still not sufficient enough to assuage the concerns of investors and analysts, and its diminishing stock has been a reflection of that. To reverse its poor stock fortunes, Apple needs to prove it can still expand. Releasing a cheap, low-cost iPhone 6 in 2013 might be the key.

?One of our sources claims that Apple?s iPhone prices remain too high for most mainland Chinese customers -- the iPhone 5 hardware alone starts at $849 there, versus the iPhone 4 at $500, in a country where the average annual salary is around $3,000 per person,? iLounge editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz wrote in a January report. ?The source has said that mainland Chinese iPhone 5 sales are already tapering off as a result of the pricing, which is higher than in Hong Kong. A budget iPhone model would help sales in populous but underdeveloped countries to grow.?

Thanks to newer, smaller, cheaper and more power-efficient chipsets, Apple can afford to build an entry-level to mid-range smartphone on top of its current iPhone -- either bigger like the Samsung Galaxy S3 or a smaller "iPhone Nano" -- to appeal to markets that can?t quite afford Apple?s most popular product, including many in China. Furthermore, if Apple?s iPhone 6 was not only cheaper but also smaller too, the phone would greatly appeal to the Asian markets where small devices are not only chic, but better to hold in their (smaller) hands.

Apple definitely wants to make inroads in China. The company is reportedly trying to?strike a deal?in 2013 with China Mobile, the largest telecommunications carrier in the world with 703 million active subscribers, to build a TD-LTE version of the iPhone to work on the carrier?s high-speed networks. On Jan. 10, Apple CEO Tim Cook?stopped by?China Mobile headquarters to meet and discuss ?matters of cooperation? with Xi Guohua, the company?s chairman.

Reports of Apple's desires to build multiple iPhone models has been echoed on Wall Street. On Jan. 2,?Topeka Markets analyst Brian White said?Apple will likely release its next iPhone in more colors and screen sizes, implying Apple might sell an iPhone smaller or larger than the current iPhone 5 or even previous-generation iPhone 4S or 4 units.

"Although Apple offers a 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5 and a 3.5-inch screen on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, the company has never offered multiple screen sizes for a single model," White said. "We believe this is about to change with the next iPhone offering different screen dies that we believe will allow Apple to better bifurcate the market and expand its reach."

Considering Apple?s urgency to strike a deal with China Mobile, in addition to the growing number of rumors pointing to a 2013 release date for an iPhone 6 supported by that popular carrier, it?s very likely that we could see Apple release both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 later this year.

iPhone 6: What Might It Look Like?

Jeremy Horwitz, the editor-in-chief at iLounge, released a report in January detailing what he called the "budget iPhone 5," which will allegedly look like the iPhone 5 but feature several new design elements and tweaks.

?Yes, it will be made substantially from plastic,? Horwitz wrote, echoing an earlier report from DigiTimes that said the iPhone 5S or 6 would feature a hybrid chassis made of both plastic and metal. ?No, it won?t just be a Retina- and Lightning-equipped refresh of the?iPhone 3G or 3GS, Apple?s last plastic iPhones, nor will it look just like an all-plastic version of the iPhone 5. This new model is actually a cross between the iPhone 5, fifth-generation iPod touch and -- wait for it -- the iPod classic. Yes, really. It will have a 4? screen, like the iPhone 5, a bottom like the latest iPod touch and a shape that?s most similar to the iPod classic.?

The original DigiTimes report about the low-cost iPhone 6 said the new iPhone?s internal parts could ?be seen from the outside through a special design." If this rumor is accurate, the finished design for the iPhone 6 might look like an iPhone 5 mixed with the plastic enclosure of the iPhone 3GS from 2009 mixed with the final design for the?Bondi blue iMac?in 1998, which was characterized by its brightly colored, translucent plastic casing, letting users see the inside of their desktop computer for the first time.

Horwitz believes the low-cost iPhone 6 will feature nearly identical specs to the iPhone 5 but "a half-millimeter taller and a half-millimeter wider," as well as a full millimeter thicker. While these changes are minimal, Horwitz noted the biggest design change in the iPhone 6 will be the curves.

?Apple?s budget housing looks closest to the iPod classic in shape, though not in materials,? Horwitz said. ?Unlike the plastic iPhone 3G/3GS, which featured soft curves on all sides, the budget iPhone?s curves start and end at flat surfaces, so each side and the back are flat. This seems like a trivial change, until you realize that it allows Apple to use flat rather than curve-matched parts: the right side has a flat, centered SIM card tray just like the iPhone 5?s, while all of the buttons and ports are on flat rather than curved surfaces. A flat-backed iPhone won?t rock on a flat surface when it vibrates, either.?

The proportions of the iPhone 6, according to Horwtiz, resemble the latest generation iPod Touch, with its identical proportions and locations for the camera, microphone and rear flash. The headphone jack, Lightning dock, bottom microphone and speaker are in the same location as the iPhone 5, but the new iPhone 6 is said to have an extra microphone on the bottom, as well as four individual holes for the speaker grill, rather than the 26 speaker holes at the bottom of the iPhone 5.

?In summary, the budget iPhone will look a lot like an iPhone 5 from the front, an iPod classic from the side and an iPod touch 5G on the bottom -- only made from plastic rather than glass or metal,? Horwitz concluded. ?It won?t make any bold departures from past Apple designs, but then, it?s supposed to be an inexpensive iPhone and achieves that goal pretty much as expected.?

Besides the form factor, Horwitz believes the next iPhone will feature a processor bump -- possibly an Apple-built A7 chip -- as well as improvements to the camera and flash, integrating a new aperture and 13-megapixel lens.

However, most rumors about the iPhone 6 have revolved around the screen, as Apple is reportedly investing a great deal of time, energy and capital on the display for its next-gen iPhone 5S and iPhone 6.

A?Jan. 3 report?released by the China Times said Apple might switch to a "Touch On Display" panel currently in development at one the company's supply chains, Taiwan-based Innolux Corp., which has?reportedly been licensed?to use Sharp's proprietary IGZO display technology.

Whether or not Apple specifically chooses Innolux to make screens for the next iPhone, however, Apple will most likely feature Sharp's ultra-thin IGZO display technology in its next iPhone, either the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or both.

In late December,?DigiTimes?and Apple analyst?Horace Dediu?both mentioned Apple?s alleged investment in the ultra-thin IGZO displays produced by Sharp, predicting the inclusion of the technology in Apple?s next batch of iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads. Dediu also pointed to Apple?s recent $2.3 billion investment in ?product tooling, manufacturing process equipment and infrastructure,? believing the cash was used to help bail out Sharp, which had been in financial straits in 2012. Sharp is reportedly going ?all in? on IGZO technology, so it?s possible Apple saved Sharp to leverage its investment in the next generation of displays.

IGZO display technology is not only thin and tough, but it can even handle higher screen densities than Apple?s Retina display, which is visually stunning on its own. IGZO displays can reportedly handle display densities north of 330 ppi; for a quick comparison, the new iPad 4 can only achieve 264 ppi.

One of the advantages of IGZO display technology is its lower power consumption. Most Apple products, from the iPhone 5 to the iPad 4, require cartoonishly big batteries to achieve just eight hours of power -- this is because current-gen Retina displays are extremely power hungry. If Apple wanted its iPhone 6 to not only last longer during the day but also charge faster when plugged in, IGZO seems to be the way to go for the next generation of iOS devices.

Giving credence to these rumors, Taiwan-based AU Optronics. or AUO, reportedly plans to develop a Retina display for the next-generation iPad Mini, which may require IGZO technology to make such a Retina display feasible.

Apple is facing stiffening competition from its rivals at Google, Samsung and even Microsoft, so the company will need to pull out all the stops for its iPhone 5 successor, as well as this low-cost iPhone 6, in order to keep customer interest in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Apple?sold?47.8 million iPhones and 22.9 million iPads in Q1 2013.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/apple-iphone-6-rumors-release-date-2013-makes-sense-cheaper-iphone-5-analyst-says-1101624

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Sixth grade girl takes on Philadelphia archdiocese for right to play football

Caroline Pla, 11, is fighting for the right to continue playing football in Philadelphia's Catholic Youth Organization league. She has been in the league for a year already, but now the Philadelphia archdiocese is threatening to enforce the league's boys-only rule.

By Mary Claire Dale,?Associated Press / February 23, 2013

Caroline Pla, 11, accompanied by her mother Marycecelia "Seal" Pla, listens to a question during an interview Thursday, in Doylestown, Pa. The Plas are fighting the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the right to continue playing church sponsored youth football.

Matt Rourke/AP

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The Roman Catholic church in Philadelphia doesn't need another public relations headache after years of priest-abuse and school-closure headlines, but it's got one in the form of a pony-tailed 11-year-old athlete.

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Sixth-grader Caroline Pla is fighting the archdiocese for the right to keep playing church-sponsored youth football.

The soft-spoken twin has been battling boys on the gridiron since she was 5. She's played the last two seasons in a Catholic Youth Organization league, where the 5-foot-3, 110-pound offensive tackle and defensive end made the all-star team.

But the archdiocese may put the kibosh on her Catholic youth league career. While at least a few US dioceses let girls play football, and about 1,600 girls play on US high school teams, the Philadelphia league is open only to boys.

"First they said it was a boys sport. Then they said it was a safety issue. Then they said it was inappropriate touching. I think they are just constantly looking for excuses to not change it," Caroline said Thursday at her home in Buckingham Township, Bucks County.

She first played in a public Pop Warner league, then moved along with her teammates to the Catholic Youth Organization league in fifth grade. After one season without a hitch, she learned last fall that an overlooked boys-only rule would be enforced. The archdiocese, though, agreed to let her finish the season.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput is now reviewing the ban, with a decision expected next month after a panel of coaches, parents and doctors weigh in.

"Traditionally, football is a boys-only sport due to its full contact nature," the church said in a statement. "Most parents and players have preferred this; some now disagree."

Caroline sent Chaput an email in January, explaining that her Catholic youth league team had been the best chapter in her burgeoning, three-season sports career.

By then, she and her parents, George and Marycecelia Pla, had taken to the airwaves to lobby for a rule change. An online petition has attracted more than 100,000 signatures, and Caroline recently appeared on Ellen DeGeneris' show as well as newscasts.

"I'm perplexed that you would contact me last, after publicizing your situation in both the national and regional media," Chaput wrote in a January email shared by the family. "That kind of approach has no effect on my decision-making. CYO rules exist for good reason."

The Women's Sports Foundation believes there are instead good reasons to reverse the rule ? and not just for the sake of girls.

"What the diocese is missing is all the wonderful things that come out of co-ed sports. The mutual respect that lasts a lifetime between girls and boys," said lawyer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, a 1984 Olympic gold medalist in swimming who now is senior director of advocacy for the Women's Sports Foundation.

From a safety perspective, pre-pubescent girls and boys are often the same size. And legally, private or religious groups that receive any type of federal funding ? through low-income lunch programs or other aid ? must abide by Title IX, the 1972 law that guarantees girls equal access to sports, she said. There are exceptions for contact sports, but they cannot be invoked once girls have been allowed to play in a program, she said.

Hogshead-Makar advises colleges to make sports activities co-ed whenever possible ? in the weight room, on the team bus, on the court. She believes the mutual contact fosters respect and reduces rates of violence against women.

No matter how Chaput rules, Caroline could still play football next season for Pop Warner or her school team. And she has no plans to play in high school because she doesn't think she'll be big enough to play her position at that level.

Her brother plays on the high school freshman team, while her twin sister and an older sister have been cheerleaders.

"Right now, I'm one of the biggest because I've hit my growth spurt and a lot of them haven't," said Caroline, who scored her first touchdown this past season on a 15-yard run. "It's just really fun."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/6vcksbq8qtM/Sixth-grade-girl-takes-on-Philadelphia-archdiocese-for-right-to-play-football

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Area college notes: Notre Dame College football coach likes early recruiting

By Mark Podolski
MPodolski@News-Herald.com
@mpodo

The world of college football recruiting in the ranks of Division II and III can be less scientific to the likes of, say, Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

At Notre Dame College, Coach Adam Howard recently announced a whopping 55-man recruiting class, which isn't as large as one would think.

Howard said the football program offers 36 scholarships, but that financial assistance is allotted among 60 to 65 players. In total, the Falcons carry about 130 football players.

"We have to be very strategic in how we use our (scholarships)," said Howard. "We have to spread out the money among four classes, and spread it out among positions."

NDC finalized its mammoth list of recruits around the time of national signing day. It's not unusual for some Division II and III schools to have recruits trickle in during the spring and prior to camps beginning in the summer. Howard insists on a different approach, which is having his group of players committed to school as soon as possible.

"Right now, we're building our brand and we've come a long way doing that," said Howard, who said plans are in the works to build a football stadium on the NDC campus. "We started from nothing. You can't just buy experience. It takes time."

Area signees included Berkshire's Erick Burzanko, Euclid's Juwan Ford, McKenny Mitchell and Terrance Roscoe and Lake Catholic's Even Grosel.

Two area players already firmly in place at NDC, quarterback Ray Russ (South) and wide receiver Colton Wallace (Mentor), have Howard excited for next season.

In 10 games, Russ threw for 2,265 yards and 23 touchdown passes, and Wallace had 51 receptions for 633 yards and a team-leading 14 touchdowns receptions.

"There's no doubt about it, we're building around guys like Ray and Colton," said Howard. "They barely played as freshman but made big impacts last season. Their growth and maturity was outstanding. They're cornerstones of our program." Continued...

A program that got considerably larger a few weeks ago.

In other NDC news ...

The Notre Dame College wrestling team earned No. 1 status in this week's Division II national Basford rankings. The Falcons were No. 2 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll.

The rankings were released in anticipation of this weekend's NCAA Division II regional tournaments, from which the NCAA field will be determined. In the Midwest Region, Basford ranked NDC No. 1 and Central Oklahoma No. 2.

The Midwest Regional is at Ashland University on Saturday and Sunday.

NDC has three top seeds at Ashland in Joey Davis (165), Eric Burgy (174) and heavyweight Orlando Scales. Brush graduate Brian Hauser (125) is the No. 2 seed at 125 pounds.

West Geauga graduate Adam Walters is the No. 1 seed at 184 for Findlay. Walters is ranked No. 2 in the country at 184.

Lake Erie's top wrestler will be Matt Vandermeer, the No. 2 seed at 165.

Source: http://news-herald.com/articles/2013/02/23/sports/nh6582811.txt

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Horrifying crash at Daytona exposes risks to fans

Kyle Larson's car (32) gets airborne during a multi-car wreck on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/David Graham)

Kyle Larson's car (32) gets airborne during a multi-car wreck on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/David Graham)

Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne into the catch fence in a multi-car crash including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Kyle Larson's car is on fire as he slides down the track with Regan Smith after being involved in a crash at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Kyle Larson climbs out of his car after being involved in a crash at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Track workers repair the safety fence along on the front grandstands, where Kyle Larson's car hit it on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) ? The risks of racing extend beyond the drivers.

Fans can wind up in the danger zone, too.

A horrifying crash on the last lap of a race at Daytona International Speedway injured at least 30 fans Saturday and provided another stark reminder of what can happen when a car going nearly 200 mph is suddenly launched toward the spectator areas.

The victims were sprayed with large chunks of debris ? including a tire ? after rookie Kyle Larson's machine careened into the fencing that is designed to protect the massive grandstands lining NASCAR's most famous track.

"I love the sport," said Shannan Devine, who witnessed the carnage from her 19th-row seat, about 250 feet away. "But no one wants to get hurt over it."

The fencing served its primary purpose, catapulting what was left of Larson's car back onto the track. But it didn't keep potentially lethal shards from flying into the stands.

"There was absolute shock," Devine said. "People were saying, 'I can't believe it, I can't believe it. I've never seen this happen, I've never seen this happen. Did the car through the fence?' It was just shock and awe. Grown men were reaching out and grabbing someone, saying, 'Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!' It was just disbelief, absolute disbelief."

From Daytona to Le Mans to a rural road in Ireland, auto racing spectators have long been too close to the action when parts start flying. The crash in the second-tier Nationwide race follows a long list of accidents that have left fans dead or injured.

The most tragic incident occurred during the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, when two cars collided near the main stands. The wreck sent debris hurtling into the crowd, while one of the cars flipped upside down and exploded in a giant fireball.

Eighty-three spectators and driver Pierre Levegh were killed, and 120 fans were injured.

The Daytona crash began as the field approached the checkered flag and leader Regan Smith attempted to block Brad Keselowski. That triggered a chain reaction, and rookie Kyle Larson hit the cars in front of him and went airborne into the fence.

The entire front end was sheared off Larson's car, and his burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence. Chunks of debris from the car were thrown into the stands, including a tire that cleared the top of the fence and landed midway up the spectator section closest to the track.

"I thought the car went through the fence," Devine said. "I didn't know if there was a car on top of people. I didn't know what to think. I'm an emotional person. I immediately started to cry. It was very scary, absolutely scary. I love the speed of the sport. But it's so dangerous."

The fencing used to protect seating areas and prevent cars from hurtling out of tracks has long been part of the debate over how to improve safety.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti lost close friend Dan Wheldon at Las Vegas in the 2011 IndyCar season finale, when Wheldon's car catapulted into the fencing and his head struck a support post. Since his death, IndyCar drivers have called for studies on how to improve the safety barriers.

Franchitti renewed the pleas on Twitter after the Daytona crash, writing "it's time (at)Indycar (at)nascar other sanctioning bodies & promoters work on an alternative to catch fencing. There has to be a better solution."

Another fan who witnessed the crash said he's long worried that sizable gaps in the fencing increase the chances of debris getting through to the stands.

"I've always thought the netting was very wide and pieces could fly through," said Lenny Brown, who was attending races at Daytona for the fourth time.

Among the most frightening accidents involving fans:

? In 1987, Bobby Allison's car lifted off the track at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama while running over 200 mph, careening into the steel-cable fence and scattering debris into the crowd. That crash led to the use of horsepower-sapping restrictor plates at Talladega and its sister track in Daytona, NASCAR's fastest layouts. As a result, the cars all run nearly the same speed, and the field is typically bunched tightly together ? which plenty of drivers have warned is actually a more dangerous scenario than higher speeds.

? That same year, at the Indianapolis 500, a fan was killed when struck by a tire that came off Tony Bettenhausen's car. The tire bounced off the front of Roberto Guerrero's car and flew to the top row of the grandstand.

? In 1998, three fans were killed and six others were injured in CART's IndyCar race at Michigan International Speedway when Adrian Fernandez crashed, sending a tire and other parts into the stands.

? The following year, three fans were killed at Charlotte Motor Speedway during an Indy Racing League event when debris from an accident flew into the stands. The track never held another IndyCar race.

? In 2009, Talladega was the scene of another scary crash during a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Carl Edwards' car sailed upside-down into the front-stretch fence on a furious dash to the finish line, showering the stands with debris. Seven fans sustained minor injuries.

? In 2010 at a National Hot Rod Association event in Chandler, Ariz., a woman was killed by a tire that flew off Antron Brown's crashing dragster at Firebird International Raceway. The wheel bounced a couple of times and soared over the grandstands ? missing the bulk of the spectators ? before it hit the woman.

? Also in 2010, at an off-road racing event in the Southern California desert, a truck flew off a jump and landed on a group of spectators, sending bodies flying. Eight were killed, 10 injured. There also have been deaths at the Baja 1000 and Dakar Rally, the two most famous off-road races, though multiple-death crashes into the crowd like the one in the Mojave Desert are rare.

? Last year, in a rally car race in Ireland, a car went out of control on a rural road and crashed into a crowd of about 30 spectators, killing two people and seriously injuring seven. Witnesses said the car crashed through a fence and into the onlookers before coming to rest on its side beside a home.

At Daytona, workers scurried to patch up the damaged fencing and left little doubt that the biggest race of the weekend, Sunday's Daytona 500, would go on as planned.

Brown, who saw the crash from his 38th-row seat in the Petty grandstand, said he would be back in the same section for the season-opening Sprint Cup event. He has no qualms about his safety, sitting so high up, but said he would think twice about the seats he had for the race two years ago.

"The last time I was here, we were only about six rows up," Brown said. "I had even told some people before the crash, 'I would never sit that close to the track ever again.'"

But someone surely will ? mindful of the risks but eager to be among more than 100,000 fans cheering on stock car racing's biggest stars.

"Here we are, playing money to sit next to cars going 195 mph," Devine said. "We do it because we love it. That's what we expect."

___

Associated Press writer Jerome Minerva in Daytona Beach contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-23-NASCAR-Fan%20Accidents/id-bf9b9040418c440ea68802cc194933d3

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Italy urges high turnout in key election for euro zone

ROME (Reuters) - Italy pressed citizens to get out and vote in one of the most closely watched elections in years on Sunday and Monday, with markets on edge at the prospect of a political stalemate that could reignite the debt crisis.

A campaigning ban kicked in the day before the vote but center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, on trial for a sex crime, broke the rules to launch an attack on magistrates, saying on Saturday that claims he held "Bunga Bunga" parties were a sham.

Comedian-turned-campaigner Beppe Grillo had stolen the spotlight during final rallies on Friday evening, attracting hundreds of thousands to a central Rome square to hear his furious tirades against corrupt politicians and bankers.

The Interior Ministry urged some 47 million eligible voters to head to the polls and said it had made preparations for bad weather, including snow in some regions, to ensure that everyone could have the chance to cast their ballot.

"Elections are a fundamental moment for a democracy and we want all our citizens to experience them in the best way possible," Interior Minister Anna Maria Cancellieri said in a video posted on the ministry's website.

Final polls two weeks ago showed center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani with a five-point lead, but analysts disagree about whether he will be able to form a stable majority that can push through the economic reforms Italy needs to exit recession.

Bersani is now thought to be just a few points ahead of Berlusconi, the former prime minister who has promised tax refunds and staged a media blitz to regain support.

On Saturday the 76-year-old tycoon, who faces several trials on charges ranging from fraud to sex with an underage prostitute, broke the campaign silence, accusing Italy's magistrates of inventing crimes to discredit him abroad.

"They spread the story in Europe that I was ridiculous by launching this attack on me with Bunga Bunga which was a sham, based on nothing," Berlusconi told reporters at his AC Milan soccer club's training ground.

He added that magistrates in Italy were "more dangerous than the Sicilian mafia".

TSUNAMI TOUR

Another factor of uncertainty that has thrown the vote wide open is the stunning rise of Grillo, who wants to restructure Italy's massive public debt and hold a referendum on retaining the euro currency.

Huge crowds have turned up to rallies on his "Tsunami Tour" to hear him rail against corruption and austerity, underlining the extent of popular rage against traditional parties and the capacity for his 5-Star Movement to shake up the elections.

"Grillo is saying the things that all ordinary Italians are thinking, he is giving us hope," said 41-year-old Luca Pennisi, who makes pastries for a cafe in the capital where several customers were still unsure who to vote for.

"It's time to change the system, get rid of the old politicians, and stop wasting public money," he said.

Grillo was seen winning about 16 percent in the last polls, making his movement the third-largest electoral force. Experts believe he may have built on that score, helped by a strong online campaign and a string of scandals surrounding Italy's political elite.

The most likely - and many say the most stable and pro-reform result from the election - still appears to be a governing alliance between Bersani and outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti's centrist grouping, which would need to win enough senators to boost the center-left.

MARKETS WARY

But Monti, an economics professor and darling of the markets, is believed to be fading after a lackluster campaign, and some experts have said he may fall below the 8-percent threshold to win Senate seats in some regions.

Whatever government emerges from the vote will have the task of pulling Italy out of its longest recession for 20 years and reviving an economy that has been stagnant for two decades.

The main danger for Italy and the euro zone is that the election produces a weak government incapable of taking firm action, which is likely to rattle investors and could ignite a new debt crisis.

Monti replaced Berlusconi in November 2011 after the media billionaire brought the euro zone's third-largest economy close to a Greek-style financial meltdown while he was embroiled in a series of scandals.

The former European Commissioner launched a tough program of spending cuts, tax hikes and pension reform which helped to sharply reduce Italy's borrowing costs and restore the country's credibility abroad.

But economic austerity has fuelled anger among Italians grappling with rising unemployment and shrinking disposable incomes, encouraging many to turn to Grillo, who has tapped into a national mood of disenchantment.

(Editing by Jason Webb)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-urges-high-turnout-key-election-euro-zone-211730863--business.html

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Russia, China oppose military intervention in North Korea

MOSCOW | Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:10am GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and China said on Friday they would oppose any foreign military intervention in North Korea over its recent nuclear test.

The two countries' foreign ministers condemned last week's test but said any action against North Korea had to be agreed at the United Nations, where Russia and China have the right of veto as permanent members of the Security Council.

"We are against the carrying out of a nuclear test in North Korea," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told a joint news conference after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.

"The U.N. Security Council should give an adequate response ... but the action should be directed towards peace on the Korean peninsula," he said.

Lavrov said China and Russia had agreed that it was "vitally important not to ... allow the situation to be used as a pretext for military intervention."

North Korea's latest test, its third since 2006, prompted warnings from Washington and others that more sanctions would be imposed on the isolated state.

The U.N. Security Council has only just tightened sanctions on Pyongyang after it launched a long-range rocket in December.

The North is banned under U.N. sanctions from developing missile or nuclear technology after its 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests.

(Reporting by Alessandra Prentice, Writing by Thomas Grove, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/02/22/uk-nkorea-russia-china-idUKBRE91L09M20130222?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

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Instagram?s Kevin Systrom To Join Us For Disrupt NY 2013

In case you’re not vigorously refreshing our?Disrupt NY?events page like we are, TechCrunch Disrupt?is coming up. We’re receiving a record number of Startup Battlefield applications?and watching the last batch pour in before the deadline on Monday. We’ve also?started to announce some amazing special guests and speakers. Tickets for this year’s show can be found here. From pivot to iconic acquisition, there is perhaps no recent Valley success story more symbolic than that of Instagram and its cofounder Kevin Systrom. His saga, and the fact that he’s a sharp cookie, are why we’re delighted to have this Crunchies 2013 Founder Of The Year join us on the Disrupt NY stage. Systrom will be headlining along with?previously announced speakers Fred Wilson, Ken Lerer, Ben Lerer, Roelof Botha, Ron Conway, David Lee, and Kevin Ryan. Stay tuned for more updates, and remember, if you want to apply for Startup Battlefield, do so before Monday, February 25th. More info on applying can be found here. Our sponsors help make Disrupt happen. If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact our amazing sponsorship team here?sponsors@techcrunch.com. Kevin Systrom Co-founder, Instagram Kevin Systrom is a co-founder of Instagram, a photo sharing application for the iPhone. He also founded Burbn, an HTML5-based location sharing service. Kevin graduated from Stanford University in 2006 with a BS in Management Science & Engineering?he got his first taste of the startup world when he was an intern at Odeo that later became Twitter. He spent two years at Google?the first of which was working on Gmail, Google Reader, and other products and the latter where he worked on the Corporate Development team. Kevin has always had a passion for social products that enable people to communicate more easily, and combined with his passion for photography, Instagram is a natural fit.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/zKi7Yebk5Dk/

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