Militants kill 9 foreign tourists, 1 Pakistani

ISLAMABAD (AP) ? At least a dozen Islamic militants wearing police uniforms shot to death nine foreign tourists and one Pakistani before dawn Sunday as they were visiting one of the world's highest mountains in a remote area of northern Pakistan that has been largely peaceful, officials said.

The foreigners who were killed included five Ukrainians, three Chinese and one Russian, said Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. One Chinese tourist was wounded in the attack and was rescued, he said.

The local branch of the Taliban took responsibility for the killings, saying it was to avenge the death of a leader killed in a recent U.S. drone strike.

The shooting was one of the worst attacks on foreigners in Pakistan in recent years and is likely to damage the country's already struggling tourism industry. Pakistan's mountainous north ? considered until now relatively safe ? is one of the main attractions in a country beset with insurgency and other political instability.

The attack took place at the base camp of Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain in the world at 8,126 meters (26,660 feet). Nanga Parbat is notoriously difficult to climb and is known as the "killer mountain" because of numerous mountaineering deaths in the past. It's unclear if the tourists were planning to climb the mountain or were just visiting the base camp, which is located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.

The gunmen were wearing uniforms used by the Gilgit Scouts, a paramilitary police force that patrols the area, said the interior minister. The attackers abducted two local guides to find their way to the remote base camp. One of the guides was killed in the shooting, and the other has been detained and is being questioned, said Khan.

"The purpose of this attack was to give a message to the world that Pakistan is unsafe for travel," said the interior minister in a speech in the National Assembly, which passed a resolution condemning the incident. "The government will take all measures to ensure the safety of foreign tourists."

Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the attack, saying their Jundul Hafsa group carried out the shooting as retaliation for the death of the Taliban's deputy leader, Waliur Rehman, in a U.S. drone attack on May 29.

"By killing foreigners, we wanted to give a message to the world to play their role in bringing an end to the drone attacks," Ahsan told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.

At least a dozen gunmen were involved in the attack, local police officer Jahangir Khan said.

The attackers beat up the Pakistanis who were accompanying the tourists, took their money and tied them up, said a senior local government official. They checked the identities of the Pakistanis and shot to death one of them, possibly because he was a minority Shiite Muslim, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Although Gilgit-Baltistan is a relatively peaceful area, it has experienced attacks by radical Sunni Muslims on Shiites in recent years.

The attackers took the money and passports from the foreigners and then gunned them down, said the official. It's unclear how the Chinese tourist who was rescued managed to avoid being killed. The base camp has basic wooden huts, but most tourists choose to sleep in their own tents.

Local police chief Barkat Ali said they first learned of the attack when one of the local guides called the police station around 1 a.m. on Sunday. The military airlifted the bodies to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, Sunday afternoon.

"We hope Pakistani authorities will do their best to find the culprits of this crime," the Ukrainian ambassador to Pakistan, Volodymyr Lakomov, told reporters outside the hospital where the bodies were taken.

The Pakistani government condemned the "brutal act of terrorism" in a statement sent to reporters.

"Those who have committed this heinous crime seem to be attempting to disrupt the growing relations of Pakistan with China and other friendly countries," said a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan has very close ties with neighboring China and is sensitive to any issue that could harm the relationship. Pakistani officials have reached out to representatives from China and Ukraine to convey their sympathies, the Foreign Ministry said.

Many foreign tourists stay away from Pakistan because of the perceived danger of visiting a country that is home to a large number of Islamic militant groups, such as the Taliban and al-Qaida, which mostly reside in the northwest near the Afghan border. A relatively small number of intrepid foreigners visit Gilgit-Baltistan during the summer to marvel at the peaks of the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, including K2, the second highest mountain in the world.

Syed Mehdi Shah, the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, condemned the attack and expressed fear that it would seriously damage the region's tourism industry.

"A lot of tourists come to this area in the summer, and our local people work to earn money from these people," said Shah. "This will not only affect our area, but will adversely affect all of Pakistan."

The area has been cordoned off by police and paramilitary soldiers, and a military helicopter was searching the area, said Shah.

"God willing we will find the perpetrators of this tragic incident," said Shah.

The government suspended the chief secretary and top police chief in Gilgit-Baltistan following the attack and ordered an inquiry into the incident, said Khan, the interior minister.

___

Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar contributed to this report from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/militants-kill-9-foreign-tourists-1-pakistani-083351537.html

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Jun 25 2013

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Source: http://www.iire.info/2013/06/Unsecured-Loans-An-Exact-Mode-of-Getting-Cash-Free-From-Collateral/

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Snowden is tempting risk for Ecuadoran leader

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) ? Ecuador's president and foreign minister declared Monday that national sovereignty and universal principles of human rights would govern their decision on granting asylum to Edward Snowden, powerful hints that the former National Security Agency contractor is welcome here despite potential repercussions from Washington.

Snowden's whereabouts remained a mystery and his application for Ecuadoran asylum was formally just under consideration. Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino, nonetheless, made little effort to disguise his government's position. He told reporters in Hanoi that the choice Ecuador faced in hosting Snowden was "betraying the citizens of the world or betraying certain powerful elites in a specific country."

President Rafael Correa said on Twitter that "we will take the decision that we feel most suitable, with absolute sovereignty."

Analysts said welcoming Snowden would sharply escalate Correa's policy of tweaking the United States while maintaining strong economic ties that have maintained healthy growth rates and fueled the president's wide popularity, over 60 percent in recent polls. It would be a tempting but potentially dangerous play, they said, for a leader who appears to delight in slamming U.S. foreign policy but depends on Washington for nearly half Ecuador's foreign trade.

Correa has given WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange refuge from Swedish sexual assault charges in Ecuador's embassy in London for a year, garnering international headlines and few consequences.

Welcoming Snowden, a man who has acknowledged leaking secret U.S. information, may be a different matter. Analysts said it could jeopardize tariff-free access to U.S. markets for Ecuadoran fruit, seafood and flowers. U.S. trade, which also includes oil, accounts for half of Ecuador's exports and about 400,000 jobs in the nation of 14.6 million.

The U.S. Andean Trade Preference Act requires imminent congressional renewal and hosting Snowden "doesn't help Ecuador's efforts to extend it," said Ramiro Crespo, director of the Quito-based financial analysis firm Analytica Securities. "The United States is an important market for us, and treating a big client this way isn't appropriate from a commercial point of view."

At the same time, high oil prices, a growing mining industry and rising ties with China may give Correa a sense of protection from U.S. repercussions. And at home, many of the Ecuadorans who re-elected Correa in February with 57 percent of the vote see flouting the U.S. as a welcome expression of independence, particularly when it comes in the form of granting asylum.

"This person who's being pursued by the CIA, our policy is loving people like that, protecting them, perhaps giving them the rights that their own countries don't give them. I think this is a worthy effort by us," said office worker Juan Francisco Sambrano.

Patino, the foreign minister, described Snowden as "a man attempting to bring light and transparency to facts that affect everyone's fundamental liberties, whom we can now see being pursued by those who should be explaining themselves to the governments and citizens of the world about the allegations made by Mr. Snowden."

But others saw hypocrisy in a possible offer of asylum by a government that has aggressively pursued critics in the press for perceived slights and recently passed a media law that some call an assault on freedom of speech.

In 2011 Correa pursued civil charges against two reporters who reported that his brother had illegally obtained government contracts, a case that ended with a $2 million judgment against them, though Correa later voided it. Ecuadoran and international media groups nonetheless labeled the case as part of an increasingly hostile government stance toward the local press.

"If Assange and Snowden were Ecuadoran, they would definitely be in jail," one of the reporters sued by Correa, Juan Carlos Calderon, told The Associated Press.

Snowden has applied for asylum in Ecuador, Iceland and possibly other countries, Assange said. A trip to Ecuador from Moscow could take him through Cuba and Venezuela, both in the midst of quiet thaws in long-chilly ties with the United States, and taking in Snowden would likely damage those efforts.

Last week, Cuba and the United States held talks on restarting direct mail service, and announced that a separate sit-down to discuss immigration issues will be held in Washington on July 17.

Officials from both countries also report far greater cooperation in behind-the-scenes dealings, including during a brief incident involving a Florida couple who sought asylum in Cuba after allegedly kidnapping their own children. Cuba worked with U.S. officials to quickly send the couple back.

Venezuela this month agreed to high-level negotiations on restoring ambassadorial relations and improving more than a decade of sour ties. That announcement came after a meeting in Guatemala between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua.

The United States remains the No. 1 buyer of Venezuela's oil.

___

Orsi reported from Caracas, Venezuela. David Barraza in Quito, Ecuador contributed to this report.

___

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

Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mweissenstein

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/snowden-tempting-risk-ecuadoran-leader-183236753.html

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98% Before Midnight

All Critics (144) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (140) | Rotten (3)

Hawke and Delpy remain as charming as ever, and their combined goofiness is more endearing than annoying.

Love is messy here, life cannot be controlled, satisfaction is far from guaranteed. Romance is rocky at best. But romance still is.

Though "Before Midnight" is often uncomfortable to watch, it's never less than mesmerizing - and ultimately, a joy to walk with this prickly but fascinating couple again.

"Before Midnight" is heartbreaking, but not because of Jesse and Celine. It's the filmmakers' passions that seem to have cooled.

Before Midnight is fascinating to watch, and so long as Celine and Jesse are communicating, there's still hope.

How (Jesse and Celine) try to rekindle that flame is what drives Midnight, a film that feels so authentic it's like overhearing a conversation you're not sure you should be hearing.

Like the first two films, it reflects the real world in a way that seems almost preternatural. It's just that, here, the real world is a harsher, more disappointing place.

The duo, clearly so comfortable in their characters' skin, indulge in intelligent banter, sharp humour and emotional truths.

So much better written than contemporary novels, this film is a literary as well as cinematic achievement to cherish. For grown-ups.

As before, it's often very funny, with Jesse and Celine swapping Woody Allen-esque one-liners - nicely snarky, appealingly abrasive.

The acting, the dialogue and direction are superb.

None of the films is faultless in itself, but, tinted with complementary tones, the complete cycle comes as close to perfection as any trilogy in cinema history.

Marvelous. It's impossible to shake the feeling that we are merely eavesdropping on reality. Witty, wise, and -- most important of all -- truly romantic in ways that movies usually aren't.

It's been 18 years since Hawke, Delpy and Linklater introduced us to Jesse and Celine, and their story just gets richer, funnier and more punchy each time we see them. In 1995's Before Sunrise, they were idealistic 23-year-olds.

Hawke and Delpy are as believably real as any screen couple can ever be.

This is one of the few sequels for which the cliche 'eagerly awaited' is truly applicable.

Predictably, it's just as great as the first two.

By the end, Before Midnight inches towards a dawn of charm. But it's a troubled trip.

As an organic experiment in collaboration between actors and director, it is a triumph, co-created and co-owned by Delpy, Linklater and Hawke.

Hawke and Delpy, who are both credited on the script too, have never found co-stars to bounce off more nimbly or bring out richer nuances in their acting.

The performances and dialogue are wonderfully naturalistic; a reminder that the best special effects are often the cheapest.

Before Midnight is about the nature of long-term relationships, and the way love deepens and grows but also finds itself subject to the complications of maturity. Smart, insightful, and poignant.

For those who witnessed Jesse and Celine's tentative getting together as inter railing students almost twenty years ago, it's reassuring to see them still in love.

Brilliantly directed, superbly written and impeccably acted, this is a thoroughly enjoyable, thought-provoking and emotionally engaging drama that perfectly complements the previous two films.

It remains as engaging, illuminating, honest and funny as its predecessor; here's hoping we revisit Jesse and C?line in another decade or so.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/before_midnight_2013/

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Report: Gandolfini's body en route to US

ROME (AP) ? The Italian news agency ANSA says the body of actor James Gandolfini has departed Rome and is en route to the United States.

ANSA did not cite any sources, but published a photo showing airport workers loading a coffin identified as that of the "Sopranos" star on to a plane.

The agency says the private plane took off at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) Sunday. Its exact U.S. destination was unclear.

Family spokesman Michael Kobold earlier told reporters the "provisional plan" was to repatriate Gandolfini's body Monday.

Gandolfini, 51, died Wednesday in Rome. Kobold has said an autopsy revealed the cause was a heart attack. Authorities have not released the report.

The actor had been headed to Sicily to appear at the Taormina Film Festival, which paid tribute to him Saturday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-gandolfinis-body-en-route-us-190541669.html

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Still looking for a Google Reader replacement? AOL steps up to the plate!

We're little over a week out from Google Reader's planned closure, and AOL is the latest -- and perhaps, slightly unlikely -- source of a replacement service ready to fill the Google shaped void. AOL Reader has launched in beta form, though access seems highly restricted at this time, and you will be able to sign in via your Google account. Engadget, an AOL company, has confirmed that invite requests to AOL Reader will be accepted beginning Monday, June 24.

If you want to migrate your feeds to AOL Reader, you'll be able to import an OPML file containing all your feed information. Of specific interest is the promise of native iOS apps for the service, and an API to allow third-party applications to hook in. AOL might be late to the party, with Feedly and Digg already making strides, but it seems like a post-Google Reader life isn't going to look as bleak as we may have first thought. We'll follow AOL Reader's progress when it begins to open up, but RSS fans are going to be spoiled for choice after July 1.

Source: Engadget

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/XiU0UI59rYY/story01.htm

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Trial provides portrait of Jackson as a father

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Courtrooms have supplied the epilogue to Michael Jackson's life. They've provided the forum where his debts have been settled, his final days dissected and his life depicted as a cautionary tale.

In nearly four years of court proceedings, two juries have watched Jackson come to life on video screens. They've watched him spin, dance, and then disappear. They've heard his voice, seen his handwriting and viewed photos of his lifeless body.

His role as a father has been described in little more than platitudes. Until now.

The jury hearing a civil case filed by the superstar's mother ? against AEG Live LLC, the promoter of Jackson's ill-fated concerts ? are experiencing details of a world previously held under lock and key. They've heard of extravagant birthday parties, secret family outings and the leg-clinging devotion of his children.

Jackson shielded the youngsters from the public eye, home-schooling them and often hiding their faces in public.

Away from the cameras, Jackson tried to create an environment of love, attention and special moments for his children, Michael Joseph "Prince" Jackson Jr., Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael "Blanket" Jackson.

The following are some of some of the stories they've told. They present a portrait of Jackson as a father that outsiders never saw.

___

The final month of Jackson's life was a busy time. There were rehearsals for "This Is It," planning meetings and film shoots for a series of mini-movies that would precede some of his greatest hits at the London shows.

Jackson brought his children to the shoot for a "Smooth Criminal" video that culminated with Jackson leaping through a window while being shot at by Humphrey Bogart.

Alif Sankey, a backup dancer on the original video who was working on the comeback concerts, sat next to Paris during the shoot. The 11-year-old wanted to share a secret and opened up her purse.

It was filled with candy, Sankey recalled.

Jackson didn't want his children to eat sweets, and Paris asked Sankey to keep it quiet.

The dancer noticed something else inside the purse ? tiny picture frames with images of her father.

"Her purse was full of candy and pictures of Daddy."

___

Despite being home-schooled, there was no shortage of companions for Jackson's children.

Chef Kai Chase recalled numerous pets in the mansion that Jackson was renting while he prepared for his "This Is It" shows.

There was the talking bird, Siberia, who whistled at pretty women.

The children also had a chocolate Labrador named Kenya, whom Chase bought a cookbook for so she could bake him treats and a birthday cake. Two cats, named Katie and Thriller, also roamed the house.

During opening statements of the civil trial, some of the jury's first exposure to life in the Jackson home came from footage shot on a Christmas morning several years ago. Jackson's ode to his children, "You Are My Life" played as jurors watched a video of a Christmas morning from years ago of Prince, Paris and Blanket gleefully receiving their gifts, which included the puppy, Kenya.

___

Chase had been working at Jackson's home for only a few days when it came time to prepare for Paris' 11th birthday.

She wanted a Michael Jackson-themed party.

All around the dining room, posters of the King of Pop were hung alongside album covers and other pictures. Jackson's hit songs played as the family ate cheese pizza, hot wings and banana splits, Chase recalled.

Paris' birthday cake was decorated with Lilo & Stitch, her favorite Disney characters. But the festivities weren't over.

Jackson escorted the children into the backyard, where they watched a private Cirque du Soleil-style circus, complete with men on stilts and a woman performing in a giant balloon.

Chase watched from the kitchen window and later described the scene as "the most beautiful expression of love I've ever seen."

___

Jackson spent the final months of his life in a rented mansion in the upscale Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles.

The mansion had all the amenities fit for a pop superstar ? a palatial entryway, staircase and parlor and in the basement, a home theater and dance studio.

The house was a hub of activity, with security guards posted outside, a pair of housekeepers, a nanny for the children and on many days, a personal chef stationed in the kitchen.

Dinners at the home occasionally featured special guests, including Jackson's personal physician Conrad Murray and choreographer Travis Payne.

But staffers and guests other than Murray weren't allowed upstairs, where the bedrooms were. When Chase wanted to prepare a soul food menu for Jackson and his children, she wrote him a note in Magic Marker and left it at the foot of the stairs.

AEG Live's lead defense attorney has pointed to the secrecy of Jackson's upstairs lifestyle ? where the superstar was receiving nightly doses of the anesthetic propofol in his locked bedroom ? to support the company's contention it couldn't have known about Jackson's drug treatments.

___

Having a stable home for his children was a major motivation for Jackson returning to the concert stage, AEG executives say.

After his acquittal of child molestation charges in 2005, Jackson had become a nomad, spending time in various cities, including Las Vegas, often staying with friends.

"He wanted his kids to have a permanent place to live and a sense of community," AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips recalled Jackson telling him during one meeting held while the family was living in the guesthouse of a rich benefactor.

It was Halloween and the children darted in and out of the rooms, wearing masks. Later that night, they'd go with their father to a party at Elizabeth Taylor's home.

"I felt incredibly bad that this incredible star was at this point where he couldn't buy a house," Phillips said.

___

Jackson was always a magnet for photographers and fans, but he managed to sneak his children into a movie just weeks before his death.

The family and a few others went to see the animated film "Up" at the El Capitan Theatre on a touristy stretch of Hollywood Boulevard.

They came in a back door and remained in a private room while moviegoers filed into the theater. When everyone else was seated, the entourage, including his longtime makeup artist Karen Faye, director Kenny Ortega and others, hit up the concession stand.

The group watched the movie without distraction. "No one knew Michael was there," Faye recalled.

___

Jackson and choreographer Travis Payne were scheduled to rehearse one-on-one several days a week in the dance studio that was in the basement of Jackson's mansion.

It's unclear how often the pair worked out, but when they did they often had a companion, 7-year-old Blanket. He liked to watch his father dance, Payne later recalled, and tried to always stay close to his dad. During their workouts, Payne said Jackson talked to his son, mentoring him.

Preparations for the shows meant that Jackson was frequently out of the house at meetings, film shoots or rehearsals. When he returned home, Prince, Paris and Blanket would rush their father.

"They would take off like lightning," Chase recalls, "... and grab him around the ankles and around the waist."

They'd be hanging off of him, not unlike a picture shown to jurors during opening statements.

In the photo, Jackson was handing Blanket, then a newborn, to President Bill Clinton. Clinging to Jackson's right leg was Paris.

___

When it came time for a science project, Paris settled on studying snails.

She enlisted Chase to help her find snails in the mansion's backyard. The pair carried large flashlights and found several of the slimy creatures and prepared to bring them inside.

Jackson was waiting for them.

"At this point, I knew I was going to get fired," Chase recalled.

The singer looked at the snails and had a different reaction ? he helped make them a home.

The snails ended up in jars made cozier by moss in the bottom and tiny cocktail umbrellas. They lived on the kitchen counter, not far from other reminders of the children.

Blanket's colorings hung on the refrigerator.

On a chalkboard where Chase would write out menus, Paris scrawled a message that remained on the board the day her father died.

"I love daddy," the 11-year-old wrote. "Smile, it's free."

___

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-provides-portrait-jackson-father-154431713.html

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The Ice Cream of the Future of the Past Is Your Deal of the Day

Still upset about the slow death and bankruptcy of Dippin' Dots, the ice cream of the future? Check out this officially licensed DIY Dippin' Dots kit, which is only $4 from Toys 'R' Us right now. Four bucks! Thats less than a cup of ice cream pellets at the ballpark.

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/mLlUEhpWV-s/the-ice-cream-of-the-future-of-the-past-is-your-deal-of-532497410

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Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan set for Raw rematch

After their brutal SmackDown battle ended in a?controversial count-out victory for Daniel Bryan, WWE.com has learned that the submission specialist and Randy Orton will once again lock up Monday on Raw.

With the score now even at one victory apiece, Monday's battle will be the rubber match in what has been an epic series of bouts that culminated on the June 17 episode of Raw, when WWE COO Triple H deemed Bryan too injured to continue and awarded the match to The Viper. For his part, Bryan was hot about not being able to finish the match, and he let Triple H know it. The submission specialist carried those emotions over into an explosive SmackDown main event on June 21, where he defeated Orton via count-out in another classic showdown.

Bryan confronts Triple H backstage!?| Photos of Friday's blockbuster bout

Now, with the two Superstars set to go head-to-head again, will The Viper prove that Daniel Bryan really is the "weak link," or will the bearded wonder once again wow the WWE Universe and drop Orton? Find out Monday on Raw!

View Comments

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/randy-orton-and-daniel-bryan-set-for-raw-rematch

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Symbolism of Taliban flag and banner upends Afghan peace talks

Planned negotiations between the US, Afghanistan, and the Taliban look doubtful after the Afghan president announces a boycott amid a row over the Taliban office in Doha.

By Whitney Eulich,?Staff writer / June 20, 2013

A general view of the Taliban office in Doha before the official opening in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

Osama Faisal/AP

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A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

Skip to next paragraph Whitney Eulich

Latin America Editor

Whitney Eulich is the Monitor's Latin America editor, overseeing regional coverage for CSMonitor.com and the weekly magazine. She also curates the Latin America Monitor Blog.

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The first talks between the US and Taliban set to take place in Qatar today are expected to be postponed, following diplomatic tensions related to the opening and naming of a Taliban office in Doha.

"It is a kind of Taliban establishment which we don't want," a member of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, Muhammad Ismael Qasemyar, told the BBC, referring to the newly opened Taliban office.

The opening on Tuesday was meant to be a step in the Afghan peace process after a year and a half of stalled efforts. However, the Taliban used the opportunity as a publicity stunt.?The Taliban hung its flag along with a?banner outside the office naming it ?the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan,? the name the group used during its rule over Afghanistan from 1996-2001. The group also said they planned to host meetings with members of the international community like the United Nations.

Essentially, what was meant to be an office dedicated to facilitating the peace process after a 12-year war in Afghanistan appeared to be something more akin to an embassy, according to The New York Times. ?

?Through those pictures of the Taliban flag waving in the air and the banner on the office, it took people to see two countries, two flags, two legitimacies.?The damage is already done,? a former Afghan official in Doha told the Times.

Many Afghans who saw footage of the Taliban office opening felt removed from a process that inherently involves them: bringing peace to Afghanistan, reports the Times. Editorial cartoons from the months leading up to the talks highlight a sense of skepticism, including one of a skewered dove and another showing US surprise at who they were entering into negotiations with.

As a result of the office-opening debacle, Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced his delegation would not attend the talks until the Taliban?s symbolic representation as an independent government was removed. Mr. Karzai also suspended bilateral talks with the US over extending its military presence in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 withdrawal date.

According to Reuters, the ?squabble? could set the tone for ?long and arduous negotiations to end a war that has raged since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that followed the September 11, 2001 al Qaeda attacks on U.S. targets.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/XqHWw3OBjno/Symbolism-of-Taliban-flag-and-banner-upends-Afghan-peace-talks

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Health And Nutritional Benefits of Almonds - Health Care, Slimming ...

Almonds for Weight Loss

Research has shown that almonds raise levels of the hormone cholecystokinin, which is associated with a satisfied feeling of fullness and that although almonds can leave both women and men stay feeling fullness, women can stay feeling full for a longer time.

According to other research, including almonds in a diet could promote the exclusion of less nutritious foods, which improves the entire nutritional quality of diet.

Researchers have also discovered that almonds appear to help prevent carbohydrates from being absorbed in addition to stop their own fat from being absorbed.

Another study revealed that supplementing a low calorie diet with almonds boosts weight loss. Supplementing low calorie diets with almonds, in comparison to complex carbohydrates, was associated with a 62% bigger reduction in weight, a 50% bigger reduction in waist circumference in addition to a 56% bigger reduction in fat mass.

The researchers said the monounsaturated fat present in almonds helps to satisfy the appetite as well as stops individuals from overeating.

Health Benefits of Almonds 2
Almonds for Alzheimer?s

Alzheimer?s mice that were fed an almond rich diet exhibited much better on memory tests than mice fed the standard diet.

Health Benefits of Almonds 3
Almonds for Cholesterol

A study established that consuming a variety of heart healthy foods which includes almonds can help decrease LDL cholesterol levels as much as statin medication. Individuals who consumed almonds lowered their total cholesterol by 5% and reduced their LDL cholesterol by almost 7%.

Health Benefits of Almonds 4
Almonds for Cancer

In a study of rats exposed to a colon cancer-causing agent and fed almonds, it was found that almonds significantly prevented colon cancer.

Nutrients in Almonds

Almonds are a superb source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils, protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, calcium and vitamin E. Almonds also have a number of antioxidants such as the flavonoids kaempferol and quercetin.

History of Almonds

Almonds are thought to have originated in Asia and have since Biblical times been cultivated in the Mediterranean, especially in Spain and Italy.

The U.S. supplies 88 % of worldwide almond production with most of it grown in California. Almonds are also grown in Turkey, Spain, Italy and Italy.

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Source: http://planehealth.blogspot.com/2013/06/health-and-nutritional-benefits-of.html

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Yahoo has responded to claims that recycled email accounts could pose a security problem, claiming i

Yahoo has responded to claims that recycled email accounts could pose a security problem, claiming it's "going to extraordinary lengths" to protect users. Obviously.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/_pJvliIIWTU/yahoo-has-responded-to-claims-that-recycled-email-accou-515271164

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Lou Reed recovering after liver transplant

Celebs

Miriam Coleman Rolling Stone

45 minutes ago

John Smierciak / AP file

Lou Reed at the Lollapalooza music festival, in Chicago on Aug. 9, 2009.

Lou Reed is recovering after receiving a liver transplant last month, the Guardian reports. Reed's wife, musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson, recently spoke about his health troubles in an interview with the Times of London, saying, "It's as serious as it gets. He was dying. You don't get it for fun."

The 71-year-old former Velvet Underground frontman had been due to play at Coachella in April, but had cancelled the dates along with a few other performances in California. At the time of the cancellation in March, the only explanation given by one of the venues was "unavoidable complications."

Lou Reed Joins Metric Onstage at Radio City Music Hall

"I don't think he'll ever totally recover from this, but he'll certainly be back to doing [things] in a few months," Anderson told the Times. "He's already working and doing t'ai chi. I'm very happy. It's a new life for him."

Anderson said that Reed had the surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio instead of his New York hometown because of the "dysfunctional" state of hospitals in New York.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/lou-reed-recovering-after-liver-transplant-he-was-dying-6C10160771

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Opening Your Mind To The World Of Article Marketing ? Writing and ...

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Pick a known brand or brands and get some debates started. This will then link your personal blog. If you make sure that you have fine content, you might even see your blog being considered much more of an authority because of it.

Post all of your articles to your website so you can benefit from the outcome of keyword searches for articles you have written. This is an easy way to raise your traffic and rankings. The search sites are drawn to sites that's posted with regularity.

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You need to have a big audience. This does not necessarily mean to target your content should only have a general focus. A handful of readers who really wish to know what you have to say is much better than a mass of disinterest without reading. Don't allow your target market to be neglected.

Unless sites delete your articles for whatever reason, your content will stay on the internet for evermore , and can naturally be used to bring traffic to your precise destination. You may write articles which highlight other articles you have written to boost your network and networking.

Be sure you wish to reach. If your target is casual blog sites, make the content fast. If you are writing for pro sites, research your content well before writing it.

When writing articles, be sure that you produce unique articles that readers are sure to find fascinating. No one is going to read dull articles that is basically just pieced together from other websites.

You want these pieces to spotlight your personality and help readers know you. You want to avoid sounding like other folks, negatively impacting your earning potential.

A method to become successful with article marketing success is selecting the correct keywords. You should intend to revisit the efficiency of your keywords are to become successful.

Hopefully, this newsletter will help you to relax and get ready for reaching your promoting goals. Although there are plenty of resources here, do not let this be your entire guide to article marketing. Check out other resources as well. The only real way you can ensure the most outstanding end result for yourself, is if you learn as much as you can and apply all of that info to the very best of your capability.

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Tags: article marketing, article writing, article writing service, content creation

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Source: http://writingandspeaking.deadale.com/uncategorized/opening-your-mind-to-the-world-of-article-marketing/

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Terrorists, Then and Now (Powerlineblog)

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Entomologist names new wasp species after UC Riverside

Public release date: 6-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Iqbal Pittalwala
iqbal@ucr.edu
951-827-6050
University of California - Riverside

Serguei Triapitsyn discovered the wasp from the Russian Far East, and named it Gonatocerus ucri

RIVERSIDE, Calif. An entomologist at the University of California, Riverside discovered a new wasp species in Russia and named it after the university, commonly abbreviated as UCR.

Serguei V. Triapitsyn, principal museum scientist at the Entomology Research Museum on campus, had been sorting wasps from the Russian Far East, when he discovered several tiny female fairyflies, or mymarid wasps, 1.1 to 1.2 millimeters in body length.

He named the species Gonatocerus ucri in a research paper he published April 30 in the international scientific journal Zootaxa.

A Russian Academy of Sciences collaborator of Triapitsyn used a trap during 1999-2002 to collect minute wasps for the Entomology Research Museum in a remote location in Primorsky Kray, Russia, a region that has a largely unknown and very rich fauna of this group of insects. The trap contained alcohol that wasps dropped into, also serving as a preservative for the insects until they could be sent to UCR for study. It took Triapitsyn several years to complete the study, since identification of these minute wasps, which are hardly visible to a naked eye, requires special preparation.

Gonatocerus ucri is mostly brown in color and has long antennae and wings. Its host is unknown but other species in the same genus are beneficial insects known to parasitize eggs of leafhoppers, some of which are economically important agricultural pests worldwide.

"I decided to name it after UCR because that's where I work," Triapitsyn said. "The UCR Entomology Research Museum has extensive collections of parasitoid wasps from throughout the world, and I routinely discover new species among the collected material. I will soon also be describing another new species, this one from southern California, and name it after the Entomology Research Museum."

Triapitsyn received his doctoral degree in agricultural entomology from the Moscow Timiriazev Agricultural Academy, Russia. As principal museum scientist at UCR, he is in charge of the Entomology Research Museum and its collection of about three million specimens. He also conducts research in the taxonomy and biology of parasitic Hymenoptera as well as biological control.

He is the author or coauthor of more than 100 scientific publications in refereed journals, including several monographs.

###

The University of California, Riverside (http://www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus will open a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion. A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.

---

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 6-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Iqbal Pittalwala
iqbal@ucr.edu
951-827-6050
University of California - Riverside

Serguei Triapitsyn discovered the wasp from the Russian Far East, and named it Gonatocerus ucri

RIVERSIDE, Calif. An entomologist at the University of California, Riverside discovered a new wasp species in Russia and named it after the university, commonly abbreviated as UCR.

Serguei V. Triapitsyn, principal museum scientist at the Entomology Research Museum on campus, had been sorting wasps from the Russian Far East, when he discovered several tiny female fairyflies, or mymarid wasps, 1.1 to 1.2 millimeters in body length.

He named the species Gonatocerus ucri in a research paper he published April 30 in the international scientific journal Zootaxa.

A Russian Academy of Sciences collaborator of Triapitsyn used a trap during 1999-2002 to collect minute wasps for the Entomology Research Museum in a remote location in Primorsky Kray, Russia, a region that has a largely unknown and very rich fauna of this group of insects. The trap contained alcohol that wasps dropped into, also serving as a preservative for the insects until they could be sent to UCR for study. It took Triapitsyn several years to complete the study, since identification of these minute wasps, which are hardly visible to a naked eye, requires special preparation.

Gonatocerus ucri is mostly brown in color and has long antennae and wings. Its host is unknown but other species in the same genus are beneficial insects known to parasitize eggs of leafhoppers, some of which are economically important agricultural pests worldwide.

"I decided to name it after UCR because that's where I work," Triapitsyn said. "The UCR Entomology Research Museum has extensive collections of parasitoid wasps from throughout the world, and I routinely discover new species among the collected material. I will soon also be describing another new species, this one from southern California, and name it after the Entomology Research Museum."

Triapitsyn received his doctoral degree in agricultural entomology from the Moscow Timiriazev Agricultural Academy, Russia. As principal museum scientist at UCR, he is in charge of the Entomology Research Museum and its collection of about three million specimens. He also conducts research in the taxonomy and biology of parasitic Hymenoptera as well as biological control.

He is the author or coauthor of more than 100 scientific publications in refereed journals, including several monographs.

###

The University of California, Riverside (http://www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus will open a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion. A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/uoc--enn050613.php

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BMC to go private in $6.9 billion deal led by Bain, Golden Gate

By Sayantani Ghosh

(Reuters) - Business software maker BMC Software Inc, whose anemic growth has been a source of frustration for its largest shareholder, said it would be taken private by a group led by Bain Capital and Golden Gate Capital for about $6.9 billion.

Elliott Management, which owns 9.6 percent of BMC and had been pushing for a sale for more than a year, had argued that BMC's management was neglecting the huge opportunity to expand into the fast-growing cloud computing market.

"Going private will be very positive for them because it will enable them to make the changes that were necessary, that were much difficult when you are a public company," Lazard Capital Markets analyst Joel Fishbein said.

BMC has some catching up to do in a market now dominated by Salesforce.com Inc and where Oracle Corp, SAP AG and Microsoft Corp are investing heavily.

BMC's revenue is expected to have grown just 3 percent in the year ended March 31 to $2.23 billion, after growth of just 5 percent the previous year. BMC reports fourth-quarter results on Tuesday.

Elliott, Paul Singer's activist hedge fund, succeeded in adding two directors to BMC's board last year after a proxy battle.

The offer price of $46.25 per share represents a premium of less than 2 percent to BMC's Friday close of $45.42.

The stock has risen 4.5 percent since March 21, when Reuters reported that private equity groups were looking to buy the company.

BMC shares were trading at $45.50, up 8 cents, by midday on the Nasdaq.

BMC has two main divisions. The enterprise services management business manages networks, databases and storage and brings in nearly two-thirds of total revenue, but has stagnated over the years.

The mainframe services management unit, which helps automate data center operations, has grown slowly but is a cash cow that could help the new owners maximize profits.

The private equity group also includes GIC Special Investments Pte Ltd, part of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, and Insight Venture Partners, a New York investment firm that focuses on software and internet businesses.

"I think they will streamline the business, focus on the higher growth areas, either divest or spin off some of the unproductive businesses," Fishbein said, adding that he expects it will take 12-18 months to "right-size" the business.

Under the sale agreement, Houston-based BMC has a "go-shop" provision that allows it to seek alternative proposals within 30 days. Analysts said it was unlikely BMC would get better offers.

BMC, which also competes with CA Inc and Compuware Corp, said the deal is expected to close later this year. Credit Suisse, RBC Capital Markets and Barclays have agreed to provide debt financing for the deal.

Morgan Stanley & Co LLC and BofA Merrill Lynch were financial advisers to BMC, while Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz was legal counsel.

Qatalyst Partners, Credit Suisse, RBC Capital Markets and Barclays served as financial advisers to the buyers, while Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal counsel.

Sidley Austin LLP was legal adviser to GIC and Willkie Farr & Gallager LLP was legal adviser for Insight Venture Partners.

(Additional reporting by Supantha Mukherjee and Aditya Kondalamahanty in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bmc-sell-itself-private-equity-group-6-9-133359712.html

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Israeli airstrikes on Syria prompt threats, anger

In this image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, smoke and fire fill the the skyline over Damascus, Syria, early Sunday, May 5, 2013 after an Israeli airstrike. Israeli warplanes struck areas in and around the Syrian capital Sunday, setting off a series of explosions as they targeted a shipment of highly accurate, Iranian-made guided missiles believed to be on their way to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, officials and activists said. The attack, the second in three days, signaled a sharp escalation of Israel's involvement in Syria's bloody civil war. Syria's state media reported that Israeli missiles struck a military and scientific research center near the Syrian capital and caused casualties. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, smoke and fire fill the the skyline over Damascus, Syria, early Sunday, May 5, 2013 after an Israeli airstrike. Israeli warplanes struck areas in and around the Syrian capital Sunday, setting off a series of explosions as they targeted a shipment of highly accurate, Iranian-made guided missiles believed to be on their way to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, officials and activists said. The attack, the second in three days, signaled a sharp escalation of Israel's involvement in Syria's bloody civil war. Syria's state media reported that Israeli missiles struck a military and scientific research center near the Syrian capital and caused casualties. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from the Ugarit News, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, a Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus, Syria, early Sunday, May 5, 2013. Israeli warplanes struck areas in and around the Syrian capital Sunday, setting off a series of explosions as they targeted a shipment of highly accurate, Iranian-made guided missiles believed to be on their way to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, officials and activists said. The attack, the second in three days, signaled a sharp escalation of Israel's involvement in Syria's bloody civil war. Syria's state media reported that Israeli missiles struck a military and scientific research center near the Syrian capital and caused casualties. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video)

In this image taken from video obtained from Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, smoke and fire fill the skyline over Damascus, Syria, early Sunday, May 5, 2013 after an Israeli airstrike. Israeli warplanes struck areas in and around the Syrian capital Sunday, setting off a series of explosions as they targeted a shipment of highly accurate, Iranian-made guided missiles believed to be on their way to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, officials and activists said. The attack, the second in three days, signaled a sharp escalation of Israel's involvement in Syria's bloody civil war. Syria's state media reported that Israeli missiles struck a military and scientific research center near the Syrian capital and caused casualties. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

FILE -- In this Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 file photo, the Iron Dome defense system fires to intercept an incoming missiles from Gaza in the port town of Ashdod, Israel. Israel's military has deployed Iron Dome defense system to the north of the country following Israeli airstrikes in neighboring Syria targeting weapons believed to be destined for Lebanon's Hezbollah militants. Iron Dome protects against short-range rockets and Hezbollah has thousands of such projectiles. (AP Photo /Tsafrir Abayov, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 file photo, an Israeli Iron Dome missile is launched near the city of Be'er Sheva, southern Israel, to intercept a rocket fired from Gaza. Israel's military has deployed Iron Dome defense system to the north of the country on Sunday May 5, 2013 following Israeli airstrikes in neighboring Syria targeting weapons believed to be destined for Lebanon's Hezbollah militants. Iron Dome protects against short-range rockets and Hezbollah has thousands of such projectiles. (AP Photo/Ahikam Seri, File)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Israel rushed to beef up its rocket defenses on its northern border Sunday to shield against possible retaliation after carrying out two airstrikes in Syria over 48 hours ? an unprecedented escalation of Israeli involvement in the Syrian civil war.

Syria and its patron Iran hinted at possible retribution, though the rhetoric in official statements appeared relatively muted.

Despite new concerns about a regional war, Israeli officials signaled they will keep trying to block what they see as an effort by Iran to send sophisticated weapons to Lebanon's Hezbollah militia ahead of a possible collapse of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime.

Israel has repeatedly threatened to intervene in the Syrian civil war to stop the transfer of what it calls "game-changing" weapons to Hezbollah, a Syrian-backed group that battled Israel to a stalemate during a monthlong war in 2006.

Since carrying out a lone airstrike in January that reportedly destroyed a shipment of anti-aircraft missiles headed to Hezbollah, Israel had largely stayed on the sidelines. That changed over the weekend with a pair of airstrikes, including an attack near a sprawling military complex close to the Syrian capital of Damascus early Sunday that set off a series of powerful explosions.

The Israeli government and military refused to comment. But a senior Israeli official said both airstrikes targeted shipments of Fateh-110 missiles bound for Hezbollah. The Iranian-made guided missiles can fly deep into Israel and deliver powerful half-ton bombs with pinpoint accuracy. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing a covert military operation.

Syria's government called the attacks a "flagrant violation of international law" that has made the Middle East "more dangerous." It also claimed the Israeli strikes proved the Jewish state's links to rebel groups trying to overthrow Assad's regime.

Syria's information minister, Omran al-Zoubi, reading a Cabinet statement after an emergency government meeting, said Syria has the right and duty "to defend its people by all available means."

Israeli defense officials believe Assad has little desire to open a new front with Israel when he is preoccupied with the survival of his regime. More than 70,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad erupted in March 2011, and Israeli officials believe it is only a matter of time before Assad is toppled.

Still, Israel seemed to be taking the Syrian threats seriously. Israel's military deployed two batteries of its Iron Dome rocket defense system to the north of the country Sunday. It described the move as part of "ongoing situational assessments."

Israel says the Iron Dome shot down hundreds of incoming short-range rockets during eight days of fighting against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip last November. Hezbollah fired some 4,000 rockets into Israel during the 2006 war, and Israel believes the group now possesses tens of thousands of rockets and missiles.

The Iron Dome deployment followed a surprise Israeli drill last week in which several thousand reservists simulated conflict in the north. In another possible sign of concern, Israel closed the airspace over northern Israel to civilian flights on Sunday and tightened security at embassies overseas, Israeli media reported. Israeli officials would not confirm either measure.

Reflecting fears of ordinary Israelis, the country's postal service, which helps distribute government-issue gas masks, said demand jumped to four times the normal level Sunday.

Israel's deputy defense minister, Danny Danon, would neither confirm nor deny the airstrikes. He said, however, that Israel "is guarding its interests and will continue to do so in the future."

"Israel cannot allow weapons, dangerous weapons, to get into the hands of terror organizations," he told Army Radio.

Israeli defense officials have identified several strategic weapons that they say cannot be allowed to reach Hezbollah. They include Syrian chemical weapons, the Iranian Fateh-110s, long-range Scud missiles, Yakhont missiles capable of attacking naval ships from the coast, and Russian SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles. Israel's airstrike in January destroyed a shipment of SA-17s meant for Hezbollah, according to U.S. officials.

Israeli officials said Sunday they believe that Iran is stepping up its efforts to smuggle weapons through Syria to Hezbollah because of concerns that Assad's days are numbered.

They said the Fateh-110s reached Syria last week. Friday's airstrike struck a site at the Damascus airport where the missiles were being stored, while the second series of airstrikes early Sunday targeted the remnants of the shipment, which had been moved to three nearby locations, the officials said.

None of the Iranian missiles are believed to have reached Lebanon, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a classified intelligence assessment.

The attacks pose a dilemma for the embattled Assad regime.

If it fails to respond, it looks weak and opens the door to more airstrikes. But any military retaliation against Israel would risk dragging the Jewish state and its powerful army into a broader conflict. With few exceptions, Israel and Syria have not engaged in direct fighting in roughly 40 years.

The airstrikes come as Washington considers how to respond to indications the Syrian regime may have used chemical weapons in its civil war. President Barack Obama has described the use of such weapons as a "red line," and the administration is weighing its options.

The White House declined for a second day to comment directly on Israel's air strikes in Syria, but said Obama believes Israel, as a sovereign nation, has the right to defend itself against threats from Hezbollah.

"The Israelis are justifiably concerned about the threat posed by Hezbollah obtaining advanced weapons systems, including some long-range missiles," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. He said the U.S. was in "close coordination" with Israel but would not elaborate.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague also seemed to back Israel, telling Sky News that "all countries have to look after their own national security."

Iran condemned the airstrikes, and a senior official hinted at possible retribution from Hezbollah.

Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, assistant to the Iranian chief of staff, told Iran's state-run Arabic-language Al-Alam TV that Tehran "will not allow the enemy (Israel) to harm the security of the region." He added that "the resistance will retaliate to the Israeli aggression against Syria." ''Resistance" is a term used for Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas, another anti-Israel militant group supported by Iran.

Iran has provided both financial and military support to Hezbollah for decades and has used Syria as a conduit for both. If Assad were to fall, that pipeline could be cut, dealing a serious blow to Hezbollah's ability to confront Israel.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke to Arab League Secretary-General Nabil ElAraby by telephone Sunday and both shared their "grave concern" over the air strikes, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.

Ban called on all sides "to exercise maximum calm and restraint, and to act with a sense of responsibility to prevent an escalation of what is already a devastating and highly dangerous conflict," Nesirky said.

Israel appears to be taking a calculated risk that its strikes will not invite retaliation from Syria, Hezbollah or even Iran.

But Salman Shaikh of the Brookings Doha Center in Qatar warned: "All this could lead us into a wider conflict."

___

Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Ian Deitch and Diaa Hadid in Jerusalem and Bassem Mroue and Ryan Lucas in Beirut contributed to this story.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-05-Israel-Syria/id-44bcb7f02dbd498b8dadae4e844ac567

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