The display of Chinese characters in iTunes is always broken, especially after you have imported some mp3 files downloaded from internet.
This small application can convert mp3 files to a correct encoding setting so iTunes can handle the Chinese tags info with in the files.
At the mean time, it can only handle Chinese encodings ( GB & Big5 ), if you are facing the same problem with other languages, please let me know, I will try to add those support to the future version.
Requirements PPC, Mac OS X 10.2 or later.
Downloads:14,745
Version Downloads:10,937
Type:Utilities : File Management
License:Free
Date:17 Jan 2004
Platform:PPC
Price:Free0.00
Please login or create a new MacUpdate Member account to use this feature Watch Lists are available to MacUpdate Desktop Members Upgrade Now Download and auto-install using MacUpdate Desktop. Save time moving folders and cleaning-up. The display of Chinese characters in iTunes is always broken, especially after you have imported some mp3 files downloaded from internet.
This small application can convert mp3 files to a correct encoding setting so iTunes can handle the Chinese tags info with in the files.
At the mean time, it can only handle Chinese encodings ( GB & Big5 ), if you are facing the same problem with other languages, please let me know, I will try to add those support to the future version.
WASHINGTON ? A bipartisan group of lawmakers is asking FBI Director Robert Mueller and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to put Palestinians released from prison in a swap for an Israeli soldier on the terrorist watch list.
In a letter this week to Mueller and Clinton, the lawmakers said the Palestinians who were convicted on various terrorism charges should not be allowed to enter the United States.
In the swap this month, Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for tank crewman Sgt. Gilad Schalit, who had been held by Hamas militants for more than five years.
Signing the letter were 36 House Republicans and Democrats, led by Rep. Howard Berman, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee.
The ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD ($499 list) is a pricey external SSD for your PC or Mac. Why so much? Well, the drive will survive and thrive, even if frozen into a block of ice. It can endure a 20-foot fall, or immersion in up to 10 feet of water. It includes recovery services for one year, even if you do the damage to the drive yourself. For that much peace of mind, half a thousand dollars is a bargain. All this makes earns it our nod for Editors' Choice for portable hard drives.
Design and Features
The ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD looks like an aluminum slab, about 1-by-4-by-6 inches (HWD). Its exterior is almost featureless, except for ioSafe branding on the top, a USB 3.0 port and Kensington lock port on one face, and more ioSafe branding plus serial number info on the bottom. The serial number is on the standard sticker with bar codes, but it's also etched into the bottom face of the enclosure, so ioSafe will know it's a valid drive even after it's been through hell. The USB port is submersible, like the rest of the drive. The whole shebang is rated to work even after a dunk in 10 foot deep water for 72 hours (three days). The drive is rated for 20-foot drops, 24 hours of salt spray, or even immersion in diesel fuel oils or aircraft fuel. We tested the drive by freezing it into a solid block of ice, and it still worked.
The drive itself is suspended inside the case, helping its 20-foot drop rating. Also helping is the Intel-sourced SSD (solid-state drive) inside: no moving parts mean very little internal movement during that drop, unlike the standard spinning 7,200rpm and 5,400rpm drives that are more susceptible to cracking. The drive itself is blank, and there's no included software. That's okay, since the drive will work fine with software like Rebit 5 or Apple Time Machine (if you're on a Mac). The SSD has a 120GB capacity, which is a little light on a dollar per GB basis compared with a traditional spinning hard drive like the Seagate GoFlex Slim (320GB) ($99.99 list, 4 stars). Then again, you'd probably worry if the GoFlex Slim suffered a five-foot drop.
Like the ioSafe SoloPRO desktop drive ($249.99 list, 4.5 stars), the Rugged Portable SSD comes with a three-year warranty and a one year subscription to a Data Recovery Service (DRS). DRS will try to recover your data if there's any physical damage to the drive, and is a boon that can save you up to $5,000 (recovery engineers' rates are pricey). It would have been nice if ioSafe had included three years of DRS, but you can at least upgrade to three years for $50.
Performance
The Rugged Portable SSD got some of the highest PCMark05 HDD test scores I've ever seen (25,101 points), mainly because of its SSD drive with USB 3.0 interface. To put this into perspective, a fast USB 2.0 drive will do about 2,700 points, and a fast eSATA drive with SSD like the Apricorn Aegis Padlock Pro SSD (256GB) ($759 list, 4.5 stars) will do 17,460 on PCMark05. We're just starting to use PCMark7's HDD test, and the ioSafe got a 3,946 point score on a different scale from PCMark05. On the drag and drop test, the ioSafe took 16 seconds to transfer a 1.2GB file. This time is a bit longer than the Aegis, which took 13 seconds, but it's still not bad. It's notable that the drive's scores didn't significantly change when the drive was frozen into a block of ice. The drive works fine even when frozen to below 20 degrees F.
Like the ioSafe SoloPRO, the Rugged Portable Drive SSD really doesn't have too much direct competition: drives like the Iomega eGo BlackBelt Mac Edition ($199.99 list, 4 stars) is "rugged", but it's only rated for a 7 foot drop and has no waterproofing. The Aegis Padlock Pro is fast, but it's designed around encryption rather than survivability. There are other rugged drives like the LaCie Rugged Hard Disk (stay tuned for our review), but that drive is similar to the Iomega eGo BlackBelt in that its primary strength is its drop rating. The ioSafe's performance, price, included recovery service, and rugged capabilities make it the perfect portable complement to the ioSafe SoloPRO. And like the SoloPRO did for the desktop class, the Rugged Portable Drive SSD earns our highest honors and Editors' Choice for portable hard drives.
COMPARISON TABLE Compare the ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD with several other hard drive side by side.
More hard drive reviews: ??? ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD (120GB) ??? Promise Pegasus R6 ??? Rebit 5 (1TB) ??? Seagate GoFlex Slim (320GB) ??? Seagate GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Storage (500GB) ?? more
A Japanese company called Humanix [JP], in cooperation with Hiroshima University, has developed a small electric car that "wears" airbags on the body. I am not really sure if the result can be called pretty, but Humanix is claiming that (perhaps rightfully) their ''iSAVE-SC1'' is the "safest electric vehicle in the world". The three-wheeled car offers enough room for three people and comes with inflated airbags on the front and rear, while the body is covered with tent cloth. Upon collision, the idea is that the air released from the bags will soften the impact.
OAKLAND, Calif (Reuters) ? An Iraq war veteran badly wounded in clashes between protesters and police on the streets of Oakland was awake and lucid, hospital officials and family members said on Thursday.
Scott Olsen, a 24-year-old former U.S. Marine struck in the head during Wall Street protests on Tuesday night, had been upgraded from critical to fair condition overnight.
Olsen's injury has become a rallying cry for the Occupy Wall Street movement nationwide, and Oakland organizers said they would stage a general strike over what a spokeswoman called the "brutal and vicious" treatment of protesters, including the young Iraq war veteran.
At the downtown plaza where he was hurt, several hundred supporters turned out Thursday night for a candlelight vigil in which fellow activists from a group called Iraq War Veterans for Peace addressed the crowd. One drew loud cheers when he said the police chief or mayor should resign.
Olsen "responded with a very large smile" to a visit from his parents, Highland General Hospital spokesman Warren Lyons said at a late-afternoon press conference on Thursday.
"He's able to understand what's going on. He's able to write and hear, but has a little difficulty with his speech," Lyons said.
He said doctors had not operated on Olsen yet and were waiting to see if swelling in his brain eased.
Olsen's aunt, Kathy Pacconi, told Reuters in an email that her nephew was showing signs of improvement.
"I believe he knew his mom and dad were there, and tomorrow he'll be really happy to see his sister, Melissa, because they are really close. Hopefully, he'll start to improve with her visit," Pacconi said.
Occupy Oakland organizers said their strike, scheduled for next Wednesday, was intended to shut down the city.
'SHUT THE CITY DOWN'
"We mean nobody goes to work, nobody goes to school, we shut the city down," organizer Cat Brooks said. "The only thing they seem to care about is money and they don't understand that it's our money they need. We don't need them, they need us."
Spokeswomen for the city of Oakland and Mayor Jean Quan could not be reached for comment.
Brooks said a general strike was a "natural progression" following a crackdown by the city of Oakland early on Tuesday morning in which protesters were evicted from a plaza near city hall and 85 people were arrested.
Protesters sought to retake that plaza on Tuesday night and were repeatedly driven back by police using stun grenades and tear gas. It was during one of those clashes that protesters say Olsen was struck in the head by a tear gas canister fired by police.
The hospital has confirmed Olsen was hurt during the protest, but could not say how he was wounded. Acting Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan had told a news conference his department was investigating the incident.
He said police had fired tear gas and bean-bag projectiles when protesters defied orders to disperse. He also said that some demonstrators had pelted police with rocks and bottles.
Olsen is believed to be the most seriously wounded person yet in confrontations between police and activists since Occupy Wall Street protests began last month in New York.
News of his injury ignited a furor among supporters of the protests. Activists in Oakland and elsewhere took to Twitter and other social media urging demonstrators back into the streets en masse.
More than 1,000 protesters moved onto the streets of Oakland again on Wednesday night as police largely kept their distance.
At Thursday's vigil, Emily Yates, an Army veteran of two tours in Iraq, urged restraint by police and protesters.
"The police claim they were just doing their job. It's all of our job to think before we throw anything at each other," she said.
Steve Morse, 65, a Vietnam War veteran, drew a hearty cheer when he called for the resignation of either Police Chief Jordan or Mayor Quan, both widely criticized as having bungled the city's response to the Occupy Oakland movement.
The crowd roared back with gusto when a woman from the crowd later yelled out, "Where's our mayor?"
Organizers said Quan had been invited in an open letter to address the vigil, but she was not present.
Friends say Olsen had been active in several anti-war veterans groups and had joined Oakland protesters in a gesture of solidarity after learning of the police crackdown there.
Keith Shannon, 24, who said he served with Olsen in Iraq, told Reuters his friend suffered a two-inch skull fracture.
Olsen served two tours in Iraq from 2006 to 2010 with the 3rd battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Shannon said, adding that he and Olsen deployed together and were assigned to a tactical communications unit.
(Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb, Mary Slosson and Emmett Berg; Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Jerry Norton)
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Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/lern2pla/public_html/external.php on line 697 Lern2Playhttp://www.lern2play.com Lern2Play.com features a large MMORPG Forum with over 265,000 posts. Active MMORPG and MMO community and MMO Games Forums. Join now to talk about Lord of the Rings Online, World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Star Wars Galaxies and more.enhttp://www.lern2play.com/images/lern2play/misc/rss.jpgLern2Playhttp://www.lern2play.com The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111727-the-black-power-mixtape-1967-1975-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111726-youve-got-mail-2006-dvd-2010-1-link-no-rar.html The Big Year (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111725-the-big-year-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111724-whats-your-number-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html The Adventures of Tintin 2011 DVDRip ( 1link, No Rar)http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111723-the-adventures-of-tintin-2011-dvdrip-1link-no-rar.html Un ete brulant 2011 DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111722-un-ete-brulant-2011-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Sleeping Beauty (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111721-sleeping-beauty-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Tower Heist (2011) DVD ENG HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111720-tower-heist-2011-dvd-eng-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Sholem Aleichem - Laughing in the Darkness (2011) DVDhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111719-sholem-aleichem-laughing-in-the-darkness-2011-dvd.html Tocar y Luchar ,To Play and to Fight (2006) DVD 2010 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111718-tocar-y-luchar-to-play-and-to-fight-2006-dvd-2010-1-link-no-rar.html Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111717-rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip1-link-no-rar.html Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111716-tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Revenge of the Electric Car (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111715-revenge-of-the-electric-car-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html The Three Musketeers (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111714-the-three-musketeers-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Real Steel (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111713-real-steel-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html
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Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/lern2pla/public_html/external.php on line 697 Lern2Playhttp://www.lern2play.com Lern2Play.com features a large MMORPG Forum with over 265,000 posts. Active MMORPG and MMO community and MMO Games Forums. Join now to talk about Lord of the Rings Online, World of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Star Wars Galaxies and more.enhttp://www.lern2play.com/images/lern2play/misc/rss.jpgLern2Playhttp://www.lern2play.com The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111727-the-black-power-mixtape-1967-1975-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111726-youve-got-mail-2006-dvd-2010-1-link-no-rar.html The Big Year (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111725-the-big-year-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111724-whats-your-number-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html The Adventures of Tintin 2011 DVDRip ( 1link, No Rar)http://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111723-the-adventures-of-tintin-2011-dvdrip-1link-no-rar.html Un ete brulant 2011 DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111722-un-ete-brulant-2011-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Sleeping Beauty (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111721-sleeping-beauty-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Tower Heist (2011) DVD ENG HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111720-tower-heist-2011-dvd-eng-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Sholem Aleichem - Laughing in the Darkness (2011) DVDhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111719-sholem-aleichem-laughing-in-the-darkness-2011-dvd.html Tocar y Luchar ,To Play and to Fight (2006) DVD 2010 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111718-tocar-y-luchar-to-play-and-to-fight-2006-dvd-2010-1-link-no-rar.html Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111717-rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip1-link-no-rar.html Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111716-tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Revenge of the Electric Car (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111715-revenge-of-the-electric-car-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html The Three Musketeers (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111714-the-three-musketeers-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html Real Steel (2011) DVD ENG DVDRip HQ 1 Link NO RARhttp://www.lern2play.com/movies-tv-and-music/111713-real-steel-2011-dvd-eng-dvdrip-hq-1-link-no-rar.html
Heavy alcohol consumption linked to lung cancerPublic release date: 24-Oct-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sue Roberts sroberts@chestnet.org 847-498-8334 American College of Chest Physicians
Higher BMI, consumption of black tea and fruit may protect against lung cancer
(HONOLULU, HAWAII, OCTOBER 24, 2011) Heavy alcohol consumption may be linked to a greater risk of developing lung cancer, while higher BMI and increased consumption of black tea and fruit are associated with lower risk of the deadly disease. In three separate studies presented at CHEST 2011, the 77th annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), heavy alcohol consumption was related to increased risk of lung cancer, while specific ethnic groups, including African American men and Asian women, had slightly higher risks for lung cancer. Conversely, black tea consumption was shown to reduce lung cancer risk in nonsmoking women, while higher BMI and increased fruit consumption were associated with a lower risk of lung cancer in both men and women.
Lung Cancer Risk Factors
Heavy drinking has multiple harmful effects, including cardiovascular complications and increased risk for lung cancer, said Stanton Siu, MD, FCCP, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California. We did not see a relationship between moderate drinking and lung cancer development. So it appears probable that most middle-aged and older moderate drinkers have coronary artery protection and no increased risk of lung cancer risk.
Dr. Siu and his research team studied 126,293 people who provided baseline data from 1978 to1985 and followed them until 2008 to determine their risk for developing lung cancer in relation to cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, gender, ethnicity, BMI, and level of education. Of the 1,852 people who developed lung cancer during this time, results showed that cigarette smoking remained a strong predictor of all types of lung cancer; however, heavy alcohol consumption (> 3 alcoholic drinks per day) also increased lung cancer risk, with a slightly higher risk related to heavy beer consumption as opposed to wine and liquor.
Genetic variations among different ethnic groups could explain the elevated risk for lung cancer. Environmental exposures, occupation, and diet can also influence lung cancer risk, said Dr. Siu.
Reduced Risk of Lung Cancer
Although researchers found several factors that increased lung cancer risk, other factors were found to be related to reduced risk of the disease. Dr. Siu and team found an inverse relationship between BMI and lung cancer risk, where higher BMI levels were associated with a lower risk for lung cancer. A similar relationship was seen in those who graduated from college.
Explanations are not evident, but people with more education probably have a generally healthy lifestyle, said Dr. Siu. The BMI-cancer association was independent of smoking, and we speculate that nutritional factors may be involved.
In a separate study also presented at CHEST, researchers from the Czech Republic investigated the relationship between smoking exposure, diet, and exercise, and the risk of lung cancer. They found that consumption of black tea had a protective effect on nonsmoking women, while fruit had a protective effect for both men and women.
Smoking remains the primary risk factor for lung cancer, yet we cant ignore other environmental or lifestyle factors that may impact ones health, said David Gutterman, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. Quitting smoking or never starting can help to reduce lung cancer risk, as can living an overall active and healthy lifestyle.
###
CHEST 2011 is the 77th annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, held October 22 -26 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The ACCP represents 18,300 members who provide patient care in the areas of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine in the United States and throughout the world. The mission of the ACCP is to promote the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. For more information about the ACCP, please visit the ACCP Web site at www.chestnet.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Heavy alcohol consumption linked to lung cancerPublic release date: 24-Oct-2011 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Sue Roberts sroberts@chestnet.org 847-498-8334 American College of Chest Physicians
Higher BMI, consumption of black tea and fruit may protect against lung cancer
(HONOLULU, HAWAII, OCTOBER 24, 2011) Heavy alcohol consumption may be linked to a greater risk of developing lung cancer, while higher BMI and increased consumption of black tea and fruit are associated with lower risk of the deadly disease. In three separate studies presented at CHEST 2011, the 77th annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), heavy alcohol consumption was related to increased risk of lung cancer, while specific ethnic groups, including African American men and Asian women, had slightly higher risks for lung cancer. Conversely, black tea consumption was shown to reduce lung cancer risk in nonsmoking women, while higher BMI and increased fruit consumption were associated with a lower risk of lung cancer in both men and women.
Lung Cancer Risk Factors
Heavy drinking has multiple harmful effects, including cardiovascular complications and increased risk for lung cancer, said Stanton Siu, MD, FCCP, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California. We did not see a relationship between moderate drinking and lung cancer development. So it appears probable that most middle-aged and older moderate drinkers have coronary artery protection and no increased risk of lung cancer risk.
Dr. Siu and his research team studied 126,293 people who provided baseline data from 1978 to1985 and followed them until 2008 to determine their risk for developing lung cancer in relation to cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, gender, ethnicity, BMI, and level of education. Of the 1,852 people who developed lung cancer during this time, results showed that cigarette smoking remained a strong predictor of all types of lung cancer; however, heavy alcohol consumption (> 3 alcoholic drinks per day) also increased lung cancer risk, with a slightly higher risk related to heavy beer consumption as opposed to wine and liquor.
Genetic variations among different ethnic groups could explain the elevated risk for lung cancer. Environmental exposures, occupation, and diet can also influence lung cancer risk, said Dr. Siu.
Reduced Risk of Lung Cancer
Although researchers found several factors that increased lung cancer risk, other factors were found to be related to reduced risk of the disease. Dr. Siu and team found an inverse relationship between BMI and lung cancer risk, where higher BMI levels were associated with a lower risk for lung cancer. A similar relationship was seen in those who graduated from college.
Explanations are not evident, but people with more education probably have a generally healthy lifestyle, said Dr. Siu. The BMI-cancer association was independent of smoking, and we speculate that nutritional factors may be involved.
In a separate study also presented at CHEST, researchers from the Czech Republic investigated the relationship between smoking exposure, diet, and exercise, and the risk of lung cancer. They found that consumption of black tea had a protective effect on nonsmoking women, while fruit had a protective effect for both men and women.
Smoking remains the primary risk factor for lung cancer, yet we cant ignore other environmental or lifestyle factors that may impact ones health, said David Gutterman, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. Quitting smoking or never starting can help to reduce lung cancer risk, as can living an overall active and healthy lifestyle.
###
CHEST 2011 is the 77th annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians, held October 22 -26 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The ACCP represents 18,300 members who provide patient care in the areas of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine in the United States and throughout the world. The mission of the ACCP is to promote the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. For more information about the ACCP, please visit the ACCP Web site at www.chestnet.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Turkey earthquake: Sunday's quake happened in eastern Turkey, far from the tournament location in the west. Women's Tennis Association officials briefed the eight elite players on the 7.2-magnitude quake near the border with Iran.
Players at the WTA Championships in Istanbul lent their support Monday to those affected by Turkey's devastating earthquake.
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Sunday's quake happened in eastern Turkey, far from the tournament location in the west. Women's Tennis Association officials briefed the eight elite players on the 7.2-magnitude quake near the border with Iran. About 270 people were confirmed dead by Monday afternoon, and the toll was expected to rise.
Second-ranked Maria Sharapova said she was saddened by the news, adding that she has received many phone calls and e-mails expressing concern.
"I think it gives us an opportunity to sit down and say, 'We're very, very lucky and fortunate to be doing what we're doing,'" Sharapova said. "These things that happen around the world, you just never know where it can happen. I mean, this was only a few hours from here."
Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki arrived in Istanbul on Thursday and said she wanted to pass along condolences on behalf of all the players.
"All our thoughts are with everyone affected, and of course it's never nice when something like this happens," said Wozniacki, whose profile in Turkey has risen since she signed a commercial deal with a Turkish airline last year. "I definitely got a few messages yesterday and just asking if everything was OK, and if we're all OK here."
The season-ending WTA Championships is being held at the Sinan Erdem Arena in Istanbul, which will host the $5 million event through 2013. It starts on Tuesday and the final will be played on Sunday. Qatar hosted the tournament for the last three years.
At the draw ceremony on Sunday, CEO Stacey Allaster spoke on behalf of players and tennis officials.
"We will do whatever we can to support the people of Turkey in some small way through the power of sport," Allaster said.
Home Front Defense Minister Matan Vilnai and senior IDF officials are expected to travel to Japan to examine how the Asian country is coping with the earthquake and tsunami it had suffered earlier this year.
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The delegation is expected to meet with Japan's Disaster Management Minister Tatsuo Hirano and tour the area near the Fukushima Nuclear Plant. (Yoav Zitun)
NEW YORK ? Software company Oracle Corp. said Monday that it is buying RightNow Technologies Inc. for about $1.5 billion so it can offer a broader range of software and services that help businesses manage customer service.
Oracle is offering $43 per share for the tech service company from Bozeman, Mont.. That is a 19.6 percent premium over RightNow's closing price of $35.96 on Friday.
On Monday, RightNow's stock rose $6.85, or 10 percent, to $42.80 in premarket trading.
RightNow's board has agreed to the deal which is subject to shareholder approval. Oracle expects to complete the deal by late this year or early next.
RightNow's main product helps companies manage customers' questions and complaints. It is delivered over the Internet ? or "cloud" _rather than by installing software directly on computers. The deal follows a smaller acquisition Oracle made in the space when it bought InQuira to expand its selection of products that help companies keep their customers happy. Terms of that deal, announced in July, were not disclosed.
Shares of Oracle, which is based in Shores, Calif., slipped 12 cents to $32 in premarket trading.
There is no link between long-term use of mobile phones and tumours of the brain or central nervous system, finds new research published in the British Medical Journal.
In what is described as the largest study on the subject to date, Danish researchers found no evidence that the risk of brain tumours was raised among 358,403 mobile phone subscribers over an 18-year period.
The number of people using mobile phones is constantly rising with more than five billion subscriptions worldwide in 2010. This has led to concerns about potential adverse health effects, particularly tumours of the central nervous system.
Previous studies on a possible link between phone use and tumours have been inconclusive particularly on long-term use of mobile phones. Some of this earlier work took the form of case control studies involving small numbers of long-term users and were shown to be prone to error and bias. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently classified radio frequency electromagnetic fields, as emitted by mobile phones, as possibly carcinogenic to humans.
The only cohort study investigating mobile phone use and cancer to date is a Danish nationwide study comparing cancer risk of all 420,095 Danish mobile phone subscribers from 1982 until 1995, with the corresponding risk in the rest of the adult population with follow-up to 1996 and then 2002. This study found no evidence of any increased risk of brain or nervous system tumours or any cancer among mobile phone subscribers.
So researchers, led by the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology in Copenhagen, continued this study up to 2007.
They studied data on the whole Danish population aged 30 and over and born in Denmark after 1925, subdivided into subscribers and non-subscribers of mobile phones before 1995. Information was gathered from the Danish phone network operators and from the Danish Cancer Register.
Overall, 10,729 central nervous system tumours occurred in the study period 1990-2007.
When the figures were restricted to people with the longest mobile phone use ? 13 years or more ? cancer rates were almost the same in both long-term users and non-subscribers of mobile phones.
The researchers say they observed no overall increased risk for tumours of the central nervous system or for all cancers combined in mobile phone users.
They conclude: "The extended follow-up allowed us to investigate effects in people who had used mobile phones for 10 years or more, and this long-term use was not associated with higher risks of cancer.
"However, as a small to moderate increase in risk for subgroups of heavy users or after even longer induction periods than 10-15 years cannot be ruled out, further studies with large study populations, where the potential for misclassification of exposure and selection bias is minimised, are warranted."
In an accompanying editorial, Professors Anders Ahlbom and Maria Feychting at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden say this new evidence is reassuring, but continued monitoring of health registers and prospective cohorts is still warranted.
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BMJ-British Medical Journal: http://www.bma.org
Thanks to BMJ-British Medical Journal for this article.
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Texas Rangers' Michael Young takes batting practice Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are scheduled to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of baseball's World Series on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers' Michael Young takes batting practice Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are scheduled to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of baseball's World Series on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
St. Louis Cardinals' Lance Berkman stretches at the start of practice Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. The Cardinals will play the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of baseball's World Series on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa walks onto the field during practice at baseball's World Series Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 in Arlington, Texas. The Texas Rangers are scheduled to play the Cardinals in Game 3 on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Texas Rangers' Adrian Beltre shows off his ripped batting glove to teammates after taking a few swings during practice Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are scheduled to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of baseball's World Series on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? Nelson Cruz, Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton got plenty of hits to put their teams into the World Series.
Now that they're here, the big-bopping trio has become a virtual zero. A combined 1 for 19, held to a mere single by Cruz.
The rest of the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers haven't done much better while splitting the first two games.
So far, a total of just eight runs. The last time there were fewer through the opening two games at a Series? Try 1950, when Joe DiMaggio and the New York Yankees combined with Philadelphia for four.
"A lot of people thought this was going to be an offensive World Series," Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus observed before Friday's workout.
Blame the slump on a few factors: raw weather at Busch Stadium, good pitching and, perhaps most significantly, hitters facing arms they've never seen before.
Both teams have flailed away at the plate, chasing sliders and curves that bounced, shattering bats and seeming to guess wrong on what pitches were coming next.
"We need to give good at-bats and get deeper and quit swinging at balls out of the strike zone," Mike Napoli said.
Napoli has hit the lone home run of the Series. He connected off Chris Carpenter, but maybe he had an edge ? Napoli had been 3 for 3 lifetime against the Cardinals ace going into Game 1.
The hitting woes are a repeat for the Rangers. They batted .190 last season when they lost the World Series in five games to San Francisco.
"Those Giants pitchers, they were awfully good," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "When a pitcher is on, you just don't have any offense. It's a testament to the first two games in this Series."
Fresh off their two-run rally in the ninth inning and a 2-1 win in Game 2, the Rangers start Matt Harrison on Saturday night at Rangers Ballpark. Kyle Lohse will pitch for the Cardinals.
"It's a tough place to pitch, especially when you see those flags blowing in. It usually means that jet stream is going to right-center," Lohse said. "I think everyone in the league knows that."
Each team adds a designated hitter, with the AL rule in effect at Texas. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa will make Lance Berkman the DH and put Allen Craig ? already with a pair of key pinch-hit RBI singles ? in right field.
The Rangers will likely use Michael Young at DH, move Napoli to first base and put Yorvit Torrealba at catcher.
At this point, it might take more than a wind tunnel to help the hitters.
Texas is batting only .186, St. Louis is stuck at .203. Hamilton and Pujols are hitless, and Cruz has been held to a mere single after tearing through the AL championship series.
On Friday, Cruz gave the Hall of Fame the bat he used to hit a grand slam in the ALCS. It was cracked ? maybe Texas and St. Louis need new timber, too.
It seemed fitting, in fact, that when Texas scored those two runs Thursday night to even the Series, both crossed on sacrifice flies.
Each team has scored four runs overall. Back in 1983, Baltimore and Philadelphia also combined for eight through two games ? it's more than 60 years since the total was lower than this October.
"I think honestly we got out of our approach a little bit, maybe a little over aggressive trying to create things that necessarily weren't there," said Ian Kinsler, whose bloop single and daring steal keyed the Texas comeback. "If we can just relax and play our style of baseball, let the game come to us, we'll be all right."
Rangers outfielder David Murphy hopes it plays out that way, eventually.
"It's the World Series. We're going to face a guy tomorrow that most of us have never faced, if at all. Game 4 is a little different because Edwin Jackson has been in the American League enough to where most of us have probably faced him," he said.
"I feel like just watching the first two games, offensively, it's just a matter of who is going to make adjustments on the fly. We're facing their guys that we've never before and it's the same thing on their side. The pitching performances have been good, but we have confidence in our offense to put up runs, as well," he said.
So does Texas hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh. He was promoted from the Triple-A job when Thad Bosley was fired two months into his first year with the team.
Coolbaugh watched Young swing through strike three from Jaime Garcia in Game 2, then saw Adrian Beltre wave at a couple of low off-speed deliveries.
"I think it was evident that some of our guys were seeing someone for the first time," Coolbaugh said. "You can watch all the video you want and read all the scouting reports. But when you step into that batter's box, it all looks different."
Coolbaugh, however, was not surprised when the Rangers put together better at-bats in the ninth against Jason Motte and the St. Louis bullpen.
"That was two days in a row that we were seeing their relievers. The more we see them, the better off we'll be," he said.
Dharun Ravi appears in court at the Middlesex County Courthouse during a hearing in the webcam-spying case involving the suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, in New Brunswick, N.J. Ravi is one of two former Rutgers students accused of spying on Clementi's intimate encounter with another man days before the classmate committed suicide. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dharun Ravi appears in court at the Middlesex County Courthouse during a hearing in the webcam-spying case involving the suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, in New Brunswick, N.J. Ravi is one of two former Rutgers students accused of spying on Clementi's intimate encounter with another man days before the classmate committed suicide. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dharun Ravi, second from left, walks out of the Middlesex County Courthouse with his attorneys after a hearing in the webcam-spying case involving the suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011, in New Brunswick, N.J. Ravi is one of two former Rutgers students accused of spying on Clementi's intimate encounter with another man days before the classmate committed suicide. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) ? A former Rutgers University student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate's intimate encounter with another man turned down a plea deal that could have limited his time behind bars to five years or kept him out of prison altogether.
Dharun Ravi, 19, on Thursday affirmed his decision to go to trial, at which a conviction could mean 10 years or more in prison. A judge set a trial date of Feb. 21 for the case, which helped set off a national conversation about bullying of young gays and lesbians.
Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old violinist in his first weeks at Rutgers, killed himself in September 2010, just days after the alleged spying.
Ravi faces 15 criminal counts in all, including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation, a hate crime. In the pretrial hearing Thursday to settle several issues about evidence, he remained silent, other than to say "yes" when state Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman asked him whether he understood the risks he faces by appearing in court.
The plea deal would have required Ravi to plead guilty to a handful of the 15 counts, including a bias intimidation count, which normally carries a prison sentence of five to 10 years. In exchange for Ravi's cooperation, prosecutors were willing to recommend a sentence of three to five years, but the judge would have been able to sentence him to no prison time.
The judge ruled that Ravi's lawyer should not have access to Clementi's personal writings, including documents found on his computer. He also ruled against a defense motion that he recuse himself because a distant relative who is a television producer told a New York Times reporter last month that she was interested in the case.
One key issue may not be resolved.
The judge reiterated his ruling of six months ago that Ravi, his lawyer and his lawyer's investigator should be given the name and birthdate of the man who had the encounter with Clementi ? but with the caveat that they not give that information to anyone else.
Prosecutors objected to the disclosure requirement last month and asked the judge to reconsider.
On Thursday, the man, identified in court papers only as M.B., was represented in court by Richard Pompelio, a victims' rights lawyer who argued that his right to privacy outweighs Ravi's need to have information to defend himself.
Ravi's lawyer, Steven Altman, contended that the name of the man ? who is considered a victim and a witness in the case ? is necessary for his client, even though the man has said he does not want to speak with defense lawyers.
"If you were standing where I am, wouldn't you want to learn what was in the mind of T.C.?" he asked the judge. "And what did M.B. know, what was he told, what wasn't he told? Who is he? Where is he from? Wouldn't you want to proceed to try to get that information?"
Pompelio argued that media exposure would harm M.B.
"Once they find out who he is, they find out his face," he said. "As the defendant knows, he has family and a web of relationships that are impacted by anything that happens to him. If his name gets out, it's out and it's out forever."
After court, Pompelio said he would not disclose any information about his client, including his age or occupation.
The judge said he was sensitive to M.B.'s right to privacy but believes Ravi should know who his accuser is.
"He'll never be stigmatized by any person who's thoughtful, balanced and fair," the judge said.
Middlesex County prosecutor Julia McClure and Pompelio said they intend to appeal that ruling.
TOKYO ? Japan is stepping up efforts ahead of new U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's visit next week to break a stalemate over the relocation of a Marine base that has stalled the restructuring of U.S. military forces in Asia.
Moving the base is an essential step in Washington's big-picture plan to reposition about 8,000 Marines from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa to the tiny U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, which is set to become a crucial regional hub for the U.S. Marines, Air Force and Navy.
Senior Japanese leaders have held repeated meetings in recent weeks with top politicians on Okinawa to seek their cooperation in moving the base ? Marine Corps Air Station Futenma ? to a less-crowded area of the island.
Japan is hoping to compile an environmental impact assessment by the end of the year.
But after a meeting with Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba on Wednesday, the mayor of the proposed relocation site angrily rebuffed Tokyo's pleas for support, saying there was "absolutely no room for negotiation."
Okinawa's governor, who must sign off on the plan for it to be implemented, suggested other options be pursued and told Genba it will not work unless the Okinawans support it.
The standoff has long been a sore point in Japan's otherwise strong military alliance with the United States.
Though they welcome the transfer of Marines to Guam, Okinawan leaders do not support the construction of a replacement facility within their prefecture (state). They say Okinawa already bears too much of a hosting burden and instead want Futenma closed and its successor built elsewhere in Japan or moved overseas.
Setting the tone for the Panetta trip, U.S. Senator Jim Webb ? an outspoken critic of the current plan ? said the issue should not be allowed to fester.
"Our failure to resolve the issue of American bases on Okinawa has resulted in a volatile political debate in Japan, the implications of which should not be underestimated by American leaders," he said in a letter to Panetta released by his office.
Webb, who is chairman of the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said "it is in our national interest that this matter be resolved both quickly and smartly."
Washington is Tokyo's most important ally, and Japan has agreed to contribute several billion dollars to pay for the move.
Japan hosts about 50,000 U.S. troops under a post-World War II mutual security pact and relies heavily on the U.S. forces to counterbalance potential threats from China, Russia and North Korea.
But more than half of the troops are concentrated on Okinawa. About one-fifth of the island is taken up by U.S. bases.
Local opposition to the bases is strong because of concerns over crowding, safety and troop-related crime. Okinawans are also wary of the military presence because of their bitter memories of World War II.
Futenma is seen by many as a symbol of the problems caused by the bases. The plan to close Futenma, which is in a particularly crowded area, came up after the rape of an Okinawan schoolgirl by three servicemen caused a huge uproar on the island in 1995.
WASHINGTON ? Pools of water on the floor and old, hard-to-clean equipment at a Colorado farm's cantaloupe-packing facility were probably to blame for the deadliest outbreak of foodborne illness in 25 years, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.
Government investigators found positive samples of listeria bacteria on equipment in the Jensen Farms packing facility and on fruit that had been held there.
In a six-page assessment of the conditions at the farm based on investigators' visits in September, the FDA said Jensen Farms had recently purchased used equipment that was corroded, dirty and hard to clean. The packing facility floors were also constructed so they were hard to clean, so pools of water potentially harboring the bacteria formed close to the packing equipment.
The dirty equipment ? purchased in July, the same month the outbreak started ? was previously used to wash and dry potatoes, the agency said, and the listeria "could have been introduced as a result of past use of the equipment," according to the report.
FDA officials said that they are not concerned about similar listeria contamination in the potatoes that were previously processed on the equipment because those vegetables are rarely eaten raw. Cooking can kill the bacteria.
A warning letter from the agency to Jensen Farms said that a third of 39 swabs taken throughout the facility tested positive for listeria.
"This significant percentage of swabs that tested positive for outbreak strains of (listeria) demonstrates widespread contamination throughout your facility and indicates poor sanitary practices in the facility," the letter said.
Though the agency said the contamination likely happened in the packing house, the way the cantaloupes were cooled after being picked may have exacerbated the listeria growth. The farm did not use a process called "pre-cooling" that is designed to remove some condensation, thus creating moist conditions on the cantaloupe rind that are ideal for listeria bacteria growth. Listeria grows in cool environments, unlike most pathogens.
FDA said that samples of cantaloupes in Jensen Farms' fields were negative for listeria, but bacteria coming off the field may have initially introduced the pathogen into the open-air packing house, where it then spread. Listeria contamination often comes from animal feces or decaying vegetation.
Another possible source of contamination was a truck that frequently hauled cantaloupe to a cattle operation and was parked near the packing house. Contamination could have come from the cattle operation and then tracked into the house by people or equipment, the report said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 123 people have been sickened in the outbreak, including the 25 who died. It is the deadliest known outbreak of foodborne illness in the U.S. since an outbreak of listeria in Mexican-style cheese in 1985.
The tainted fruit, which Jensen Farms recalled in mid-September, should be off store shelves by now. But the number of illnesses may continue to grow ? symptoms of listeria can take up to two months to appear. Barbara Mahon of the CDC said that the illnesses peaked from mid-August through September, but that the government would continue to monitor the situation for at least another two weeks.
The CDC on Tuesday confirmed a sixth death in Colorado and a second in New York. Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming have also reported deaths.
FDA officials said Wednesday that the agency has never visited the farm to do an inspection. But that would likely change under a new food safety law signed by President Barack Obama earlier this year that boosts the number of inspections the FDA conducts annually. Currently, the agency may only visit a food facility every five or 10 years, at the most.
FDA officials said they have visited many food facilities over the years and the conditions at Jensen Farms were unique.
"There is no reason to believe these practices are indicative of practices throughout the industry," said Sherri McGarry, a senior officer in FDA's office of foods.
McGarry said the agency is still considering what enforcement actions it will take. Officials said the farm had cooperated in all aspects of the recall and investigation.
Messages left for the farm's owners were not immediately returned.
Listeria is rare but more deadly than well-known pathogens such as salmonella and E. coli. While most healthy adults can consume listeria with no ill effects, it can kill the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. The CDC said the median age of those sickened is 78, and most ill people are over 60 years old.
It is also dangerous to pregnant women because it easily passes through to the fetus. CDC said it is aware of one miscarriage associated with the outbreak and four illnesses total associated with pregnancy. One newborn was born with listeria infection.
Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often with other gastrointestinal symptoms.
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Associated Press writer P. Solomon Banda in Denver contributed to this report.
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Find Mary Clare Jalonick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MCJalonick
A Somali government soldier stands near the remains of the vehicle which exploded in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people even as Somali and Kenyan leaders met and agreed to cooperate on military action against Islamist insurgents. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
A Somali government soldier stands near the remains of the vehicle which exploded in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people even as Somali and Kenyan leaders met and agreed to cooperate on military action against Islamist insurgents. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
Somali government forces attend the scene of a car bomb in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people including the bomber, a police official said, on the same day that Kenya's ministers of defense and foreign affairs are in Mogadishu to meet with government leaders after Kenya on Sunday launched military operations in southern Somalia against al-Shabab militants. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sheikh Nor)
Civilians run down the street near the scene of a car bomb explosion in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people even as Somali and Kenyan leaders met and agreed to cooperate on military action against Islamist insurgents. (AP Photo/Ali Bashi)
Somali government forces attend the scene of a car bomb in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people even as Somali and Kenyan leaders met and agreed to cooperate on military action against Islamist insurgents. (AP Photo/Ali Bashi)
A Somali medic treats a man who was injured in the explosion, at Banadir hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011. A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people even as Somali and Kenyan leaders met and agreed to cooperate on military action against Islamist insurgents. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) ? A suicide car bomb exploded near Somalia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, killing at least four people even as Somali and Kenyan leaders met and agreed to cooperate on military action against Islamist insurgents.
The blast rattled central Mogadishu and killed at least three passers-by and the suicide bomber, said police official Ali Hassan. Six people were wounded and taken to the hospital, he said.
The explosion did not damage the ministry building but did tear down a stone wall in front of it. Hundreds of on-lookers gathered to see the demolished car scattered across the road. Several body parts littered the street.
"The car bomb blew up among people and cars passing down the street. I don't know if his target was the civilians, but thanks to Allah the loss was not so big," said Mohamed Nor Siyaed, an eyewitness.
Abdikarim Sheikh Hussein, a university student in Mogadishu, said he was standing on the other side of the street when the explosion happened. Bloodied textbooks were lying on the ground in the post-explosion ruins.
"When the car blew up a ball of flame and smoke engulfed the whole area, then some wounded people ran through the streets" he said.
African Union and Somali troops battling al-Shabab militants have mostly pushed the insurgents out of Mogadishu, but al-Shabab has vowed to carry out attacks in the capital. Earlier this month al-Shabab unleashed a suicide blast that killed more than 100 people, many of them students. It was the deadliest bombing in Somalia by al-Shabab.
The latest attacks have raised fears that al-Shabab is targeting everyone, not just government officials and African Union peacekeepers.
Hassan Jimale said he's now afraid to attend university classes, saying the education centers may again be targeted like the students.
"I am afraid the students themselves will bomb us in the classes," Jimale said. "You can't know who's going to kill you! Women are veiled and men can hide explosive vests under their shirts."
Tuesday's blast came as Kenya's ministers of foreign affairs and defense traveled to Mogadishu to meet with Somalia's president following Kenya's launch of military operations in southern Somalia against al-Shabab militants. The explosion occurred several miles (kilometers) from where those meetings were believed to have taken place.
Al-Shabab on Monday said it would launch terror attacks inside Kenya unless that country pulls back the hundreds of troops who have moved into southern Somalia in search of al-Shabab. In response, Kenyan police on Tuesday sent out a terrorist attack warning and increased security at some downtown sites, including the Somali neighborhood of Nairobi.
Somalia's government earlier this week said it did not approve of Kenya's push into southern Somalia. But on Tuesday the two sides agreed to coordinate their military operations in pursuit of al-Shabab insurgents after Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula met with President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.
"The recent spate of blatant attacks is indicative of a changed strategy by (al-Shabab) calculated to terrorize civilians," a joint Kenyan-Somali statement said. "This warrants decisive action to forestall the threats ... restore security in the border areas and ensure that insurgents do not launch attacks against Kenya, the region and beyond."
Kenya said it launched its military action in response to the kidnappings of four Europeans over the last six weeks, though military analysts suspect that Kenya had prepared the invasion before the abductions.
The push by Kenyan ground forces toward a strategic Somali town was slowed on Tuesday by heavy rain, Kenyan military spokesman Maj. Emmanuel Chirchir said. Kenyan troops and pro-Somali government forces are heading toward the town of Afmadow, a crossroads town just north of the port city of Kismayo, where al-Shabab is entrenched.
Chirchir said Kenyan forces were at the Somali town of Qoqani, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Afmadow. Residents of Afmadow on Monday reported that al-Shabab fighters were leaving as the troops approached.
"Our troops are heading to Afmadow now, and we expect to capture it either today or tomorrow," Abdinasir Serar, a commander with the pro-government Ras Kamboni militia told The Associated Press by phone from Qoqani.
Kenya moved two battalions of about 800 troops each across the border in two locations, a Nairobi-based official said. Tanks, helicopters and artillery have also been deployed. The invasion is the most significant foreign deployment of the Kenyan military since independence from Britain in 1963.
Al-Shabab threatened on Monday to bring down Nairobi skyscrapers and referenced the July 2010 bomb attacks they masterminded in Kampala, Uganda, that killed 76 people. Al-Shabab said the attacks were retaliation for Uganda's troops contributions to the African Union peacekeeping force in Mogadishu.
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Associated Press reporter Tom Odula contributed from Nairobi, Kenya.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The contagion, which does not affect people but is a scourge of fish farms, was reported by researchers in British Columbia, stirring concern that it could spread there, as it has elsewhere.
BEIJING (Reuters) ? United States Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan discussed economic relations and the international outlook in a phone call on Tuesday Beijing time, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.
The brief report did not give any details of the discussions between Geithner and Wang, who plays a key role in steering Beijing's financial and economic policies.
The U.S. Treasury Department said on Friday it would delay until later this year a ruling on whether China is manipulating its yuan currency, which Democratic Party lawmakers have sought to target in a bill that would punish Beijing for foreign exchange controls.
Beijing has repeatedly decried the U.S. legislation, which would let Washington slap countervailing duties on goods from nations deemed to subsidize exports by undervaluing their currencies, including China's yuan, which many lawmakers say is held drastically low against the dollar.
There was no announcement about the phone conversation on the U.S. Treasury Department's website.
Geithner said last month that China is holding to a decades-old strategy to steal American intellectual property, in a pointed statement reflecting U.S. officials' growing impatience with Beijing.
(Reporting by Chris Buckley; Editing by Ken Wills)
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