2 dead, 8 missing after freighter sinks off Greece

ATHENS, Greece (AP) ? A cargo ship sank off southern Greece after colliding with another freighter Monday, leaving two Syrian seamen dead and eight others missing and spurring a large rescue operation, officials said.

The accident occurred before 7 am (0400GMT) some 78 miles (125 kilometers) southwest of the southern Peloponnese peninsula, a Merchant Marine Ministry statement said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collision between the Antigua-flagged Consouth and the Cook Islands-flagged Piri Reis in the Mediterranean Sea.

Weather conditions were good at the time, which facilitated rescue efforts involving coast guard vessels, merchant ships, a rescue helicopter and an airforce C-130 transport plane.

The Piri Reis, which was carrying a cargo of fertilizer to a Ukrainian port, sank, and seven of its crew of 17 Syrian seamen were rescued. Two bodies were pulled out of the sea a few hours after the collision.

The Consouth, sailing without freight from Turkey to Malta, had 16 Russian, Filippino and Polish seamen on board, all who were unhurt, the ministry said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-29-EU-Greece-Ships-Collide/id-225417dc9a1644eab1b82097ad2222b8

Pray For Boston Anne Frank What Happened In Boston gold price defiance BBC Ny Post

Dickey: No terror tips should go unchecked

new today, they're focusing on the role their mother played. michael mccall today gave the strongest warn about her yet.

>> i think she played a very strong role in the radicalization process. i believe she is a person of interest, if not a subject. i do believe she comes into the united states that she will be detained for questioning. so i think there is a connection there.

>> joining mess is christopher dickey , the paris bureau chief and editor for theo -- i love this argue in which you describe the three key factors that lead to the development of -- the t.n.t. explain testosterone.

>> you know, most of the people who carry out terrorist acts are young men, who have lot a juice, a lot of testosterone, they are ambitious, anxious, they are full of all those characteristics that we associate maybe with a cliched sort of way, not necessarily biologically, but with the presence of a lot of tess toes torino. so we're usually talking about young men. it is second factor, you nay narrative.

>> i think narrative is the most important, rather than ideology or religion, because that demystifies it. what happens is they young men see themselves identifying with some greater cause, usually the cause of some oppressed people . it could be the catholics in northern ireland , it could be the tamals in sri lanka . in this case, they probably saw themselves identifying with the oppressed chechen people , the opressed iraqi people , the oppressed afghan people , even though they -- they see themselves almost like in knights in white armor . the key work of the ideology of al qaeda is a book called" knights under the prophet's banner" which is the whole idea of terrorism as chivalry. i think that's what you'll see almost universally with these guys.

>> what about the third factor? theater.

>> this is something that's always been a characteristic of terrorists, whether anarchists or islamists. it's become a huge problem in the last 30 years, when terrorists have seen they can carry out actions that will literally resonate around the world. they can do something obviously like 9/11, but even something like the boston marathon bombings, where three people are killed and scores injured, but it's not a huge disaster, yet it has resonance in every corner of the globe. that's the kind of theater they want. in fact, if you look at the history of al qaeda , you'll see that the leaders used to watch disaster movies all the time, because they loved that spectacle. in some ways 9/11 was an effort to replicate the hollywood's spectacle of destruction that they had seen in hollywood movies.

>>> there's a lot of talk, christopher, about boston being an intelligence failure . law enforcement was tipped off. but can anything really be stopped to stop all terrorist attacks , or is it just a matter of reduction?

>> well, it is a matter of reduction. i mean, you can keep pushing and keep pushing, you can use intelligence, which really is the most important thing and you have to be careful how to use it. you don't want to be too invasive, but you can't let a tip just sort of drift by the wayside and say these guys are not a priority. but the most important thing is resilience, is building up the nation's ability to weather the kind of storm we saw in boston . i think boston itself is a great example, the way people have come back quickly from that tragedy, and i think the way the american people have come back from the boston tragedy. that's where i defeat the terrorists. if you look at britain during the height of the i.r.a. bombing campaign, horrible things would happen in the center of london, and the british would just carry on. i think ultimately that's the way you defeat the terrorists, because they don't get the resonance that they want from the actions that they carry out.

>> christopher dickey , thank you

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b463564/l/0Lvideo0Bmsnbc0Bmsn0N0Cid0C51694163/story01.htm

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Rotoworld NFC Grades: Niners strike gold

The 2013 NFL draft concluded Saturday evening. Rotoworld blurbed every single selection, picks one (Eric Fisher) through 254 (Justice Cunningham).

After a grueling three days of ?work,? we'll put the finishing touches on our intensive draft coverage with post-draft grades.

But let's be clear: We don't believe in assessing draft hauls immediately after the three-day event. This is for your pleasure. If you're reading this intro, you're interested. And we want to appeal to you. Don't take these grades too seriously. We'll know a lot more about this draft around 2016.

I'll break down the AFC on Sunday. Here are the NFC Draft Grades:

Arizona Cardinals

7. Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina.
45. Kevin Minter, inside linebacker, LSU.
69. Tyrann Mathieu, free safety, LSU.
103. Alex Okafor, outside linebacker, Texas.
116. Earl Watford, guard/center, James Madison.
140. Stepfan Taylor, running back, Stanford.
174. Ryan Swope, receiver, Texas A&M.
187. Andre Ellington, running back, Clemson.
219. D.C. Jefferson, tight end, Rutgers.

Overview: Rookie GM Steve Keim's first-ever draft looks solid on paper. In Cooper, Minter, Mathieu, and Okafor, Keim secured as many as four immediate starters for a roster that needed them. Sixth-rounder Ellington is a better back than fifth-rounder Taylor and will add juice to Bruce Arians' offense should injury-prone Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams break down again. I would like to have seen the Cardinals add a developmental quarterback like Tennessee's Tyler Bray, although Arians may believe he already has one in Ryan Lindley. A lingering concern in Arizona is offensive tackle play. The Cards attacked guard instead -- and in Cooper got an outstanding player -- but Levi Brown is still a worrisome proposition on Carson Palmer's blindside.

Grade: C+

Atlanta Falcons

22. Desmond Trufant, cornerback, Washington.
60. Robert Alford, cornerback, SE Louisiana.
127. Malliciah Goodman, defensive end, Clemson.
133. Levine Toilolo, tight end, Stanford.
153. Stansly Maponga, defensive end, TCU.
243. Kemal Ishmael, safety, Central Florida.
244. Zeke Motta, strong safety, Notre Dame.
249. Sean Renfree, quarterback, Duke.

Overview: The Falcons may receive universally mediocre draft "grades," but there is a method to GM Thomas Dimitroff's madness. Beyond day-one starter Trufant and 2014 hopeful Alford, Dimitroff targeted players for specific on-field roles. Goodman is a classic 4-3 strong-side end with vine-line arms and powerful performance on tape. He's an edge container. Toilolo isn't Tony Gonzalez's heir apparent; he's an in-line tight end who'll push for snaps as a rookie if he blocks well in practice. Maponga is an edge-rushing specialist. Ishmael and Motta should both be immediate core special teamers. Renfree could develop into Matt Ryan's long-term backup and a future trade chip if his arm gets stronger while riding the bench. Ultimately, Dimitroff wasn't trying to load up on stars in this draft. He added role players to upgrade the bottom third of his roster.

Grade: C+

Carolina Panthers

14. Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle, Utah.
44. Kawann Short, defensive tackle, Purdue.
108. Edmund Kugbila, guard, Valdosta State.
148. A.J. Klein, linebacker, Iowa State.
182. Kenjon Barner, running back, Oregon.

Overview: Rookie GM Dave Gettleman entered his first draft with five picks and emerged with five players. He clearly prioritized upgrading in the trenches and delivered by securing the draft's premier defensive tackle in Lotulelei. Short's motor ran alarmingly hot and cold in the Big Ten, but he can be an impact interior pass rusher working in waves with Lotulelei, Dwan Edwards, and Sione Fua. Klein is solid insurance should Jon Beason's numerous surgical recoveries experience a setback. I think it's fair to wonder if the Barner pick foreshadows a DeAngelo Williams transaction. At the very least, it's a confirmation 2013 will be Williams' final season in Carolina. While he continues to build one of the NFL's most underrated defensive front sevens, Gettleman displayed a surprising amount of faith in his shaky receiver and secondary corps.

Grade: C

Chicago Bears

20. Kyle Long, guard, Oregon.
50. Jon Bostic, inside linebacker, Florida.
117. Khaseem Greene, outside linebacker, Rutgers.
163. Jordan Mills, tackle/guard, Louisiana Tech.
188. Cornelius Washington, defensive end, Georgia.
236. Marquess Wilson, receiver, Washington State.

Overview: I expected GM Phil Emery to stay true to his board on the draft's first day. I'm not sure he did with the Long pick -- it seemed like need-based reach on an inexperienced, boom-or-bust lineman -- but Emery went value searching on days two and three. Bostic is an athletic thumper who'll give D.J. Williams a run for his money at inside 'backer, replacing Brian Urlacher. Greene's pre-draft measurables disappointed, but he is fast to the football and NFL-ready after earning back-to-back Big East Defensive POY awards in Rutgers' pro-style system. Washington is an explosive edge pass rusher with starting-caliber tools. He was robbery toward the back end of the third day. If Wilson's head is on straight, he's capable of earning an immediate spot in Chicago's three-receiver package with Brandon Marshall in the slot and Alshon Jeffery outside.

Grade: B-

Dallas Cowboys

31. Travis Frederick, guard/center, Wisconsin.
47. Gavin Escobar, tight end, San Diego State.
74. Terrance Williams, receiver, Baylor.
80. J.J. Wilcox, safety, Georgia Southern.
114. B.W. Webb, defensive back, William & Mary.
151. Joseph Randle, running back, Oklahoma State.
185. DeVonte Holloman, linebacker, South Carolina.

Overview: Owner/GM Jerry Jones' draft strategy seemed very needs- rather than value-based, spurning better players in favor of theoretical hole-fillers. The Cowboys were needy on the interior offensive line, but I'd be willing to wager they could've gotten Frederick with the 47th pick. Escobar can create passing-game mismatches, but offers zero as a blocker and isn't necessarily an upgrade on incumbent No. 2 tight end James Hanna. Williams and Holloman were probably the only two true value picks in this group. Randle is a stiff, straight-linish runner with an awfully long way to go in pass protection. I watched tape on him before the draft and found him to be a whiffer in blitz pickup and thoroughly lacking in elusiveness. It would be difficult to say with any confidence that Dallas' lineup improved with this draft. And they entered it with a mediocre roster.

Grade: D

Detroit Lions

5. Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, BYU.
36. Darius Slay, cornerback, Mississippi State.
65. Larry Warford, guard, Kentucky.
132. Devin Taylor, defensive end, South Carolina.
165. Sam Martin, punter, Appalachian State.
171. Corey Fuller, receiver, Virginia Tech.
199. Theo Riddick, running back, Notre Dame.
211. Michael Williams, tight end, Alabama.
245. Brandon Hepburn, linebacker, Florida A&M.

Overview: Left tackle seemed to be GM Martin Mayhew's biggest need entering the draft, but his selections indicate he feels otherwise. Mayhew must have a lot of faith in 2012 first-rounder Riley Reiff. He bypassed Menelik Watson for Slay. Rather than Terron Armstead, Mayhew selected Warford to add a mauling presence at right guard. I still found this to be a value-heavy draft. Ansah, Slay, and Warford are Week 1 starters. Taylor, Fuller, Williams, and even versatile Riddick could make year-one impacts. Ansah has been knocked as a possible bust by some observers, but the Lions' coaching staff has special insight after coaching him in Mobile. I thought Mayhew stayed true to his board and -- aside from perhaps the punter -- drafted the best available at each pick.

Grade: B-

Green Bay Packers

26. Datone Jones, defensive end, UCLA.
61. Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama.
109. David Bakhtiari, guard/tackle, Colorado.
122. J.C. Tretter, guard/center, Cornell.
125. Johnathan Franklin, running back, UCLA.
159. Micah Hyde, defensive back, Iowa.
167. Josh Boyd, defensive lineman, Mississippi State.
193. Nate Palmer, outside linebacker, Illinois State.
216. Charles Johnson, receiver, Grand Valley State.
224. Kevin Dorsey, receiver, Maryland.
232. Sam Barrington, linebacker, South Florida.

Overview: GM Ted Thompson annually dominates on draft day; it's where he butters his bread. The Packers are not a free-agency team. Jones is a relentless, potentially special inside rusher who finally gives Green Bay a legitimate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Lacy and Franklin can form a Thunder & Lightning backfield with the former as a light-footed wrecking ball and latter in the big-play, change-up role. Both rookies can pick up the blitz and play on all three downs. Bakhtiari is a heady, athletic mover and fit for the Packers' zone scheme. Hyde, Palmer, and Barrington are core special teams guys. Johnson abused his competition at small-school Grand Valley State and has Julio Jones-like measurables. The value on Lacy, Franklin, and Johnson was sensational. Chalk up another draft-weekend "win" for arguably the top GM in the sport.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

23. Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida.
25. Xavier Rhodes, cornerback, Florida State.
29. Cordarrelle Patterson, receiver, Tennessee.
120. Gerald Hodges, linebacker, Penn State.
155. Jeff Locke, punter, UCLA.
196. Jeff Baca, guard/center, UCLA.
213. Michael Mauti, linebacker, Penn State.
214. Travis Bond, guard, North Carolina.
229. Everett Dawkins, defensive tackle, Florida State.

Overview: Keep in mind GM Rick Spielman dumped game-changing slot receiver and return specialist Percy Harvin for the 25th and 214th picks, in addition to a 2014 third-rounder. That deal must be factored into Minnesota's grade. Spielman acknowledged the big loss and responded by targeting big-play ability from his hat trick of first-rounders. Floyd is a penetrating three-technique tackle ideally suited for Leslie Frazier's 4-3 scheme. The Vikings paired Rhodes (6-foot-2, 210) with Chris Cook (6-foot-2, 212) to form one of the NFL's biggest, longest corner duos as they attempt to slow Calvin Johnson, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Brandon Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery in the NFC North. The Patterson pick at the very least offsets Harvin's special teams value because Cordarrelle offers similar game-breaking return skills and arguably just as much receiving upside. Patterson is a freak. I liked athletic mover Baca as a late-round value.

Grade: B-

The 2013 NFL draft concluded Saturday evening. Rotoworld blurbed every single selection, picks one (Eric Fisher) through 254 (Justice Cunningham).

After a grueling three days of ?work,? we'll put the finishing touches on our intensive draft coverage with post-draft grades.

But let's be clear: We don't believe in assessing draft hauls immediately after the three-day event. This is for your pleasure. If you're reading this intro, you're interested. And we want to appeal to you. Don't take these grades too seriously. We'll know a lot more about this draft around 2016.

I'll break down the AFC on Sunday. Here are the NFC Draft Grades:

Arizona Cardinals

7. Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina.
45. Kevin Minter, inside linebacker, LSU.
69. Tyrann Mathieu, free safety, LSU.
103. Alex Okafor, outside linebacker, Texas.
116. Earl Watford, guard/center, James Madison.
140. Stepfan Taylor, running back, Stanford.
174. Ryan Swope, receiver, Texas A&M.
187. Andre Ellington, running back, Clemson.
219. D.C. Jefferson, tight end, Rutgers.

Overview: Rookie GM Steve Keim's first-ever draft looks solid on paper. In Cooper, Minter, Mathieu, and Okafor, Keim secured as many as four immediate starters for a roster that needed them. Sixth-rounder Ellington is a better back than fifth-rounder Taylor and will add juice to Bruce Arians' offense should injury-prone Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams break down again. I would like to have seen the Cardinals add a developmental quarterback like Tennessee's Tyler Bray, although Arians may believe he already has one in Ryan Lindley. A lingering concern in Arizona is offensive tackle play. The Cards attacked guard instead -- and in Cooper got an outstanding player -- but Levi Brown is still a worrisome proposition on Carson Palmer's blindside.

Grade: C+

Atlanta Falcons

22. Desmond Trufant, cornerback, Washington.
60. Robert Alford, cornerback, SE Louisiana.
127. Malliciah Goodman, defensive end, Clemson.
133. Levine Toilolo, tight end, Stanford.
153. Stansly Maponga, defensive end, TCU.
243. Kemal Ishmael, safety, Central Florida.
244. Zeke Motta, strong safety, Notre Dame.
249. Sean Renfree, quarterback, Duke.

Overview: The Falcons may receive universally mediocre draft "grades," but there is a method to GM Thomas Dimitroff's madness. Beyond day-one starter Trufant and 2014 hopeful Alford, Dimitroff targeted players for specific on-field roles. Goodman is a classic 4-3 strong-side end with vine-line arms and powerful performance on tape. He's an edge container. Toilolo isn't Tony Gonzalez's heir apparent; he's an in-line tight end who'll push for snaps as a rookie if he blocks well in practice. Maponga is an edge-rushing specialist. Ishmael and Motta should both be immediate core special teamers. Renfree could develop into Matt Ryan's long-term backup and a future trade chip if his arm gets stronger while riding the bench. Ultimately, Dimitroff wasn't trying to load up on stars in this draft. He added role players to upgrade the bottom third of his roster.

Grade: C+

Carolina Panthers

14. Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle, Utah.
44. Kawann Short, defensive tackle, Purdue.
108. Edmund Kugbila, guard, Valdosta State.
148. A.J. Klein, linebacker, Iowa State.
182. Kenjon Barner, running back, Oregon.

Overview: Rookie GM Dave Gettleman entered his first draft with five picks and emerged with five players. He clearly prioritized upgrading in the trenches and delivered by securing the draft's premier defensive tackle in Lotulelei. Short's motor ran alarmingly hot and cold in the Big Ten, but he can be an impact interior pass rusher working in waves with Lotulelei, Dwan Edwards, and Sione Fua. Klein is solid insurance should Jon Beason's numerous surgical recoveries experience a setback. I think it's fair to wonder if the Barner pick foreshadows a DeAngelo Williams transaction. At the very least, it's a confirmation 2013 will be Williams' final season in Carolina. While he continues to build one of the NFL's most underrated defensive front sevens, Gettleman displayed a surprising amount of faith in his shaky receiver and secondary corps.

Grade: C

Chicago Bears

20. Kyle Long, guard, Oregon.
50. Jon Bostic, inside linebacker, Florida.
117. Khaseem Greene, outside linebacker, Rutgers.
163. Jordan Mills, tackle/guard, Louisiana Tech.
188. Cornelius Washington, defensive end, Georgia.
236. Marquess Wilson, receiver, Washington State.

Overview: I expected GM Phil Emery to stay true to his board on the draft's first day. I'm not sure he did with the Long pick -- it seemed like need-based reach on an inexperienced, boom-or-bust lineman -- but Emery went value searching on days two and three. Bostic is an athletic thumper who'll give D.J. Williams a run for his money at inside 'backer, replacing Brian Urlacher. Greene's pre-draft measurables disappointed, but he is fast to the football and NFL-ready after earning back-to-back Big East Defensive POY awards in Rutgers' pro-style system. Washington is an explosive edge pass rusher with starting-caliber tools. He was robbery toward the back end of the third day. If Wilson's head is on straight, he's capable of earning an immediate spot in Chicago's three-receiver package with Brandon Marshall in the slot and Alshon Jeffery outside.

Grade: B-

Dallas Cowboys

31. Travis Frederick, guard/center, Wisconsin.
47. Gavin Escobar, tight end, San Diego State.
74. Terrance Williams, receiver, Baylor.
80. J.J. Wilcox, safety, Georgia Southern.
114. B.W. Webb, defensive back, William & Mary.
151. Joseph Randle, running back, Oklahoma State.
185. DeVonte Holloman, linebacker, South Carolina.

Overview: Owner/GM Jerry Jones' draft strategy seemed very needs- rather than value-based, spurning better players in favor of theoretical hole-fillers. The Cowboys were needy on the interior offensive line, but I'd be willing to wager they could've gotten Frederick with the 47th pick. Escobar can create passing-game mismatches, but offers zero as a blocker and isn't necessarily an upgrade on incumbent No. 2 tight end James Hanna. Williams and Holloman were probably the only two true value picks in this group. Randle is a stiff, straight-linish runner with an awfully long way to go in pass protection. I watched tape on him before the draft and found him to be a whiffer in blitz pickup and thoroughly lacking in elusiveness. It would be difficult to say with any confidence that Dallas' lineup improved with this draft. And they entered it with a mediocre roster.

Grade: D

Detroit Lions

5. Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, BYU.
36. Darius Slay, cornerback, Mississippi State.
65. Larry Warford, guard, Kentucky.
132. Devin Taylor, defensive end, South Carolina.
165. Sam Martin, punter, Appalachian State.
171. Corey Fuller, receiver, Virginia Tech.
199. Theo Riddick, running back, Notre Dame.
211. Michael Williams, tight end, Alabama.
245. Brandon Hepburn, linebacker, Florida A&M.

Overview: Left tackle seemed to be GM Martin Mayhew's biggest need entering the draft, but his selections indicate he feels otherwise. Mayhew must have a lot of faith in 2012 first-rounder Riley Reiff. He bypassed Menelik Watson for Slay. Rather than Terron Armstead, Mayhew selected Warford to add a mauling presence at right guard. I still found this to be a value-heavy draft. Ansah, Slay, and Warford are Week 1 starters. Taylor, Fuller, Williams, and even versatile Riddick could make year-one impacts. Ansah has been knocked as a possible bust by some observers, but the Lions' coaching staff has special insight after coaching him in Mobile. I thought Mayhew stayed true to his board and -- aside from perhaps the punter -- drafted the best available at each pick.

Grade: B-

Green Bay Packers

26. Datone Jones, defensive end, UCLA.
61. Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama.
109. David Bakhtiari, guard/tackle, Colorado.
122. J.C. Tretter, guard/center, Cornell.
125. Johnathan Franklin, running back, UCLA.
159. Micah Hyde, defensive back, Iowa.
167. Josh Boyd, defensive lineman, Mississippi State.
193. Nate Palmer, outside linebacker, Illinois State.
216. Charles Johnson, receiver, Grand Valley State.
224. Kevin Dorsey, receiver, Maryland.
232. Sam Barrington, linebacker, South Florida.

Overview: GM Ted Thompson annually dominates on draft day; it's where he butters his bread. The Packers are not a free-agency team. Jones is a relentless, potentially special inside rusher who finally gives Green Bay a legitimate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Lacy and Franklin can form a Thunder & Lightning backfield with the former as a light-footed wrecking ball and latter in the big-play, change-up role. Both rookies can pick up the blitz and play on all three downs. Bakhtiari is a heady, athletic mover and fit for the Packers' zone scheme. Hyde, Palmer, and Barrington are core special teams guys. Johnson abused his competition at small-school Grand Valley State and has Julio Jones-like measurables. The value on Lacy, Franklin, and Johnson was sensational. Chalk up another draft-weekend "win" for arguably the top GM in the sport.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

23. Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida.
25. Xavier Rhodes, cornerback, Florida State.
29. Cordarrelle Patterson, receiver, Tennessee.
120. Gerald Hodges, linebacker, Penn State.
155. Jeff Locke, punter, UCLA.
196. Jeff Baca, guard/center, UCLA.
213. Michael Mauti, linebacker, Penn State.
214. Travis Bond, guard, North Carolina.
229. Everett Dawkins, defensive tackle, Florida State.

Overview: Keep in mind GM Rick Spielman dumped game-changing slot receiver and return specialist Percy Harvin for the 25th and 214th picks, in addition to a 2014 third-rounder. That deal must be factored into Minnesota's grade. Spielman acknowledged the big loss and responded by targeting big-play ability from his hat trick of first-rounders. Floyd is a penetrating three-technique tackle ideally suited for Leslie Frazier's 4-3 scheme. The Vikings paired Rhodes (6-foot-2, 210) with Chris Cook (6-foot-2, 212) to form one of the NFL's biggest, longest corner duos as they attempt to slow Calvin Johnson, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Brandon Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery in the NFC North. The Patterson pick at the very least offsets Harvin's special teams value because Cordarrelle offers similar game-breaking return skills and arguably just as much receiving upside. Patterson is a freak. I liked athletic mover Baca as a late-round value.

Grade: B-

New Orleans Saints

15. Kenny Vaccaro, free safety, Texas.
75. Terron Armstead, left tackle, Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
82. John Jenkins, nose tackle, Georgia.
144. Kenny Stills, receiver, Oklahoma.
183. Rufus Johnson, defensive end, Tarleton State.

Overview: GM Mickey Loomis was working without a second-round pick due to Bountygate, but still landed two day-two values in Armstead and Jenkins and arguably a third on day three in speedster Stills. Vaccaro can team with Malcolm Jenkins to give Rob Ryan two safeties with range and one-on-one matchup skills, likely pushing overpriced box SS Roman Harper out the door. Jenkins is a mammoth athlete with a Haynesworthian ceiling. Johnson is a dominant small schooler with plus measurables, and Loomis has hit on that kind of player before (Akiem Hicks, Jermon Bushrod, Jahri Evans, Marques Colston). The Saints only added five players, but they were all quality picks. The Saints are going to be much better than they were last year.

Grade: C+

New York Giants

19. Justin Pugh, guard/tackle, Syracuse.
49. Johnathan Hankins, defensive tackle, Ohio State.
81. Damontre Moore, defensive end, Texas A&M.
110. Ryan Nassib, quarterback, Syracuse.
152. Cooper Taylor, safety, Richmond.
224. Eric Herman, guard, Ohio.
253. Michael Cox, running back, UMass.

Overview: Much like Ted Thompson in Green Bay and Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore, Giants GM Jerry Reese is a best-available drafter. If he'd have selected his first three players in January and you didn't know the rounds, you would've figured he traded up for three first-round picks. Each player has a flaw -- short arms for Pugh, motor for Hankins, and translatable production for Moore -- but they're all great football players. Moore dominated in the SEC; 8.0 of his 12.5 sacks last year came versus conference opponents. Pugh permitted a half-sack of Nassib and otherwise didn't allow a single hurry. Hankins offers elite potential as a 4-3 nose guard. Nassib was a sheer value pick, while Taylor, Herman, and to a lesser extent Cox offer versatile, "multiple" skill sets and plus measurables. This draft gives the G-Men a needed infusion of young talent, even if only Pugh and perhaps Hankins are surefire first-season contributors.

Grade: B

Philadelphia Eagles

4. Lane Johnson, right tackle, Oklahoma.
35. Zach Ertz, tight end, Stanford.
67. Bennie Logan, defensive tackle, LSU.
98. Matt Barkley, quarterback, USC.
136. Earl Wolff, free safety, North Carolina State.
212. Joe Kruger, defensive end, Utah.
218. Jordan Poyer, cornerback, Oregon State.
239. David King, defensive end, Oklahoma.

Overview: The draftnik community should love this group because aside from seventh-rounder King every member has a big name. They are all identifiable. The first two picks look like surefire hits; Johnson is an outstanding match for Chip Kelly's fast-paced offense as a well-oiled athlete with second- and even third-level blocking skills. Ertz can stretch the field vertically and creates downfield separation better than consensus top tight end Tyler Eifert. Logan and Barkley were odd picks because the former's fit is questionable in Philly's new three-man front and Barkley lacks athleticism in addition to starting-caliber arm strength. All of Philly's rookies look like good values -- particularly Kruger and Poyer -- but this haul included a lot of head scratchers. I still feel confident saying the Eagles' roster improved with this draft, and quite possibly significantly.

Grade: C+

San Francisco 49ers

18. Eric Reid, free safety, LSU.
40. Tank Carradine, outside linebacker, Florida State.
55. Vance McDonald, tight end, Rice.
88. Corey Lemonier, outside linebacker, Auburn.
128. Quinton Patton, receiver, Louisiana Tech.
131. Marcus Lattimore, running back, South Carolina.
157. Quinton Dial, defensive end, Alabama.
180. Nick Moody, linebacker, Florida State.
237. B.J. Daniels, quarterback, South Florida.
246. Carter Bykowski, tackle, Iowa State.
252. Marcus Cooper, cornerback, Rutgers.

Overview: The rich got richer. The 49ers entered Thursday with an NFL-most 13 picks. GM Trent Baalke turned them into very arguably the most impressive haul in the league, along the way picking up a 2014 third-rounder in Friday's trade with the Titans. Only Reid and McDonald may be definite first-year contributors, but that's far more a testament to Baalke's roster building than his individual selections. Carradine is a to-the-whistle edge rusher who along with Lattimore could be "redshirted" as a rookie due to knee woes, before emerging as plus 2014 starters. Patton is a silky smooth route runner with ball skills and insurance on contract-year No. 1 wideout Michael Crabtree. Lemonier might have been a first-rounder had he not played on such a bad Auburn team. San Francisco is filthy rich with pass rush. Baalke is constructing a dynasty.

Grade: A

Seattle Seahawks

62. Christine Michael, running back, Texas A&M.
87. Jordan Hill, defensive tackle, Penn State.
123. Chris Harper, receiver, Kansas State.
137. Jesse Williams, nose tackle, Alabama.
138. Tharold Simon, cornerback, LSU.
158. Luke Willson, tight end, Rice.
194. Spencer Ware, fullback, LSU.
220. Ryan Seymour, guard, Vanderbilt.
231. Ty Powell, defensive end, Harding.
241. Jared Smith, defensive tackle, New Hampshire.
242. Michael Bowie, tackle, NE Oklahoma State.

Overview: Per GM John Schneider, the Seahawks spent Thursday night watching Percy Harvin's YouTube highlight reel after sacrificing the Nos. 25 and 214 picks, and next year's third-rounder in exchange for the NFL's premier slot receiver. Understandable. The Harvin acquisition is factored into Seattle's grade. Schneider finally went on the clock Friday night and simply made picks straight off his board. Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Who cares. Michael is the best player. He's ours. Harvin, Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin? We'll take Harper and his Boldinian skill set. Williams is an immovable beast who makes us better in the trenches. Pick him. Simon is a press-man corner. Perfect scheme fit. Draft him. Late picks were primarily reserved for small schoolers and test freaks. Upside players who don't hurt you if they bust. The Seahawks have drafted just like this every year under Schneider and Pete Carroll. Seems like it's working.

Grade: A-

St. Louis Rams

8. Tavon Austin, receiver, West Virginia.
30. Alec Ogletree, linebacker, Georgia.
71. T.J. McDonald, safety, USC.
92. Stedman Bailey, receiver, West Virginia.
113. Barrett Jones, center/guard, Alabama.
149. Brandon McGee, cornerback, Miami.
160. Zac Stacy, running back, Vanderbilt.

Overview: A year after unearthing small-schoolers Brian Quick, Greg Zuerlein, Trumaine Johnson, and Daryl Richardson, GM Les Snead took an all-big-school approach. This draft was dedicated to playmakers, and St. Louis accomplished its goal even if some members (McDonald, Jones, to a lesser extent Stacy) may struggle with the college-to-pro transition due to major flaws. Austin was the premier offensive-skill player in the 2013 draft, and Snead offset his losses in the trade up to No. 8 by trading down from the 22nd spot. He still came away with a day-one starter in Ogletree, whose character issues are concerning but not as much under coach Jeff Fisher. Bailey was a great value late in round three and fortifies St. Louis' receiver depth behind Austin, Quick, and Chris Givens. The McDonald pick lowers the Rams' grade because he is a tight-hipped, straight-line safety with inconsistent physicality. Jones projects as no more than an NFL reserve.

Grade: B-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

43. Johnthan Banks, cornerback, Mississippi State.
73. Mike Glennon, quarterback, North Carolina State.
100. Akeem Spence, defensive tackle, Illinois.
126. William Gholston, defensive end, Michigan State.
147. Steven Means, defensive end, Buffalo.
189. Mike James, running back, Miami.

Overview: Not forgotten in the Bucs' grade is the acquisition of Darrelle Revis for the 13th pick, plus a 2014 third-rounder. He is a Hall of Fame talent capable of masking multiple defensive weaknesses and every bit worth the cost. GM Mark Dominik otherwise came away with a slightly questionable draft, noticeably failing to add a pass-catching tight end. Banks is a cornerback/safety 'tweener who was beaten deep too frequently as a senior. Three-technique prospect Spence has ability, but was not a finisher in the Big Ten and is ultimately an underachiever. Same goes for Gholston, who is Vernon's cousin. Means is probably a special teamer at best. James is a plodder on tape, and I wouldn't expect him to make the 53. Glennon is a schematic fit in Tampa's vertical offense. His selection puts Josh Freeman on notice.

Grade: B

Washington Redskins

51. David Amerson, cornerback, North Carolina State.
85. Jordan Reed, tight end, Florida.
119. Phillip Thomas, free safety, Fresno State.
154. Chris Thompson, running back, Florida State.
162. Brandon Jenkins, outside linebacker, Florida State.
191. Bacarri Rambo, free safety, Georgia.
228. Jawan Jamison, running back, Rutgers.

Overview: GM Bruce Allen and coach Mike Shanahan's draft focus was on ballhawks, and they came away with three in 2011 NCAA interceptions leader Amerson, 2012 NCAA picks leader Thomas, and Rambo -- who ranked second to Amerson in INTs two years ago. But Rambo and Thomas can't tackle and Amerson got beat deep more than any cornerback in college football last season. Both running back picks are potential throwaways; Thompson broke his back in 2011 and tore his ACL in 2012, and Jamison doesn't do anything well. Jenkins was a big-time sack specialist in 2010, but is coming off a Lisfranc fracture. Reed is a potential "Joker" tight end who could contribute on passing downs. Washington drafted a slew of big names and added productive collegiates, but I'm not sure they got more than one or two productive NFL starters.

Grade: C

Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/43159/174/draft-2013-nfc-draft-grades

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Owner arrested as Bangladesh building toll reaches 372

By Ruma Paul and Serajul Quadir

DHAKA (Reuters) - The owner of a factory building that collapsed in Bangladesh killing hundreds of garment workers was arrested on Sunday trying to flee to India, police said, as fears grew that the death toll could rise sharply with as many as 900 still missing.

Mohammed Sohel Rana, a leader of the ruling Awami League's youth front, was arrested by the elite Rapid Action Battalion in the Bangladesh border town of Benapole, Dhaka District Police Chief Habibur Rahman told Reuters.

Speaking near the site of the wreckage of Rana Plaza, which housed several factories making low-cost garments for Western retailers, junior minister for local government Jahangir Kabir Nanak told reporters that Rana would be brought to Dhaka by helicopter.

Authorities put the latest death toll at 372, four days after the country's worst-ever industrial accident.

Four people were pulled out alive on Sunday and rescuers were working frantically to save several others trapped under the mound of broken concrete and metal, fire services deputy director Mizanur Rahman said.

"The chances of finding people alive are dimming, so we have to step up our rescue operation to save any valuable life we can," said Major General Chowdhury Hassan Sohrawardi, coordinator of the operation at the site.

About 2,500 people have been rescued from the wrecked building in the commercial suburb of Savar, about 30 km (20 miles) from the capital, Dhaka.

Officials said the eight-storey complex had been built on spongy ground without the correct permits, and more than 3,000 workers - mainly young women - entered the building on Wednesday morning despite warnings that it was structurally unsafe.

Police said one factory owner gave himself up following the detention of two plant bosses and two engineers the day before.

Local news reports said the mother of building owner Rana, who was not being held, died of a heart attack on Saturday evening.

Anger over the disaster has sparked days of protests and clashes, with police using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to quell demonstrators who set cars ablaze. On Sunday, however, the roads were quiet.

The main opposition, joining forces with an alliance of leftist parties which is part of the ruling coalition, called for a national strike on May 2 in protest over the incident.

BUILT ON A FILLED-IN POND

Wednesday's collapse was the third major industrial incident in five months in Bangladesh, the second-largest exporter of garments in the world behind China. In November, a fire at the Tazreen Fashion factory in a suburb of Dhaka killed 112 people.

Such incidents have raised serious questions about worker safety and low wages, and could taint the reputation of the poor South Asian country, which relies on garments for 80 percent of its exports. The industry employs about 3.6 million people, most of them women, some of whom earn as little as $38 a month.

Emdadul Islam, chief engineer of the state-run Capital Development Authority (CDA), said on Friday that the owner of the building had not received the proper construction consent, obtaining a permit for a five-storey building from the local municipality, which did not have the authority to grant it.

Furthermore, another three storeys had been added illegally, he said. "Savar is not an industrial zone, and for that reason no factory can be housed in Rana Plaza," Islam told Reuters.

Islam said the building had been erected on the site of a pond filled in with sand and earth, weakening the foundations.

Since the disaster, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has asked factory owners to produce building designs by July in a bid to improve safety.

(Writing by John Chalmers and Alex Richardson; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hope-survivors-fades-bangladesh-building-toll-reaches-363-082504472.html

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Officials: Cyberattack suspect had bunker in Spain

MADRID (AP) ? A Dutch citizen arrested in northeast Spain on suspicion of launching what is described as the biggest cyberattack in Internet history operated from a bunker and had a van capable of hacking into networks anywhere in the country, officials said Sunday.

The suspect traveled in Spain using his van "as a mobile computing office, equipped with various antennas to scan frequencies," an Interior Ministry statement said.

Agents arrested him Thursday in the city of Granollers, 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Barcelona, complying with a European arrest warrant issued by Dutch authorities.

He is accused of attacking the Swiss-British anti-spam watchdog group Spamhaus whose main task is to halt ads for counterfeit Viagra and bogus weight-loss pills reaching the world's inboxes.

The statement said officers uncovered the computer hacker's bunker, "from where he even did interviews with different international media."

The 35-year-old, whose birthplace was given as the western Dutch city of Alkmaar, was identified only by his initials: S.K.

The statement said the suspect called himself a diplomat belonging to the "Telecommunications and Foreign Affairs Ministry of the Republic of Cyberbunker."

Spanish police were alerted in March by Dutch authorities of large denial-of-service attacks being launched from Spain that were affecting Internet servers in the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the U.S. These attacks culminated with a major onslaught on Spamhaus.

The Netherlands National Prosecution Office described them as "unprecedentedly serious attacks on the nonprofit organization Spamhaus."

The largest assault clocked in at 300 billion bits per second, according to San Francisco-based CloudFlare Inc., which Spamhaus enlisted to help it weather the onslaught.

Denial-of-service attacks overwhelm a server with traffic, jamming it with incoming messages. Security experts measure the attacks in bits of data per second. Recent cyberattacks ? such as the ones that caused persistent outages at U.S. banking sites late last year ? have tended to peak at 100 billion bits per second, one third the size of that experienced by Spamhaus.

Netherlands, German, British and U.S. police forces took part in the investigation leading to the arrest, Spain said.

The suspect is expected to be extradited from Spain to face justice in the Netherlands.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/officials-cyberattack-suspect-had-bunker-spain-043117174.html

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93% Lore

All Critics (88) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (82) | Rotten (6)

It's a harrowing walk through the heart of darkness.

Saskia Rosendahl gives an impressively poised performance as the beautiful teenager, whose determination to protect her remaining family coincides with her growing revulsion toward her parents.

"Lore" is not a pretty story, but it is a good and sadly believable one.

"Lore" is not a love story, nor the story of a friendship. Rather, it's a story of healing and of how breaking, sometimes painfully, is often necessary before that process can begin.

A fiercely poetic portrait of a young woman staggering beyond innocence and denial, it's about the wars that rage within after the wars outside are lost.

Full of surprises, the movie draws a thin line between pity and revulsion - how would you feel if you had discovered your whole life had been based on lies?

Proves that there is always room for another [World War II] story if it can be presented in an original and unexpected fashion.

Texture and detail embellish a provocative story

Child of Nazi parents faces an uncertain future

[Director Cate] Shortland directs with an almost hypnotic focus, favoring Lore's immediate experience over the big picture.

Rosendahl's performance is raw and compelling, as Lore fights for her siblings' survival and grows up in a hurry.

Lore and her siblings make a harrowing journey across Germany

Worthwhile, but so subtle that it's frustrating.

The Australian-German co-production takes an unconventional tale and turns it into a challenging, visually stunning and emotionally turbulent film experience.

Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go. Except this ain't no fairy tale... unless it is, perhaps, a hint of the beginnings of a new mythology of ... scary childhood and even scarier adolescence...

With a child's perspective on war, "Lore" deserves comparisons with "Empire of the Sun" and "Hope and Glory," and with a feisty female protagonist it stands virtually alone.

Rosendahl...provides both narrative and emotional continuity to a film whose deliberate pace and fragmented presentation of reality might otherwise prove exasperating.

A burning portrait of consciousness and endurance, gracefully acted and strikingly realized, producing an honest sense of emotional disruption, while concluding on a powerful note of cultural and familial rejection.

Although there are moments that push the story a bit beyond credulity, Shortland has created something remarkable by forcing us to find within ourselves sympathy for this would-be Aryan princess.

Stunning, admirable and indelible - truthfully chronicling the triumph of the human spirit - in a class with Michael Haneke's 'The White Ribbon.'

Can we spare some sympathy or hope for the children of villains, even if they too show signs of their parents' evil? Lore provides no easy answers.

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

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Crosby practices, return from broken jaw uncertain

CANONSBURG, Pa. (AP) ? Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby has returned to practice, but his status for next week's playoff opener remains uncertain.

Crosby hasn't played since breaking his jaw last month. He took part in non-contact drills on Friday, wearing a protective facemask that he'll likely keep on for the duration of the postseason.

The NHL's second-leading scorer says he feels good and he's not concerned about the layoff. Crosby has undergone several dental procedures over the last four weeks to help repair some of the damage and admits he can tell something's a little off.

The Penguins have clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Pittsburgh will get back injured defenseman Paul Martin and forward James Neal for the regular-season finale on Saturday against Carolina.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-26-HKN-Penguins-Crosby/id-3d1f6c699157499f9fe5bed8da8c3755

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Philadelphia man sent to prison for dog doo-doo shooting

A neighborly dispute over dog poop led to the shooting death of a 47-year-old father, according to Philadelphia police. WCAU-TV's Claudia Rivero reports.

By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

A deadly dispute over dog doo-doo will cost a Philadelphia man 20 to 40 years in prison, a judge ruled Friday.

Tyrirk Harris, 28, was sentenced for the February 2012 shooting death of a neighbor who confronted him for not cleaning up after his?German shepherd and Chihuahua. Prosecutors said Harris pulled a gun and shot 47-year-old Franklin Manuel Santana once in the face and four times in the back.?

"There were dog feces on several of the neighbors' yards. That's what led to this particular confrontation,"?Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small told NBC Philadelphia shortly after the crime. Police said the two had an ongoing dispute about the dogs.

?Harris was convicted of third-degree murder on Feb. 1.

??An animal only would get a gun and shoot somebody over something so senseless, so unimportant? Casandra Perez,?Santana?s cousin, told the Associated Press.??He could have just called the cops and try to resolve this amicably.?

Neighbors who witnessed the shooting said Harris was stunned after he shot his neighbor.?"He didn't run," said one witness. "He stood there, shocked that he did what he did."

Harris testified that he acted in self-defense because Santana threatened him over the dogs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2b3a13c2/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A40C260C179355530Ephiladelphia0Eman0Esent0Eto0Eprison0Efor0Edog0Edoo0Edoo0Eshooting0Dlite/story01.htm

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From hackers to security experts, the Balkan IT sector is booming

By Radu Marinas and Tsvetelia Tsolova

BUCHAREST/SOFIA (Reuters) - After hacking the Pentagon, NASA and Britain's Royal Navy for fun, TinKode got a real job as a computer security expert for a Romanian cyber safety consultancy.

TinKode was the name used by Romanian Razvan Cernaianu when he revealed security holes in government and corporate systems across the world, earning him a two-year suspended prison sentence.

"I was really passionate about carrying out what I call security audits," Cernaianu told Reuters "It's a hobby, so I did it for free. Moreover, I've always sent emails to those institutions to fix their problems."

Cernaianu, 21, is an example of a deep well of talent in Romania and Bulgaria. They may be the European Union's two poorest members, but their low labor costs, skilled workers and strategic location are underpinning a technology boom.

Multinational companies are using their expertise for customer support, software development and business process outsourcing. Oracle, SAP, IBM, Hewlett Packard and Siemens all have business centers or operations in the region.

Romania-founded GeCaD developed Microsoft's RAV antivirus software and Bucharest-based Softwin created BitDefender internet security technology more than a decade ago, reaching half a billion users worldwide last year.

The expertise is partly accidental - in the 1980s, Romania's communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu backed computer research and technical education to promote pride in the nation. Piracy flourished after the 1989 revolution as people who could not afford proprietary content bought cheap copies instead.

EXCEPTIONAL GROWTH

On the other side of the Danube, Bulgaria's communists focused on hardware, at one point producing and supplying 40 percent of all computers used in the Soviet bloc.

The tech sector accounts for up to 10 percent of the two economies, according to business associations - a rare bright spot in the recession-hit Balkan region.

Growth of the Romanian and Bulgarian IT sectors far outpaced the rest of ex-communist Europe, jumping by 45 percent and 80 percent respectively since their 2007 EU entry. Meanwhile, the tech sectors in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic each grew by about 20 percent.

Romania's tech sector achieved year-on-year growth of 40 percent in the final quarter of 2012, which helped the country to avoid slipping back into recession.

Cernaianu, one of the world's most-wanted hackers until his arrest last year after a joint investigation by Romanian police, the FBI and NASA, now has a well-paid job and is co-owner of computer network security company CyberSmartDefence.

But the dirty side of the expertise still lingers.

Working from a tidy desk in a downtown Bucharest office, Cernaianu is from the same generation as the youngsters responsible for the Romanian town of Ramnicu Valcea becoming known as a global hacking hub.

Romanian hackers stole about $1 billion from U.S. accounts in 2012, according to the U.S. embassy in Bucharest. A report by Verizon this week said that Romania is the world's second-biggest hacking center behind China.

The FBI has even set up an office in Romania and helped to train specialist police agents.

Cernaianu says he never attacked a computer to steal money.

"We won't hire thieves," said CyberSmartDefence CEO Madalin Dumitru. "We're not afraid of such people (as Cernaianu); we use their intelligence and expertise."

BRAIN DRAIN

The investment in business outsourcing has created an estimated 15,000 jobs in Bulgaria, where an otherwise depressed economy has sparked nationwide protests that toppled the government in February.

"Why would you choose Bulgaria? Because it offers complex outsourcing and high-end software solutions," said Plamen Tilev, managing director of SAP Labs Bulgaria, which develops core software for the Germany company. "For low-end solutions, like code writing and checking, you'd go to east Asian countries."

The biggest fear is that Romania and Bulgaria become victims of their own success and suffer a brain drain. Tens of thousands of Romanians and Bulgarians have already left to work as IT specialists in the United States.

The populations of the two countries have plunged in the past decade and companies are pushing the governments to improve education, train more engineers and make it easier to bring in workers from neighbors such as Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia and Ukraine.

"There has been zero unemployment in the sector in the past 10 years," said Elena Marinova, who runs software business Musala Soft, which is now struggling to find qualified staff despite salaries about three times the national average.

Bulgarian universities produce about 2,000 IT specialists a year, but the industry says it creates 6,000 jobs a year in the country.

"The software industry is struggling to breathe because of the lack of people," said Petar Statev, head of the Bulgarian business association ICT Cluster.

(Editing by Sam Cage and David Goodman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hackers-security-experts-balkan-sector-booming-133718919.html

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Serbian lawmakers meet on Kosovo deal

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) ? Serbia's prime minister on Friday urged Parliament to support an agreement normalizing relations with breakaway Kosovo, telling lawmakers that rejection of the EU-brokered deal would turn the country into "Europe's North Korea."

Ivica Dacic said the agreement his government reached with Kosovo this month in Brussels was "the best Serbia could achieve at this moment" and crucial for the country's effort to join the European Union.

Serb nationalists and hardliners in Kosovo's divided north have opposed the agreement, which will give Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership authority over rebel Kosovo Serbs, who will be given wide-ranging autonomy. Several hundred extremists rallied Friday outside Parliament amid heavy police presence.

"Many of you are not happy," Dacic said in his speech, which was often interrupted by jeers from nationalist deputies and applause by the pro-government majority. "But somebody had to put an end to the past, poverty and endless defeats."

With all but one party in the 250-member assembly endorsing the deal, it was expected to be easily approved. The agreement was viewed as a potentially historic step in efforts to end years of tensions between the Balkan antagonists and put them both on a path to European Union membership.

"The agreement with Pristina has sent a strong message across whole Europe about Serbia's European attitude," EU's Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said during a visit to Belgrade on Friday. "Serbia moved beyond past conflicts and closer to the future within Europe."

Serbia has rejected Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence ? which has been recognized by more than 90 countries including the U.S. and 22 of the EU's 27 members ? but it must improve ties with the former province to advance its bid to join the EU.

Slobodan Samardzic, a lawmaker from nationalist Serbian Democratic Party, said during the parliamentary debate that "the agreement means our people must give up their state."

Top Serbian leaders have said a referendum on the deal is possible, counting on popular support to silence dissent and enable easier implementation on the ground in Kosovo.

Fule said that "whatever the way they chose it should not delay the process but in the end make sure that the implementation is sustainable." He also said "effective implementation" will be key for EU member states when they decide in June whether to open accession talks with Belgrade.

Dacic insisted in his speech that "this agreement does not mean the recognition of Kosovo's independence."

"We could have rejected it and become Europe's North Korea," he added. "But what would happen then?"

Serbia's warmongering policies during the 1990s turned the country into an international pariah, facing U.N. sanctions and isolation. Years of wars and crisis also severely impoverished the country's economy.

After the Kosovo agreement, the EU's executive Commission recommended opening membership negotiations with Belgrade, an important step on the EU path that Serbia hopes will pave the way for foreign investment and unblock access to the EU's pre-entry funds.

Serbia relinquished control of most of Kosovo in 1999 when NATO chased its troops out of the region in a three-month bombing campaign. The EU has insisted on ending the partition of Kosovo between the Albanian majority and the Serb-controlled north ? about a fifth of the country.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/serbian-lawmakers-meet-kosovo-deal-110104352.html

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Rachel Maddow on the Mainstreaming of Crackpot Conspiracy Theories by the Right Wing (Little green footballs)

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Senate passes bill to end air traffic control furloughs

By Richard Cowan and Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate moved quickly late on Thursday to end air traffic controller furloughs that were causing widespread airline flight delays related to last month's automatic federal spending cuts.

Without any debate, the Senate unanimously passed legislation giving the Department of Transportation flexibility to use unspent funds to cover the costs of air traffic controllers and other essential employees at the Federal Aviation Administration.

The House of Representatives, which is expected to approve the measure, could take it up on Friday, capping a feverish effort by Congress to end the flight delays that were snarling traffic at major U.S. airports and angering travelers.

Some Senate aides said the measure would also give the FAA flexibility to keep open nearly 150 "contract towers" at smaller airports that are staffed by non-FAA employees who help control takeoffs and landings.

Explicit language to keep open those towers was not included in the measure, however, according to the aides, and it was not clear how the agency would handle the matter.

"I'm delighted that the Senate has just passed a bipartisan bill to resolve a serious problem confronting the American traveling public and our economy," said Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, one of a handful of senators who wrote the legislation.

The bill moved with lightning speed in the Senate where legislation often bogs down for weeks or months. It was passed after a day of furious negotiations between lawmakers and the Obama administration.

The bill, if passed by the House, would close another chapter in a series of Washington battles over budget and taxes that have been waged since 2011.

The cause of the air traffic controller furloughs was the controversial "sequestration" that took effect on March 1, requiring across-the-board spending cuts among most federal agencies. With those cuts starting to bite, a public backlash prompted Congress to reconsider, and fully fund high-profile FAA operations.

Lawmakers are eager to fix the air travel problem before they head out of town for next week's congressional recess. They are concerned about deepening public resentment over the delays caused by the furloughs of controllers.

Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, who also negotiated the legislation, applauded its quick passage, but added, "It does nothing for other essential government operations and employees that also desperately need relief."

ANGRY TRAVELERS

Airline passengers have grown increasingly irritated over the past week with delays at major hubs like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Some have reported delays of several hours in takeoff times and planes being put in holding patterns in the air. Many pilots blame furloughs for landing delays.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said on Thursday that many of the 1,978 controller trainees were now working full shifts by themselves to help cover staffing shortages.

Airline executives had ratcheted up their complaints. "This is government not working - capital letters, exclamation point - when we're sitting here holding the traveling public hostage in the midst of sequestration," JetBlue Chief Executive Dave Barger said on a conference call on Thursday.

The FAA has said it had no alternative to furloughing controllers this week after Congress failed to come up with a budget deal that would have averted the $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts between March 1 and September 30.

At the same time, the FAA has emphasized that passenger safety is not at risk. Airlines for America, the trade organization for U.S. airlines, also said on Thursday the furloughs had not created a safety issue.

While Republicans joined the effort for a quick fix, many were skeptical about whether the White House and FAA were taking advantage of flexibility they already had.

Republicans have accused the Obama administration of maximizing the disruptions to try to shift budget blame on Republicans, an allegation the administration has denied. Republicans have created a Twitter hashtag, #Obamaflightdelays, for people to complain about the delays.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, a California Republican, and House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican, sent a letter on Thursday to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking for internal documents discussing budget flexibilities. The Department of Transportation said it was reviewing the request.

But a congressional aide involved in the original automatic spending cut legislation that was enacted in August 2011 told Reuters the administration could not under current law shift money from outside accounts to fund the air traffic controller account.

SEQUESTRATION FALLOUT

Without the legislation, the FAA said it would have to furlough 47,000 employees for up to 11 days through September 30 in order to save $637 million that is required by the sequestration.

Of those 47,000 workers, almost 15,000 are full-time air traffic controllers or trainees.

The FAA issued an update that said more than 863 delays in the system on Wednesday were attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furloughs.

An additional 2,132 delays were attributed to weather and other factors, the FAA said. The agency said it would work with airlines to minimize delays.

Airlines, many of which are reporting earnings this week, have pushed the government to quickly ease the flight delays caused by the furloughs.

Jeff Smisek, chairman and chief executive of United Continental Holdings Inc, said his company's network operations center was working around the clock to minimize the impact of fewer controllers.

"We are disappointed that the FAA chose this path, that maximizes customer disruptions and damage to airlines instead of choosing a less disruptive method to comply with the budget obligations," Smisek said on a conference call.

The proposal being weighed would not spare other agencies and federal programs from the across-the-board reductions.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Doug Palmer, Thomas Ferraro, David Lawder, Karen Jacobs and Nivedita Bhattacharjee; Writing by Karey Van Hall; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/congress-moving-toward-quick-fix-flight-delays-000258160.html

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Samsung to block access to app store in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iranian users of Samsung mobile applications are saying they have been notified that their access to the company's online store will be denied from May 22.

In a Tehran shopping mall, owners of mobile phones and tablets say they had received the message via email late Wednesday. Retailers say they had no power over the decision.

"We have heard about it, but we are only responsible for hardware here, not software and apps," said shopkeeper Bijan Ashtiani.

In the message Samsung said it cannot provide access to the store in Iran because of "legal barriers."

Many Iranians see the move as part of international sanctions on the country over its disputed nuclear program. Samsung's office in Iran was closed for the weekend and could not be immediately reached.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-block-access-app-store-iran-120700300--finance.html

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Viber exploit lets attackers bypass Android lock screens, for now (video)

If you're an Android user who prefers Viber for VoIP and messaging, you may not want to leave your phone unattended in the near future. Bkav Internet Security has discovered an exploit that will bypass the lock screen on Android phones new and old (including the Nexus 4) as long as pop-up notifications are active. While the exact actions vary from phone to phone, all that's really needed is an incoming message or two, a handful of taps and the back button to reach the home screen. App users can disable the pop-ups as a short-term workaround, although they thankfully won't have to do that for long when Viber promises that a patch is on the way. There's only a small chance that a malicious attacker will both get their mitts on your phone and know that you've got Viber installed, but we'd advise against using statistical probability as a security measure.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Ars Technica

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Peru says no to GMO

Peru is the first country in the Americas to ban genetically modified foods,?putting its food policy closer to that of Europe, than the United States or many of its South American neighbors.

By Annie Murphy,?Correspondent / April 25, 2013

A man drags a cart loaded with vegetables in downtown Lima, Peru, Wednesday.

Mariana Bazo/Reuters

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There isn?t much local Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino won?t eat. His highly accliamed Amaz restaurant is devoted to finding and using Amazonian food native to the country, like a 600-pound freshwater fish or a little-known fruit nicknamed ?cannonball? that tastes like a cross between a guava, coconut, and melon.

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But a year ago Mr. Schiaffino stopped eating supermarket tomatoes.

Even though Peru is the birthplace of the crop, it?s difficult to find anything other than hard, pale Roma tomatoes in supermarkets, and Schiaffino says that worried him.

?They?re a big monoculture, which is why people usually end up using [genetically modified organisms] GMOs. Because when you have monocultures, the crops end up getting diseases, and you have to look for these extreme ways to fix them,? he says.

Peru was the cradle of the Inca Empire, and today it?s home to many crops indigenous to the Americas. It has 400 varieties of potato alone, and a geography that allows farmers to grow almost anything.

It's also the only country in the Americas to put a 10-year ban on genetically modified food, with a law that was first introduced in 2011, and went into effect at the end of last year. Its basic intention, say Schiaffino and others, is to protect Peru?s biodiversity, as well as the practices that have kept it intact for so long.?

?In the end, it?s not a law that?s ?against? anything,? says Antonietta Gutierrez, a biologist at Peru?s National Agrarian University.??This is a law in favor of biosecurity. The idea is that there should be a responsible way of using technology, so that it helps us develop resources ? and at the same time, doesn?t destroy what we already have."

Environmental 'coup?

GMOs are organisms that have been altered via genetic engineering ? and this can mean anything from bacteria, to animals, and plants. Supporters praise the ability of engineers to do things like create plants resistant to pests and drought, or ones that have higher yields. Yet those wary of GMO crops worry about food safety, a lack of longterm research, and the potential for contaminating and even wiping out non-GMO species.

For the past few decades, Profesor Gutierrez has kept a packed schedule, doing experiments in the test fields and laboratories of the agrarian university, and as a proponent of laws to regulate GMO crops.

?There aren?t yet long term studies of GMOs,? says Gutierrez in a spartan concrete and linoleum lab just outside the capital. ?You can?t measure their real effects in five, 10, or even 20 years. It takes more time to observe those effects, especially when we?re talking about entire ecosystems.?

Peru's new law puts its food policy closer to that of Europe, than to that of the United States or many of its South American neighbors. While genetically modified species can still be tested in controlled lab settings, as of December 2012, they can?t be planted or set free, and GMO seeds are barred from entering the country. Both activists and many scientists consider this a coup.

GMOs produced outside the country, however, are still present in products sold in supermarkets. A law requiring products containing GMOs to be labeled was passed in 2011 ? but terms and regulations were never set. According to a study done by the Peruvian Association of Consumers and Users, of 13 basic products bought and tested for the presence of GMOs, 10 tested positive.

Activists say this is all the start of a long fight.?

'Ancient culture'

Uldarico Reyes Rold?n has been working at the popular Madre Natura natural food market in Lima?s Miraflores neighborhood since the store opened 30 years ago. He jokes that a lot of the people who come into the store ?want to stay thin,? and that if healthy food also happens to be organic and GMO-free, they just see it as an added bonus.

?But seriously, for instance, take a look at this,? he says, pawing through a wooden cabinet filled with bags of freshly milled grain. He holds up a small sack of coarsely ground wheat the color of tree bark, explaining that it?s a Peruvian variety, unaltered, and free of pesticides. ?People taste the difference. It?s nuttier, more malty. They come back asking for this stuff. Not some stuff that comes from who knows where.??

Many of these products have been around for centuries?since the Incas, and earlier.

?Our ancient cultures knew how to do this,? says Schiaffino, the chef. ?They grew crops together, in terraces, with the seasons, with the rain, and natural irrigation. I think they had more knowledge about crops and cultivation and farming than we have now.?

Back in the dining room of Amaz, one of Schiaffino?s two restaurants, an enormous mural of a tropical serpent covers the wall behind him. It?s done in tiny iridescent beads, meant to evoke the indigenous, plant-based hallucinogen ayahuasca.

Schiaffino?s restaurants function according to the logic that monoculture and the implementation of GMOs is ?going against nature. What nature tells you is that you have to have different plants and different animals around.? He relies on small producers and foragers, many of whom are from indigenous groups that have long acted as stewards of Peru?s biodiversity. A few of those producers even introduced him to a tomato native to the Amazon.

?It?s an heirloom seed that?s stayed in the Amazon. It looks like a bull?s heart, but smaller. Very tasty.?

Schiaffino says the flavor of a good tomato is all about the smell.?

?Like some humidity, with earth, along with a green scent. You can tell it?s just-picked," he says. "The supermarket tomatoes have no smell.?

"Sometimes we don't think to appreciate the possibility of doing this another way."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/0AALoo6NL-Y/Peru-says-no-to-GMO

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