Singapore prime minister visits White House

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Singapore's prime minister on Tuesday becomes the third Asian leader to visit the White House this year, as President Barack Obama pursues closer ties with countries in the region in his second term.

It's Lee Hsien Loong's first Oval Office meeting in six years and comes as the U.S. pushes for completion by fall of a trans-Pacific free trade pact. Singapore, a close ally, is one of 11 countries taking part in the negotiations.

The U.S. and Singapore also have strong defense ties. Next week, the U.S. will begin rotational deployments of Navy vessels in Singapore, part of its efforts to shift American military presence toward the Asia-Pacific as the U.S. disentangles itself from a decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Defense cuts at home and turmoil in the Middle East have raised doubts in Asia about the U.S. ability to sustain its "pivot" to the region. But Obama made his diplomatic priorities clear by traveling to Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand soon after his November re-election, and then by hosting the leaders of Japan and Brunei. South Korea's new president will visit in May.

"The prime minister's visit underscores the strategic importance the president places on Asia and the value we place on our relationship with Singapore as a key partner," a White House statement announcing Lee's trip said.

Lee is the eldest son of Singapore's founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. He last visited the U.S. for a nuclear security summit in 2010. He'll address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce after his White House meeting.

While much attention is currently on Northeast Asia, and North Korea's threats to attack the U.S. and South Korea, Lee's four-day visit also takes place against the backdrop of tensions in the South China Sea, where assertive Chinese actions near disputed islands have unnerved other claimants in Southeast Asia.

Singapore itself is not a claimant, but its prosperity depends on commerce through those busy waters. It is a strong supporter of the U.S. security presence in the region, although it retains cordial ties with China.

Underscoring the administration's efforts to sustain its Asian diplomacy, the foreign ministers of two U.S. treaty allies in the region, the Philippines and South Korea, were also in Washington Tuesday for meetings with Secretary of State John Kerry, who travels to Northeast Asia next week.

Before meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Kerry expressed deep concern about tensions in the South China Sea and called for the territorial disputes there worked out through arbitration.

During his visit, Singapore's Lee is also meeting with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew and Kerry. He'll also travel to New York City and meet with Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/singapore-prime-minister-visits-white-house-070811591--politics.html

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Samsung SGH-I337 hits FCC with AT&T LTE bands, fits the GS 4 profile

We have to be skeptical when new devices arrive at the FCC without photos or a blinking sign that says "I Am AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S 4." But even doubters can likely tie that model to a certain Samsung SGH-I337 that the FCC just waved through. Why? First off, it's carrying a certain LTE band 17 used exclusively by AT&T in the US (in addition to bands 2, 4 and 5, also frequently featured by the carrier's LTE devices). Secondly, the dimensions line up perfectly with the device we recently got our hands on at Samsung's recent Galaxy S 4 phone-a-palooza. Finally, we already saw a device packing the same model number on UAProf, a normally reliable source that revealed a 1,920 x 1,080 screen and "ARM11" Exynos processor. Since it's unlikely the carrier has another unannounced 1080p model coming from Samsung, those coveting an AT&T GS 4 can probably start warming up their wallets.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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Source: FCC

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/02/samsung-sgh-i337-hits-fcc-with-atandt-lte-bands-fits-the-gs-4-pro/

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Monkey business: Bieber has four weeks to get his pet?or else

BERLIN (AP) ? German authorities have given Justin Bieber four weeks to pick up his pet monkey or else it will be placed in permanent care.

The capuchin monkey was seized by German customs Thursday when the 19-year-old singer failed to produce the necessary customs documents after landing in Munich.

Reporters from around the world have besieged the city animal shelter where 'Mally' the monkey is being kept in quarantine.

The shelter said in a statement Tuesday that the 14-week-old animal shouldn't have been taken away from its mother until it was a year old.

German media report that several zoos have offered to give the monkey a home if the Canadian singer doesn't reclaim it in time.

A Bieber representative did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/justin-bieber-given-4-weeks-pick-pet-monkey-180544332.html

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Calpensions: Stockton bankruptcy: the case for CalPERS cuts ...

By Ed Mendel
Monday, April 1, 2013

If a federal judge rules today that Stockton is eligible for bankruptcy, bond insurers facing big losses may wonder if they should have taken a harder look at how the city?s CalPERS debt could be cut.

The insurers, including the backer of a $125 million pension bond, would have to pay bondholders millions under a city proposal to cut general fund bond payments and continue making full payments to its largest creditor, CalPERS.

Assured Guaranty and National Public Finance Guarantee argued during a three-day trial last week that Stockton failed to meet the requirement for ?good faith? negotiations with creditors before filing for bankruptcy last June, temporarily staying debt collection.

The city argued that pensions are needed to remain competitive in the job marketplace and retain police, that labor has been hit by cuts in pay and retiree health car and that not paying CalPERS would trigger termination and a $1 billion payment.

Ironically, said a city attorney, the insurers provided no legal basis under California law for cutting pensions in pre-bankruptcy negotiations, but also oppose eligibility for the bankruptcy that might allow pension cuts.

?What good would dismissal of the Chapter 9 (bankruptcy) case do for them?? said Marc Levinson, an attorney for Stockton.

The financially ?broke? city would still need debt relief, Levinson said, and file for bankruptcy again ? this time without the 90-day mediation with creditors prior to filing bankruptcy under a new state law, using the emergency ?off ramp? instead.

He said the bond insurers used extensive sworn testimony and document requests in a nine-month delay, seeking ?leverage? with the ?perceived threat? of heavy city spending on a ?plan of adjustment? to cut debt after the ?inevitable? ruling of eligibility.

The bond insurers focused on the city failure to seek debt relief from CalPERS or explore alternatives, such as withdrawing city assets from the pension fund without triggering a $1 billion termination penalty.

?The city never tried,? said Matthew Walsh, an attorney for National Public Finance Guarantee. The insurers argued that they were targeted for ?disproportionate? cuts before Stockton began the 90-day mediation.

The city did not ask the California Public Employees Retirement System for a ?hardship? rate reduction until Dec. 4, after the insurers had raised the issue of lowering pension costs by extending the debt payment period.

CalPERS said Stockton did not meet the criteria. In a followup telephone call, an official said the city was told, among other things, that it did not qualify for an exception due to potential inability to ?provide continuation of funding at termination.?

A hardship rate would save an estimated $4.5 million over three years, far short of closing a $26 million general fund budget gap. Stockton considered a hardship request early but decided to wait until after filing for bankruptcy, said Bob Deis, the city manager.

To read entire story, click here.

Source: http://inlandpolitics.com/blog/2013/04/01/calpensions-stockton-bankruptcy-the-case-for-calpers-cuts/

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Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=55232

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Yorkville Chiropractor Supports Doctors Weight Loss Solution(TM)

YORKVILLE, Ill., March 31, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yorkville chiropractor Dr. Brian Berkey of Advanced Physical Medicine of Yorkville has been helping patients overcome back pain, foot pain and other musculoskeletal ailments in a somewhat unexpected way: helping them lose weight. He and internist Dr. Farah Malik use the the Doctors Weight Loss Solution? with patients in an effort to help patients address painful conditions from more than one angle. Dr. Berkey says that although traditional chiropractic care is good for treating backaches, correct posture is much harder to maintain for people who struggle with excess weight. The program includes extensive medical testing, exercise and nutritional counseling.

The Yorkville chiropractor explains his enthusiasm for the program. "Dr. Malik and I have been troubled by the struggles we've seen in our overweight patients to maintain good posture and to battle back pain, knee pain and other aches, not to mention their troubles with diabetes, heart disease, etc. I would implement chiropractic adjustments that helped briefly, but the excess weight just kept dragging their spines back out of alignment. When we examined the Doctors Weight Loss Solution? (DWLS), we knew we needed to try it."

According to Dr. Malik, they chose to incorporate DWLS because of its comprehensive approach to healthy weight loss. She says that it starts out with a complete analysis of a patient's overall health, including a full body, blood and hormone evaluation. Once they assess the patient's individual needs, the patient receives clinical nutrition counseling, weekly health classes, exercise therapy, medication and pre-packaged meals. Because of the intensive nature of the program, Dr. Malik says people interested in the program can contact the practice to make an appointment to begin evaluation.

Dr. Berkey says the patients who have participated in the program have seen great results. In addition to losing their target amounts of weight safely, patients have kept the weight off and enjoyed relief from backaches, foot, ankle and knee pain. They also report improved stamina, energy, muscle tone and improvement in conditions like diabetes and heart disease. One patient reported losing 25 pounds in three months, with a noted improvement in her plantar fasciitis. Another patient said she expected the prepared food to lack flavor, but was pleasantly surprised that it tasted so good and that she was feeling better overall through the program.

Dr. Malik adds, "Being overweight creates a huge risk for so many health problems and so much pain. We are excited to see our patients losing weight, keeping it off and feeling so much better because of it."

Advanced Physical Medicine of Yorkville is a multi-service medical center that provides conventional medical treatment, chiropractic care, physical therapy, spinal decompression, massage therapy and the Doctors Weight Loss Solution?. The practice serves patients throughout Oswego, Aurora, Sugar Grove and Plano and their website is http://www.advancedphysicalmedicine.net.

Advanced Physical Medicine of Yorkville 888-667-5235

Source: http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2013/03/31/534872/10026647/en/Yorkville-Chiropractor-Supports-Doctors-Weight-Loss-Solution-TM.html

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Navy IDs SEAL killed in Ariz. parachuting accident

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) ? Brett D. Shadle always had wanted to be a member of the Navy's most elite special forces unit. A year after enlisting, he made it happen and went on to become a highly decorated member of the Navy's famed SEAL Team 6.

U.S. military officials confirmed Saturday that Shadle, a 31-year-old special warfare operator chief, died Thursday when he and another SEAL collided in midair during a parachute training exercise over the rugged desert of southern Arizona.

Shadle was taken to University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson, where he was pronounced dead. The other SEAL ? an unidentified E-6 petty officer first class ? remained in stable condition Saturday at the Tucson hospital.

Military officials said the accident was under investigation.

Family members said Shadle, of Elizabethville, Pa., was stationed in Virginia. He was married and had a 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

His uncle Donald Shadle, 67, of Elizabethville, expressed disbelief, saying his nephew had been on many overseas missions only to come back and get killed during a training exercise.

"He was always a good kid, and he always wanted to be a Navy SEAL and that's what he did," Donald Shadle said.

Shadle enlisted in the Navy in July 2000. The following year he completed his SEAL training and was assigned to his first unit in early 2002.

Navy officials said Shadle had earned multiple Bronze Star Medals with Valor and several service ribbons. While details about his deployments were secret, officials confirmed he had served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Shadle and a fellow SEAL were practicing "routine military free-fall training" when the accident occurred Thursday afternoon, said U.S. Special Operations Command spokesman Kenneth McGraw. The SEALs collided in midair and landed in separate areas.

The command has a parachute testing and training facility at the Pinal Airpark northeast of Tucson, McGraw said. Training programs are operated there year-round.

The Navy's SEAL Team 6 gained international attention when it was revealed that members of the top secret unit had carried out a raid in Pakistan in 2011 in which Osama bin Laden was killed. Bin Laden became the most wanted man in the world after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.

Team 6 was hit hard later that same year when 22 SEALs from the special unit were killed when the helicopter they were riding in was apparently hit by an insurgent's rocket-propelled grenade. None of those killed on the helicopter was part of the bin Laden raid. Their deaths marked the nation's single deadliest day of the decade-long war in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, N.M., and Ron Todt in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/navy-ids-seal-killed-ariz-parachuting-accident-150524067.html

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