Thursday, November 7, 2013

Kerry sees some clarity from Mideast peace talks


AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday he was "pleased" with his discussions among Israeli and Palestinian leaders this week as he scrambled to salvage faltering peace talks in a furious round of shuttle diplomacy.

"We've created some clarity on some of the points," Kerry told Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Wednesday. "I was pleased."

Kerry's comments after he announced he would be returning to Israel on Friday for a third meeting with Netanyahu in two days. Speaking in a joint interview with Israeli and Palestinian TV networks, which will air later Thursday, Kerry said he would meet with Netanyhu in Jerusalem. He had not originally been scheduled to return to Israel.

Kerry will now see Abbas again Thursday night in Amman and then return to Jerusalem on Friday for a third meeting with Netanyahu in two days before continuing with his swing through the Middle East and North Africa in the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Morocco.

Kerry brokered the re-start of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which began three months ago. But little progress has been made in the talks, which are supposed to produce an agreement by the end of April 2014.

Kerry has been hit with complaints from both sides during his trip while working to maintain an optimistic tone. On Wednesday he noted that in any negotiation "there will be moments of up and moments of down."

Tensions have been running high after Palestinians said a secret negotiating session on Tuesday broke down in a dispute over Israeli settlement construction.

U.S.-brokered talks for Israeli-Palestinian peace began at Kerry's behest three months ago. Both sides have remained largely quiet on the negotiations but there has been little, if any, progress evident.

The stalemate has prompted speculation that the U.S. may need to increase its involvement in the talks and present its own outline for peace — or lower expectations and pursue a more limited, interim agreement.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-sees-clarity-mideast-peace-talks-104106801--politics.html
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Third Navy officer arrested in bribery scheme

(AP) — Federal authorities arrested a third senior U.S. Navy official Wednesday in connection with a massive bribery scheme in Asia involving prostitutes and luxury travel.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jose Luis Sanchez was arrested in Tampa, Fla. His lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment.

In a criminal complaint, Sanchez is accused of accepting prostitutes, $100,000 cash and other bribes from Leonard Glenn Francis, the CEO of Singapore-based Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd., or GDMA.

Prosecutors say in exchange, Sanchez passed on classified U.S. Navy information to the Malaysian contractor, whose company has serviced Navy ships in the Pacific for 25 years and is accused of overbilling the Pentagon by millions.

Wednesday's arrest marks the latest development in the case rocking the Navy. The accusations signal serious national security breaches and corruption and has set off high-level meetings at the Pentagon with the threat that more people, including those of higher ranks, could be swept up as the investigation continues. A hearing Nov. 8 could set a trial date.

"According to the allegations in this case, a number of officials were willing to sacrifice their integrity and millions of taxpayer dollars for personal gratification," U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said after Wednesday's arrest.

The two other senior officials arrested in recent weeks in the case are Navy Cmdr. Michael Vannak Khem Misiewicz — who like Sanchez, is accused of giving Francis' company confidential information about Navy ship routes — and a senior Navy investigator, John Beliveau II.

Prosecutors allege in a criminal complaint that Beliveau, 44, kept Francis abreast of the bribery probe and advised him on how to respond in exchange for such things as prostitution services.

Federal authorities said Wednesday they will seek to have Sanchez, 41, sent to San Diego to face the charges.

GDMA overcharged the Navy millions of dollars for fuel, food and other services it provided, and invented tariffs by using phony port authorities, prosecutors say.

Misiewicz and Francis moved Navy vessels like chess pieces, diverting aircraft carriers, destroyers and other ships to Asian ports with lax oversight where Francis could inflate costs, the criminal complaint alleges.

Francis, 49, was arrested in San Diego in September. A few weeks later, authorities arrested his company's general manager of global government contracts, Alex Wisidagama, 40.

Misiewicz, Beliveau, Francis and Wisidagama have pleaded not guilty. Their defense attorneys declined to comment.

Court records allege that Sanchez regularly emailed Francis internal Navy discussions about GDMA, including legal opinions, and made recommendations in GDMA's favor about port visits and Navy personnel assignments.

The conspiracy began in January 2009, when Sanchez was the deputy logistics officer for the commander of the Navy's 7th Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan, according to charging documents.

Francis, who is known in Navy circles as "Fat Leonard," hired prostitutes for Sanchez and friends on multiple occasions, according to the investigation.

In one 2009 email exchange, Sanchez and Francis discussed a trip Sanchez planned to take to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore with Navy friends he called his "Wolf Pack," according to the complaint. They discussed the number of rooms the "Wolf Pack" needed, and Sanchez asked Francis for pictures of prostitutes for "motivation." Francis replied that he would take care of it.

A few days later, Sanchez sent a Facebook message to Francis saying, "Yummy ... daddy like," according to charging documents.

Shortly after that, Francis sent an email asking Sanchez to help "swing" business his way regarding a U.S. Navy ship's need to refuel in Thailand.

As a result, the USS Mustin paid more than $1 million for fuel from GDMA at the Thai port — more than twice what the fuel should have cost, prosecutors allege.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman said the GDMA executives "boasted" about their unlawful dealings.

"Day by day, this massive Navy fraud and bribery investigation continues to widen, and as the charges announced today show, we will follow the evidence wherever it takes us," he said.

The defendants could face up to five years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery.

The federal government has suspended its contracts with Francis.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-11-06-Navy%20Bribery%20Scheme/id-5f0d90b6e3e34471bf2d1a20764e32d4
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How NASA MacGyvered the Crippled Apollo 13 Mission Safely Home

How NASA MacGyvered the Crippled Apollo 13 Mission Safely Home

When mission commander James A. Lovell uttered his gut-wrenching warning, "Houston, we have a problem," neither he nor the army of NASA engineers back on Earth really knew if his crew would—or even could—make it back home.

Read more...


    






Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/qO2grUiNVy0/how-nasa-macguyvered-the-crippled-apollo-13-mission-saf-1458833211
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UFC Fight for the Troops 3 Photos


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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/11/6/5074164/ufc-fight-for-the-troops-3-photos
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Daily Roundup: Fitbit Force and ATIV Book 9 Lite reviews, Pebble iOS enhancements and more!

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on ...


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Dz2dExtkeH0/
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UFN 31: Fight for the Troops 3 Facebook Recaps


MMAFrenzy’s live fight coverage of UFC Fight Night 31: Fight for the Troops 3 kicks off with our recaps of today’s Facebook preliminary card. In the featured fight, Lorenz Larkin would defeat Chris Camozzi in a fun, but fairly one-sided, fight. In other opening action, Yancy Medeiros, Seth Baczynski, and Derek Brunson picked up wins on the online preliminary card.


More: UFN 31 Results, UFN 31 Play-by-Play, UFN 31 Picks


Larkin Defeats Camozzi


Lorenz Larkin and Chris Camozzi would bring the online portion of the UFC Fight for the Troops 3 card to a close with a fun battle in the Octagon. Larkin would control the majority of the fight with his superior striking but Camozzi would find some success with his kicks, especially in round 2. In the end, Larkin would get his first UFC victory at Fort Campbell while Camozzi has now lost two straight to former Strikeforce fighters.


Medeiros KOs Edwards


Yancy Medeiros made his first UFC victory memorable one as he decked Yves Edwards in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 31 bout. Medeiros dropped Edwards with a nasty counter uppercut and put him away with strikes after a fun back and forth round. The win improves Medeiros to 1-1 in the Octagon, while Edwards drops to 10-9 in the UFC and has lost his last three.


Baczynski Edges Magny


Seth Baczynski picked up a much-needed victory over Neil Magny tonight at UFC Fight Night 31. The story of the fight was Baczynski’s grappling advantage as his strikes in the standup, and on the ground, slowed as the fight wore on. While Magny was aggressive throughout the fight, leading some to believe he could have won, the judges ruled for Baczynski. The victory snaps a two-fight losing streak for Baczynski and drops Magny to 1-2 in the UFC.


Brunson Floors and Chokes Houston


Former UNCP wrestling standout Derek Brunson would kick off the Fight for the Troops 3 card in style with lightning quick attack. Brunson floored Houston with a devastating headkick that dropped Houston to the canvas. While the former Team Georgia wrestler would try to recover, Brunson quickly jumped to a fight-ending rear naked choke. Brunson moves to 2-0 in the UFC with the win.


UFC Fight Night 31 Quick Results:


  • Lorenz Larkin def. Chris Camozzi via unanimous decision (30-27,30-27,29-28)

  • Yancy Medeiros def. Yves Edwards via TKO (uppercut and strikes) at 2:47 of Round 1

  • Seth Baczynski def. Neil Magny via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

  • Derek Brunson def. Brian Houston via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:48 of Round 1



Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/95844/ufc-fight-night-31-fight-for-the-troops-3/
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Leadership vacuum to blame in Dolphins case?

Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin looks down during a media availability following an NFL football practice, Monday, Nov. 4, 2013, in Davie, Fla. The Dolphins suspended guard Richie Incognito Sunday for misconduct related to the treatment of teammate Jonathan Martin, who abruptly left the team a week ago to receive help for emotional issues. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)







Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin looks down during a media availability following an NFL football practice, Monday, Nov. 4, 2013, in Davie, Fla. The Dolphins suspended guard Richie Incognito Sunday for misconduct related to the treatment of teammate Jonathan Martin, who abruptly left the team a week ago to receive help for emotional issues. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)







In this Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 image made from video made by WSVN-TV in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Miami Dolphin player Richie Incognito is interviewed near his home. The troubled, troubling relationship between two Miami Dolphin linemen Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito took an ominous turn Monday, Nov. 4, 2013 with fresh revelations: Incognito sent text messages to his teammate that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation said.(AP Photo/WSVN-TV)







In this Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013 image made from video made by WSVN-TV in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Miami Dolphin player Richie Incognito is interviewed near his home. The troubled, troubling relationship between two Miami Dolphin linemen Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito took an ominous turn Monday, Nov. 4, 2013 with fresh revelations: Incognito sent text messages to his teammate that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation said.(AP Photo/WSVN-TV)







(AP) — A leadership vacuum may have contributed to the troubled relationship between Miami Dolphins offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito, which has left both players sidelined and the team in turmoil.

The ongoing saga has raised questions about whether coach Joe Philbin and his staff were negligent in allowing issues between Martin and Incognito to fester. Current and ex-players around the NFL say the situation reflects a lack of leadership because teammates of Martin and Incognito didn't intervene.

NFL officials are trying to determine who knew what when, and whether Incognito harassed or bullied Martin. A second-year tackle from Stanford, Martin left the team last week and is with his family in California to undergo counseling for emotional issues. Incognito has been suspended indefinitely.

A senior partner in a New York law firm with experience in sports cases was appointed Wednesday by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to investigate possible misconduct in the Dolphins' workplace and prepare a report that will be made public.

The team built by Philbin and general manager Jeff Ireland has undergone heavy roster turnover after losing records each of the past four years. Of the 53 players on the squad, 20 are new to Miami this season.

"That's the one thing I've heard from every single former player ... there's a lack of leadership," said Jimmy Cefalo, a former Dolphins receiver and now their play-by-play announcer. "They might step in with Richie and say, 'Look, this has got to change.'"

The Dolphins' oldest player, 34-year-old John Denney, is a long snapper who sees little action. The second-oldest, 34-year-old Bryant McKinnie, has been with the team less than three weeks. The third-oldest, 31-year-old Tyson Clabo, joined the Dolphins this year.

In 2012 the team's player leadership council included Reggie Bush, Karlos Dansby and Jake Long, all of whom left after last season. Their replacements were second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill, newcomer Dannell Ellerbe — and Incognito.

Incognito's harassment of Martin included text messages that were racist and threatening, two people familiar with the situation have told The Associated Press. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins and NFL haven't disclosed the nature of the misconduct that led to Incognito's suspension.

An assertive veteran might have prevented any problems from escalating, said former NFL running back LaDainian Tomlinson, now an analyst with NFL Network.

"In every locker room there are jerks; we all have them," Tomlinson said. "But at the same time, there are always guys that can go and talk to that jerk and say, 'You're going overboard.' My problem is Miami doesn't have that guy. ...

"If you're a player in that locker room, there has to be someone there to be able to step up and help that guy. You know the personnel of the guys in your locker room a lot of times — the leaders do — and if a guy can't defend himself and isn't capable of standing up for himself, it is up to the guys in that locker room to say, 'Hey man, let's not go there' or 'You're going too far.'"

New York attorney Ted Wells was chosen by the NFL to investigate. He has conducted special investigations into the Syracuse basketball sexual harassment case, and the NBA players union leadership dispute. In the latter case, his report led to a change in the head of the union.

"He is on the job as of today and will undertake to complete his work as promptly as possible," Goodell said in a statement. "Consistent with doing a thorough investigation, we have not imposed a specific timetable on him."

The Dolphins have pledged full support in the investigation, the NFL said.

Among the issues to be examined will be the role of offensive line coach Jim Turner, a former Marine Corps infantry officer who is in his first NFL job. It was his job to groom Martin, a second-round draft choice from Stanford who won a starting job as a rookie last year but developed a reputation for lacking toughness.

The Dolphins this week canceled a scheduled interview session with Turner.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Coby Fleener and Zach Ertz, a tight end with the Philadelphia Eagles, played with Martin at Stanford. Both disagreed with characterizations of Martin as soft for leaving the team rather than standing up to Incognito.

"That's a stupid statement," Fleener said. "I would dispute that and I'd debate anyone on that."

"For people to kind of throw out that he's soft for doing what he did I think is completely wrong," Ertz said. "What do people want him to do, go fight him? I don't think that's going to solve anything. I think he did what he had to do."

Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood, who briefly played with Incognito in 2009, said he has kept up with developments because they share the same agent.

"I've kind of known, been one step ahead of what was coming just through communications with everybody," Wood said. "The language was a terrible misjudgment. In today's society, you just can't use racial language. ... You've got to have respect for a guy. And when a guy's kind of down, which I'm assuming (Martin) was, you've got to know when to pull off. And I think he really used some really bad misjudgment."

Incognito reportedly pressured Martin into paying $15,000 for a trip by the offensive linemen to Las Vegas that he didn't even take. Brandon Marshall, now with the Chicago Bears, said the trip is a tradition that dates from his team with the Dolphins in 2010-11.

"The offensive linemen have been doing that before Richie got there," Marshall said. "I was actually invited to go to a trip. The rookies were supposed to pick up a big piece of the cost. I don't think there were any ill feelings; it's just a part of the tradition that was there."

___

AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner, AP reporter Tony Winton and AP Sports Writers John Wawrow in Buffalo, N.Y., Michael Marot in Indianapolis, Ind., Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia and Andrew Seligman in Chicago contributed to this report.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

___

Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve_Wine

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-11-06-FBN-Dolphins-Turmoil/id-ce325775f8584952b025ccd699ee0580
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