Attempted attack on Israeli border highlights militant presence in Sinai

One soldier from the Israel Defense Forces was killed and another wounded in an attack on the Sinai border today, while three militants were killed.

By Christa Case Bryant,?Staff writer / September 21, 2012

In this August 6 file photo, Egyptian border guards patrol near the border with Israel in Rafah, Egypt.

Ahmed Gomaa/AP

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Israel said it disrupted an attempted large-scale terrorist attack on its southern border today, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by militants in the Sinai peninsula, who have stepped up their attacks since Egypt's popular uprising last year.

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Israel's military said it killed three militants who crossed into Israel midday near Har Harif with weapons and explosive belts. One soldier from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was killed and another wounded in the exchange of fire. The last time an Israeli soldier was killed by militants from the Sinai was August 2011, according to the IDF.

Israel has long been concerned about security in the Sinai peninsula, which it captured in the 1967 Six-Day War but ceded after making peace with Egypt in 1978.

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's regime responded harshly to terrorist attacks in the peninsula, particularly after a 2004 attack that killed 34 in the tourist city of Taba, as The Christian Science Monitor's Dan Murphy pointed out recently. But with Mr. Mubarak's ouster last year and the formation of a new government dominated by the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, Israel has voiced concern that Egyptian security in the Sinai has taken a backseat.?

The deterioration in security has been bad for both sides, however. In August, 16 Egyptian border guards and soldiers were killed, which prompted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to?summarily dismiss Defense Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi and other top military leaders.

Israel has been building an extensive fence along the Sinai border, which is nearing completion. The Israeli soldiers attacked today were guarding a section of this fence. It's not the first time it has been attacked; in June, two militants attacked IDF contractors involved in building the fence, eliciting a strong statement from Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak that the new Egyptian president must "swiftly" put an end to attacks from the Sinai.

While many have speculated that the Egypt-Israel peace deal could falter under Islamist rule in Cairo, the Sinai poses a challenge for both nations. If they don't find a way to work together, they both may suffer.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/IF9kC4dO01E/Attempted-attack-on-Israeli-border-highlights-militant-presence-in-Sinai

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Afghanistan war, 11 years on: What more can and should the US military do?

Though the work of US troops has become increasingly deadly in the Afghanistan war, many analysts warn that it has not been increasingly effective.

By Anna Mulrine,?Staff writer / October 7, 2012

In this 2009 photo, U.S. Marine squad leader Sgt. Matthew Duquette, left, walks with Afghan National Army Lt. Hussein, during a joint patrol in Nawa district, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.

Brennan Linsley/AP

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It is officially the longest-running war in American history, and its end is in sight: President Obama has promised to pull all US combat troops out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

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That date, however, is two years away, and in the meantime, some analysts wonder what more the US military can and should do in the country.

Incidents of ?green on blue? insider attacks, by Afghan security forces against the US and NATO soldiers training them, now account for more than 20 percent of those killed in action.

Indeed, the pace of deaths for US troops has accelerated since the surge of 33,000 forces that Mr. Obama ordered into Afghanistan began in 2010.

In particular, it took nine years of fighting in Afghanistan before 1,000 US troops were killed. But the second 1,000 US troop deaths have come in the past two years. Last month in the Afghanistan war, America reached the grim 2,000-US-troops-killed-in-action milestone. On Saturday, two more US troops were killed by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan.

Though the work of US troops has become increasingly deadly, many analysts warn that it has not been increasingly effective.

Pentagon officials point to the 300,000-plus Afghan security forces that have been trained as a result of NATO efforts. But the attrition rates remain high, and these soldiers and police continue to struggle against the network of an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 insurgents ? despite the fact that they outnumber them roughly 10 to 1.

Some 5,000 Afghans are now enrolled in the national ?reintegration? program that provides job training and cash to former Taliban fighters who have agreed to put down their arms. Though it has ?potential,? this program ?is not yet a game-changer,? Lt. Gen. Adrian Bradshaw, the No. 2 commander in Afghanistan, acknowledges.

In the meantime, the 68,000 US troops that remain in Afghanistan continue to do much of the heavy lifting, in the form of patrols and even the logistics systems that feed, equip, and maintain the Afghan forces.

In roughly half of the war, the focus has ostensibly been on training these Afghan forces. But with the spate of insider attacks, US troops have been forced to implement ?guardian angel? programs.

Bradshaw emphasizes that these programs are discreet. ?You know, whoever's got the responsibility to keep an eye on their mates while they're taking exercise or playing sport or relaxing in between operations, whoever has that task just tactfully stays on one side,? he says. ?Clearly they have a weapon and they're ready to use it if necessary, but they're not constantly in people's faces. It's done in a tactful and sensible manner.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/usa/~3/zR0zsJcpIvk/Afghanistan-war-11-years-on-What-more-can-and-should-the-US-military-do

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No more paninis on the piazza? Rome bars tourists from eating at historical sites

Thinking of emulating Audrey Hepburn in the 1953 romantic comedy 'Roman Holiday' by eating a gelato on the Spanish Steps? Think again. It could prove to be a very expensive ice cream.

By Nick Squires,?Correspondent / October 7, 2012

A file photo shows car traffic speeding past Rome's world famous Colosseum.

Max Rossi/REUTERS/File

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It is one of the simplest, most affordable pleasures of any visit to Rome: tucking into a piece of pizza, or a panino stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella, while marveling at the city?s ancient monuments. But not anymore.

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As of this week, anyone caught snacking around the Eternal City?s centuries-old monuments and archeological sites could find themselves landed with a fine of up to 500 euros ($650).

In an attempt to bring a greater level of decorum to a city not known for order, Rome city council has passed a decree banning tourists from snacking in the historic center, which recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

That includes Piazza Navona, with its exquisite marble fountains, and the Pantheon, a vast Roman temple converted into a church. Other areas subject to the crackdown include Via dei Fori Imperiali, the broad avenue which links Piazza Venezia, Rome?s main square, with the Colosseum, the ancient arena where gladiators and slaves once fought.

Thinking of emulating Audrey Hepburn in the 1953 romantic comedy Roman Holiday by eating a gelato on the Spanish Steps? Think again. It could prove to be a very expensive ice cream.

"It is forbidden to encamp or erect makeshift shelters and stop to eat or drink in zones which have a particular historic or architectural value," reads the ordinance adopted by Rome city council this week.

The law is intended to ?guarantee the protection of areas of merit in the historic center,? it added.

In what one Italian newspaper, La Repubblica, called the start of a ?war on the panino," fines will range from 25 euros ($32) up to 500 euros ($650).

In many ways the new clamp-down reflects a schism in attitudes towards public eating between Italians and tourists.

Visitors may be happy to chow down on a slice of pizza or sandwich?on the steps of a Renaissance church or ancient Roman monument, taking a rest from the exhausting challenge of touring the city on foot. But that leaves most Romans aghast ? they rarely eat or drink on the street.

You don't see people guzzling enormous take-out coffees from paper cups; Italians go to a cafe for a cappuccino or a cafe macchiato, and drink it there, often standing up at the bar.

Eating in public is not done. I have even been told off for eating in a restaurant while reading a newspaper ? on the grounds that it will ruin my digestion, and that I should forget about work at least for an hour.

Rome is just the latest Italian city to try to curb indecorous behavior by tourists.

Similar bans have been adopted in Venice, where snacking is prohibited in St. Mark's Square and around famous landmarks, as well as Florence and Bologna.

But critics said the draconian new law could drive away tourists just as Italy needs them more than ever ? locals are spending less in restaurants, bars, and cafes as a result of a grinding recession and the imposition of austerity measures intended to tame the country?s 1.9 trillion euro national debt.

The center-right mayor of Rome, Gianni Alemanno, is acting like a ?sheriff? and ?transforming Rome into a city of rules and regulations,? said Angelo Bonelli, an opposition councilor in the city administration.

Others said Rome had more serious problems to contend with ? streets are often strewn with rubbish, illegal hawkers and touts harass tourists outside St. Peter?s Basilica and the Colosseum, and cars are allowed to double- or even triple-park.

?To start pestering tourists while they are eating lunch out of a bag really seems the last of our problems,? says Dario Nanni, a member of the left-leaning Democratic Party.

Italy has a somewhat checkered history when it comes to law enforcement, so whether tourists munching on sandwiches and slices of pizza really will be slapped with heavy fines remains to be seen.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/9RVyiGf1e7s/No-more-paninis-on-the-piazza-Rome-bars-tourists-from-eating-at-historical-sites

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Greece pushes for austerity deal as time runs short

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece held a new round of talks with foreign lenders to bridge differences over 2 billion euros of disputed austerity cuts on Tuesday, with time running short to clinch a deal before a key meeting of euro zone ministers next week.

Athens has been haggling for weeks over 12 billion euros of cutbacks that its European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders have refused to sign off on over fears that some of the proposed savings are unlikely to materialize.

For the second day in a row, inspectors from the so-called troika of European Commission, European Central Bank and IMF lenders had to face rows of angry Greeks heckling them as they entered a ministry building to start discussions.

At the labor ministry on Tuesday, dozens of disabled Greeks and their careers blocked the main entrance and chanted "We won't let it pass!" in protest at the cuts. One held a banner saying: "They handed 200 billion to bankers but cut down on medicine, treatment and benefits for the disabled."

The protests came a day after Greece unveiled an austerity budget that predicted a sixth year of recession in 2013 but failed to convince the troika, which has been skeptical of Athens' plans to cut health and defense spending.

"The troika is questioning the effectiveness of the measures related to structural reforms," a government official said, citing planned savings from restructuring entities in health and other ministries.

The official expressed optimism that a deal with the troika would be struck by the end of the week, but a second government source cast doubt on that, saying such an outcome now appeared "difficult".

NO UNIFIED STANCE

Both sources said talks over the cuts were being further complicated by an internal rift between the EU and the IMF over how to solve the Greek crisis, as reported by Reuters last week.

The IMF wants Greece to cut its debt further to make up for going hugely off-track from the terms of its bailout, while Europe is resisting the option of a new debt restructuring and instead prefers to give Athens more time to get back on track, officials have told Reuters.

"If the troika doesn't have a unified stance, the negotiations become more difficult," the first official said.

Failure to get a deal by Monday will be another setback for Greece's efforts to quickly unlock its next installment of aid, without which the debt-laden country faces bankruptcy and the prospect of an exit from the euro zone.

Athens needs the troika's blessing on the austerity package as well as a positive review by inspectors on the country's progress in meeting the terms of its bailout to secure that aid.

But with European leaders scrambling to shore up bigger economies like Spain and Italy, analysts say Greece will eventually be handed enough aid to keep afloat to avoid throwing the bloc into further turmoil.

(Additional reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Dina Kyriakidou; writing by Deepa Babington; editing by Stephen Nisbet)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/greece-pushes-austerity-deal-time-runs-short-114302819--finance.html

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HBT: DC rejoices! Nationals clinch NL East

It didn?t happen exactly the way the Nationals would have drawn it up, but they?ll definitely take it.

The Braves fell 2-1 to the Pirates tonight, ensuring the Nationals their first-ever National League East title. The news of the Braves? loss flashed on the scoreboard at Nationals Park after the bottom of the eighth inning, which was met with pandemonium in the stands and a celebration in the dugout. The Nationals ended up losing 2-0 to the Phillies, but it was almost secondary to the buzz in the air and in the dugout.

There will be playoff baseball in D.C. for the first time since 1933. As for the Braves, they will officially play in the one-game Wild Card playoff on Friday. The Cardinals currently hold a two-game lead over the Dodgers for the second Wild Card spot.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/01/braves-lose-nationals-clinch-first-national-league-east-title/related

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Pocono return celebrates IndyCar history

IndyCar driver Ed Carpenter had the chance to take a drive around Pocono Raceway, and promptly handed the car keys to racing great Mario Andretti.

With Pocono officially back on the IndyCar schedule after a 23-year absence, Carpenter wanted to pick up as many tips as possible from someone with experience at "The Tricky Triangle." Andretti was all too happy to turn some laps at Monday's event because "I am too damn old to drive this thing" in next July's race.

The return to Pocono is being celebrated as a nod to IndyCar's history and tradition. Pocono's three corners were designed in 1965 to model corners at Indianapolis, Milwaukee and now-defunct Trenton, and fans have always considered the track an important venue in open wheel racing.

"It was music to my ears when some of the noise began flying around we might be coming back," said Andretti, who lives in Pennsylvania. "This facility means not only a great deal to me personally, but also to the Northeast area fans that have been here since the beginning. The drivers will love this place ? the challenges it presents are just second to none as far as a superspeedway. There's nothing but good things ahead."

Carpenter recognized that when he entered the infield, where IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard and Pocono CEO Brandon Igdalsky on Monday celebrated the series return.

"Just pulling through the tunnel and coming into the facility, you get the feeling that this is a special place, the same kind of feeling that I get in Indianapolis, so I can't wait to get on track here in an IndyCar," said Carpenter.

With the return to Pocono comes the return of the "Triple Crown" challenge, which will award $1 million to a driver that wins the Indianapolis 500, the 400-miler at Pocono and the season finale at Fontana, Calif. The challenge will give $250,000 if a driver wins two of the three races.

"If you are going to bring history back, then you bring back Pocono and the Triple Crown," Bernard said. "That's what fans have been asking for the three years I've been here."

Pocono was part of a Triple Crown from 1971-1980 that included the Indianapolis 500, Pocono 500, and California 500 at Ontario. Al Unser in 1978 was the only driver to win all three in the same season. Ontario was closed in 1980, and replaced with the Michigan 500 through 1989, when Pocono stopped hosting open wheel racing.

But Igdalsky said fans had been vocal in wanting IndyCar back at the track.

"The excitement level is through the roof," Igdalsky said.

The race will only be 400 miles instead of the traditional 500 because Bernard wanted it on ABC, which gave IndyCar a three-hour coverage window.

Pocono was one of two new venues announced Sunday night by Bernard on a 19-race schedule for next season. The schedule includes doubleheader races at Detroit, Toronto and Houston, which is the other new venue.

A proposal for a street race in Providence, R.I., did not make the schedule because Bernard said promoters "ran out of time" to finalize a deal for the 2013 season and Bernard said he's not likely to add any more events for next year.

The scheduling announcements were threatened to be overshadowed Monday by a report that the IndyCar Series is considering an offer to sell to a group of team owners who had pooled their resources. Jeff Belskus, president and CEO of Hulman & Co. and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp., denied the report Monday and said the series "is not for sale" and the board has not received or considered any offers to purchase the series.

"The racing in 2012 showcased great competition on track and added to the foundation for growing the series," he said in a statement. "The just-announced 2013 schedule includes several new twists that could make the racing even more exciting. The combination of the return of nearly all the 2012 venues, including all the ovals, the addition of new tracks and the revival of the Triple Crown award make this one of the most exciting schedules in recent memory."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-01-IndyCar-Pocono%20Return/id-32e6a83fc6e94665b5809871bc2cd148

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Re: Deleting media in FTM 2012 on Windows 7 - Family Tree Maker ...

Hi David, thanks for your response.

With most programmes I use, a deletion removes the file to either the recycle bin or to oblivion. And some offer you the option to chose which deletion routing your prefer. In either case the file is gone, unless you specifically restore it from the recycle bin.

I have no problem with FTM not offering the oblivion option, but would hope the developers will eventually allow the user to set a default of recycle bin or not, rather than having to make the choice for each individual deletion.

Bottom line however is my concern is not process or even wasted space, but whether there are functional or performance implications to having deleted files still hanging around.

Source: http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/topics.software.famtreemaker/9017.1.1/mb.ashx

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