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Oracle says Java is fixed; feds maintain warning
Oracle Corp. said Monday it has released a fix for the flaw in its Java software that raised an alarm from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security last week. Even after the patch was issued, the federal agency continued to recommend that users disable Java in their Web browsers.
"This and previous Java vulnerabilities have been widely targeted by attackers, and new Java vulnerabilities are likely to be discovered," DHS said Monday in an updated alert published on the website of its Computer Emergency Readiness Team. "To defend against this and future Java vulnerabilities, consider disabling Java in Web browsers until adequate updates are available."
The alert follows on the department's warning late Thursday. Java allows programs to run within websites and powers some advertising networks. Users who disable Java may not be able to see portions of websites that display real-time data such as stock prices, graphical menus, weather updates and ads.
Vulnerability in the latest version, Java 7, was "being actively exploited," the department said.
Java 7 was released in 2011. Oracle said installing its "Update 11" will fix the problem.
Security experts said that special code to take advantage of the weakness is being sold on the black market through so-called "Web exploit packs" to Internet abusers who can use it to steal credit card data, personal information or cause other harm.
The packs, sold for upwards of $1,500 apiece, make complex hacker codes available to relative amateurs. This particular flaw even enables hackers to compromise legitimate websites by taking over ad networks. The result: users are redirected to malicious sites where damaging software can be loaded onto their computers.
The sale of the packs means malware exploiting the security gap is "going to be spread across the Internet very quickly," said Liam O'Murchu, a researcher with Symantec Corp. "If you have the opportunity to turn it off, you should."
Oracle said it released two patches—to address the flaw highlighted by the government, as well as another flaw that the government said was "different but equally severe."
As well, the patches set Java's default security level to "high" so that users will automatically be shown a prompt and given a chance to decline malicious software before it loads onto their computers.
Disabling Java completely in browsers has a similar effect, however. When websites appear without crucial functions, users can click a button to turn Java back on.
Making users aware when Java programs are about to be installed gives users a 50/50 chance of avoiding malware, said Kurt Baumgartner, a senior security researcher with Kaspersky Lab.
Many programmers are avoiding Java altogether, and its use in Web browsers is on the decline, he said.
Kaspersky Lab estimated that last year 50 percent of all website exploitations were due to vulnerabilities in Java. Adobe's Acrobat Reader accounted for another 28 percent of vulnerabilities.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Haralson County Food Stamp Offices provide nutrition benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP, also known as food stamps, provides nutrition assistance for income-eligible households in Haralson County, Georgia. Local Food Stamp Offices process applications for Haralson County SNAP benefits, determine whether individuals or families meet the eligibility requirements, and provide nutritional education resources. Food Stamp Offices also help administer monthly food benefits, distribute food assistance, and accept applications for Haralson County SNAP benefits. Food Stamp Offices provide information about their services or making an appointment online.
Haralson County Division of Family and Children Services Food Stamp Office Buchanan GA 21 Magnolia Street 30113 877-423-4746

subset: commoncrawl


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111 @111 Minna
December 2nd, 2010 - January 30th, 2011
111 Minna Street
A massive group show with over 111 pieces of work which opened last Thursday here in SF. Congrats hanging all those pieces at gift giving holiday prices. Mucho eye candy with many friendly folks to have a drink with. As you can imagine with so many artists participating, it was crowded and fun.


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Ladies and Gentleman, I give you:
The most uninspiring cycling promotional video of all time
It was Todd from Green Idea Factory who dubbed it thus, and I wholeheartedly agree. A group of MEPs [Members of the European Parliament] and EU Commissioners took part in an "E-bike race".
E-bikes have already been dubbed "Lazy Bikes" and associating themselves with MEPs and EU Comms in a 'race' is probably not the ideal way to sell their product.I would how many people threw their bicycles into the nearest canal and headed for a car dealership after viewing this? :-) Are the modern Lazy Bikes the New Segways?There was a craze in Denmark and other European countries after the Second World War involving putting small motors on bicycles. They were promptly called "røvskubbere" or "ass pushers". I've already heard this phrase applied to e-bikes.Having cycled in a host of cities around the world with varying topography, including the topographically overrated San Francisco last October, I personally can't see the point, unless you're elderly. But that's just me. Has anyone calculated the environment impact of an explosion in the number of batteries on these bikes? It's optimistic to think that every single one will be disposed of in a responsible manner, just as it's optimistic to think that none will end up in canals, lakes or landfills.However, if you feel the need to acquire one, at least get one that has some style and elegance and that is free of 'dorkness' or 'geekacity':Velorbis' new Elechic, for example.


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Merkel Visits German Troops In Afghanistan
Germany has about 3,800 troops in Afghanistan and has a parliamentary mandate to send a total of 4,500 as part of the NATO mission.
Merkel, who faces an election in six months time, is reluctant to increase the number of combat troops it sends to Afghanistan for the mission, which is unpopular among Germans.
She has also resisted pressure from allies to send its soldiers to the more dangerous southern areas of the country, where allied forces are battling a Taliban insurgency. Most of the German soldiers are in northern areas.
Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung was accompanying Merkel on her trip, but no further details were immediately available.
More News
Iran Takes Legal Action Against Analyst, Newspaper Over Criticism Of Israel Attack
Iran's judiciary has initiated legal proceedings against the Tehran-based Etemad newspaper and political analyst Abbas Abdi over comments related to the Islamic republic's interactions with Israel, according to the Mizan News Agency.
Mizan, which is linked to the judiciary, reported on April 14 that the action is aimed at countering those "disrupting societal psychological security."
Abdi, an analyst considered close to Iranian reformists, commented on Iran's strike on Israel over the weekend in an article published in Etemad saying Israel's recent actions were a reaction, not an act of aggression, and that Tehran did not need to respond.
He also criticized the Islamic republic's strategy of deterrence, saying the use of conventional weapons against a nation whose existence Iran does not recognize or seeks to annihilate is futile and has a disproportionate cost compared to any potential benefits.
Mizan also reported legal actions against the economic newspaper Jahan Sanat and an unnamed economic journalist following their evaluations of the IRGC's missile and drone attacks on Israel and their repercussions on financial markets.
Legal scholar Mohsen Barhani criticized the charges as unfounded, saying the criminal articles used against the publication and author don't exist under current Iranian law.
In a related development, the IRGC's Intelligence Organization issued a warning on social media platforms cautioning users against expressing support for Israel, underscoring ongoing surveillance and potential consequences for users aligning with or endorsing Iran's sworn enemy. The organization also encouraged individuals to report any pro-Israeli activities among their peers.
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles late on April 13. The "vast majority" were largely intercepted by Israel's air-defense systems and those of its allies.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Belarusian Journalist Sentenced To 15 Days For Sending Links Court Says Were 'Extremist'
Dzianis Nosav, a journalist for the Vecherny Babruysk newspaper, was sentenced to 15 days in jail by a court in Belarus for sending links to "extremist resources" to his friends. According to human rights defenders Vyasna, Nosav was detained in the city of Babruysk, about 135 kilometesr southeast of Minsk, last week. The group, which disclosed news of the sentence on April 15, gave no further details. Nosav was previously detained in September 2022 after a search of his house by security officials. Many Belarusian journalists have been detained in the country since unrest broke over an August 2020 presidential election claimed by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.
Georgian MP Punches Lawmaker Over 'Foreign Agents' Bill
A Georgian opposition lawmaker attacked a member of the ruling party as he tried to present a controversial "foreign agents" bill in parliament that has roiled the Caucasus nation because of its similarities to legislation in Russia used to severely restrict dissent and the activity of civil society groups.
Aleko Elisashvili rushed the podium on the parliamentary floor on April 15 and punched Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the parliamentary faction of the ruling Georgian Dream party, sparking mayhem in the legislature that took several minutes to quell.
"Your Russian mother is a motherf***er," Elisashvili could be heard yelling as he lunged at Mdinaradze to strike him in the head.
Mdinaradze appeared to be unharmed by the attack and after a short break was back heading the legal affairs committee session in parliament.
"I don't respond to threats with street methods. We will give a proper response," Mdinaradze said.
Earlier this month Mdinaradze said the Georgian Dream party plans to reintroduce a bill that would oblige noncommercial organizations and media outlets receiving foreign funding and engaged in broadly defined "political" activities to report their activities to the authorities.
The legislation, which sparked mass protests when first introduced last year, causing the government to withdraw the bill, would also introduce wide oversight powers by the authorities and potential criminal sanctions for undefined criminal offenses.
As the scuffle took place inside parliament, several hundred protesters were gathered outside to express their anger over the reintroduction of the law. There were no reports of violence.
This new bill is identical to the one introduced and then withdrawn last year, Georgian Dream has said, except for one change: The term "foreign agent" would be replaced by the more circumlocutory "organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power."
The party insists the bill is simply copied and pasted from U.S. legislation and does not imitate Russia's foreign agents law, but the newly resurrected On Transparency of Foreign Influence bill is seen as a product of Georgia's homegrown struggle for political power.
Its return bodes yet another bout of internal political strife, sharper pressure on the government's opponents, and yet more stress on Tbilisi's increasingly fragile relations with its Western partners.
Once approved by the legal affairs committee, which is controlled by Georgian Dream and its coalition allies, the bill will proceed to a first reading in parliament.
4 Civilians Killed As Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pleads For Patriot Systems
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on April 15 again called for Kyiv's Western allies to "urgently" deliver desperately needed additional air-defense systems, weapons, and ammunition as Russian artillery and missiles continued to wreak havoc among civilians and destroy critical infrastructure.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
Four people were killed in Siversk in the eastern region of Donetsk, the head of the region's administration, Vadym Filashkin, said on April 14.
"Four men aged between 36 and 86 died as a result of the shelling," Filashkin said. "The Russians are trying to kill as many of our people as possible, and the only way to protect themselves is to evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine."
Kuleba, in a video address to the Second Black Sea Security Conference jointly co-hosted by Ukraine and Bulgaria in Sofia, said Ukraine's air defense was critical for the protection of its neighbors as well and urged faster moves to supply its forces with defensive systems such as the U.S.-made Patriot.
"Ukrainian air defense is now protecting not only Ukrainian skies from Russian air terror, it also shields neighboring Moldova, Romania, and Poland from the immediate threat of missiles and drones entering their airspace," Kuleba said.
"We urgently require additional Patriot and other modern air-defense systems, weapons, and ammunition," Kuleba said. "I take this opportunity to once again urge all our partners to take extraordinary and bold steps."
On April 14, Kuleba told Ukrainian television that negotiations were under way for the delivery of more Patriots, but voiced disappointment that the process was too slow.
"With all my due respect and gratitude to the United States of America, do you believe that the U.S. Army does not have one spare Patriot battery that it can transfer to Ukraine?" he said.
Meanwhile, on April 15, traffic was halted on the bridge that links Moscow-occupied Crimea with Russia, as the Russia-appointed chief of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, announced an air-raid alert in the city.
Social media reports said explosions caused by the work of Russian air-defense systems could be heard in the area, but the information could not be independently verified.
With reporting by Reuters
- By AP
Heavy Rains, Lightning Kill 36 In Pakistan
Lightning and heavy rains have killed at least 36 people, mostly farmers, across Pakistan in the past three days, officials said on April 15, as authorities in the country's southwest declared a state of emergency. Most deaths occurred when lightning struck farmers harvesting wheat and rains caused houses to collapse in eastern Punjab Province, said Arfan Kathia, a spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority. He said more rains were expected this week. Rains, which also lashed the capital, Islamabad, killed seven people in southwestern Balochistan Province over the weekend, and eight died in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province bordering Afghanistan.
- By RFE/RL
'On The Brink': Leaders Call For Restraint As World Awaits Israeli Response To Iran Attack
Leading diplomats and politicians across the globe, fearing another major escalation of fighting in the Middle East, urged restraint as the world waited for Israel's response after it endured an unprecedented air attack by Iran over the weekend.
Tehran fired more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel late on April 13, almost all of which were shot down by Israeli defense systems, along with intercepts by forces from the United States, France, Britain, and Jordan.
Only a few missiles reached Israeli territory, causing modest damage to an air base and critically wounding a 7-year-old girl.
Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies for decades, but this was the first direct attack by one on the other's soil instead of through proxy forces or by targeting each other's assets operating in third countries.
The Israeli war cabinet was set to meet on April 15, with some hard-liners within the right-wing government said to be advocating a harsh response, while others were pushing for a more moderate decision.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised victory, while an influential member of the war cabinet said the country will retaliate in the "fashion and time" of its choosing.
"We're on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away from it," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who said he spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian late on April 14, told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
"We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear."
Added British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in an interview on April 15 with the BBC: "I think they're perfectly justified to think they should respond because they have been attacked, but we are urging them as friends to think with head as well as heart, to be smart as well as tough."
Iran, which said it was responding to a suspected Israeli air strike on the Iranian Embassy compound in Damascus early last month that killed two brigadier generals, called on Western nations to "appreciate" the restraint it showed since the embassy attack and warned it will act more "resolutely" if "Israel crosses red lines."
The United States reiterated its "ironclad commitment" to the security of Israel but reportedly told the Jewish state it will not take part in any retaliatory action.
Speaking late on April 14 at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "maximum restraint" amid fears that Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel could turn into a larger regional war.
"The Middle East is on the brink.... Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate," Guterres said.
After the meeting ended without any resolution, U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said "there has to be a Security Council response to what happened."
The Iranian launch came amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over the continuing war in the Gaza Strip and a deadly air strike on April 1 believed to have been carried out by Israel on the Iranian Consulate in Syria.
U.S. officials said Washington had been indirect contact with Iran through Swiss intermediaries before and after the attack, without providing details, but Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani cautioned on April 15 that no pre-arranged deal was made with any country regarding how Tehran would approach its military response to Israel.
WATCH: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that his country would emerge victorious following an unprecedented attack from Iran. According to the Israeli military, over 300 drones and missiles were intercepted during the aerial assault by Iran, its first-ever direct attack on Israel.
Israel's retaliatory war in Gaza was sparked by a raid on Israeli territory carried out by Hamas, which rules Gaza and is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and European Union, on October 7. The raid left 1,200 people dead and hundreds of people were taken hostage.
The ensuing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip aimed at destroying Hamas has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Since the war in Gaza began, Tehran has openly supported militant groups and proxies targeting Israel that are part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and the West, leading to concerns of a broader Middle East conflict involving archenemies Iran and Israel.
While Russia, seen as close to Tehran, has stopped short of publicly criticizing Iran for the attack on Israel, the Kremlin on April 15 said "further escalation is in no one's interests" and called for finding a solution through "political and diplomatic methods."
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, AP, and Reuters
Nearly 125,000 Evacuated Due To Floods In Kazakhstan, Russia
Almost 125,000 people have been evacuated from areas hit by massive floods in parts of Russia and Kazakhstan where water levels continue to rise in several regions.
Following massive snowfalls in winter, unusually warm weather triggered the sudden melting of snow that in turn lead to the rapid swelling of rivers such at the Ural and the Tobol, in what specialists say may be the effect of global climate change.
In northern Kazakhstan, where more than 111,000 people have been evacuated from flood-threatened areas since the start of this month, some 4,500 people were evacuated on April 14 alone from Petropavl, a city of some 20,000 people, near the Ishim River.
The village of Bolshaya Malyshka, some 30 kilometers north of Petropavl, was also hit hard, with rescuers evacuating almost 900 residents early on April 15, according to the Emergency Situations Ministry of Kazakhstan.
A resident of the village of Podgora, near Petropavl, told RFE/RL that he had "never seen such a flood before." Residents were concerned by the lack of drinking water, despite reassurance by Mayor Serik Mukhamediev that the water "should come soon."
In neighboring southern Russia, nearly 13,000 people have been evacuated from areas threatened by flooding in Russia's southern region of Kurgan as water levels continued to rise, with the Tobol River near the capital city of Kurgan reaching 6.73 meters, the regional government reported early on April 15.
A state of emergency was declared on April 8 in Kurgan, a city of some 300,000. The ministry said that 62 settlements with some 19,000 people across the region are at risk of flooding.
Water continued to rise in the region's Ketovsky district, it said. The Emergency Situations Ministry reported that in the Kurgan region, 880 residential buildings had already been flooded.
The first to be affected by the massive floods was the city of Orsk, followed by Orenburg, both on the Ural, and now floods have reached the Kemerovo and Tomsk regions in western Siberia.
In the Kemerovo region, the Mrassu River overflowed its banks.
Residents of villages told Current Time that their household belongings and animals had been washed away and nobody has come to their aid, despite the ministry reporting that the flood situation in the region is under control.
In the Tomsk region, 143 houses and 93 household plots were flooded, said the regional head Vyacheslav Chernous.
A total of 84 people, including eight children, were evacuated, Chernous said on Telegram.
The water level in the Tom River near the center of Tomsk city reached 7.64 m -- 14 centimeters above dangerous levels.
The water level in the Ob River in the Tomsk region also exceeded dangerous levels, and authorities in the Tyumen region are thinking about ordering a mandatory evacuation.
In the Ivolginsky district of Buryatia, 11 houses were flooded, said Governor Alexey Tsydenov. Authorities evacuated 22 people, including six children, from the flooded area.
Tsydenov said the flood was caused by an ice blockage on the Selenga River.
"Today, according to the plan, the blockage will be blown up by sappers from the Eastern Military District and the Emergency Situations Ministry," Tsydenov wrote.
The authorities will allocate money for rent for three months to residents of the Orenburg region affected by floods, the press service of the regional government reported on April 15, saying in a statement that the allocation would include "10,000 rubles ($107) for a citizen living alone and 20,000 rubles for a family of two or more people."
Those who live in an apartment on the second floor of an apartment building or higher will be provided with payment for only one month, while citizens who live outside the emergency zone will not receive any compensation, the statement said.
- By AFP
Armenia, Azerbaijan To Clash At UN Top Court
Azerbaijan and Armenia will fight out a long-running "ethnic cleansing" dispute at the top United Nations court from April 15, just as military tensions are ramping up between the historic enemies. Robed lawyers from the two countries embark on two weeks of hearings, wrestling over interpretations of international law. The legal battle before the International Court of Justice dates from September 2021 when both sides filed tit-for-tat suits against each other within a week. Both sides accused the other of "ethnic cleansing" and of violating the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
- By Reuters
Jordan Summons Iranian Ambassador To Protest Interference In Its Afairs
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on April 14 said his country had summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against Iranian comments that were interference in the kingdom's internal affairs. In remarks given to the state-owned Mamlaka public broadcaster, Safadi was referring to comments in Iran's official media in recent days that warned Jordan would be the next target in the event it cooperated with Israel in a showdown with Iran.
- By RFE/RL
Saudi Foreign Minister To Lead Delegaton On Pakistan Visit
A high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia led by Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah will visit Pakistan on April 15-16 as part of efforts to increase economic cooperation between the two countries, the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad said on April 14. "This visit is aimed at lending positive impetus to enhanced bilateral cooperation and mutually rewarding economic partnership," it said in a statement. Saudi Arabia has vowed to invest up to $25 billion into various sectors in Pakistan over the next two to five years.
- By Reuters
U.S. Speaker Says Will Try To Pass Israel Aid, But Ukraine Package Uncertain
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson (Republican-Louisiana) on April 14 said he would try to pass aid to Israel in the upcoming week, after Iran's mass drone and missile attack, but didn't say whether the legislation would also include assistance for Ukraine and other U.S. allies. Johnson, who is struggling to unify his fractious Republican majority and avoid an ouster threat, recounted two failed attempts to pass standalone aid for Israel. "We're going to try again this week, and the details of that package are being put together right now," Johnson told Fox News without providing details.
Flash Flooding Kills At Least 33 People In Kabul, Other Afghan Regions
Flash flooding caused by heavy rains has destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least 33 people over the past three days in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and across the country, the de facto Taliban rulers said on April 14. "Unfortunately, 33 people have been martyred and 27 injured as a result of the floods, while approximately 606 houses have been destroyed in villages," Taliban spokesman Mullah Janan Sayiq said. A resident of the village of Bast in Helmand Province who did not want to be identified told RFE/RL that "the floods have destroyed our agricultural lands and houses, our animals have been destroyed. Our area is between two rivers." To read the original story by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, click here.
Ukraine's Zelenskiy Calls For Urgent Aid To Counter Russian Air Strikes
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Ukraine's allies to provide additional support, adding that "every day of delay in the delivery of aid results in more destroyed homes and ruined lives," while his defense minister visited outmanned and outgunned troops on the "tense" front lines as conditions worsened near the embattled town of Chasiv Yar.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on April 14, Zelenskiy argued that "the world has everything necessary to stop any missiles, Shahed drones, or other forms of terror."
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war in Ukraine, click here.
"It only requires decisions that can restore true and lasting security," he added.
Visiting the front lines on April 14, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that "the situation is tense," a day after Kyiv warned that the conditions on the eastern front had "deteriorated" to dangerous levels.
Ukrainian officials have over the past two days warned about the perilous situation near the strategic town of Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region, amid a major Russian offensive.
If Russia takes the town -- which had a prewar population of about 13,000 – it would "create conditions for a deeper advance" toward Kramatorsk, a major rail and logistics hub for Ukrainian forces some 30 kilometers away, commander in chief Oleksandr Syrskiy said.
Syrskiy said Russia's top leadership had ordered the military to capture Chasiv Yar in time for the May 9 commemoration of the Soviet contribution to victory in World War II.
According to Ukraine's military, Russia attacked Ukraine with 10 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight on April 13-14, all of them launched from Russia's western Kursk region.
"Defenders shot down all 10 drones over the Kharkiv region," air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said.
A civilian truck was struck by a Russian drone in the Sumy region, local prosecutors reported, killing the driver.
The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War wrote on April 13 that Russia was "taking advantage" of Ukraine's shortages of artillery shells and air-defense equipment by operating variously in three different areas with "alternating emphasis."
"Russian forces likely lack the ability to conduct more than one simultaneous, effective, large-scale operational effort as they have throughout the war," it wrote. "Russian forces are now able to use multiple alternating offensive efforts to stretch Ukrainian defensive capabilities amid Ukrainian artillery and air-defense shortages."
Responding to Iran's massive overnight drone and missile attack against Israel, Zelenskiy wrote on X on April 14 that Shahed drones were "an instrument of terror."
"We in Ukraine know very well the horror of similar attacks by Russia, which used the same Shahed drones and Russian missiles, the same tactics of mass air strikes," he wrote.
"The obvious collaboration between the two regimes in spreading terror must face a resolute and united response from the world."
Ukraine Commander Says Moscow Seeks Fall Of Chasiv Yar By May 9
Russia's top leadership has ordered the military to capture the city of Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region, in time for the May 9 commemoration of the Soviet contribution to victory in World War II, Ukraine's top military commander said on April 14. "The realization of the Russians' plans is hindered by the heroic defense of our brigades, which literally 'bite into the ground' to hold back the enemy's daily attacks," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy said. The fall of Chasiv Yar, which had a prewar population of about 13,000 and is just west of the Russian-occupied city of Bakhmut, would be a significant setback for Kyiv. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, click here.
Russian Officials Urge Evacuation Of Parts Of Kurgan Region Amid Flooding
Officials in Russia's Kurgan region in the southern Urals are urging residents of districts threatened by flooding to evacuate immediately. Kurgan region Governor Vadim Shumkov wrote on Telegram on April 14 that the Tobol River was now 5 meters above flood stage and the rate of rising was increasing. He warned that electricity and natural-gas supplies could soon be cut off. The newspaper Kommersant wrote that 62 settlements with a population of about 19,000 people were in the endangered area. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Bulgaria's Georgieva Appointed To New Five-Year Term Atop IMF
Kristalina Georgieva, a Bulgarian economist, will serve as head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a second five-year term, the Washington-based fund said on April 13. Georgieva, 70, said in a statement that she was "truly honored to continue to lead the IMF as managing director." She added that ""a more challenging global context demands an even more effective IMF. I will continue to devote all my energy to serve our members." The IMF is traditionally led by a European, while the World Bank is led by an American. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service, click here.
Germany To Send Additional Patriot System To Ukraine As Scholz, Zelenskiy Talk
Germany will send an additional Patriot air-defense system to Ukraine to bolster its hard-pressed military and help it fend off increased Russian air strikes, Berlin said on April 13. "Due to the increase in Russian air strikes against Ukraine, the German government has decided to further strengthen Ukrainian air defense," a statement from the Defense Ministry said. Chancellor Olaf Scholz later reaffirmed Germany's solidarity with Ukraine in a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Scholz discussed ways of further strengthening Ukraine's air defenses with Zelenskiy, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
Iranian Student Still Missing Days After Being Detained
A university law student who has been a supporter of Iran's Women, Life, Freedom movement is still missing several days after her arrest by security forces, the second time she has been detained since unrest broke out over the death of a young woman in custody for an alleged violation of the head-scarf law.
Fahimeh Soltani, who studies at the University of Isfahan, was taken into custody after a raid on her home on April 6 and has not been heard from since, her family reported.
Security personnel, posing as postal workers, seized Soltani's mobile phone and laptop during the arrest, the family said.
Soltani's detention coincides with her previous arrest in November 2022 during the Women, Life, Freedom protests following Mahsa Amini's death in police custody.
After being held in detention for three months, Soltani was released as part of a broader pardon issued by the Islamic republic's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Soltani's university activities have led to her being barred from studying for two terms due to cases she says were fabricated by the university's security department. Despite appealing the disciplinary rulings against her, the school's Central Committee delayed a final decision on her case.
On April 2, Soltani received a late-night call regarding the appeal and was told she had received an additional two-term study ban.
Amid efforts to expel her, the university in Isfahan, a city of some 2 million people about 400 kilometers south of Tehran, sent a direct expulsion request to the Central Committee. Along with her current arrest, her family said it remains in the dark about the outcome of the expulsion request.
Separately, a review committee at Tehran University has confirmed the suspension of Zahra Jafari, a graduate student in social welfare planning and editor of the student magazine Zhina.
Jafari was barred from studying for two semesters on charges including insulting Islamic and national symbols and acts against the Islamic republic. Her sentence, affecting her final thesis defense, began at the start of this academic year and will continue through the end of the second semester.
Universities and students have long been at the forefront of the struggle for greater social and political freedoms in Iran. In 1999, students protested the closure of a reformist daily newspaper, prompting a brutal raid on the dorms of Tehran University that left one student dead.
Over the years, the authorities have sent student activists and leaders to prison and banned them from studying.
The activist HRANA news agency says at least 700 university students have been arrested during the nationwide protests sparked by the September 2022 death of the 22-year-old Amini.
Many have faced sentences such as imprisonment and flogging, and dozens of students have been expelled from universities or suspended from their studies as security forces try to stifle widespread dissent.
Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
- By RFE/RL
Israel Vows Victory, Retaliation In 'Fashion And Timing' Of Its Choosing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised victory after a massive overnight air attack by Iran that marked a sharp escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, while an influential member of his war cabinet said the country will retaliate in the "fashion and time" of its choosing.
"We intercepted, we repelled, together we shall win," Netanyahu wrote in an April 14 post on X, formerly Twitter.
Meanwhile, centrist politician and retired General Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's war cabinet and former defense minister, said that "we will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the fashion and timing that is right for us."
Israel and its allies intercepted the "vast majority" of hundreds of drones and missiles launched by Iran overnight.
Loud explosions and flashes of light could be seen in the sky above many parts of Israel in the early morning hours of April 14 as the country's air defenses tried to shoot down incoming drones and missiles that Iran launched just hours after it seized an Israeli-linked ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli authorities reported only light damage to one Israeli military installation and said a 7-year-old girl was critically injured as more than 200 drones and missiles -- including more than 10 cruise missiles -- were intercepted before impact.
"The Iranian attack was foiled," Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said early on April 14, adding that "99 percent" of the attacking vehicles had been intercepted. Hagari said the result was "a very significant strategic success."
U.S., British, and French officials confirmed their armed forces took part in shooting down the incoming projectiles, intercepting some over the Iraq-Syria border area as they made their way toward Israel.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Israel against "reckless behavior" following the strike, saying Tehran's response to retaliation would be "decisive and much stronger."
Iran's military earlier said its strikes had "achieved all its objectives" and been "completed successfully."
Iranian armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri, speaking on state television, warned Israel not to retaliate, saying Tehran's "response will be much larger than tonight's military action." He also said U.S. assets would be targeted if Washington assisted Israeli in any retaliation.
"Our operations are over and we have no intention to continue them," Bagheri said.
The United States had contact with Iran through Swiss intermediaries both before and after Tehran's mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory overnight, a senior Biden administration official said on April 14.
The official declined to provide details on the contact, saying only that Washington and Iran had "a series of direct communications through the Swiss channel."
Asked about comments by Iran's foreign minister that Tehran had given regional countries 72 hours' notice of the attacks, the official said that was not true. "They did not give a notification," the official said.
Iran informed Turkey in advance of its planned operation against Israel, a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on April 14, adding that Washington conveyed to Iran via Ankara that its operation must be "within certain limits."
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Tehran's regional allies were informed about its aerial attacks on Israel in advance.
"We naturally informed our friends in regional countries 72 hours before the operation that Iran's response in the form of a legitimate defense is definite and certain," he said without specifying which regional allies.
Israel called on the United Nations Security Council to convene an emergency session in New York on April 14 to discuss the attack, which Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan described in a post on X as "a serious threat to global peace and security."
U.S. President Joe Biden on April 14 convened G7 allies to discuss the situation in the Middle East and coordinate a response, with the group reiterating support for Israel.
Biden also spoke by telephone with Netanyahu, after which he said he had reaffirmed "America's ironclad commitment" to Israeli security but said U.S. forces would not participate in any offensive actions by Tel Aviv.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told NBC TV on April 14 that "We don't want to see this escalate.... We're not looking for a wider war with Iran."
Other Western countries also condemned the attack, with France warning that Iran "is risking a potential military escalation." Britain described the attack as "reckless," while Germany called on Iran to "stop it immediately."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X that the attack was "blatant and unjustifiable."
"I call on Iran and its proxies to immediately cease these attacks," she added. "All actors must now refrain from further escalation and work to restore stability in the region."
EU foreign ministers will meet on April 16 to discuss the escalation in tensions in the Middle East following the strike, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
"Following the Iranian attacks against Israel, I have called an extraordinary...meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers[on April 16]," Borrell wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Our objective is to contribute to de-escalation and security of the region."
Iran's Foreign Ministry on April 14 meanwhile summoned the ambassadors of Britain, France, and Germany to question what it referred to as their "irresponsible stance" regarding Tehran's strikes on Israel, the semiofficial Iranian Labour News Agency reported.
Tehran accused the three countries of "double standards" as they opposed earlier this month a Russian-drafted UN Security Council statement that would have condemned Israel's attack on Iran's embassy compound.
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on all sides to show restraint. "We are counting on the regional states to solve existing problems with political and diplomatic means," it said.
Turkey does not want further escalation of tension in the region after Iran's drone and missile attack against Israel, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told his Iranian counterpart in a phone call on April 14.
Pope Francis, speaking to pilgrims on St. Peter's Square in Rome, made a "heartfelt appeal for a halt to any action that could fuel a spiral of violence" that could lead to a wider conflict.
Israel said early on April 14 that it had reopened its airspace for commercial traffic and that airports had resumed operations.
The intelligence directorate of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) on April 14 warned citizens against posting pro-Israeli sentiments on social media, Iranian state media reported.
Israel and Iran have been bitter enemies for decades, but this was the first direct attack by one on the other's soil instead of through proxy forces or by targeting each other's assets in third countries.
"So far, we've intercepted the vast majority of incoming missiles," Hagari said of the attack launched by the IRGC in what it said was retaliation for a deadly April 1 drone strike thought to be carried out by Israel on Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria.
The launch came amid heightened tensions between Iran and the West over the continuing war in the Gaza Strip and the strike in Syria.
Iran called the attack, which Tehran named operation "Honest Response," on Israel a "response to the Zionist regime's aggression against our diplomatic premises in Damascus."
However, Iran also appeared to be taking a cautious approach to keep the strikes from broadening conflict in the region, with its mission to the United Nations saying that "the matter can be deemed concluded."
The Iranian attack was immediately condemned by many governments around the world, while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation."
"The Middle East is on the brink... Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate," Guterres told a Security Council meeting called on April 14.
Earlier on April 13, Iranian state media reported that IRGC forces seized a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the vessel was "linked to Israel."
Following that event, Israel said it was putting its military on high alert and canceling school activities on concerns of a possible attack.
It accused Iran of piracy and said Tehran will "bear the consequences" of escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged vessel that is reportedly operated by a shipping company partially owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, was seized on April 13 and was being transferred to Iranian territorial waters, according to the IRNA state news agency.
The ship's operator, the Italian-Swiss group MSC, said the ship had 25 crew members on board and that it was working closely with "the relevant authorities to ensure their well-being and safe return of the vessel."
Israel's retaliatory war in Gaza was sparked by a raid on Israeli territory carried out by Hamas, which rules Gaza and is designated as a terrorist group by the United States and European Union, on October 7. The raid left 1,200 people dead and hundreds of people were taken hostage.
The ensuing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip aimed at destroying Hamas has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, according to the Palestinian territory's Hamas-run Health Ministry.
Since the war began, Tehran has openly supported militant groups and proxies targeting Israel that are part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and the West, leading to concerns of a broader Middle East conflict involving archenemies Iran and Israel.
The security firm Ambrey said late on April 13 that Yemen's Huthi rebels had also launched multiple drones at Israel in coordination with Iran.
In addition to strikes launched against Israel by Iranian proxy Lebanese Hizballah, the Iranian-backed Huthis have attacked Israeli territory as well as international and Israeli shipping in the Red Sea.
On April 14, Israeli forces hit a Hizballah site in Lebanon near the Syrian border, the Israeli military said.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda, AP, and Reuters
- By dpa
Last Reactor At Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Put Into Cold State
The last reactor at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been shut down as fighting continues in the area for the third year. This means that all of the plant's six reactor units are now in a cold shutdown state. No radioactivity escaped during the procedure, the facility's Russian management wrote on Telegram on April 13. The nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, was occupied shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has come under fire several times, including this month, stoking concerns about a potential nuclear accident.
Situation In East Has 'Deteriorated,' Ukrainian Commander Says, As Dry Conditions Aid Russia
KYIV -- Russian attacks have intensified in eastern Ukraine and conditions for Kyiv's forces have "deteriorated significantly" as dry, warmer weather is allowing the easier movement of Russian tanks and troops, according to Ukraine's top military commander.
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"The situation on the eastern front has deteriorated significantly in recent days," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy said on Telegram on April 13.
"The enemy is actively attacking our positions in the Lyman and Bakhmut directions with assault groups supported by armored vehicles," he said. "In the Pokrovsk direction, they are trying to break through our defenses using dozens of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles."
Syrskiy said the "dry weather favors the use of armored vehicles at the front -- the weather has made most of the open areas tank-accessible."
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who won a new term in a March election that critics say was held under conditions of "intense repression," has intensified attacks, especially targeting power plants and substations to cripple Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian authorities have increasingly signaled alarm over dwindling supplies of artillery shells and air-defense missiles as a military aid package from the United States has been tied up in Congress, with a small number of Republicans stating that domestic matters should take priority over assistance to Kyiv proposed by Democratic President Joe Biden.
Christopher Cavoli, the top U.S. general in Europe, on April 11 warned that further assistance to Ukraine to repel Russian aggression is crucial and that Moscow poses a "chronic threat" to the world.
On April 13, Germany announced it would immediately send another Patriot air-defense system to bolster Ukraine in its fight against Russia's latest onslaught.
German leader Olaf Scholz, in a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, reaffirmed Berlin's solidarity with Ukraine and discussed ways to further strengthen the embattled country's air defenses, German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
Zelenskiy thanked Scholz for approving delivery of the additional Patriot missile system and for supplying further air-defense weaponry at this "critical time" for his country.
A week ago, Zelenskiy said the U.S.-made Patriot systems were desperately required to provide protection for the entire country.
In a Telegram post following his call with Scholz, Zelenskiy said the talks were "important" and "productive."
"I am grateful to the chancellor for the decision to supply another additional Patriot system to Ukraine and missiles to the existing air-defense systems," Zelenskiy wrote.
"I call on all other leaders of partner states to follow this example," Zelenskiy added.
Scholz later left Germany for a China on a three-day trip in which he is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping.
Beijing is the Kremlin's most crucial ally. It has remaining outwardly neutral but hasn't condemned Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
According to AP, a U.S. assessment has detected a large rise in sales by China to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics, and other technology that is used by Moscow in the production of tanks, planes, and other weaponry for use against Ukraine.
The report cited two senior officials in the U.S. administration who discussed the findings on April 12 on the condition of anonymity.
On the battlefield, Yevgeny Balitsky, the Kremlin-installed head of the Zaporizhzhya region, said at least 10 people were killed when shelling hit an apartment building in the Russian-occupied town of Tokmak.
"Rescuers continue to search for and extract the bodies of the dead, dismantling the structures. Rescue units have been provided with everything necessary," he wrote on Telegram, adding that 18 people had been injured in the town of some 30,000 people.
Separately, Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had captured the village of Pervomayske in Ukraine's Donetsk region, where Moscow has centered much of its attacks in recent months.
Ukraine did not immediately comment on the Russian reports, and battlefield claims on both sides cannot immediately be verified due to the intense fighting in the region.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa
- By Reuters
U.S., Britain Take Action Targeting Russian Aluminum, Copper, Nickel
Washington and London on April 12 prohibited metal-trading exchanges from accepting new aluminum, copper, and nickel produced by Russia and barred the import of the metals to the United States and Britain. The action, aimed at disrupting Russian export revenue from the metals, comes as Washington seeks to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Russia is a major producer of aluminum, copper, and nickel. The U.S. Treasury Department said action would prohibit the London Metal Exchange and Chicago Mercantile Exchange from accepting new Russian production of aluminum, copper, and nickel.
Belarusian Rock Band Known For 2020 Protest Song Branded 'Extremists'
The Belarusian dissident rock band Nizkiz and its three members have been declared extremists and sentenced to 2 1/2 years of restrictions on their freedom of movement after being convicted on criminal charges of violating public order.
The decision to sentence the musicians to restricted freedom of movement, a type of house arrest, was announced on April 12 by a judge in Minsk who opted not to send the three musicians -- Syarhey Kulsha, Alyaksandr Ilyin, and Dzmitry Khalyaukin -- to prison, the news agency Pozirk reported, citing a post by Mayday Team human rights group on Telegram.
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Read our coverage as Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues his brutal crackdown on NGOs, activists, and independent media following the August 2020 presidential election.
The musicians were found guilty of organizing and preparing actions that "grossly violate public order" or actively participating in them, the right group said.
In addition to the sentence, the Interior Ministry labeled the musicians extremists, which effectively means a ban on Nizkiz songs and exposes Nizkiz's fans to prosecution.
The band's song Rule became an anthem of the 2020 protests against authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who claimed victory in the presidential election that year. After the election, Lukashenka's government unleashed a brutal crackdown against the opposition and protesters, many of whom were beaten and jailed.
Ilyin, Kulsha, and Khalyaukin were arrested on January 5 and initially faced lesser charges of distribution, production, storage, and transportation of information products containing calls for extremist activities. They were tried on January 8, but the outcome of that case is unknown.
The musicians were hit later with the public-order criminal charges and transferred to the Minsk pretrial detention center. They have been behind bars since then. In February, the Vyasna human rights center declared them political prisoners.
Nizkiz, founded in 2008 in the city of Mahilyou in the east of the country, has released five studio albums and won a number of musical awards. The fourth member of the band -- guitarist Leonid Nestyaruk -- lives in Warsaw.
While Lukashenka was declared the winner of the 2020 election, the Belarusian opposition and many Western governments and organizations said the poll was rigged and opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya actually won.
Tsikhanouskaya on April 12 urged musicians around the world "to express solidarity with their Belarusian colleagues, who were convicted over the songs of freedom."
In written comments sent to the Associated Press, she said Nizkiz's songs were played during the 2020 protests.
"That's why the members of this popular band were brutally detained in their apartments and then convicted. It is yet another shameful act of the regime's revenge," she said, according to the AP.
With reporting by AP
Bosnian Tycoon With Ties To Dodik Posthumously Removed From U.S. Sanctions List
The late Bosnian tycoon Slobodan Stankovic and his engineering company have been removed from the U.S. blacklist of sanctioned individuals.
Stankovic and his company, Integral Inzenjering A.D. Laktasi (Integral), had been designated for sanctions in October 2022 for materially aiding, sponsoring, or providing financial, material, or technological support to Milorad Dodik, the Russian-friendly leader of Bosnia-Herzegovina's ethnic Serb entity, Republika Srpska.
The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on April 12 lifted the sanctions against Stankovic and his company without commenting.
Stankovic died in February at age 74 in Banja Luka.
The Treasury Department said when it imposed the sanctions that major construction projects were often handed to Stankovic's firm without fair and open competition and that the vast majority of Stankovic's wealth came from public money.
In addition to its offices in Banja Luka, Integral also has branches in Serbia and Croatia.
One of the last projects Stankovic was involved in as a contractor is the construction of a 20-kilometer-long section of the highway in northeastern Bosnia leading to the border with Serbia. The cost of the project is estimated at 154.4 million euros ($164 million).
Integral also carried out work on the construction of an interstate bridge between Croatia and Bosnia with two other companies.
In addition, his company was awarded a job worth about 35 million euros for the construction of a highway in Croatia that will connect a bridge on the Sava River with the Zagreb-Belgrade highway.
Stankovic is also the former owner of Alternative Television Banja Luka (ATV), a media company that was previously blacklisted by the United States. The U.S. Treasury Department said ATV showed a bias toward Dodik, and the purchase showed the reciprocal nature of Dodik's corrupt relations.
In January 2023, Dodik awarded Stankovic the Order of the Flag of the Republika Srpska on Republika Srpska Day, which has been declared unconstitutional by Bosnia's Constitutional Court.
With reporting by Sejla Ibrahimovic
Militants Block Highway In Southwest Pakistan, Kill 11
Unidentified gunmen have killed 11 people in separate incidents on the same highway in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan Province.
Noshki district police chief Ilahi Bakksh said that the nine victims in the second attack, in which laborers were abducted from a bus traveling from the provincial capital of Quetta to a town near Pakistan's border with Iran, appear to have been killed execution-style.
"Militants blocked the highway leading to Taftan, bordering Iran, at midnight on April 13 in the Sultan Charai area near Noshki city," Bakksh told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal.
"Their bodies were later found under a bridge 2 kilometers from the highway having been fired upon at point-blank range."
Earlier, the same gunmen opened fire on a vehicle that failed to stop for the blockade, killing two people and injuring five, Bakksh said.
No group immediately claimed responsibility or the attacks, and police said there was no ransom demand or known motive.
Police said they were searching for the perpetrators.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks and expressed his "deep sorrow and regret over this shocking incident."
Sharif offered his condolences to the families of the victims, according to a statement from his office, adding that "the perpetrators of this incident of terrorism and their facilitators will be punished."
Balochistan is a mineral-rich province that borders both Afghanistan and Iran and is regularly targeted by Islamist militants, sectarian groups, and Baluch separatists fighting for independence.
The Pakistani government has said it has quelled the insurgency in the province, but violence has persisted, often targeting police forces, the Pakistani military, or infrastructure.
Abductions are rare in the restive region.
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Time to act, Obama declares, taking oath 2nd time
WASHINGTON (AP) — Turning the page on years of war and recession, President Barack Obama summoned a divided nation Monday to act with "passion and dedication" to broaden equality and prosperity at home, nurture democracy around the world and combat global warming as he embarked on a second term before a vast and cheering crowd that spilled down the historic National Mall.
"America's possibilities are limitless, for we possess all the qualities that this world without boundaries demands," the 44th president declared in a second inaugural address that broke new ground by assigning gay rights a prominent place in the wider struggle for equality for all.
In a unity plea to politicians and the nation at large, he called for "collective action" to confront challenges and said, "Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time — but it does require us to act in our time."
Elected four years ago as America's first black president, Obama spoke from specially constructed flag-bedecked stands outside the Capitol after reciting oath of office that all presidents have uttered since the nation's founding.
The events highlighted a day replete with all the fanfare that a security-minded capital could muster — from white-gloved Marine trumpeters who heralded the arrival of dignitaries on the inaugural stands to the mid-winter orange flowers that graced the tables at a traditional lunch with lawmakers inside the Capitol.
The weather was relatively warm, in the mid-40s, and while the crowd was not as large as on Inauguration Day four years ago, it was estimated at up to 1 million.
Big enough that he turned around as he was leaving the inaugural stands to savor the view one final time.
"I'm not going to see this again," said the man whose political career has been meteoric — from the Illinois Legislature to the U.S. Senate and the White House before marking his 48th birthday.
On a day of renewal for democracy, everyone seemed to have an opinion, and many seemed eager to share it.
"I'm just thankful that we've got another four years of democracy that everyone can grow in," said Wilbur Cole, 52, a postman from suburban Memphis, Tenn., who spent part of the day visiting the civil rights museum there at the site where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968.
The inauguration this year shared the day with King's birthday holiday, and the president used a Bible that had belonged to the civil rights leader for the swearing-in, along with a second one that been Abraham Lincoln's. The president also paused inside the Capitol Rotunda to gaze at a dark bronze statue of King.
Others watching at a distance were less upbeat than Cole. Frank Pinto, 62, and an unemployed construction contractor, took in the inaugural events on television at a bar in Hartford, Conn. He said because of the president's policies, "My grandkids will be in debt and their kids will be in debt."
The tone was less overtly political in the nation's capital, where bipartisanship was on the menu in the speechmaking and at the congressional lunch.
"Congratulations and Godspeed," House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, said to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden as he presented them with flags that had flown atop the Capitol.
Outside, the Inaugural Parade took shape, a reflection of American musicality and diversity that featured military units, bands, floats, the Chinese American Community Center Folk Dance Troupe from Hockessin, Del., and the Isiserettes Drill & Drum Corps from Des Moines, Iowa.
The crowds were several rows deep along parts of the route, and security was intense. More than a dozen vehicles flanked the president's limousine as it rolled down Pennsylvania Avenue, and several agents walked alongside on foot.
As recent predecessors have, the president emerged from his car and walked several blocks on foot. His wife, Michelle, was with him, and the two held hands while acknowledging the cheers from well-wishers during two separate strolls along the route.
A short time later, accompanied by their children and the vice president and his family, the first couple settled in to view the parade from a reviewing stand built in front of the White House.
A pair of nighttime inaugural balls completed the official proceedings, with a guest line running into the tens of thousands.
Obama addressed cheering crowds at the Commander in Chief Ball, speaking by video to thank a group of troops in southern Afghanistan. Then he introduced his "date," Michelle Obama, who danced with her husband in a ruby chiffon and velvet gown while Jennifer Hudson sang "Let's Stay Together."
In his brief, 18-minute speech, Obama did not dwell on the most pressing challenges of the past four years. He barely mentioned the struggle to reduce the federal deficit, a fight that has occupied much of his and Congress' time and promises the same in months to come.
He spoke up for the poor — "Our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it" — and for those on the next-higher rung — "We believe that America's prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class." The second reference echoed his calls from the presidential campaign that catapulted him to re-election
"A decade of war is now ending. An economic recovery has begun," said the president who presided over the end to the U.S. combat role in Iraq, set a timetable for doing the same in Afghanistan and took office when the worst recession in decades was still deepening.
"We will support democracy from Asia to Africa, from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom," he said in a relatively brief reference to foreign policy.
The former community organizer made it clear he views government as an engine of progress. While that was far from surprising for a Democrat, his emphasis on the need to combat global climate change was unexpected, as was his firm new declaration of support for full gay rights.
In a jab at climate-change doubters, he said, "Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms." He said America must lead in the transition to sustainable energy resources.
He likened the struggle for gay rights to earlier crusades for women's suffrage and racial equality.
"Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law — for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well," said the president, who waited until his campaign for re-election last year to announce his support for gay marriage.
His speech hinted only barely at issues likely to spark opposition from Republicans who hold power in the House.
He defended Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security as programs that "do not make us a nation of takers; they free is to take the risks that made this country great."
He referred briefly to making "the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit," a rhetorical bow to a looming debate in which Republicans are seeking spending cuts in health care programs to slow the rise in a $16.4 trillion national debt.
He also cited a need for legislation to ease access to voting, an issue of particular concern to minority groups, and to immigration reform and gun-control legislation that he is expected to go into at length in his State of the Union speech on Feb. 12.
But his speech was less a list of legislative proposals than a plea for tackling challenges.
"We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect," he said, and today's "victories will only be partial."
There was some official business conducted during the day.
Moments after being sworn in, the president signed nomination papers for four new appointees to his Cabinet, Sen. John Kerry for secretary of state, White House chief of staff Jacob Lew to be treasury secretary, former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel for defense secretary and White House adviser John Brennan to head the CIA.


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The Out-of-Control NSA
Let's get this straight: The National Security Agency snooped on the cellphone conversations of German Chancellor Angela Merkel? Perhaps for as long as a decade? And President Obama didn't know a thing about it?Let's get this straight: The National Security Agency snooped on the cellphone conversations of German Chancellor Angela Merkel? Perhaps for as long as a decade? And President Obama didn't know a thing about it?
Either somebody's lying or Obama needs to acknowledge that the NSA, in its quest for omniscience beyond anything Orwell could have imagined, is simply out of control.
The White House has not denied news reports — courtesy of disclosures by whistleblower Edward Snowden — that the spy agency eavesdropped on Merkel's phone calls. Press secretary Jay Carney said that "the United States is not monitoring and will not monitor the communications of the chancellor," which sure sounds like an admission that such "monitoring" took place in the past.
This is a problem. Merkel is the de facto leader of Europe, which makes her, from the U.S. point of view, perhaps the most important allied leader in the world. Moreover, she and Obama have not only mutual respect but also a genuine rapport — or used to. Her government huffily demanded an explanation and said such spying "would be a serious breach of trust."
But there's more: News organizations have reported that Merkel was one of about 35 world leaders whose private phone communications were intercepted by the NSA. The Wall Street Journal said Obama was unaware of this eavesdropping until an internal administration review this summer.
How on earth could that be possible?
You'd think that Obama, having been given some strikingly intimate piece of intelligence about a foreign leader's thinking or intentions, would wonder how that information was gathered. It makes no sense that he would curb his curiosity in order to maintain "deniability," since any president is ultimately going to be held responsible for what his spies get caught doing.
But it also makes no sense that the NSA can decide on its own, with no adult supervision, to invade the privacy of even one leader of a sovereign state, let alone 35.
What did the agency do with the secrets it learned? Is the information still being stored? Are the foreign leaders in question — and we do not know who they are — supposed to believe that it's no problem if the NSA knows all about their personal conversations, just as Americans are supposed to believe it's acceptable that the agency keeps a record of all our phone calls?
But there's still more: On Monday, Spanish newspapers reported that the NSA compiled a detailed log of 60 million phone calls in Spain during a one-month period beginning last December. This follows similar reports of a one-month NSA sweep of phone data in France that reportedly captured 70 million calls. Spanish and French officials are also demanding an explanation.
The NSA does have its defenders. "I think the president should stop apologizing and stop being defensive," Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said on "Meet the Press," claiming that the spy agency's snooping "has saved thousands of lives, not just in the United States but also in France, in Germany and throughout Europe."
Besides, King said, "the French are someone to talk" because they routinely spy against the United States. And much of the planning for the 9/11 attacks took place in Hamburg, under German officials' noses. And European countries sometimes have "dealings" with hostile countries such as Iran and North Korea.
That would be one way to look at it. Another would be that alienating key leaders — and broad public opinion — in friendly countries is a dumb, counterproductive way to fight terrorism. Following these revelations, are French, German and Spanish intelligence agencies likely to be more cooperative with their U.S. counterparts? Or less?
To me, all this is consistent with the NSA's apparent goal of knowing, basically, everything. The agency collects information as massively and indiscriminately as possible on the theory that if you assemble a database of all the world's communications, the few you seek — those involving terrorists — will be in there somewhere.
This is not just a massive invasion of privacy that the people of France, Spain and other countries understandably resent. It's also a mistake.
While NSA analysts were busy sifting billions of phone records, they were unaware that one of their own contract analysts, some guy named Snowden, was about to spill all the precious beans. Big Data will prove more of an illusion than a panacea. The agency will learn — not the hard way, I hope — that knowing everything unfortunately means knowing nothing at all.
Eugene Robinson's e-mail address is eugenerobinson(at)washpost.com.
© 2013, Washington Post Writers Group
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Clayton Kershaw (1-2, 4.91) vs. Chan Ho Park (0-1, 6.67).
Owner: Take this object, but beware it carries a terrible curse!
Homer: [worried] Ooooh, that's bad.
Owner: But it comes with a free Frogurt!
Homer: [relieved] That's good.
Owner: The Frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: [worried] That's bad.
Owner: But you get your choice of topping!
Homer: [relieved] That's good.
Owner: The toppings contains Potassium Benzoate.
Homer: [stares]
Owner: That's bad.
The Dodgers face Chan Ho Park today.
That's good.
But they have to face the rest of the Phillies as well.
That's bad.
Russell Martin is heating up.
That's good.
But Rafael Furcal is still slumping.
That's bad.
Although not as much as Jimmy Rollins.
That's good.
The Dodgers are 1-3 since Manny got suspended.
That's bad.
But the Phillies are barely over .500 at 15-14.
That's good.
The Giants are only four games behind the Dodgers.
That's bad.
But the other NL West teams are at least 8.5 games back.
That's good.
I don't know how to end this.
That's bad.
(Thanks to SNPP for the transcript!)


text: SCOTT MAYEROWITZ, AP Airlines Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Airlines are introducing a new bevy of fees, but this time passengers might actually like them. Unlike the first generation of charges which dinged fliers for once-free services like checking a bag, these new fees promise a taste of the good life, or at least a more civil flight. Extra legroom, early boarding and access to quiet lounges were just the beginning. Airlines are now renting Apple iPads preloaded with movies, selling hot first class meals in coach and letting passengers pay to have an empty seat next to them. Once on the ground, they can skip baggage claim, having their luggage delivered directly to their home or office. In the near future, airlines plan to go one step further, using massive amounts of personal data to customize new offers for each flier. "We've moved from takeaways to enhancements," says John F. Thomas of L.E.K. Consulting. "It's all about personalizing the travel experience." Carriers have struggled to raise airfares enough to cover costs. Fees bring in more than $15 billion a year and are the reason the airlines are profitable. But the amount of money coming in from older charges like baggage and reservation change fees has plateaued. So the airlines are selling new extras and copying marketing methods honed by retailers. Technological upgrades allow airlines to sell products directly to passengers at booking, in follow-up emails as trips approach, at check-in and on mobile phones minutes before boarding. Delta Air Lines recently gave its flight attendants wireless devices, allowing them to sell passengers last-second upgrades to seats with more legroom. And just like Amazon.com offers suggested readings based on each buyer's past purchases, airlines soon will be able to use past behavior to target fliers. "We have massive amounts of data," says Delta CEO Richard Anderson. "We know who you are. We know what your history has been on the airline. We can customize our offerings." Other airlines are experimenting with tracking passengers throughout the airport. In the future, if somebody clears security hours before their flight, they might be offered a discounted day pass to the airline's lounge on their phone. Airlines have yet to find the right balance between being helpful and being creepy. So, for now, most of the data is being used to win back passengers after their flight is delayed or luggage is lost. "We want to get back to a point where people feel like travel isn't something to endure, but something they can enjoy," says Bob Kupbens, a former Target executive and Delta's current vice president of marketing and digital commerce. Most passengers select flights based on the lowest base fare. The online travel industry plays up that price sensitivity with sites named CheapOair.com, CheapTickets.com and InsanelyCheapFlights.com. When airlines try to raise fares, they are met with resistance. "Customers are very quick to either change travel plans, or use another carrier or not travel at all," says Jim Corridore, an airline analyst with Standard & Poor's Capital IQ. In the past three years, airlines have tried to hike fares 48 times, according to FareCompare.com. During 29 of those attempts, bookings fell enough that airlines abandoned the increase. Most fares today don't cover the cost of flying. While the average domestic roundtrip base fare has climbed 3 percent over the past decade to $361.95, when adjusted for inflation, the price of jet fuel has nearly tripled. When oil prices spiked in 2008, airlines added checked baggage fees. Passengers still bought tickets on the base price and didn't think about the extra expense until the day of travel. Now airlines are recasting fees as trip enhancements. Travelers like Nadine Angress, of Mansfield, Mass., see the value. Her recent late-night US Airways flight home landed past six-year-old son's bedtime. She had to work early the next morning. So, for $30 she bypassed the baggage carousel and had the suitcase delivered. "That was a very reasonable price to pay," Angress says. "It's making your life easier." U.S. airlines collect more than $6 billion a year in baggage and reservation change fees. They also collect $9 billion more from selling extras like frequent flier miles, early boarding and seat upgrades. Together, the fees account for 10 percent U.S. airlines' revenue. Fees provide airlines with another advantage: The Internal Revenue Service has said since they aren't directly related to transporting passengers, they aren't subject to the 7.5 percent excise tax travelers pay on base fares. Taxing fees would give the government an extra $1.1 billion a year to fund the Federal Aviation Administration, runway upgrades and air traffic control improvements. Without the fees, experts say fares would be 15 percent higher. "You're either going to go out of business or find a way to cover" your costs, says Robert E. Jordan, Southwest Airlines' executive vice president and chief commercial officer. Southwest has held off charging for most checked bags. But it sells plenty of other add-ons. Recently, it introduced a way for people at the back of the boarding line on some flights to cut to the front for $40. It's not a blockbuster seller — one person pays up every two flights — but with 3,600 daily flights, that nets $70,000 in extra daily revenue or $25 million a year. Airlines now alter fees based on demand. United Airlines used to sell its Economy Plus extra legroom seats for one price per route. Today, aisle seats cost more than middle seats; prices are higher on popular flights. That change in thinking has helped United increase fee revenue by 13 percent this year to more than $20 per one-way passenger. Airlines are also starting to bundle items. Passengers purchase items they might not necessarily buy alone; it also simplifies the dizzying array of offers. "I don't want you to have to do the math every time," says Rick Elieson, managing director of digital marketing at American Airlines. American offers a package for $68 roundtrip that includes no change fees, one checked bag and early boarding. Delta is experimenting with a $199 subscription that includes a checked bag, early boarding, access to exit row seats and extra frequent flier miles on all flights a passenger takes between now and Jan. 5. Airlines say the fees bring a sense of fairness to the system. Why should a passenger with a small carry-on subsidize a family of four, checking suitcases? Jamie Baker, an airline analyst with JP Morgan Chase, likens it to a meal at a restaurant. "The sides are not included in the price of a steak," he says. "Airline ticket prices should reflect the costs incurred by the individual passenger."


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Set in the year 2409, Star Trek Online will allow players to immerse themselves in the future of the Star Trek universe, exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new life and new civilizations in an ever expanding vast universe. Command a starship as a Federation or a Klingon Captain, outfit it with custom systems and recruit, train and mold a crew into an elite force for exploration and combat. Missions take players into thrilling space battle, planetside for face-to-face combat and even inside starships!
Powered by the Cryptic Engine, Star Trek Online will be developed for both console and PC formats. With customizable ships and characters from the Klingon Empire and United Federation of Planets, ground, space and shipboard gameplay and unique options for player-generated content set in the Star Trek universe, Star Trek Online is the MMOG that allows you to boldly go where no one has gone before!
Key Features :
- The Star Trek universe will appear for the first time in a massively multiplayer online game. Everything from the elegant domes of Starfleet Academy to the ancient temples of Vulcan, from the towers of Qo'noS to the Fire Caves of Bajor, from the mysterious Mutara Nebula to the unexplored voids of deep space, all will be represented in stunning 3-D graphics. Immerse yourself in the future of the Trek universe as it moves into the 25th century: a time of shifting alliances and new discoveries.
- Explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations in an expanding vast universe. Make contact with alien races, discover resources and uncover mysteries that will change the future of the Star Trek universe.
- Command your own starship as a Federation Captain or a Klingon Warrior. Outfit it with the systems that you need to make your mark in the galaxy. Customize your ship as you see fit. Recruit, train and mold your crew into an elite force for exploration and combat.
- Command your vessel in thrilling space battles, or beam down to planets with your away team for face-to-face confrontations. Missions will take you and your friends into space, planetside and even inside starships!
More articles about Star Trek Online


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Just like you take your child to the pediatrician, it's also important you take your child to a pediatric dentist. Pediatric dentists are dentists who have completed an additional two years of training in diagnosing and treating infants, children, and teenagers. Our Altamonte Springs pediatric dentist will not only polish your child's teeth to keep them healthy, but will look for signs of tooth decay, developmental problems, and alignment issues with either the teeth or jaws.
Building a solid foundation for good dental hygiene includes education, treatment, prevention, proper diet, and developing good habits for brushing and flossing. At our Coast Dental Altamonte Springs kids dental care office in Altamonte Springs, we are specialists in pediatric dentistry, and work hard to ensure that your child's initial dental experiences are all positive.
As a parent, it's important to understand how your child's mouth and teeth develop. Prior to birth, your child's first teeth are formed, but hidden beneath the gums. After birth, and over the next two to three years, these teeth, often called baby teeth, appear. Baby teeth function as placeholders and spacers for your child's permanent teeth. Even though baby teeth are temporary, they can still develop cavities and infection, which can be painful, just like in adults.
Your child's initial visit to the dentist should occur shortly after the first baby teeth appear. In fact, both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children receive oral health risk assessments every six months, starting at the age of one.
Learn more about pediatric dental treatments
During this initial visit examination, your Coast Dental Altamonte Springs pediatric dentist team will:
Every child deserves a good start in life, and establishing good dental hygiene is important in achieving this. Just like adults need regular cleanings to remove plaque and prevent cavities, so do kids. It is important that parents understand the importance of healthy teeth and good dental care, since both are important components in a child's appearance as well as the child's ability to eat and speak. To ask questions about dentistry for children in Altamonte Springs, FL, or to schedule kids dental care in the 32714 zip code, please call our Coast Dental Altamonte Springs office at (407) 862-2211. We look forward to ensuring your child's good dental health.
Dentistry and Oral Health for Children Dear Doctor magazine brings you this wide-ranging overview of milestones and transitions in your child's dental development. Learn how to protect your children from tooth decay, dental injuries, and unhealthy habits while getting them started on the road to a lifetime of oral health and general well-being... Read Article
Pregnancy & Oral Health Pregnancy is generally thought of as the time when a woman strives to be particularly aware of the need for better health. Many women, though, may not be aware of the link that exists between their oral health and their systemic (general) health, as well as the impact this can have on a developing child. Learn about how to care for yourself and your baby... Read Article
How to Help Your Child Develop the Best Habits for Oral Health Proper oral health habits are easy to learn — and lead to behaviors that result in lifelong dental health. And the time to begin is as soon as your child's first baby teeth appear. From toothbrushing for your toddler to helping your teenager stay away from tobacco, Dear Doctor magazine offers the most important tips for healthy habit formation through childhood and beyond... Read Article
Top 10 Oral Health Tips for Children There's no need to wait until your baby actually has teeth to lay the foundations for good oral or general health. In fact, good nutrition and oral hygiene can start right away. It is up to you to develop the routines that will help protect your child from tooth decay and other oral health problems. So let's get started... Read Article