Thursday

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Melting Ice! President Obama ready to visit Cuba soon

 
Senior administration official confirms the plans to CBS News; trip "definitely a shocker," one analyst says
President Obama will travel to Cuba in coming weeks, a senior administration official confirmed to CBS News Wednesday night.
The administration will announce the president's upcoming trip to Latin America, including Cuba, on Thursday, the official said.
No sitting U.S. president has visited Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.
More than a year after moving to normalize relations with Cuba, the White House has concluded conditions are now right for Mr. Obama to visit the island.
CBS News' Pamela Falk calls the planned visit "a shocker."
"By going to Cuba while he is still in office, Mr. Obama is showing Havana that he will continue to make enough progress that it will be difficult for the next president to change course from restoring ties with Cuba -- and he is proving to Congress that the president still has a lot of executive authority to change foreign policy," Falk said.
The announcement will come only two days after the U.S. and Cuba signed an agreement restoring commercial air traffic between their two countries for the first time in 50 years.

Source: (CBS NEWS, 2016)
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Monday

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Flight MH370 shot down by US Air Force, Mark Dugain

 


Mark Dugain believes the American military blasted the missing jetliner out of the sky amid fears it had been hijacked remotely and could be used in a 9/11-style terror attack

Missing Flight MH370 was 'hacked and then shot down over the Indian Ocean by the US Air Force,' it has been claimed.
The Malaysia Airlines plane was remotely hijacked by unknown persons before being blasted out of the sky by the American military, fearing a terrorist attack similar to 9/11, according to. 
The Frenchman, an author and the ex-head of the now-defunct Proteus Airlines, believes the Boeing 777 was downed by US Air Force assets from the British-controlled Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
Mr Dugain said he had travelled to the Maldives and spoken to locals who claimed to have seen a "huge plane" flying overhead at low altitude in the direction of Diego Garcia.
According to an article penned by Dugan in French weekly magazine Paris Match, one fisherman told him: “I saw a huge plane fly over us at low altitude.
“I saw red and blue stripes (the livery of Malaysia Airlines) on a white background."
Dugain said the man's account was supported by several other locals. He also wrote how he had met the mayor of Baarah Island, who showed him photos of a device seized by the Maldives military after it was found on a beach two weeks after the tragedy.
Dugain claimed the device was a fire extinguisher, citing two aviation experts and a local military officer, and pointed out that the extinguisher must have been empty to have floated.
This, Dugain claimed, was due to it being automatically triggered by a fire, even as all passengers and crew might have died from asphyxiation.
In a separate radio interview, Dugain claimed that a British intelligence officer had warned him of the “risks” in investigating MH370’s disappearance, suggesting instead that he “let time do its work”.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board.
The search for the vanished jet is focused on the Indian Ocean off the coast of Australia. Officials had hoped to conclude the mission by May 2015, however a technical problem affecting equipment on board one of the search ships may mean that is no longer achievable.
 Source: Mirror.co.uk

 U.S. military shot down MH370
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OPEC not responsible for falling oil price, Gulf Oil Ministers

 
Oil-rich Gulf states have vowed not to cut crude production, blaming speculators and producers outside the OPEC group for tumbling prices.
Saudi Arabia's Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said "the spread of misleading information and speculation" had contributed to the 40% price fall.

Speaking in Abu Dhabi, he also dismissed claims of a Saudi plot to push prices down for political goals.

Ministers from Kuwait and the UAE also said there were no plans to cut output.
Mr Naimi said that if producer countries outside OPEC wanted to restrict output, "they are welcome".

"We are not going to cut; certainly Saudi Arabia is not going to cut."
Kuwait's Oil Minister, Ali al-Omair, said OPEC did not need to cut production and would not consider an emergency meeting.

"I don't think we need to cut. We gave a chance to others [and] they were not willing to do so," he said during the conference in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

In November, OPEC decided to keep its target output of 30 million barrels per day unchanged, leaving the market to balance itself without the group taking action.

Oil Price Rise?
In the past, Saudi Arabia, the world's largest producer, has acted to rein in output to support prices.
The decision not to intervene this time prompted conspiracy theories, including that OPEC wanted to undermine the US shale boom and that there was a political plot to reduce oil revenues earned by Russia and Iran.

Mr Naimi denied that politics played a role in the kingdom's oil policy. He said he was not happy about the falling oil price, but added: "Current prices do not encourage investment in any form of energy, but they stimulate global economic growth, leading ultimately to an increase in global demand and a slowdown in the growth of supplies."

Meanwhile, OPEC's Secretary-General Abdullah al-Badri told Reuters news agency on Sunday he hoped to see a recovery in the price of oil by the end of next year.

"We hope the price would rebound by the end of the second half of 2015," he said. "We can't see the market now; we have to wait until the end of the second half of 2015 to see how the market [will] react to these low prices."


The world is expected to need less OPEC oil next year as the US shale gas boom accelerates.

Source: BBC.CO.UK 
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Sony Hack,North Korea warned of strikes against the White House

 
North Korea has threatened unspecified attacks on the US in an escalation of a war of words following the Sony Pictures cyber-attacks.
In a fiery statement, the North warned of strikes against the White House, Pentagon and "the whole US mainland".
North Korea denies US claims it is behind cyber-attacks linked to a film that features the fictional killing of its leader Kim Jong-un.
North Korea has a long history of issuing threats against the US.
The latest statement comes days after the US formally accused the North of orchestrating a massive cyber attack on Sony Pictures.
"The army and people of the DPRK [North Korea] are fully ready to stand in confrontation with the US in all war spaces including cyber warfare space," a long statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency said.
"Our toughest counteraction will be boldly taken against the White House, the Pentagon and the whole US mainland, the cesspool of terrorism, by far surpassing the 'symmetric counteraction' declared by Obama."
It accused President Obama of "recklessly making the rumour" that North Korea was behind the Sony attack.
It also said it "estimates highly the righteous action" taken by the hackers of Sony, although it is "not aware of where they are".
Sony details leaked
The hack resulted in unreleased films and the script for the next James Bond film being leaked online.
Details of corporate finances and private emails between producers and Hollywood figures were also released.
The eventual fallout from the attack saw Sony cancel the Christmas release of a comedy called The Interview, a film depicting the assassination of the North Korean leader.
That decision followed threats made by a group that hacked into Sony's servers and leaked sensitive information and emails.
The North has denied being behind the attacks, and offered to hold a joint inquiry with the US.
But the US turned down the offer, and President Barack Obama said it was considering putting North Korea back on its list of terrorism sponsors, a move that further angered Pyongyang.
North Korea had been on the US list of state sponsors of terrorism for two decades until the White House removed it in 2008, as part of now-stalled negotiations relating to Pyongyang's nuclear programme.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Mr Obama promised to respond "proportionately" to the cyber-attack.
"I'll wait to review what the findings are," he said, adding that he did not think the attack "was an act of war".
The US has reportedly also asked China to curb cyber-attacks by North Korea.
The Interview saga
The Interview features James Franco and Seth Rogen as two journalists granted an audience with Mr Kim. The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.
Sony says it made the decision to cancel its release after most US cinemas chose not to screen the film, following terrorism threats.
·         22 November: Sony computer systems hacked, exposing embarrassing emails and personal details about stars
·         7 December: North Korea denies accusations that it is behind the cyber-attack, but praises it as a "righteous deed"
·         16 December: "Guardians of Peace" hacker group threatens 9/11-type attack on cinemas showing film; New York premiere cancelled

·         17 December: Leading US cinema groups say they will not screen film; Sony cancels Christmas-day release
·         19 December: FBI concludes North Korea orchestrated hack; President Obama calls Sony cancellation "a mistake"
·         20 December: North Korea proposes joint inquiry with US into hacks, rejected by the US.

Source: BBC.CO.UK
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Thursday

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United, US Airways Raise Ticket Change Fee

 
Changing a ticket is getting more expensive in the U.S. Airways and United Airlines.Last week, United quietly increased the fee to change a ticket in advance at $ 200, $ 150. A spokesman for United Continental Holdings Inc., said the commission helps cover the cost of the airline when a traveler pays a reserved seat.

On Wednesday, U.S. Airways did the same. The U.S. website Airways Group Inc. also shows that the airline now charges up to $ 300 to change some international tickets. The airlines also make travelers pay the higher price if they change to a more expensive flight. 

The fees to change tickets and luggage have become an important source of revenue for the major U.S. carriers, though Southwest does not charge change a ticket.
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Bangladesh factory collapse kills 149 people

 
People and rescuers gather after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 24, 2013.
Workers trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building factory in Bangladesh cried for help Thursday, as rescuers struggled to reach survivors of a disaster that killed at least 149 people and revived questions about the often lethal conditions the clothing industry the country.


Army Brigade. Gen. Mohammed Alam Shikder Siddiqul said many people are still trapped in the building, which housed a number of garment factories employing hundreds of people when it collapsed Wednesday morning. A clearer picture of the rescue operation would be available in the afternoon, he said.

The disaster occurred less than five months after a factory fire killed 112 people and highlighted the insecurity faced by garment workers in Bangladesh, producing clothing for global brands worn around the world. The workers said they hesitated to enter the building on the morning of Wednesday, as it had developed cracks as big a day before that even caught the attention of the local news channels. Just hours later, collapsed.

For More Details

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57581106/bangladesh-factory-collapse-kills-149-people
 
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Exclusive Interview Ex-President George W. Bush, Laura Bush

 
Boston Bombs Likely Built From Fireworks"Whether it be that or the explosion at West, Texas, I mean it harkened back to days where you become the comforter in chief ... try to help heal souls that are hurting," Bush said.
Exclusive Interview President George W. Bush, Laura Bush

When George W. Bush saw the news about Boston, his mind immediately turned to organized terrorism--and to his own presidency.With his presidential library opening Thursday at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the former president spoke with ABC News' Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview, detailing how he reacted to the bombs in Boston and the days-long manhunt that followed. The attacks, he said, reminded him of a time when it was his job to comfort the nation.

Bush's tenure in the White House was defined, in part, by that role, which he took on after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon would launch the "Global War on Terror" his administration prosecuted for nearly eight years. They would also come to define how many Americans view terrorism.

Suspected Boston Bomber Receives All-Star Defense Team
When he first heard about the Boston attacks, Bush said, he worried about an organized, coordinated terrorist plot.

"I was deeply concerned that there might've been an organized plot," Bush said of the Boston attacks. "I don't know all the facts. I don't think we all know all the facts. But I was deeply concerned that this could've been, you know, another highly organized attack on the country. And it still may be--again, I don't know all the facts."

Bush's presidency was also defined by the hunt for al Qaeda terrorists, and he praised law enforcement authorities for their response to the Boston attacks. After two bombs exploded at the Boston marathon last week, police apprehended suspect Dzokhar Tsarnaev Friday night.

"I do know that it's really hard to protect the homeland. I mean, those who want to do harm only have to be right one time, and we have to be right 100 percent of the time," Bush said. "I was extraordinarily pleased with the response. The local authorities, state authorities, and federal authorities did a really good job of finding at least the two guys involved."
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Fed Says Redesigned $100 Bill Ready by October

 
By Martin Crutsinger AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON, April 24, 2013 (AP)
Redesigned $100 Bill Ready by October
The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it will begin circulating a redesigned $ 100 bill this fall, more than two years after its initial goal. 

The Federal Reserve has set a new deadline of October 8 The redesigned incorporates additional safety features, such as a blue ribbon safety 3-D and the Liberty Bell in an inkwell disappears. 

The features are designed to thwart counterfeiters. It was hoped that the renewed bill to enter circulation in February 2011. But in December 2010, the authorities announced an indefinite delay. 

They said they needed more time to fix production problems left unwanted creases in many of the notes. "We have made many changes in the process of addressing the issue of folding and we are back in full production," said Dawn Haley, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. 

Haley said that these changes include modifying the paper feeder in printing machines to accommodate variations in the paper associated with safety belt 3-D. The blue security ribbon is composed of thousands of tiny lenses.

The lenses magnify the objects underneath them to make them appear to be moving in the opposite direction to the way the bill is moving. Benjamin Franklin portrait will remain in the $ 100, the highest value denomination in general circulation.

It is also the most frequent target of counterfeiters. The $ 100 is the last note to undergo an extensive renovation aimed at thwarting counterfeiters copying machines, increasingly sophisticated. The redesign began in 2003 when the government adds touches of color on the $ 20 bill. 

That makeover was followed by redesigns of the $ 50, $ 10 and $ 5 bills. The $ 1 bill is not getting a makeover. An extensive public education effort is planned for businesses and consumers around the world to raise awareness of the new design and provide information on the use of new security features. Fed officials said the information about the new design $ 100 can be found in www.newmoney.gov.
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Drug sales could have financed Boston terror plot

 

Sources tell CBS News Tamerlan Tsarnaev made money selling marijuana; he was also receiving welfare benefits until last year.
Tsarnaev Dzhokhar Tamerlane, brothers and bombing suspects Boston Marathon last week, could have financed his land through the sale of drugs, the researchers believe.

According to sources, Tamerlane Tsarnaev, who was unemployed and later died in a shootout with police, made money selling marijuana, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr. 

Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee of the House, said it was a remote control for a toy car that triggered the bombs in the Boston Marathon explosions that killed three people and wounded more than 260, CBS News learned. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) made the announcement early Wednesday afternoon.


For More Details

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57581299/drugs-sales-may-have-financed-boston-terror-plot
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Monday

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Economy slowdown, BMW expects lower sales growth in Chin

 
BMW said it expects slower sales growth in China this year, as the premium car makers deal with a slowdown in economic growth and intensifying competition in one of its most lucrative markets.

The German automaker said in the Shanghai auto show this weekend that he expects China sales growth above single digits. In 2012, BMW reported sales in China rose 40% to about 326,000 vehicles. Speaking at the Motor Show, Ian Robertson, board member responsible for sales and marketing, gave a more cautious note, saying he had not anticipated growth rates as high as those seen in the past. "The market is maturing a bit," he said. "We are waiting for normalization of growth figures in the coming years."

BMW had been one of the fastest growing and biggest luxury automakers in China. In the first three months of the year, the company sold 80,570 vehicles, up 7.4% from the same period last year.

Reviews of Mr. Robertson, who disagree with the sales projections of growth in more-robust analysts to China's premium segment, suggest luxury car market in the country could further delay of schedule as well as a number busy car manufacturers competing for a larger part of their growth. IHS Global Insight forecasts growth of 17% for the segment. A recent report by McKinsey & Co. expected to grow 12% annually through 2020, exceeding growth forecast of 8% in the overall car market.

Car sales in China rose 7.1% in 2012-15500000 vehicles, according to semi-official China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The premium car market accounts for 9% of all passenger car sales, according to McKinsey, compared with 4% in Japan and 6% in South Korea.

Others say BMW conservative tactic reflects recent changes in the business environment of China, including a continued slowdown in economic growth and a greater emphasis on austerity newly appointed President Xi Jinping.

China's gross domestic product grew 7.7% in the first quarter on a year to year basis, down from 7.9% the previous quarter. Analysts polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast growth of 8%.

"This should be an important warning sign of the premium and luxury goods manufacturers, and that could affect consumer confidence" in 2013, said Andreas Graef, director of the management consultancy AT Kearney Shanghai Office.

A unit fighting corruption led by President Xi means that conspicuous consumption of luxury goods is frowned increasingly in China and encourages government officials to ride the Chinese brand cars.

However, the premium automakers say they still do not feel the effects of the austerity policy.

"We are very aware of this, but we see a big impact," said Hubertus Troska, (DAI.XE, DDAIY) member of the board of Daimler AG and head of China said Saturday. Daimler owns the Mercedes-Benz brand.

Dietmar Voggenreiter, President of Audi China, downplayed the recent actions of the Chinese government to encourage officials traveling on domestic brand vehicles. (VOW.XE, VLKAY) Audi of Volkswagen AG, the largest maker of luxury cars in China, had been a popular choice among the ruling classes of China. "We're targeting customers more government," he said, adding that 90% of buyers of its cars in China were private.

Analysts say BMW-specific factors are also behind modest growth projections of the company.

Mercedes-Benz has a strong model of plan-launch in 2013 and has worked local distribution issues ", and that will give a boost in the market for more than BMW," said Graef AT From Mr. Kearney. BMW also be the aim of keeping prices to focus on margins rather than market share, he said, adding, "this could affect the growth of BMW sales."

A BMW spokesman said part of the reason for the lower growth rate was due to the base effect. "Thanks to our huge base, the growth rate of 10% is not bad," he said.

Currently three German brands - Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz Daimler - dominate the segment.

China Audi said sales of the company increased by 14% in the first quarter to 102,800. "We are growing faster than the premium market," he said, predicting "another successful year" for the company this year in China.

IHS Automotive analyst Namrita Chow said Audi is "going all out" to capture market share by introducing new models and the expansion of local production.

Mr Voggenreiter said Audi produced 350,000 vehicles in China and plans to double that in the future, but did not give a specific time frame.

Ms. Chow said automakers were fighting "tooth and nail" to get a piece of the premium market. General Motors Co. GM 0.59% on Friday announced a renewed push in China to boost sales of its luxury brand Cadillac.

Sales of Mercedes-Benz in China in the first quarter fell 11.5% from a year earlier, the company said recently, although sales in March rose 5.4%.

"Certainly we've seen most dynamic times in China, but still see decent growth," said Mr. Daimler Troska. He said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the market outlook, saying it expects to sell more than 300,000 vehicles in China in 2015. Mercedes-Benz will add 75 new dealerships by the end of 2013 to the current 262, said.

"The premium segment [in China] has great potential. A prosperous middle class will help," said Mr. Troska.
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G20 Summit,World leaders gather reduce extreme poverty in the world

 
World leaders gather in G20 Summit for developing countries culminating a week of events, the world's financial leaders are holding a conference on Sunday and Monday to discuss growth in developing countries.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank joint conference held at IMF headquarters in Washington centers on taxes, infrastructure, income inequality and natural resources, among others.

 "In an environment of low growth in advanced economies, developing countries have a strong incentive to seek new domestic engines for efficiency and productivity as well as greater equity in development", according to a statement from the meeting.

The conference of developing countries is part of the spring meetings of the World Bank and the IMF. Events began on Monday, and sessions to date have focused on the global economic outlook and global financial stability, among other topics.

World Bank officials said their goal is to reduce extreme poverty in the world, people who live on less than $ 1.25 a day, and 3% of the population in 2030.

Protesters gather outside of the spring meetings of the World Bank / IMF in Washington, DC
"Achieving this goal will require strong growth in the developing world, and the translation of growth on poverty reduction in an unprecedented move in many low-income countries.

Overcoming also require institutional challenges and government, and investment in infrastructure and agricultural productivity, "according to an official statement released Saturday.
On Friday, the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bank governors said economic policymakers around the world must do more to support the claim.

"Global growth has remained very weak and unemployment is still very high in many countries," according to a statement from the G-20 officials. "The recovery is uneven and is progressing at different speeds with emerging markets experiencing relatively strong growth, the U.S. shows a gradual strengthening of private demand and the recovery of the euro area as a whole is still materialize" .
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Japan stocks soar, Shanghai slips

 
Japanese stocks rose Monday, major Asian markets by a wide margin, with the yen falling as investors interpreted a statement by the Group of 20 leading economies Friday to offer the support of the international community in Tokyo monetary stimulus.

Japan's Nikkei (TYO: JP: NIK) rose 1.9%, getting a shot in the arm while the dollar climbed back to just below 100 yen level psychologically important.

The G20 leaders on Friday refrained from criticizing Japan for policies that weaken the yen and provided a boost to its exporters competitive.

He said monetary policy actions in Japan were intended to end deflation, while adding that the government should "define a credible fiscal plan in the medium term."

"There was a lot of attention in currencies in the G-20, but the end result left the door open to further [yen] weakness .... Apart from a probable violation of ¥ 100 is not likely to be much further through the G-20 this week, "said Credit Agricole chief global market research in Asia, Mitul Kotecha.

Elsewhere in the region, from Australia S & P / ASX 200 (ASX: AU: XJO) gained 0.3%, Taiwan's TAIEX (TPE: XX: Y9999) by 0.6% and Korea's Kospi South (KRX: KR: SEU) rose 0.1%.

Among the markets in China, the Hang Seng Index (HSI: HK: HSI) rose 0.1% higher in Hong Kong, while the Shanghai Composite (SHA: CN: 000001) lost 0.3% to return part reported earnings last week despite strong losses for global commodity prices and some concerns about the trajectory of China's economic growth.

The downward movement in Shanghai came as insurers fell after an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude in Sichuan province that killed at least 186 people and injuring thousands, while some construction-related shares advanced hopes for reconstruction activities in the affected region.

In Shanghai, the China Life Insurance Co. (NYSE: LFC) (HKG: HK: 2628) (SHA: CN: 601628) fell 2.7% and Ping An Insurance Group Co. (SHA: CN: 601318) (OTN: PNGAY) lost 1.4%.

Those losses helped offset a 0.9% increase in the shares of Anhui Conch Cement Co. (SHA: CN: 600585) and an increase of 0.2% in Baoshan Iron & Steel Co. (SHA: CN: 600019)
In Hong Kong, China Life (HKG: HK: 2628) (SHA: CN: 601628) lost 1.9% and Ping An (HKG: HK: 2318) fell 1.6%, while Anhui Conch (HKG: HK : 914) Advanced 1% and Angang Steel Co. (HKG: HK: 347) (OTN: Anggy) rose 2.5%.

Some economists said that despite the magnitude of the latest tragedy, the economic impact is likely to be lower than the May 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan, causing more devastation.
 
"As the impact of earthquake Lushan [Saturday] is limited to only a few counties in remote mountainous areas with small populations (total about 300,000), it is expected that the need for reconstruction is relatively small," said Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Ting Lu.
 
Assuming that the budget for earthquake reconstruction finally amounts to about 10 billion yuan ($ 1,520 million), will be equal to 0.4% of gross domestic product in the province of Sichuan, and 0.02% of GDP China in 2012, Lu said.
 
In Tokyo, meanwhile, exporters gathered to lead the way, with the dollar (ICAPC: USDJPY) buys 99.80 yen in Tokyo morning trade on average, compared with 99.52 yen in North America on Friday. The dollar has not exceeded the level of 100 yen since April 2009, according to FactSet Research.
 
Shares of Canon Inc. (TYO: JP: 7751) (NYSE: CAJ) added 2.4%, Nissan Motor Co. (TYO: JP: 7201) (OTN: NSANY) gained 3.6%, and Fujitsu Ltd. (TYO: JP: 6702) (OTN: FJTSY) rose 4.4%.
 
Finance also met with the support of the G-20 to fight in Japan to end deflation, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (TYO: JP: 8306) (NYSE: MTU) rising to 2.5% , and Shinsei Bank Ltd. (TYO: JP: 8303) (OTN: SKLKF) climbing 3.1%.
 
Shares of Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co. (TYO: JP: 7003) soared 13.6% in heavy trading volume after reports in the Japanese media that the company is in preliminary talks for possible integration with Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.
 
Kawasaki Heavy shares (TYO: JP: 7012) (OTN: KWHIF) gained 1.8%.
Astellas Pharma Inc. (TYO: JP: 4503) (OTN: ALPMY) rose 1.4% after the Nikkei newspaper reported the company probably reserved a 14% increase in operating profit of the group for the year ended 31 March, exceeding projections.
 
Back in Australia, some commodity stocks advanced after gold prices rallied to raise more than $ 1,400 an ounce. Shares of Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: AU: PRU) (OTN: PMNXF) increased 2.6%, while Newcrest Mining Ltd. (ASX: AU: NCM) (OTN: NCMGY) rose 0.2%.
 
Also in Sydney, shares of Oz Minerals Ltd. (ASX: AU: OZL) (OTN: OZMLF) skidded 7.9% after cutting its forecast for copper production.
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Antares Rocket Climbs into Space on Maiden Flight

 

Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Antares rocket lifts off from the NASA facility on Wallops Island, Va., Sunday, April 21, 2013. The rocket will eventually deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

A new rocket built as a commercial venture by Orbital Sciences Corp. blasted off from the Virginia coast and streaked into space Sunday, chalking up a picture-perfect maiden flight that sets the stage for space station cargo delivery missions starting later this year.

"It's certainly was an amazing achievement for Orbital today, a great day for NASA, and another historic day for commercial spaceflight in America," said Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of the space agency's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program.

"The flight today was just beautiful, and it looks like all the objectives that we established for the flight today were 100 percent met."
After a smooth countdown, the 133-foot-tall Antares rocket roared to life with a rush of flaming exhaust at 5 p.m. EDT (GMT-4). Two seconds later, after final engine health checks, the booster climbed away from launch pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport adjacent to NASA's Wallops Island Flight Center.
Running four days late because of a technical glitch last Wednesday and bad weather Friday and Saturday, the Antares booster put on a dramatic afternoon show as its two main engines, gulping a ton of liquid oxygen and kerosene fuel per second, pushed the 600,000-pound rocket skyward with 750,000 pounds of fiery thrust.
Carrying an 8,300-pound instrumented mockup of the Cygnus cargo carrier Orbital plans to use for space station resupply missions, the Antares climbed straight up from its seaside launch pad and then arced away to the southeast, visible from eastern North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware, New York and beyond, clouds permitting.

For More Details

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57580649/antares-rocket-climbs-into-space-on-maiden-flight

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Boston Bombing Suspect Awake, Answering Questions

 

The surviving Boston bombing suspect is conscious and responding in writing to authorities, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports. Officials did not reveal further details on what they are asking or what his responses are.


Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was in serious condition Sunday, two days after being pulled bloody and wounded from a tarp-covered boat in a Watertown backyard. The capture came at the end of a tense Friday that began with his 26-year-old brother, Tamerlan, dying in a gun battle with police. Dzhokhar remains hospitalized under heavy guard.

Officials say Tsarnaev is recuperating from a bullet wound in the leg and in the neck, rendering him unable to speak. They could not comment on whether or not the second wound was self-inflicted.
Federal prosecutors are working on bringing charges but there was no immediate word on when Tsarnaev might be charged and what those charges would be. The twin bombings killed three people and wounded more than 180.


The most serious charge available to federal prosecutors would be the use of a weapon of mass destruction to kill people, which carries a possible death sentence. Massachusetts does not have the death penalty.

Investigators believe that two brothers suspected in the Boston Marathon bombing were likely planning other attacks based on the cache of weapons uncovered, the city's police commissioner, Ed Davis, told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. He said authorities found an arsenal of homemade explosives after Friday's gun battle between police and the two suspects.

For More Details

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57580655/boston-bombing-suspect-awake-answering-questions

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Friday

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Angry mob undresses woman and rip her clothing after she dressed provocatively

 
A group of men attacked a woman who was dressed in a mini skirt.The men attacked the woman claiming that she was dressed inappropriately. The woman was spotted walking on the street in Kitengela, a town in Kenya.

The angry mob claimed the dress was too short. They argued with the woman to change into something more appropriate. When the woman ignored their request the men attacked her and undressed her.

The men then ripped her clothing apart so she could not put them back on, claiming that “it was better for her to go naked because her intentions were clear,” according to press reports in Kenya.

According to a witness, the crowd gathered around the woman and forcibly undressed her. Her clothes were torn and thrown away ensuring that she had nothing to cover her body as a punishment for dressing provocatively.

“Most women in the town of Kitengela, dress modestly, and everyone is expected to adhere to their standards,” Aminah Wangai, 62, from Kenya told YourJewishNews.com.

Many people gathered to watch as the drama unfolded.

The woman was left on the floor with nothing to cover her body.
A Good Samaritan who witnessed the incident offered the woman a long dress so she could go home.

The victim's mothers was warned not to let her daughter leave the house without her approval, according to press reports in Kenya.
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FBI Releases Images of Suspects in Boston Marathon Bombing

 

The FBI today released images of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing the bureau still considers to be "armed and extremely dangerous."

At a press conference, FBI special agent in charge Richard DesLauriers referred to the two men as Suspect 1 and Suspect 2 and said Suspect 2 was spotted dropping a bag before a bomb exploded at the second bomb site. The two men appear to be "associated," DesLauriers said.

DesLauriers asked the public for their help identifying the suspects, but asked the public not to approach them. Though the men are considered armed and dangerous, the FBI said they still do not believe there is an imminent danger in the area.

A source close to the investigation told ABC News authorities have "good confidence" that these men perpetrated the crime. The degree of confidence, the source said, comes from a "revealing" reaction Suspect 2 had to the detonation of the first bomb, which was captured on surveillance video.
Before that, the two are seen in surveillance video walking together before Suspect 2 stops at what would become the second blast site while Suspect 1 continues in the direction of the first blast site, the source said.
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