Stock index futures trade flat to higher

LONDON (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to a flat to higher open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.1 percent at 0844 GMT.
Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100 futures were unchanged.
European shares were also flat, with the FTSEurofirst 300 <.fteu3> just shy of a two-year high. The pan-European index has risen almost 3 percent since the start of the year.
The U.S. economy is expected to grow by 2.5 percent in 2013, improving to 3.5 percent growth in 2014, top Fed official Charles Evans said on Monday. Evans also forecast the U.S. unemployment rate would be 7.4 percent, easing to about 7 percent in 2014. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks at 2100 GMT. [ID:nL4N0AJ1JA]
Americans are beginning to feel the pinch from austerity measures. Paychecks across the country have shrunk over the last week due to higher federal tax rates, and workers say they are cutting back on spending.
Apple Inc has almost halved its order with suppliers of LCD panels for the iPhone 5 in the current quarter due to weak demand, Japanese daily Nikkei reported on Monday.
Oracle Corp released an update to its Java software for surfing the Web on Sunday, which security experts said fails to protect PCs from attack by hackers intent on committing cyber crimes.
Transocean Ltd said billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn bought a 1.56 percent stake in the offshore rig contractor and is looking to increase his holding.
Japan Airlines Co (JAL) said on Sunday that a Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner jet undergoing checks in Tokyo following a fuel leak at Boston airport last week had leaked fuel during tests earlier in the day.
Pickup truck sales are expected to outpace the broader U.S. auto market this year helped by a recovering housing market and a slew of new models from the three big U.S. automakers, executives and analysts said on Sunday.
American International Group Inc has filed a lawsuit against a vehicle created by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to help bail out the insurer, in a bid to preserve its right to sue Bank of America Corp and other issuers of mortgage debt that went sour.
Bank of America Corp directors have reached a $62.5 million settlement to resolve investor claims over the bank's acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co, a person familiar with the matter said, after a federal judge expressed reservations about an earlier version of the accord.
JPMorgan Chase & Co's board is expected to dock the 2012 bonuses of Chief Executive James Dimon and another top executive because of the "London Whale" trading debacle, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people close to the company.
The first big earnings week of 2013 features major banks Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase & Co, as well as online retailer eBay on Wednesday. Thursday's reports include Citigroup, Bank of America and chip maker Intel . General Electric, the largest U.S. conglomerate, is due to post fourth-quarter earnings on Friday.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> gained 17.21 points, or 0.13 percent, to 13,488.43. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> dipped 0.07 points to 1,472.05. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> added 3.88 points, or 0.12 percent, to 3,125.64.

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Morgan Stanley to trim Dubai staff amid global cuts: sources

DUBAI (Reuters) - Morgan Stanley Inc , the sixth-largest U.S. bank by assets, is trimming staff at its Dubai office, mainly by cutting jobs in its equities division, as part of a global plan to reduce costs, three sources aware of the matter said.
The bank plans to slash 1,600 jobs globally, many of whom work in its securities unit, sources told Reuters last week.
Big U.S. and European institutions are cutting investment banking jobs in the Middle East as the promise of emerging markets is overshadowed by the need to slash costs and a dearth of deal activity.
UBS , Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Nomura Holdings have all cut jobs in their investment banking teams for the region in recent months.
"The Dubai cuts are part of the bank's global plan. Obviously, the bank is trying to focus on growth opportunities in the region and there has been little growth on the equities side barring Saudi," one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the matter has not been made public.
Morgan Stanley's equities business will now focus on Saudi Arabia, the source said, adding that planned cuts at other divisions in the Middle East were minimal.
Morgan Stanley declined to comment.
Equity capital markets issuance in the Middle East was $9.4 billion in 2012, according to Thomson Reuters data, down 5 percent from the previous year. Trading volumes in most Gulf Arab markets are down sharply from the highs of 2005-07.
It was not immediately clear how many Morgan Stanley employees in Dubai would be affected by the move, but a second source said the cuts in the emirate might be limited to fewer than 10 employees.
The U.S. bank's mergers & acquisitions head for the Middle East and North Africa left the bank recently, sources told Reuters in December.
Morgan Stanley was one of the advisers to telecom operator Etisalat in a block sale of its 9.1-percent stake in Indonesia's PT XL Axiata last year. The UAE telco got a $117 million gain on the deal.
The bank also advised French lender Societe Generale in the sale of its Egyptian arm to Qatar National Bank in December, and is one of the banks involved in the planned state-backed merger of Abu Dhabi property firms Aldar Properties and Sorouh Real Estate .

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Swatch in $1 billion deal for Harry Winston brand

GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland's biggest watch maker, Swatch Group AG, says it has agreed to pay about $1 billion to acquire Canada's Harry Winston watch and jewelry brand.
The Biel, Switzerland-based company says it will pay $750 million to acquire the brand from Toronto-based Harry Winston Diamond Corp. and will also assume as much as $250 million in debt.
The acquisition includes the Harry Winston production company in Geneva and more than 500 employees globally.
Swatch Group's chairwoman, Nayla Hayek, said in a statement Monday that the addition of a jewelry-watch brand "brilliantly complements the prestige segment" of Swatch's portfolio, helping it compete against luxury watch makers.
Harry Winston Diamond Corp.'s chairman, Robert Gannicott, said that his company would change its name to Dominion Diamond Corporation.
The deal is subject to regulatory approval.

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Knicks' Anthony banned one game for approaching Garnett

(Reuters) - New York Knicks All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony has been suspended one game by the National Basketball Association (NBA) for approaching an opposing player on multiple occasions after a recent game, the league said on Wednesday.
Anthony confronted Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett in the arena tunnel near the players' locker rooms and again in the parking garage following New York's 102-96 home loss on Monday.
The incidents occurred after a game in which Anthony and Garnett jawed at each other, including one exchange during the fourth quarter that lead to technical fouls for both players.
"There are no circumstances in which it is acceptable for a player to confront an opponent after a game," Stu Jackson, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, said in a statement.
"Carmelo Anthony attempted to engage with Kevin Garnett multiple times after Monday's game and therefore a suspension was warranted."
Anthony, second in the league in scoring behind Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers with a 29.0 average, will serve his suspension on January 10 when the Atlantic division-leading Knicks play at the Indiana Pacers.

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NBA-Timberwolves' Love to miss 8-10 weeks after surgery

Jan 9 (Reuters) - The Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff hopes were dealt a blow as leading scorer Kevin Love will miss up to 10 weeks because of surgery to repair his fractured right hand, the National Basketball Association team said on Wednesday.
Love reinjured his hand during the team's Jan. 3 game at Denver. The 24-year-old forward had already missed the first three weeks of the 2012-13 season with a broken right hand.
Details of the surgery, which will sideline Love for eight to 10 weeks, are expected to be announced on Thursday, the team said in a statement.
The loss of Love is a blow for the Timberwolves (16-15), who currently stand ninth in the Western Conference, one place out of a playoff berth.
The two-time All-Star, a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team at last year's London Olympics, leads the Timberwolves in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game and 14 rebounds.

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Timberwolves' Love to miss 8-10 weeks after surgery

(Reuters) - The Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff hopes were dealt a blow as leading scorer Kevin Love will miss up to 10 weeks because of surgery to repair his fractured right hand, the National Basketball Association team said on Wednesday.
Love reinjured his hand during the team's January 3 game at Denver. The 24-year-old forward had already missed the first three weeks of the 2012-13 season with a broken right hand.
Details of the surgery, which will sideline Love for eight to 10 weeks, are expected to be announced on Thursday, the team said in a statement.
The loss of Love is a blow for the Timberwolves (16-15), who currently stand ninth in the Western Conference, one place out of a playoff berth.
The two-time All-Star, a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team at last year's London Olympics, leads the Timberwolves in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game and 14 rebounds.

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Handset makers scurry to join Year of the Phablet

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  2013 CES

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Call it phablet, phonelet, tweener or super smartphone, but the clunky mobile phone - closer in size to a tablet than the smartphone of a couple of years back - is here to stay.

A surprise hit of 2012, it is drawing in more users, more handset makers and is shaping the way we consume content.

"We expect 2013 to be the year of the phablet," said Neil Mawston, UK-based executive director of Strategy Analytics' global wireless practice.

While Samsung Electronics Co Ltd has blazed a trail with its once-mocked Galaxy Note devices, now other manufacturers are scurrying to catch up.

At this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Chinese telecommunications giants ZTE Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd will launch their own.

ZTE, which collaborated with Italy's designer Stefano Giovannoni for the Nubia phablet, is scheduled to launch its 5-inch Grand S, while Huawei brings out the Ascend Mate, sporting a whopping 6.1-inch screen, making it only slightly smaller than Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet.

"Users have realized that a nearly 5-inch screen smartphone isn't such a cumbersome device," said Joshua Flood, senior analyst at ABI Research in Britain.

Driving the phablet's shift to the mainstream is a confluence of trends. Users prefer larger screens because they are consuming more visual content on mobile devices than before, and using them less for voice calls - the phablet's weak spot.

And as WiFi-only tablets become more popular, so has interest among commuters in devices that combine the best of both, while on the move.

According to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, the monthly data traffic for every smartphone will rise fourfold between now and 2018 to 1,900 megabytes.

The upshot is a market for phablets that will quadruple in value to $135 billion in three years, according to Barclays. Shipments of gadgets that are 5 inches or bigger in screen size will surge by nearly nine-fold to 228 million during the same period, though estimates vary because no one can agree on where smartphones stop and phablets start.

But that's the point, some say.

"I think phone size was a preconceived notion based on voice usage," said John Berns, a Singapore-based executive who works in the information technology industry. He recently upgraded his Note for the newer Note 2 and bought another for his girlfriend for Christmas. "Smaller was better until phones got smart, became visual."

Samsung has been both the engine and beneficiary. While other players shipped devices with larger screens earlier - Dell Inc launched its Streak in 2010 - it was only when the Korean behemoth launched the Galaxy Note in late 2011, with its 5.3-inch screen, that users took an interest.

"The Streak was launched at a time when 3-inch smartphones were standard and the leap to a 5-inch Streak was a jump too far for consumers," says Strategy Analytics' Mawston.

"The Galaxy Note was launched when 4-inch smartphones had become commonplace, and the leap to 5-inch was no longer such a chasm."

THE BIGGER, THE BETTER

Since then Samsung has bet big on bigger: its updated Note has a 5.5-inch screen and its flagship Galaxy S3 - the best-selling smartphone in the third quarter of 2012 - has a screen that puts it in the phablet category for some analysts.

Samsung accounted for around three quarters of all phablets shipped last year, according to Barclays' Taipei-based analyst Dale Gai.

Samsung's marketing heft has paved the way for others. LG Electronics Inc accounted for 14 percent of shipments in the third quarter of last year, according to Strategy Analytics.

HTC Corp's 5-inch Butterfly - called the Droid DNA in the United States - has been selling well in places where Samsung is less dominant, according to Taipei-based Yuanta Securities analyst Dennis Chan. The first batch sold out soon after its December launch in Taiwan.

"I don't think we can say that Samsung invented phablets," said Lv Qianhao, head of handset strategy at ZTE. "But it did do a lot to promote this product category, which helped create tremendous demand."

Phablets are also proving popular in emerging markets.

A poll of nearly 5,000 readers of Yahoo's Indonesian website chose Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 as their favorite mobile phone of 2012, ahead of the iPhone 5.

Kristian Tjahjono, a technology journalist who posted the poll, said phablets were a natural fit for Indonesians who liked tablets but also liked making phone calls.

But while those in such markets who can afford them are going for the high-end devices, the door is opening for cheaper models. Tjahjono pointed to Lenovo's 5-inch S880, which has a lower resolution screen and sells for about $250, which is around a third of the price of Galaxy Note 2.

SWEET SPOT

Falling component prices will add to demand. The total cost of an upper-end phablet, its bill of materials, will likely fall to 2,000 yuan ($323) this year, says Gai from Barclays, and will halve within two years.

"One thousand yuan is a very sweet spot for China," he said.

India is also a fan.

Vivek Deshpande, who manages global strategy for Shenzhen-based mobile phone maker Zopo, says that while the Indian and Chinese markets are different, they both share a common appetite for aspirational devices: phones big enough for their owners to show off. This is changing the direction of lower end players.

"Zopo's primary focus is now on phablets," said Deshpande.

Even Samsung is pushing its own creation downmarket: In Las Vegas it will unveil the Galaxy Grand, a 5-inch device that lacks some of the resolution and muscle of its bigger brethren but will be aimed at markets like India. There is a version offering a dual SIM slot, a popular feature for those wanting to arbitrage cheaper call and data plans.

As phablets slide into the mainstream, handset makers are trying to find ways of differentiating.

As well as hiring Italian designer Giovannoni better known for his minimalist, sleek bathrooms, ZTE also came up with an onscreen keypad that inclines to one side of the screen, depending on whether the user is left- or right-handed.

Samsung, however, not only has first mover advantage, it can also build on its expertise in display.

Barclay's Gai says Samsung is expected to introduce a thinner, unbreakable AMOLED screen which will leave room for bigger batteries.

"That will put Samsung in good stead to still dominate the market," he said. Despite pressure in China, Gai estimates Samsung's share of smartphones with 5-inch or larger screens to fall only from 73 percent in 2012 to 58 percent in 2016, which is still the lion's share.

By then consumers will see the phablet for what it is, says Horace Dediu, a Finnish analyst who runs a technology blog asymco.com. Its rise is part of a wider march of computing power into wherever we reside - the living room, the train, bed or work.

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Fabricantes se apresuran para unirse al año de la tableta-teléfono

Samsung y un IPad 2 de Apple iPad 2 en Hong Kong, ene 3 2013. Pueden llamarlo "fableta", …more
SINGAPUR/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Pueden llamarlo "fableta", "fonobleta" o súper teléfono inteligente, pero el teléfono móvil "ladrillo" -más próximo en tamaño a una tableta que a un smartphone de hace un par de años- ha llegado para quedarse.
Un éxito sorpresa en el 2012, el modelo está atrayendo a más usuarios, más fabricantes de dispositivos y está diseñando el modo en que se utilizan contenidos.
"Esperamos que el 2013 sea el año de la tableta-teléfono", dijo Neil Mawston, director ejecutivo de Strategy Analytics, con sede en Reino Unido, especializada en dispositivos inalámbricos.
Mientras que Samsung Electronics ha marcado tendencia con sus dispositivos Galaxy Note, que una vez fueron objeto de burla, ahora otros fabricantes están tratando de seguirle la pista.
En la feria de Electrónica de Consumo de Las Vegas esta semana, gigantes de las telecomunicaciones como ZTE y Huawei Technologies lanzarán su dispositivo propio.
ZTE, que colaboró con el diseñador italiano Stefano Giovannoni para el teléfono-tableta Nubia, tiene previsto lanzar su Grand S de cinco pulgadas, mientras que Huawei sacará el Ascend Mate, con una pantalla de 6,1 pulgadas, ligeramente más pequeño que la tableta Kindle Fire de Amazon.
"Los usuarios se han dado cuenta de que un teléfono móvil con una pantalla de casi cinco pulgadas no es un dispositivo tan incómodo", dijo Joshua Flood, analista senior de ABI Research en Reino Unido.
Liderando el cambio a las tabletas-teléfono en la corriente mayoritaria hay una confluencia de tendencias. Los usuarios prefieren las pantallas más grandes porque permiten más contenido visual que antes en sus dispositivos, y los usan menos para llamar por teléfono: el punto débil de las tabletas-teléfono.
Mientras las tabletas sólo con WiFi son cada vez más populares, también lo es el interés entre los usuarios de transporte público en dispositivos que combinen lo mejor de ambos mientras están en movimiento.
Según el último informe Ericsson Mobility, el tráfico mensual de datos por cada teléfono inteligente se cuadriplicará entre ahora y el 2018 hasta 1.900 megabytes.
El aumento es un mercado para las tabletas-teléfonos que cuadruplicarán en valor hasta 135.000 millones de dólares en tres años, según Barclays. Los dispositivos que tienen cinco pulgadas o más se multiplicarán por nueve hasta 228 millones durante el mismo periodo, aunque las estimaciones varían porque nadie se pone de acuerdo dónde acaban los smartphones y empiezan las tabletas.
Pero esa es la cuestión, según algunos.
"Creo que el tamaño del teléfono era una noción preconcebida basada en el uso de voz", dijo John Berns, un ejecutivo con sede en Singapur que trabaja en la industria de la tecnología de la información. Recientemente cambió su Note por el nuevo Note 2 y compró otro para su novia en Navidad. "Más pequeño era mejor hasta que los teléfonos se hicieron inteligentes y visuales".
Asia-Pacífico es, y continuará siendo, el mayor mercado para las tabletas-teléfono, según Flood. El año pasado, la región absorbió el 42 por ciento de los envíos mundiales, una proporción que se expandirá de manera constante en los próximos años hasta alcanzar más del 50 por ciento de los envíos para el 2017, según cifras de ABI.
"Países como Japón y Corea del Sur serán mercados principales para las tabletas-teléfonos", dijo Flood, añadiendo que China, India y Malasia podrían ver un aumento de la demanda para dispositivos de pantallas más grandes conforme desarrollan nuevas redes 4G de forma extensiva.
Samsung ha sido el motor y el beneficiario. Mientras que otros de la industria enviaron dispositivos con pantallas de mayor tamaño en el pasado -Dell lanzó su Streak en 2010- sólo cuando la firma coreana sacó el Galaxy Note a finales de 2011, con su pantalla de 5,3 pulgadas, los usuarios se interesaron.
(Información adicional de Clare Jim en Taipei y Miyoung Kim en Seúl; Traducido por Emma Pinedo. Mesa de edición en español 562 24377 4400)

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Why Nobody Trusts Steubenville

Corruption: It's at the heart of the controversy over the rape case in Steubenville, Ohio, and it has to do with a lot more than just the legendary Big Red football program. Allegations of a cover-up stretching from the team to the local police to the prosecutor's office have been surfacing on social media since the alleged incident in August, but they have been lacking in detail, and that's why the hackers at Anonymous and LocalLeaks got involved last week. As the so-called Steubenville Files continue to piece together a blurry narrative based on leaked documents, viral videos, and anonymous accounts from city locals, Steubenville leaders launched a fact-finding site of their own this weekend, aiming to "disseminate the most accurate information" about the city and the football team's alleged involvement in the rape of a 16-year-old girl. But the answer to the question on everyone's mind — who should you trust? — lies beneath the small city's long history of corruption, spanning from a Justice Department investigation to rape survivors just now coming forward with tales of the police discouraging them from speaking out. As a petition seeking "real justice" crosses the threshold that will demand a public response as high up as the White House, here's a look back at Steubenville's reputation, 70 years in the making:
RELATED: The Steubenville Rape Case's Party Host Has His Sports Scholarship Under Review
1940s-1960s: "Little Chicago"
RELATED: Local Leaks Tipsters Allege Steubenville Victim Was Drugged
That's not a good nickname to be carrying around in the Midwest's heyday of mobsters, and the monicker wasn't just because of the "downtown bustle" in the "corruption"-laden little Ohio metropolis. "Steubenville is trying to live down its reputation for brothels, gambling joints, and crooked machine politics," the AP's Beth Grace wrote back in 1986. During the late 80s, according to Grace, the city began to take its corrupt officials to task, but...
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Steubenville High's Football 'Rape Crew'
1996-1997: The United States vs. The City of Steubenville
RELATED: Inside the Anonymous Hacking File on the Steubenville 'Rape Crew'
After a year-long investigation, the Justice Department made Steubenville's police department just the second in history forced to sign an agreement setting up new measures to combat police corruption under the 1994 Crime Bill. Here is part of the 1997 ruling on misconduct involving the city police and the city manager — the same two offices, it turns out, that spoke out in this weekend's new fact-finding mission:
The United States brings this action to enforce Section 210401 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. § 14141. The United States alleges that officers of the Steubenville Police Department have engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured and protected by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and that the City of Steubenville, the Steubenville Police Department, and the Steubenville City Manager (in his capacity as Director of Public Safety) have caused and condoned this conduct through inadequate policies and failure to train, monitor, supervise, and discipline police officers, and to investigate alleged misconduct.
Part of that agreement involved promising to start a new training program for all police officers, including a special section on domestic violence, as well as a new internal-affairs policy.
RELATED: One of Steubenville's 'Rape Crew' Wants to Get Out of Steubenville
The Celebrity Testimonies
When it comes to famous people claiming Steubenville as home, Dean Martin is the crown jewel. Then there's former porn star Traci Lords, who fled town after being sexually abused there at the age of 10. And, as has been making ripples on Twitter over the last week, there is the experience of Rza, the poetic rapper and filmmaker most famous for leading the Wu-Tang Clan. In his 2010 memoir The Tao of Wu, Rza wrote the following of his hometown:

Sheriff Abdalla and Rape
The New York Times story that first brought the case to national attention focused on the plight of city police chief William McCafferty, who was having trouble gathering eyewitness accounts. Collecting that kind of information was ostensibly the point of the efforts by Anonymous, but the hacking collective has focused instead on Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla, suggesting that he is close with Steubenville football coach Reno Saccoccia and that he was responsible for "inadvertently" deleting key video evidence. Over the weekend Abdalla took Anonymous to task in his office at an Occupy Steubenville rally, but as the spotlight refocuses on Abdalla, stories have surfaced all across social media suggesting that the sheriff might not be sympathetic to rape victims. Here's the Facebook post currently being highlighted by Anonymous:

Trippanti has not yet responded to a request for clarification from The Atlantic Wire, but according to LocalLeaks, to get the full story, but according to LocalLeaks, the WikiLeaks-style site amassing tips with Anonymous, the alleged victim of the controversial August incident had a similar experience talking to prosecuting attorney for Jefferson County, who is also the mother of a football player now in trouble with his university for allegedly throwing the party in question.
Meanwhile, the Steubenville Facts blog put together by city officials this weekend, in a post about Ohio law-enforcement policies, explains why Sheriff Abadala hasn't been as involved as much as people watching the case would like to him to be:
Crimes allegedly committed within the City of Steubenville fall within the jurisdiction of Steubenville Police. Crimes allegedly committed outside of the City but within Jefferson County fall within the jurisdiction of the County Sheriff. Because the information about alleged criminal activities in this case was first reported to city officials, the Steubenville Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
Steubenville Facts
"When people are saying that our police department did not follow procedure, that the football team runs the city, that is not the case," Steubenville City Manager Cathy Davison said at Saturday press conference announcing the new fact-finding mission by local leaders to counter the Anonymous leaks. "They went by the book. Everything was handled in an aboveboard fashion to make sure that the case can benefit from the fullest extent of the law."
And while many of the details of the case remain sealed by a judge's gag order on town officials ahead of initial hearings in the case (which may now be pushed back), the Steubenville Facts site seems more defensive than informative. The "official" blog highlights several talking points, including why the local police acted to the best of their ability:
The Chief of Steubenville Police has been in this position for 13 years and is not a graduate of Steubenville City Schools (home of the “Big Red” sports teams).  His child attends another school district.
The fact-finding site also seems to be setting expectations for a judicial timetable...
With respect to other charges that could be brought aside from allegations of sexual assault, prosecutors and police have up to two years (for misdemeanors) and up to six years (for felonies) to bring charges. Often, charges are deferred until after a trial, to evaluate the sworn testimony of witnesses at the trial.
...and a plea for patience:
Ohio public records law provides the public the ability to review nearly the entire work product of the investigators once the case is completed. This will allow anyone, within the confines of the Public Records Act, to scrutinize what occurred between the reporting of the incident and the trial.

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Exclusive: U.S. nuclear lab removes Chinese tech over security fears

LONDON (Reuters) - A leading U.S. nuclear weapons laboratory recently discovered its computer systems contained some Chinese-made network switches and replaced at least two components because of national security concerns, a document shows.

A letter from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, dated November 5, 2012, states that the research facility had installed devices made by H3C Technologies Co, based in Hangzhou, China, according to a copy seen by Reuters. H3C began as a joint venture between China's Huawei Technologies Co and 3Com Corp, a U.S. tech firm, and was once called Huawei-3Com. Hewlett Packard Co acquired the firm in 2010.

The discovery raises questions about procurement practices by U.S. departments responsible for national security. The U.S. government and Congress have raised concerns about Huawei and its alleged ties to the Chinese military and government. The company, the world's second-largest telecommunications equipment maker, denies its products pose any security risk or that the Chinese military influences its business.

Switches are used to manage data traffic on computer networks. The exact number of Chinese-made switches installed at Los Alamos, how or when they were acquired, and whether they were placed in sensitive systems or pose any security risks, remains unclear. The laboratory - where the first atomic bomb was designed - is responsible for maintaining America's arsenal of nuclear weapons.

A spokesman for the Los Alamos lab referred enquiries to the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, or NNSA, which declined to comment.

The November 5 letter seen by Reuters was written by the acting chief information officer at the Los Alamos lab and addressed to the NNSA's assistant manager for safeguards and security. It states that in October a network engineer at the lab - who the letter does not identify - alerted officials that H3C devices "were beginning to be installed in" its networks.

The letter says a working group of specialists, some from the lab's counter intelligence unit, began investigating, "focusing on sensitive networks." The lab "determined that a small number of the devices installed in one network were H3C devices. Two devices used in isolated cases were promptly replaced," the letter states.

The letter suggests other H3C devices may still be installed. It states that the lab was investigating "replacing any remaining H3C network switch devices as quickly as possible," including "older switches" in "both sensitive and unclassified networks as part of the normal life-cycle maintenance effort." The letter adds that the lab was conducting a formal assessment to determine "any potential risk associated with any H3C devices that may remain in service until replacements can be obtained."

"We would like to emphasize that (Los Alamos) has taken this issue seriously, and implemented expeditious and proactive steps to address it," the letter states.

Corporate filings show Huawei sold its stake in H3C to 3Com in 2007. Nevertheless, H3C's website still describes Huawei as one of its "global strategic partners" and states it is working with it "to deliver advanced, cost-efficient and environmental-friendly products."

RECKLESS BLACKBALLING?

The Los Alamos letter appears to have been written in response to a request last year by the House Armed Services Committee for the Department of Energy (DoE) to report on any "supply chain risks."

In its request, the committee said it was concerned by a Government Accountability Office report last year that found a number of national security-related departments had not taken appropriate measures to guard against risks posed by their computer-equipment suppliers. The report said federal agencies are not required to track whether any of their telecoms networks contain foreign-developed products.

The Armed Services committee specifically asked the DoE to evaluate whether it, or any of its major contractors, were using technology produced by Huawei or ZTE Corp, another Chinese telecoms equipment maker. ZTE Corp denies its products pose any security risk.

In 2008, Huawei and private equity firm Bain Capital were forced to give up their bid for 3Com after a U.S. panel rejected the deal because of national security concerns. Three years later, Huawei abandoned its acquisition of some assets from U.S. server technology firm 3Leaf, bowing to pressure from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The committee evaluates whether foreign control of a U.S. business poses national security risks.

In October, the House Intelligence Committee issued an investigative report that recommended U.S. government systems should not include Huawei or ZTE components. The report said that based on classified and unclassified information, Huawei and ZTE "cannot be trusted to be free of foreign state influence" and pose "a security threat to the United States and to our systems."

William Plummer, Huawei's vice president of external affairs in Washington, said in an email to Reuters: "There has never been a shred of substantive proof that Huawei gear is any less secure than that of our competitors, all of which rely on common global standards, supply chains, coding and manufacturing.

"Blackballing legitimate multinationals based on country of origin is reckless, both in terms of fostering a dangerously false sense of cyber-security and in threatening the free and fair global trading system that the U.S. has championed for the last 60-plus years."

He referred questions about H3C products to Hewlett Packard. An HP spokesman said Huawei no longer designs any H3C hardware and that the company "became independent operationally ... from Huawei" several years prior to HP's acquisition of it. He added that HP's networking division "has considerable resources dedicated to compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements involving system security, global trade and customer privacy."

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North Korea welcomes Google's Schmidt to Internet black hole

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has done its best to butter up Google Inc. ahead of Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt's visit that started on Monday, even to the extent of setting up a gmail account for its state news agency KCNA at kcna@gmail.com.
Sadly, the Hermit Kingdom's chosen email address doesn't work as it is short of the minimum six characters required for a Google account.
If Schmidt, on a private visit with Google executive Jared Cohen and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, does access the Internet in his foreigners-only hotel, he's likely to find a similar experience to that in Google's Silicon Valley home.
Maxim Duncan, a Reuters correspondent who was in Pyongyang in 2010 and 2012, said speeds on systems set up for visiting foreign journalists were faster than those he was used to in China and that no sites were blocked.
"China correspondents were amused they could tweet in North Korea but not in China," he said.
Schmidt may even come across a North Korean tablet that was unveiled last year and runs Google's Android operating system, although the tablet is likely a knock-off of a cheap Chinese clone, according to Martyn Williams, a technology journalist who runs the North Korea Tech blog (www.northkoreatech.org).
But he will only get a glimpse of what experience of the web is like for the small elite that is granted access if he looks at the local Internet, essentially a North Korean-only Intranet that blocks access to the outside world.
"If he types in google.com, he won't be able to reach it," said Williams, who has visited the North, a reclusive state that has been run by the Kim family since it was established in 1948 and where Amnesty International says 250,000 people are imprisoned in forced labor camps for political crimes.
Even the local Intranet is limited to the politically sound among the 24 million strong population, according to Kim Heung-kwang, a North Korean computer engineering expert who defected to South Korea in 2004.
"I think around 100,000 people can use Intranet. There's a North Korean version of portal service called "Naenara" (My Country) and people can download content posted there," he said.
"People could do emails and chats until 2008, then the government shut down these services... (Now) It's all about digital content from propaganda papers such as Rodong Sinmun (the main ruling party daily) or little games."
According to North Korean law, the punishment for using anti-regime or "bourgeois" cultural content ranges from three months to two years of hard labor. In severe cases, the code allows up to five years of re-education through labor.
That is in sharp contrast to China, where social networking sites like Sina Corp's hugely popular Weibo regularly carry stinging criticism of low-level officials and corruption, although China censors access to many websites.
North Korea's economy, burdened by the cost of maintaining 1.2 million strong armed forces, and both nuclear weapons and rocket development programs, is around 1/40th the size of South Korea's.
Its Internet is similarly stunted. The North has registered just over 1,000 IP addresses, according to industry estimates compared with more than 112 million in neighboring South Korea and more than 1.5 billion in the United States.
DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF HACKING
While North Korea's IT hardware skills are primitive, its software industry has had some successes.
There's even a "Pyongyang Racer" computer game launched in 2012 and a software company called Nosotek also develops games and other applications at a fraction of the cost of other firms.
Another area of software development has also seen success for the North - malware - the malignant software that allowed North Korea to carry out a 10-day denial of service attack on South Korea in 2011.
Computers in the South from the government, military and financial services sector were targeted in an attack that antivirus firm McAfee, part of Intel Corp, dubbed "Ten Days of Rain" and which it said was a bid to probe the South's computer defenses in the event of a real conflict.
"Cyberspace in North Korea is just a tool to attack and destroy enemies, not a space for sharing information," said Jang Se-yul, a former North Korean soldier who went to a military college to groom hackers and who defected to the South in 2008.
Google's Cohen, who espoused the power of Twitter in the "Arab Spring" revolutions and during protests in Iran, also looks set to encounter the limits of freedom and technology in his trip to the North.
Cohen held a well-publicized meeting with North Korean defectors last year which Schmidt also attended. Google itself hosted a dozen North Korean government officials the year before, according to people involved with the trip, although the technology giant declined comment when asked to confirm it.
A surge in 3G cellphone usage to more than a million users in a service run by Egypt's Orascom Telecom Media Technology had triggered hopes among observers that technology could also crack the edifice of North Korea's one-party state now ruled by the third generation of the Kim family.
But even a million cellphones is only 4 percent of the population and the network is tightly controlled, so users can only talk to others on the same network.
Suh Yoon-hwan, a researcher at the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, who surveyed more than 1,000 defectors who arrived in South last year, said the Internet was a dream for ordinary North Koreans.
"Even cellphones aren't working well. And these are mostly for a limited group of people like traders or Chinese in North Korea," said Suh.
"At the moment, people like thumbdrives, rather than CD-Roms because they are bigger capacity and smaller size. They watch South Korean soap operas or movies."

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Pierre and Joan Delva Share a Glimpse of their Life and Journey in New Book

“The Biography of a New Canadian Family” offers a fascinating look into modern medical history and how it converged with the authors’ lives.

Ontario, Canada (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
In “The Biography of a New Canadian Family: Volume II”, author Pierre L. Delva and his wife Joan Campbell-Delva once again shares an insightful glimpse into the field of modern medicine as it converged with their own personal and professional lives. This book is a continuation of a collaborative work aimed to trace and remember the journey that became the key to unlocking the worthy positions and legacy that the authors have now.
From Europe to America, this biography takes into account the life models that helped shape the course of the couple’s journey. It is also revelatory of how the Delvas placed utmost importance on their families and society and how these two helped fomented their growth as individuals and as a family. More than a journal that chronicles the events of the past, this work is an infusion of the many elements (from the historical to the philosophical) that make and shape the life of the intellect. The following quote by Winston Churchill captures in essence the significance of the Delvas’ work: “The longer you look back, the further you can look forward.” In writing this account of their life and times, the authors have not only paid a literary homage to the people, events and life models that honed them but also bridged the past to the present and, finally, the present to the future.
“The Biography of a New Canadian Family: Volume II” captures the essence of the human spirit and how it strives to remain strong amidst uncertainty and change. The Delvas’ book also offers a fascinating depiction of modern medical history as it relates to changes and developments relevant to the field and, most important of all, as it has been perceived and experienced by the authors themselves.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author

Pierre Delva was mostly educated by a dying father, a Belgian GP in East London, UK. Acquired several specialty certificates in Canada, then asked to create a new department for teaching new doctors Family Medicine in the second largest school in the country, L’Université de Montreal.
The Biography of a New Canadian Family * by Pierre L. Delva and Joan Campbell-Delva

Volume II

Publication Date: 10/18/2012

Trade Paperback; $19.99; 297 pages; 978-1-4691-6038-2

Trade Hardback; $29.99; 297pages; 978-1-4691-6039-9
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.

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Historian Reviews Southern General’s Record, Revises it via New Critical Study

In ‘John Bell Hood: Extracting Truth From History,’ author Thomas J. Brown has written an important work on a formidable but misrepresented Confederate general.

Spreckles, CA (PRWEB) January 10, 2013
Does the Battle of Gettysburg represent the turning point of the American Civil War, or did that occur elsewhere? As the United States celebrates the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the Civil War, many people across America remain unaware of anything but the rote details. Thomas J. Brown has written a book to remedy these misconceptions. John Bell Hood: Extracting Truth From History discusses a controversial and often criticized Southern general and brings to the forefront the importance of the western theater in the Civil War.
In connection with the Southern defeat, Lost Cause advocates, those great pro-Confederacy propagandists, found convenient scapegoats to blame. One of these is Confederate General John Bell Hood. The thesis that is the basis for this book contends that the Lost Cause is wrong and Hood’s historical treatment has been unjust. Standard critical works of John Bell Hood over the years have tended to characterize him as rash, overaggressive, and lacking in strategic imagination. For such prejudiced historians, Hood appears as old-fashioned and limited logistically to the frontal assault. These accounts mainly stress Hood’s negative aspects as a general and tend to center around the Battles of Franklin and Nashville. This book, by analyzing each battle that Hood commanded as a leader of the Army of Tennessee, reveals him as a bold, imaginative, and complex leader. He was arguably a capable brigade and division commander in the Confederate States Army (CSA), but historians tend to blame him for the decisive defeats in Atlanta and the Franklin-Nashville campaign. This book revises that view convincingly while also exploring the historical treatment of his Union counterpart General George Henry Thomas.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author

Thomas J. Brown was born in Oakland, CA on April 10, 1950. He was an accomplished athlete, historian, teacher, and coach. Tom loved learning and returned to college at San Jose State University in 2002, where he pursued a Masters Degree in U.S. History. He completed his thesis project on Confederate General John Bell Hood in 2011, and the opus was nominated as Thesis of the Year. Tom was an active member of the Monterey Scottish Society, the American Civil War Association, and the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He was proud to claim General George Henry Thomas as his link to the association. In addition to his historical pursuits, Tom was a passionate rider of a Harley Davidson Road King, a lover of all animals, and a wonderful husband, son, and brother. He passed away of prostate cancer on November 14, 2011.

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Allen Cookson’s New Book Integrates Economics and Science in Analyzing Human Ecological Predicament

Allen Cookson’s New Book Integrates Economics and Science in Analyzing Human Ecological Predicament
Allen Cookson relates the fundamental physical and ecological principles to Economics.

(PRWEB) January 10, 2013
Looming over humanity are impending ecological crises. If they occur, the present global financial crisis will be seen in hindsight as a relatively minor inconvenience, but an ignored warning of worse things to come. Cookson brings to bear in support of his arguments the weight of evidence provided by generations of scientists and economists. Readers will find searching examination of the reasons for our addiction to unsustainable economic growth, and ways of overcoming it without undue discomfort.
Prosperity, Poverty or Extinction written by Allen Cookson, relates in an unprecedented way, fundamental physical and ecological principles to economics so that the detachment of current economic practices from physical reality becomes obvious. Sustainable alternative economic models are proposed in this book and almost all the material is derived from the work of great minds of the past and the present. References will enable readers to check things they have doubts about, including current controversies.
This book is aimed at the educated layman and the student. Its eclecticism will ensure even academics find ideas that are new to them. It includes some technical details that will be of interest to readers with strengths relevant to them. Mathematical or technical bits can be skipped over without losing the thread.
Prosperity, Poverty or Extinction is for intelligent, educated lay people, students and academics. Readers with interest in biology, chemistry, economics, demography, education, engineering, farming, geography, politics, physics, psychology, religion, and other subjects will find the book widens their mental horizons by linking these subjects. The author hopes that it will empower them in directly or indirectly influencing policy makers to bring about positive changes.
For more information on this book, log on to http://www.Xlibris.co.nz.
About the Author

New Zealander Allen Cookson spent most of his life as a secondary school science teacher. A family discussion about the state of the world, and the poor prospects for future generations, led to a challenge from his son to do something about the present unsustainable practices. As it appeared to the author that flawed economics was a major factor impeding essential changes, he embarked upon and completed an economics degree. This enabled him to integrate economics and science in this book’s analysis of the human ecological predicament. His wide interests include conservation and tramping in New Zealand’s mountain country.

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The "Dig Into Yamhill Valley” Campaign Offers Visitors a New Way to Experience Oregon Wine Country

DIG Into Yamhill Valley features once-in-a-lifetime experiences hosted by wineries, restaurants, and other local businesses, in addition to discounts on accommodation and activities to round out any Oregon wine country vacation. With a different theme each month, there's plenty of ways to experience the valley where imagination still takes flight and you’re never too old to stay and play.

Yamhill Valley, Oregon (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Travel Yamhill Valley has launched the “DIG Into Yamhill Valley” Campaign, offering visitors a wide selection of new ways to experience Oregon's Wine Country. The DIG Campaign (http://www.digourvalley.com) features once-in-a-lifetime experiences hosted by wineries, restaurants, and other local businesses, in addition to discounts on accommodation, dining and activities to round out a visit to Yamhill Valley. Once travelers find their ideal vacation components, they can click on direct links to providers for reservations.
Yamhill Valley is home to a wide variety of attractions, including world-renowned vineyards, fine dining, unique historic districts, hot air ballooning and other recreational opportunities. Located in the heart of Oregon's Wine Country, the Yamhill Valley is easily accessible and filled with opportunity for families, couples and individual travelers.
Giving guests everything they need for a fun-filled vacation, the DIG Campaign will focus on a different theme each month:
JANUARY: Epicurean Excursion

Take advantage of the valley’s agricultural riches with unique dining options that pair local ingredients with world class wines.
FEBRUARY: Oenophile’s Outing

If rubbing elbows with the winemaker and relaxing in a cozy tasting room sounds like heaven to you, then plan your escape to Yamhill Valley Wine Country in February.
MARCH: Family Foray

Spring Break! Round up the kids and prepare for fun: waterslides, space museums, biking trails, and unique historical districts wait for you in Yamhill Valley.
APRIL: Agricultural Adventure

Spring is breaking through the damp, Oregon ground to reveal all her glory in a million shades of green! What a perfect time to dig in and find a new path to adventure.
Comprised of a collection of small towns, Yamhill Valley is brimming with opportunities to experience the good life. Yamhill Valley is authentic Oregon: a place where the good life is cultivated every day, where world-class wineries dot the verdant rolling hills and roadside farm stands intersect with bicycle paths… where historic main streets meet urban-style bistros… where imagination still takes flight and you’re never too old to stay and play.
Travel Yamhill Valley is a private, not-for-profit membership organization of business and professional people whose mission is to develop regional tourism in the Yamhill Valley. Some of Travel Yamhill Valley members are directly involved in tourism, including wineries, lodging providers, restaurants and attractions, while others are more indirectly involved, such as general merchants, service providers, banks and realtors. Travel Yamhill Valley is almost entirely volunteer driven.

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Turning Point for Reviving New England’s Historic Mills: The Architectural Team Celebrates 30 Year Milestone ofAward-Winning Adaptive Reuse of Boston Chocolate Factory

Beginning in 1983 with construction of the Baker Chocolate Factory Apartments, the firm has shown how to preserve the region's industrial heritage through adaptive reuse of New England’s historic mills, hospitals, schools and office buildings into sustainable, livable communities.

BOSTON, MA (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
This year, The Architectural Team will celebrate a 30-year milestone for one of the firm’s signature specialties: the master planning and conversion of defunct historic mills and factories into vibrant new destination places for people to live, work and play. The occasion is the 30th anniversary of new multifamily housing at the award-winning Baker Chocolate Factory, which over the decades saw the conversion of eight abandoned mill buildings into a thriving – even trendy – multigenerational, mixed-income development.
Since the firm’s founding 42 years ago, The Architectural Team’s design and master planning has led scores of mill conversions in the Northeast helping to revitalize neighborhoods, preserve American architectural heritage, and revive what were, in many cases, decaying urban environments. Today, these historic factories have become the cornerstones of bold master plans, new affordable housing, and high-performance, sustainable architecture.
The notable milestone in 2013 – one that also epitomizes the firm’s successes with mill conversions – marks how 30 years ago the Baker Chocolate Factory campus in Boston’s Dorchester Lower Mills area broke ground on Phase One of its decades-long renovation. Its transformation began in earnest in 1983 with the late Bob Keuhn, Keen Development Corp – a visionary for historic rehabilitation, affordable housing and community development —when 143 mixed-income apartments opened to the public. After its completion, President Ronald Reagan honored The Architectural Team for its work on the historic factory reuse, bestowing the 1988 National Historic Preservation Award to the architects. Over the next few decades, Baker Chocolate Factory grew to encompass three phases of master planning and adaptive reuse to convert its centuries-old building and factory facilities into live/work artist lofts, affordable rentals, an assisted-living facility (ALF) and market-rate apartments developed by Beacon Development Company and WinnDevelopment.
Revitalizing a neighborhood
With sprawling courtyards and access to the adjacent Neponset River, the development has become a catalyst for new businesses and active street life in Dorchester Lower Mills, which began to suffer declining prominence and creeping urban blight in 1965. That year, production of Baker's Chocolate moved to Delaware, leaving the site subject to decay and vandalism. Yet, nearly a half century later, the neighborhood is enjoying the reinvented property as a memorable, attractive and safe place to live, shop and visit – a renaissance largely due to the conversion of the Baker Chocolate Mill 14-acre site.
“Reflecting on our firm’s four decades-plus of historic restoration and adaptive reuse provides us with a unique opportunity to examine the lessons learned, and apply them moving forward to other buildings and sites,” says Robert J. Verrier, FAIA, managing principal of The Architectural Team. “One of our firm’s primary goals is to help a new generation of young professionals develop the expertise, skill sets, collaborative mindset and creativity needed to design new uses for these amazing historic structures – and develop them in thoughtful, sustainable and innovative ways. With that, we can delight our clients and help these communities celebrate the legacy of their industrial past through the new uses.”
With more than 150 historic adaptive-reuse developments designed by the firm, The Architectural Team is nationally renowned and respected for its urban revitalization strategies, its deep knowledge of materials, expertise in recognizing the opportunities and anticipating the challenges inherent in adaptive reuse, and methods for successful historic building preservation. “These projects aren’t just about preserving our past,” Verrier adds. “Our planning and architecture firm is – in the words of the futurist David Zach – all about ‘designing useful things that connect us into life in this world, and designing good tomorrows.’”
After 30 years of opening its brick walls and cobblestone walks to the neighbors – many of whom had family members who worked at the factory – the Baker Chocolate redevelopment is regarded as a national model for other gateway cities like Boston with evolving industrial bases. The techniques that transformed the facilities into highly desirable homes and real estate for residents, businesses and others are being emulated in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere along the East Coast. Case studies of the firm’s earliest mill conversions include the first U.S. power-loom textile mill, Francis Cabot Lowell Mill in Waltham, Mass., now a senior housing community.
Projects like these reveal important lessons for stakeholders with economic development interests, including:

    Multiple strategies for blended federal and state historic tax-credit financing;
    Enlisting key allies including developers, preservationists and nonprofits;
    Novel building techniques that make adaptive reuse projects easier;
    Engendering community and local agency support; and
    Accelerated paths to LEED certification.
Since the Baker Chocolate Factory was first converted to apartments three decades ago, the remaining historic factory structures have been restored and adapted in three phases to adding senior housing, artist work/live lofts, and both affordable and market-rate housing. In 2010, the firm completed the conversion of its final phase with The Watermill Lofts at Lower Mills — formerly the factory’s boiler room and now home to 17 loft-style apartments. This final conversion phase earned the 2011 Preservation Achievement Award from the Boston Preservation Alliance.
150 historic conversions, thousands of affordable units
Over the years, hundreds of industrial-era mills in New England have been spared the wrecking ball, thanks to savvy developers and master planning and design firms like The Architectural Team, at the vanguard of this trend. The firm’s four decades of over 150 historic conversions have seen not only the completion of three phases of Dorchester's Baker Chocolate Factory, but also more recent developments to include The Apartments at Boott Mills (Lowell, MA), Loft Five50 (Lawrence, MA), Linwood Mill (Northbridge, Mass.), Canal Lofts (Worcester, Mass.), Curtain Lofts (Fall River, Mass.), the LEED Silver Certified Bourne Mill (Tiverton, R.I.) and Rice Silk Mill (Pittsfield, Mass.).

From pr eserving sturdy stone foundations, intricate masonry walls, and massive wood timbers, the architectural and historic character of these buildings has been restored and maintained while also creating vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods.
These projects are the epitome of true sustainability, saving energy and conserving resources while simultaneously preserving a community’s historic fabric,” says Michael Binette, AIA, a partner at The Architectural Team. “We employ, as part of each building’s rehabilitation program, state-of-the-art green design techniques and technologies to create a healthy space and to help ensure high-level performance and contribution to the community well into the future. The lessons learned at Baker Chocolate transcend historic preservation techniques and instead present new ideas about improving the quality of life for residents by providing innovative affordable housing and attracting new businesses to the neighborhood.”
“It’s a catalyst for positive change,” Binette adds. “And in the process, we’ve helped secure the legacy of the mill’s architecture with a unique mix of uses.”

The Architectural Team’s broad portfolio of historic conversions includes a range of unique building types that have been converted to new use: former trolley car barns, U.S. Navy joinery buildings, schools, hospitals and police stations, to name just a few. By utilizing a combination of subsidies, federal and state low-income housing (LIHTC) and historic tax credits (HTC), developers are able to continue transforming communities while preserving America’s architectural heritage for future generations.
Currently, the firm is working on numerous historic adaptive-reuse developments including Cliftex Mills in New Bedford, Mass., which has been applauded by Governor Deval Patrick as a project that is “revitalizing our gateway cities, and providing a much needed boost in terms of jobs, economic development, and affordable housing.”
###
PRESS CONTACT: For information, photographs and interviews,

contact Chris Sullivan at 914.462.2096 or chris@ccsullivan.com.
About The Architectural Team, Inc.

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Performing and Recording Artist Aleksandra Maslovaric Acquires Violin From Los Angeles Violinmaker Benning

Renowned Los Angeles-based violin virtuoso Aleksandra Maslovaric, has acquired a master violin crafted by luthier Eric Benning. The violin, made by Benning in 2009 after a celebrated Stradivarius model, will be used to record the violinist's next recording of classical works written by women composers.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Concert violinist Aleksandra Maslovaric, an artist well-known for her performances and recordings of compositions written by women composers, has recently acquired a violin crafted by master violinmaker Eric Benning. Benning Violins is a distinguished violin shop that has been offering sales of fine violins, violas and cellos, crafted by past and present masters, to the music scene of Los Angeles since 1953.
Benning, whose shop long maintained the violins of Jascha Heifetz, considered by many to be the violinist of the century, is used to premier players, concert performers and recording artists purchasing the fine instruments he crafts. But he admits that there was something special about this particular acquisition.
"Aleksandra has been a client for over a decade and I know her to be a highly discerning musician," said Benning. "It's that much more of an honor that she selected my violin to record her new album."
Maslovaric has performed concerts and recitals throughout North America, Europe and in her native Serbia, appearing regularly on stage, television and radio broadcasts, and has been recognized by critics for her virtuosic technique. A large part of her repertoire consists of compositions written by noted though unrecognized female composers such as Emilie Mayer of Germany, Italian composer Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen and American composer Beth Anderson.
The violin acquired by Maslovaric was crafted by Benning in 2009 on a Stradivarius pattern. It's a stunning instrument," said Benning. "There's something very special about it in that I used an antiqued varnish, which makes the sound rich and warm and clear. It is resonant and powerful."
Aleksandra Maslovaric began carving her niche in 2000 by performing and recording classical works composed by women after she, herself, began composing music. Her passion for these compositions allowed her to uncover many works by women long overdue for recognition by performing her own musicology research. Her debut album, "Feminae in Musica", was released in 2009 and continues to receive airplay on classical radio stations worldwide. Her new CD will be recorded this year and released in 2014.
"I admire what Aleksandra is trying to accomplish," states Benning. "It's important work and it's courageous work. By bringing this neglected repertoire to light, she is making a huge contribution to music appreciation and musicology as well as challenging what one could argue is male dominance in the Classical music genre. In as much as Aleksandra will be playing my violin, I'm honored to be a part of it."

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Suicide bombers attack Afghan government compound

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghan officials say two suicide bombers have attacked a government compound in the country's south, killing a guard and wounding at least 10 others.

The district chief of Spin Boldak said the two militants were targeting a Sunday meeting of local officials at a compound in a district of Kandahar province near the Pakistani border. It was not known if any foreign troops or civilians were at the site.

Mohammad Hashim said the two attackers arrived in a car, killed a guard and entered the facility firing weapons before blowing themselves up along with their vehicle. The compound houses offices of the district chief and district council as well as other government buildings.

Kandahar is one of Afghanistan's most violent provinces.

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Suicide bombers kill 3 at Afghan district compound

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — Two suicide bombers penetrated a government compound in the country's south Sunday, killing three people, Afghan officials said.
The district chief of Spin Boldak said the two militants were targeting a meeting of local officials at a compound in a district of Kandahar province near the Pakistani border. There were no reports of foreign troops or civilians at the site.
Mohammad Hashim said the two attackers arrived in a car, killed a guard and entered the facility firing weapons before blowing themselves up along with their vehicle. The compound houses offices of the district chief and district council as well as other government buildings.
The spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province, Javeed Saisal, gave the casualties as three dead and at least 15 wounded.
Kandahar is one of Afghanistan's most violent provinces. Spin Boldak district is a major infiltration corridor for Taliban fighters from Pakistan as well as a smuggling route for weapons and narcotics.

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Pakistani officials say US drones kill 9 militants

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — Suspected American drones fired several missiles into three militant hideouts near the Afghan border on Sunday, killing nine Pakistani Taliban fighters, intelligence officials said.
The strikes targeted the group's hideouts in the South Waziristan tribal region, the three officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The identity of the killed militants was not immediately known, they said, but two important commanders of the Pakistani Taliban — including the head of a training unit for suicide bombers — may be among them.
Sunday's drone attack was the third suspected U.S. drone strike in five days. One such hit late Wednesday night killed a top Pakistani militant commander, Maulvi Nazir, accused of carrying out deadly attacks against American and other targets across the border in Afghanistan. That attack was followed close on by another strike on Thursday in the North Waziristan tribal area.
Islamabad opposes the use of U.S. drones on its territory, but is believed to have tacitly approved some strikes in past. The drone campaign also infuriates many Pakistanis who see them as a violation of their country's sovereignty. Many Pakistanis complain that innocent civilians have also been killed, something the U.S. rejects.
But an attack like Sunday's may be less likely to anger the Pakistani military and public because it targeted militants believed to have been going after targets in Pakistan and not in neighboring Afghanistan.
The Pakistani intelligence officials said that informants had told them one of the two dead commanders was Wali Muhammad Mahsud, also known as Toofan, who headed a wing of the group that trained suicide bombers. His predecessor, Qari Husain Mehsud, was believed to have been killed in a U.S. missile strike in late 2011.
Mahsud was part of the Pakistani Taliban that have waged a bloody war against the Pakistani state by targeting army, police, government officials, civilians and even religious leaders who wouldn't agree to their interpretation of Islam. The Pakistani Taliban demand that the state should sever ties with the U.S. and amend the constitution to enforce a Sharia based Islamic system in the country.
In December, a Taliban suicide bomber killed a top government minister, Bashir Ahmad Bilour, who came from an anti-militant political party in northwest Pakistan and abducted and beheaded several Pakistani paramilitary troops and tribal police.
The militant commander, Nazir, who was killed last Wednesday was also part of the Taliban but he led a faction that agreed to a cease-fire with the Pakistan military in 2009 and did not attack domestic targets.
As a result, while his death is likely to be seen in Washington as affirmation of the necessity of its controversial drone program, it could cause more friction in already tense relations with Pakistan.
Analysts say Nazir's killing is likely to complicate the Pakistani army's fight against the local and foreign al-Qaida linked militants holed up in the country's tribal region. They say his fighters may turn their guns toward Pakistani troops and may join the Pakistani Taliban's fight against the state.
Still, Nazir outraged many Pakistanis in June when he announced that he would not allow any polio vaccinations in territory under his control until the U.S. stops drone attacks in the region.
Washington wants Pakistan to launch a military operation in North Waziristan, believed to be the last stronghold of many of the militant groups. But Islamabad had been refusing, saying it does not have enough troops and resources to do that.
In absence of such an operation, the U.S. relies more on drone strikes to take out militants. The program has killed a number of top militant commanders including Abu Yahya al-Libi, who was al-Qaida's No. 2 when he was killed in a June strike.

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