Smoke at South Anchorage Church Draws AFD Response

Smoke was reported at a South Anchorage church Saturday night less than an hour after an East Anchorage trailer fire, drawing a response from several AFD units that determined the source of the smoke was a maintenance issue.

Fire crews received a structure-fire call to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 13111 Brayton Dr. shortly after 6:30 p.m., with initial units reporting smoke from the roof.

AFD dispatchers say the smoke was apparently caused by a machinery belt that had slipped and begun to emit smoke, with all units clearing the scene by about 7:30 p.m.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45838410/ns/local_news-anchorage_ak/

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MSN Direct goes dark, SPOT watches to suffer no more

When the noble SPOT watch was discontinued back in 2008, Microsoft promised the FM service that kept them informed would soldier on. A year later that service too had its days numbered, and now, today, the counter clicks over to zero. MSN Direct, which also pushed content to navigation devices and digital baristas, is dead for good, meaning those devices will never again receive wireless updates. They will, however, still be eligible for customer support -- but only through the end of the month. Better set yourself a reminder on something a bit more modern.

[Thanks, zbwrsncf]

MSN Direct goes dark, SPOT watches to suffer no more originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/141x5Idwocg/

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Obama signs defense bill despite 'reservations'

HONOLULU (AP) ? President Barack Obama signed a wide-ranging defense bill into law Saturday despite having "serious reservations" about provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation and prosecution of suspected terrorists.

The bill also applies penalties against Iran's central bank in an effort to hamper Tehran's ability to fund its nuclear enrichment program. The Obama administration is looking to soften the impact of those penalties because of concerns that they could lead to a spike in global oil prices or cause economic hardship on U.S. allies that import petroleum from Iran.

In a statement accompanying his signature, the president chastised some lawmakers for what he contended was their attempts to use the bill to restrict the ability of counterterrorism officials to protect the country.

Administration officials said Obama was only signing the measure because Congress made minimally acceptable changes that no longer challenged the president's terrorism-fighting ability.

"Moving forward, my administration will interpret and implement the provisions described below in a manner that best preserves the flexibility on which our safety depends and upholds the values on which this country was founded," Obama said in the signing statement.

Signing statements allow presidents to raise constitutional objections to circumvent Congress' intent. During his campaign for the White House, Obama criticized President George W. Bush's use of signing statements and promised to make his application of the tool more transparent.

Obama's signature caps months of wrangling over how to handle captured terrorist suspects without violating Americans' constitutional rights. The White House initially threatened to veto the legislation but dropped the warning after Congress made last-minute changes.

Among the changes the administration secured was striking a provision that would have eliminated executive branch authority to use civilian courts for trying terrorism cases against foreign nationals.

The new law now requires military custody for any suspect who is a member of al-Qaida or "associated forces" and involved in planning or attempting to carry out an attack on the United States or its coalition partners. The president or a designated subordinate may waive the military custody requirement by certifying to Congress that such a move is in the interest of national security.

The administration also pushed Congress to change a provision that would have denied U.S. citizens suspected of terrorism the right to trial and could have subjected them to indefinite detention. Lawmakers eventually dropped the military custody requirement for U.S. citizens or lawful U.S. residents.

"My administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens," Obama said in the signing statement. "Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation."

Despite the changes, officials cited serious concerns that the law will complicate and could harm the investigation of terrorism cases.

For example, FBI Director Robert Mueller has said the measure would inhibit his bureau's ability to persuade suspected terrorists to cooperate immediately and provide critical intelligence. He told Congress it wasn't clear how agents should operate if they arrest someone covered by the military custody requirement but the nearest military facility is hundreds of miles (kilometers) away.

Other officials have said agents and prosecutors should not have to spend their time worrying about citizenship status and whether to get a waiver while trying to thwart a terror attack.

The administration also raised concerns about an amendment in the bill that goes after foreign financial institutions that do business with Iran's central bank, barring them from opening or maintaining correspondent operations in the United States. It would apply to foreign central banks only for transactions that involve the sale or purchase of petroleum or petroleum products.

Officials worry that the penalties could lead to higher oil prices, damaging the U.S. economic recovery and hurting allies in Europe and Asia that purchase petroleum from Iran.

The penalties do not go into effect for six months. The president can waive them for national security reasons or if the country with jurisdiction over the foreign financial institution has significantly reduced its purchases of Iranian oil.

The State Department has said the U.S. was looking at how to put them in place in a way that maximized the pressure on Iran, but meant minimal disruption to the U.S. and its allies.

This week, in response to the threatened penalties, Iran warned that it may disrupt traffic in the Strait of Hormuz ? a vital Persian Gulf waterway. But on Saturday, Tehran seemed to back off that threat when a commander of its Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, said such discussion is a thing of the past and "belongs to five years ago." He said Iran had other, unspecified strategies for reacting to any Western aggression.

Iran also said Saturday that it had proposed a new round of talks on its nuclear program with the U.S. and other world powers. The invitation would come after the U.N. has imposed four rounds of sanctions. Separately, the U.S. and the European Union have imposed their own tough economic and financial penalties.

The $662 billion bill authorizes money for military personnel, weapons systems, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and national security programs in the Energy Department for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The measure also freezes some $700 million in assistance until Pakistan comes up with a strategy to deal with improvised explosive devices.

Obama signed the bill in Hawaii, where he is vacationing with his family.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-31-Obama-Defense%20Bill/id-27caffc607a74b13ad52f8ec4fc4be3f

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Iran proposes new nuclear talks with world powers (AP)

TEHRAN, Iran ? Iran said Saturday it has proposed a new round of talks on its nuclear program with six world powers that have been trying for years to persuade Tehran to freeze aspects of its atomic work that could provide a possible pathway to weapons production.

The country's top nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said he has formally called on the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany to return to negotiations.

The invitation comes after new sanctions recently imposed by the West over Tehran's enrichment of uranium, a process that produces fuel for reactors but which can also be used in making nuclear weapons. Iran insists it only has peaceful intentions, while the U.S. and many of its European allies suspect Iran of aiming to use a civilian nuclear energy program as a cover for developing a weapons capability.

The last round of negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany was held in January in Istanbul, Turkey, but it ended in failure.

"We formally declared to them (the intent) to return to the path of dialogue for cooperation," Jalili told Iranian diplomats in Tehran, according to the official IRNA news agency. Jalili did not say when or through what channel he issued the invitation.

Iran's ambassador to Germany, Ali Reza Sheikh Attar, said earlier Saturday that Jalili was to send a letter soon to EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to arrange a new round of talks.

A spokesman for Ashton said she had not yet received any new communication from Iran.

"As she has made clear in her statements on behalf of the (six nations), we continue to pursue our twin-track approach and are open for meaningful discussions on confidence-building measures, without preconditions from the Iranian side," said the spokesman, Michael Mann.

The Iranian announcement was the latest signal from Tehran that the country is feeling the impact of international sanctions.

The U.N. has imposed four rounds of sanctions. Separately, the U.S. and the European Union have imposed their own tough economic and financial penalties.

Washington's measures target exports of gasoline and other refined petroleum products to Iran and have banned U.S. banks from doing business with foreign banks that provide services to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Last month, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad acknowledged that the current penalties were impeding Iran's financial institutions, saying, "our banks cannot make international transactions anymore."

And earlier in December, Iran reinstated an offer for U.N. nuclear agency officials to visit Tehran, though it did not say whether the International Atomic Energy Agency would be able to focus on suspicions that Iran is secretly working on nuclear arms ? a key condition set by the agency.

The U.S. and Israel have not ruled out a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities if Tehran doesn't stop its nuclear program.

But Jalili warned Tehran would make any aggressor regret a decision to attack Iran.

"We will give a response that will make the aggressor regret any threat against the Islamic Republic of Iran," Jalili said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111231/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_nuclear

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Utah comes back, beats GaTech 30-27 in OT Sun Bowl

Utah's John White celebrates his game-winning touchdown in overtime against Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in El Paso, Texas. Utah won 30-27 in overtime. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Trent Nelson) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT

Utah's John White celebrates his game-winning touchdown in overtime against Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in El Paso, Texas. Utah won 30-27 in overtime. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Trent Nelson) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT

Utah's John White celebrates his game-winning touchdown in overtime against Georgia Tech in the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in El Paso, Texas. Utah won 30-27 in overtime. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Trent Nelson) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT

Utah's John White, top, leaps over Georgia Tech's Izaan Cross during the third quarter in the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in El Paso, Texas. Utah won 30-27 in overtime. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Trent Nelson) DESERET NEWS OUT; LOCAL TV OUT

Utah tight end Kendrick Moeai (81) dives for a pass in the end zone in front of Georgia Tech defensive back Rod Sweeting during the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/El Paso Times, Mark Lambie) EL DIARIO OUT; JUAREZ MEXICO OUT; IF USE ON LAM OR LAT AND EL DIARIO DE EL PASO OUT

Georgia Tech kicker David Scully misses a field goal against Utah, sending the game into overtime, during the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in El Paso, Texas. Utah won 30-27 in overtime. (AP Photo/El Paso Times, Mark Lambie) EL DIARIO OUT; JUAREZ MEXICO OUT; IF USE ON LAM OR LAT AND EL DIARIO DE EL PASO OUT

EL PASO, Texas (AP) ? John White took his final hand-off of the day, followed his lead blocker and set of a celebration.

White plowed into the end zone from 8 yards out to give Utah a 30-27 overtime victory against Georgia Tech on Saturday in the Sun Bowl.

"They trusted me with the ball, so I saw Shawn Asiata blast somebody and I knew I was going to go in," White said. "As soon as the ball crossed the plain I looked up to the ref and saw his hands go up and knew it was a touchdown so I just wanted to go celebrate with my teammates."

Justin Moore kicked a 34-yard field goal in Georgia Tech's overtime possession to take a three-point lead, but White finished a 115-yard rushing day with the game-winning score on his 26th carry.

The Utes (8-5) tied it in regulation when Jon Hays hit DeVonte Christopher with a 28-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-14 with 1:32 left in the fourth quarter.

"There's no quit in these guys," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. "They kept believing, coaches kept believing, and we found a way to win in the end."

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson was disappointed with his team's play in the fourth quarter.

"We couldn't block in the fourth quarter and the plays we needed to make just didn't happen," Johnson said. "It feels like somebody kicked you in the gut. When you are competitive, it really hurts"

The Yellow Jackets (8-5) drove to the Utah 31 with 2 seconds left, but David Scully missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt as time expired to send the Sun Bowl to overtime for the first time in its 77-year history. Moore had earlier missed two 42-yard tries for Tech.

"I thought (Scully) hit the ball good and I actually thought it went in but I guess it was a few feet to the right," Johnson said. "We didn't make enough plays and we missed three field goals."

Georgia Tech lost its seventh straight bowl appearance and Utah improved to 7-1 in bowls under Whittingham.

Georgia Tech's Preston Lyons, who came in with only 39 carries, rushed for a career-best 140 yards on 18 carries and Tevin Washington passed for 137 yards and ran for 97.

Utah grabbed a 7-0 lead on Asiata capped the game-opening drive with a 1-yard run.

With David Sims out of with an injury and Orwin Smith also ailing, Georgia Tech relied heavily on Lyons, who put the Yellow Jackets on the board with a 36-yard run up the middle tie the game at 7.

Lyons finished the first half with 129 yards on 12 carries.

"Defensively we were real soft against the running game in the first half," Whittingham said. "They had a nice scheme and showed us stuff we didn't practice. It took us a while to adjust to that and we gave a bunch of rushing yards in the first half however only seven points, which is the bottom line."

Coleman Peterson banked in a 25-yard field goal with 14 seconds left in the first half to give the Utes a 10-7 lead.

A 27-yard punt by Utah set up Moore's 32-yard field goal to tie it in the third quarter.

The Yellow Jackets scored again on their next possession. Washington hit Embry Peeples with a 58-yard pass, then found Stephen Hill for a 31-yard touchdown to make it 17-10.

Moments later, Quayshawn Nealy picked off a pass by Hays and returned it down the sideline 74 yards for a touchdown with 4:14 left in the third quarter.

"We should have put the game away in the fourth quarter," Johnson said. "We didn't let up. We ran most of the same plays in the fourth quarter that we ran in the rest of the game."

Hays hit Kendrick Moeai with a 3-yard touchdown pass with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter to make it 24-17.

Hays went 15 for 31 for 193 yards.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-12-31-Sun%20Bowl/id-c6ec305537f6400ca18194044a71316b

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Oil & Gas - Colombia, Venezuela - Neighbors extend gas supply agreement

The governments of Colombia and Venezuela have signed an extension to an existing natural gas agreement. The new agreement means Colombia's state oil...

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Source: http://www.bnamericas.com/news/oilandgas/neighbors-extend-gas-supply-agreement

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Iranian Troops Track, Record Video of US Aircraft Carrier

Fars News Agency
December 29, 2011

TEHRAN (FNA)- An Iranian vessel and a surveillance plane tracked, photographed and recorded video of a US aircraft carrier during Iran?s ongoing navy drill near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

It is not clear what information the Iranian military could gleam from the footage, but it displays Iran?s naval power in water.

Iran?s Navy Commander Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the action shows that Iran has ?control over the moves by foreign forces? in the area where Tehran is holding a 10-day military exercises.

?An Iranian vessel and surveillance plane have tracked, filmed and photographed a US aircraft carrier as it was entering the Sea of Oman from the Persian Gulf,? Sayyari said.

He added that the ?foreign fleet will be warned by Iranian forces if it enters the area of the drill.?

The Iranian TV showed what appeared to be the reported video.

The Iranian exercise is taking place in international waters near the Strait of Hormuz ? the passageway for 40% of the world?s oil supply.

Beyond it lie vast bodies of water, including the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The US Navy?s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet is also active in the area, as are warships of several other countries that patrol for pirates there.

Lt. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. 5th Fleet, said the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay headed out from the Persian Gulf and through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, after a visit to Dubai?s Jebel Ali port.

Thursday?s report follows US warnings over Iranian threats to choke off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz if Washington imposes sanctions targeting Iran?s crude exports.

In response, Lieutenant Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Hossein Salami rejected the warning.

?The US is not in a position? to affect Iran?s decisions, Salami told FNA on Thursday. ?Iran does not ask permission to implement its own defensive strategies.?

Also, Iranian warships shooed away the military chopper of a western country which was approaching the Iranian Navy?s wargame zone on Sunday.

?Yesterday, a chopper which belonged to the trans-regional countries tried to approach the region of Velayat 90 exercises, but it left the area when it received a serious warning after it ignored two other warning signals of our units,? Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy Admiral Seyed Mahmoud Moussavi said on Monday.

Admiral Moussavi declined to mention any further details about the development, but the United States, Britain and France are the only trans-regional powers who have deployed troops in the region.

Iran?s naval forces started massive wargames in international waters in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean on Saturday.

The naval maneuvers dubbed Velayat 90 are due to cover an area stretching from the East of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden for 10 days.

Moussavi reminded that according to the international rules, the military units of the trans-regional states are not allowed to enter the exercise zone.

During the wargames, the Iranian naval forces will display their latest equipment, achievement and tactics.

In May 2010, Iran?s air-defense units shooed away a US military reconnaissance plane which was seeking to approach the Iranian Army?s wargame zone in the Strait of Hormuz and Northern Indian Ocean.

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Source: http://theintelhub.com/2011/12/30/iranian-troops-track-record-video-of-us-aircraft-carrier/

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