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Brian Lam: Snowmodo is our snow sport winter meet up at Lake Tahoe, with prizes, discounts, tons of fun snow activities, a party and GADGETS. If you can make it (and people are coming from TEXAS) please RSVP.
The increasingly acrimonious standoff between the world’s major nuclear-weapons powers and dozens of non-weapons states has been playing out at the monthlong NPT review conference winding up at the UN this week.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif addresses the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference at the United Nations on April 27.
The nuclear nonproliferation order that for decades has kept the world remarkably free of the spread of nuclear weapons is at risk of breaking down.
Challenges to the global regime enshrined in the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or NPT, include widening access to the technologies that produce nuclear-weapons fuels, the chilling example of a rogue North Korea expanding and honing its nuclear arsenal in an increasingly tense Northeast Asia, and uncertainty ov...
But now a new challenge is taking shape in the growing confrontation between the world’s major nuclear-weapons powers – primarily the United States and Russia, as well as China, Britain, and France – and dozens of non-weapons states. These countries say the nuclear powers are not upholding their part of the “grand barg...
In essence, the deal was that while everyone would have access to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, countries without the bomb would not try to get it, while those possessing it would reduce their arsenals until the world reached the goal of being nuclear-weapons free. However, weapons-free states say disarmament has st...
The increasingly acrimonious standoff between the bomb’s haves and have-nots has been playing out at the monthlong NPT review conference winding up at the United Nations in New York this week. As weapons states have rebuffed charges that their nuclear arsenals pose a grave threat to humanity, nonproliferation experts w...
That’s quite a shift from the 2010 NPT review, which was held in the afterglow of President Obama’s 2009 speech in Prague, Czech Republic, in which he envisioned a world free of nuclear weapons. That review also came after the New START treaty, under which the US and Russia agreed to further reductions in their nuclear...
The 2010 conference concluded with a long action plan for more disarmament and tighter nonproliferation standards, and a plan for delivering a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.
But little progress was made on those plans – particularly on the Middle East nuclear-free zone, which went nowhere. And although the US and Russia have continued to implement New START, Russia has ignored Mr. Obama’s calls for a new round of disarmament talks, while it has hardened the place of nuclear weapons in its ...
Despite his lofty Prague rhetoric, Obama has pursued hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of nuclear arsenal modernization. And China, which possesses a much smaller nuclear arsenal than the US and Russia, has been busy bulking up its nuclear muscle.
The stalled disarmament actions, coupled with mounting proliferation pressures in volatile regions like East Asia and the Middle East, are prompting some nonproliferation experts to warn that the world could be on the threshold of a dangerous expansion of nuclear weaponry – and that the risk of “unthinkable” nuclear co...
Those concerns are leading to renewed expressions of support for the NPT, and for finding new ways to strengthen the 45-year-old “bargain” on nonproliferation, disarmament, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
“The fact is, the NPT’s existence makes the world a much safer place,” says Steven Pifer, director of the Brookings Institution’s Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative in Washington. In the pre-NPT early 1960s, Mr. Pifer notes, President Kennedy warned that, unchecked, the world would see as many as 20 nuclear-...
The NPT scorecard is less than half Kennedy’s prediction: Today the world has nine nuclear-weapons states – the five post-World War II powers, India and Pakistan, bad-boy North Korea, and Israel, which does not acknowledge possessing a nuclear arsenal.
Every country in the world is an NPT member but four – India and Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea (which withdrew in 2003). As such, the treaty exerts a kind of “moral restraint” on nations not to “go nuclear,” Pifer says.
“Once you’ve taken on that obligation, it creates a certain moral barrier to acquiring nuclear weapons,” he says.
What worries nonproliferation experts are the cracks they see forming in the barrier the NPT has provided.
The emerging Iran nuclear deal divides those experts. Many of them laud the deal as a reinforcement of two NPT pillars: Iran would be blocked from any fast breakout to acquiring a nuclear weapon while being allowed to pursue “peaceful” nuclear energy uses. But some see the deal undermining the global nonproliferation r...
“You can’t escape the fact that this agreement legitimizes Iran having a native uranium enrichment program, and if your concern is nonproliferation, I think that’s a bad thing,” says Sharon Squassoni, director of the Proliferation Prevention Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washin...
Of course the NPT’s existence – and the fact that Iran is a signatory to the treaty – is what has made international negotiations to limit Iran’s nuclear program possible, Ms. Squassoni says. But, she adds, the NPT’s silence on restricting access to uranium enrichment and plutonium reprocessing – the two technologies t...
Another crack that Pifer of Brookings identifies is the growing rift between the US and the nonnuclear-weapons states that are disappointed by what they see as the lost promise of Obama’s vision for ridding the world of nuclear weapons.
Ms. Acheson of Reaching Critical Will says the US can expect renewed goodwill from the roughly 100 countries that have signed on to a “humanitarian pledge to ban nuclear weapons” once it engages in honest disarmament discussions – something she says it and other nuclear-weapons states haven’t done at this year’s NPT co...
“We’d also like to see renewed action on a disarmament program that has slowed down considerably,” she says.
While it may be too late to expect anything from this year’s NPT conference, Squassoni of CSIS says that “very soon” the world must address two gaps in what she calls “a very useful but imperfect” treaty: a failure to impose safe practices on civilian nuclear programs, and the NPT’s silence on possessing enrichment and...
As for the nuclear-fuel technologies, few experts are sanguine about the prospects for some kind of “NPT II” that would spell out restrictions to keep civilian nuclear energy programs from resulting in nuclear weapons.
But Squassoni says solutions exist – such as schemes for the multilateral provision and handling of nuclear fuels – and must be taken up before there is a surge in countries with these technologies.
The South African Super 14 rugby side the Sharks have confirmed the signing of New Zealander Chris Boyd as Assistant Coach for next season.
Boyd worked with current Sharks coach John Plumtree at the Wellington NPC side til 2006.
Boyd is currently employed by SPARC.
Didn't Panic at the Disco just release a follow-up album?
Maybe so, but Ryan Ross told billboard.com that the "9 a.m." singers already are itching to put out another record after "Pretty. Odd." debuted at No. 2 on the album chart after its March 25 release.
"We've probably got about nine or 10 new songs going right now, so I hope that after our tour and all that we can do another record," Ross said.
Just one minor thing -- Ross also said the band plans to tour for "the next year" to promote "Pretty. Odd."
For context on the quandary that is the Cubs bullpen, consider that the defending World Series champion Astros closed out their two most important games last season without a pitcher whose primary purpose was to get the final three outs.
Lance McCullers Jr. threw four shutout innings to finish off the Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. Charlie Morton staked his claim to baseball immortality by giving up one run over the final four innings against the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series. Neither McCullers nor Morton, trusted...
But if you insist on finding an example of a pennant contender that entered late September without an established closer, lest anybody in Chicago forget reliever Bobby Jenks of the White Sox. At least nobody on the South Side ever will. Jenks played a major role in the Sox celebrating a World Series title in 2005, but ...
That’s the best way for the Cubs to view the situation manager Joe Maddon created Thursday in Washington. In a move that was as avoidable as it was regrettable, Maddon not only sent closer Pedro Strop to the plate in the 10th inning against the Nationals but allowed him to swing instead of stand statuesque with the bat...
Not surprisingly, Strop suffered a left hamstring injury trying to beat out a double-play ground ball, and his absence could extend into October, costing the Cubs their second closer this season. If the Cubs had not ended the so-called curse two years ago, surely you would see goats wandering Wrigleyville this weekend ...
It might have been Maddon’s most dubious tactical performance since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series as enough of his moves malfunctioned to make the Cubs computer system, Ivy, require a reboot. Maddon pulled starter Mike Montgomery after he gave up three hits in four-plus innings. He pinch hit slumping Willson Contrera...
Even good managers such as Maddon have bad days, and this was one of his worst in the Cubs dugout. That doesn’t necessarily make Maddon unfit for the playoffs or unworthy of a contract extension in the offseason. But it did make confidence in some parts of Cubdom dip like the team’s batting average because of a lack of...
What reliever will help restore it?
The answer to that question still has a chance to pitch the Cubs deep into the playoffs and himself into Cubs lore. The seven Cubs candidates who likely will share the ninth-inning load — Justin Wilson, Steve Cishek, Jesse Chavez, Brandon Kintzler, Jorge De La Rosa, Randy Rosario and Edwards — have 10 saves combined th...
Morrow could return by the end of next week to begin slowly working back into action. Optimists hope Strop can heal quickly enough to come back by the beginning of next month. Just keep both pitchers away from the batting cage.
The Cubs still can be better for having endured 29 scheduled games in 30 days if they wake up Thursday, at the end of the mentally and physically grueling stretch, still in first place with the ability to refresh. They still can win the National League Central, and even the pennant in a weak NL, with Strop and Morrow p...
Granted, winning the World Series without either closer against the American League champion seems a bit quixotic, but stranger things have happened in baseball — as recently as 11 months ago.
A Cubs fan still can trust history, if little else at the moment.
David Haugh is a special contributor to the Chicago Tribune.
HOUSTON — The rain mercifully has stopped in southeast Texas. But a week after Hurricane Harvey, boaters still are shuttling people away from a few high-water areas as millions struggle with what the storm has left — tens of thousands of destroyed homes and altered lives, and grim efforts to find those who may not have...
At least 47 people have died from the storm. Other statistics only begin to hint at the scope of the punishing deluge and what the months of recovery will entail.
About 27 trillion gallons of rain fell on Texas and Louisiana over six days — enough to fill the Houston Astrodome 85,000 times.
And about 136,000 structures were flooded in Harris County, home of Houston, alone — about 10 percent of the structures on record there, the county said.
Danger is far from over in places such as Beaumont, Texas, a city of 118,000 dealing with a cruel juxtaposition: Inundated in spots with floodwater as its residents lack flowing tap water because two pumps there failed.
“The river … on the east line of our city should crest today, and it will start falling, (but) our biggest situation is the water supply is cut off,” said Capt. Brad Pennison of the Beaumont Fire Department.
The loss of drinking water has forced an evacuation of patients from Beaumont’s Baptist Hospital.
Patients in intensive care already have been airlifted or taken by ambulance to other facilities, but officials still plan to evacuate 85 people — including 11 babies born prematurely and three other newborns — who remained there Friday morning.
Dr. Snehal Doshi, who runs the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, said several preemies’ parents had been prevented from visiting their infants because of flooding elsewhere.
“There are some parents who simply haven’t seen their babies for days, just because it’s not safe for them to come to the hospital,” he said.
For city residents, officials ordered bottled water and set up distribution points Friday.
Houston’s mayor, meanwhile, made a public plea to the federal government Friday: Advance money and other assistance quickly.
Most of Houston is drying out, and people are starting to pile debris in front of their homes, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
“We need immediately, right now, just for debris removal alone, anywhere between $75 million to $100 million,” Harris said Friday.
The rate of rescues in Harris County has slowed, but some still were happening in high-water areas Friday morning, especially in the western part, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
Firefighters and other emergency personnel are going door-to-door in Houston “to make sure we have not missed anyone … especially seniors or people who are disabled,” the mayor said.
Some flooding in western Houston happened because the Army Corps of Engineers intentionally released water from two reservoirs, Turner said.
Officials have said it was safer for nearby neighborhoods if the Corps managed the water with controlled releases instead of letting uncontrolled water flow over the edge of the reservoirs as more rain was predicted.
Turner and other officials have pointed to small signs of recovery, such as fewer people in shelters, more bus lines resuming and the city’s shipping channel reopening on a limited basis.
The Houston Independent School District, which postponed its school-year opening Monday because of the storm, plans to start classes on Sept. 11 for its 200,000-plus students.
In Crosby, Texas, two blasts rocked a flooded chemical plant, and more could come.
Gas prices across the country have risen an average of nearly 17 cents per gallon after the storm knocked almost a quarter of the nation’s refinery capacity offline.
Drivers in Dallas waited in long lines for gasoline after social media reports of a Harvey-driven fuel shortage. But petroleum analysts said the run didn’t owe to a dearth of supply but to the horde of drivers who panicked.
While promising federal aid, President Donald Trump’s homeland security adviser also predicted more misery.
“We will see additional losses of life, if history is any precedent here,” Tom Bossert said Thursday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday that more than 103,000 storm victims have been approved for emergency assistance, including financial aid for rent and lost property.
More than $66.4 million has been approved for this help, FEMA said, with 264,000 additional applications pending.
Trump is expected to visit Houston and other areas Saturday, his second trip to the region this week.
Just how much of a distraction the domestic match fixing allegations have been to the national team's preparation will be there for the world to see when the Italians kick off their campaign on June 12. Domestic pressure is always intense, the debacle at Juventus merely fuelling the fire.
Key question: Rapidly becoming under achievers, can Lippi awaken the sleeping giant?
Civit Products-Juki Dist can be found at 2 Maple St . The following is offered: Phonebook. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In East Rutherford there are 32 other Phonebook. An overview can be found here.
Authorities on Thursday charged an Orono student with threatening on social media to shoot up his school, prompting an hourslong lockdown Wednesday that rattled students, staff and parents.
In announcing the charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman would not specify the alleged crimes, citing the student’s juvenile status. Another student who had been sought for questioning was cleared, authorities said.
Police were notified at 10:57 a.m. Wednesday of threats on Twitter and Facebook that a shooting would happen at noon, Police Chief Correy Farniok said.
Police determined that both threats originated from inside the high school, the chief said. The suspect was identified and found inside a classroom, as was the student sought for questioning. Neither was armed and no guns were found, the chief said.
Meghan Stephenson hugs her child before staying goodbye outside Orono Schumann Elementary School as a police officer stands nearby as students arrive for the day Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, a day after a threat was posted, causing Orono schools to go on lockdown. A student was arrested at the high school Wednesday after a...
During the lockdown, students sat in their classrooms, sometimes crouched under their desks, with chairs and other furniture barricading the doors, according to students’ social media posts. They were kept away from the windows and doors. In one classroom, students pushed a metal cabinet toward the door to barricade it...
Students returned to school Thursday to find an intense police presence. Police cars were parked at school entrances while other squad cars patrolled the area. Crisis intervention teams were present in every building.
The police presence will continue Friday.
Parents dropping their kids off Thursday morning sought to reassure them with hugs and encouraging words.
“They made the arrest,” one mother told her son as she walked him into the elementary school building.
“They got the guy! They got the guy!” she said, as the boy nervously clung tightly to the straps of his backpack.
Victoria Seals stopped at the elementary school to bring snacks for her second-grade daughter. “This is completely unfortunate and should never happen, and obviously things need to change,” said Seals, who is a member of the Orono City Council and has three kids in Orono schools.
Superintendent Karen Orcutt offered advice to parents who might have been wary of sending their children to school on Thursday.
“Listen to the police, and listen to the school,” she said.
On Thursday, two other metro area schools reported that possible threats had been investigated.
The Prior Lake School District reported that it and police investigated Thursday after hearing of concerns about comments made by a student at Hidden Oaks Middle School. The student was arrested in connection with alleged threats expressed by the juvenile toward other students. Authorities declined to release further d...
In Blaine, police received several reports of a threat people had seen on social media referencing “bhs.” “The information received was a screen shot that appeared to be from Instagram,” police said in a news release. An investigation revealed that the screen shot was taken from a news story in Belen, N.M., and had no ...
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is tossing his financial support behind a new Texas-based lending institution called Ascentium Capital. The idea behind the new entity — capitalized with $75 million of equity and a $250 million warehouse facility — is to support small businesses with the capital they need to grow their ...
It is not a bank per se. In fact, Ascentium emerged from the brain of Texas banker Tom Depping, who in a related move announced the sale of the banking operations (including four branches) of 27-year-old Main Street Bank. As part of the deal, Ascentium Capital plans to acquire $150 million worth of loans and commercial...
According to The Wall Street Journal, Depping simply got fed up with the regulatory issues associated with running a bank and made it especially difficult to lend money to the small businesses that needed capital. Ascentium will not operate under a banking charter, but it still plans to loan money to small business ope...

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