Arctic states open council to China, India, Korea

KIRUNA, Sweden (AP) — Arctic states have agreed to let nations that are located nowhere near the Earth's north to become observers to their diplomatic council.

The decision Wednesday by the Arctic Council boosts rising superpowers China, India and South Korea that seek to mine the region of its untapped energy and other natural resources. The European Union also was tentatively granted observer status to the eight-state council but must first address several questions about its bid, including concerns about its ban on Canadian seal exports.

Membership to the long-obscure Arctic Council has become increasingly lucrative as the thawing region's waterways open to commercial shipping traffic.

Officials estimate the Arctic holds 13 percent of the world's undiscovered oil reserves, and 30 percent of undiscovered gas deposits.

Via Yahoo News!

Syrian tanks pound city as Arab states withdraw envoys (Reuters)

AMMAN (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pressed on with a tank onslaught against a city Monday, but was plunged deeper into international isolation by Arab neighbors who denounced his violent crackdown and recalled their envoys from Damascus.

Assad's five-month campaign against street protests has emerged as one of the bloodiest episodes of the wave of democratic revolutions sweeping the Arab world this year. Killings have worsened sharply in the past week after Assad ordered tank assaults on two cities.

Other Arab leaders had been cautious about criticizing one of their peers, but Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah broke the silence with a rare intervention overnight, demanding an end to the bloodshed and recalling the Saudi ambassador from Damascus.

Hours later Kuwait and Bahrain recalled their envoys too.

Syrian tanks and troops poured into the eastern Sunni city of Deir al-Zor in the latest stage of a campaign to crush centers of protest against 41 years of Assad family rule.

"Armored vehicles are shelling the al-Hawiqa district heavily with their guns. Private hospitals are closed and people are afraid to send the wounded to state facilities because they are infested with secret police," Mohammad, a Deir al-Zor resident who did not want to give his full name.

He said at least 65 people had been killed since tanks and Armored vehicles barreled into the provincial capital, 400 km (250 miles) northeast of Damascus, Sunday, crumpling makeshift barricades and opening fire.

Later Monday Assad fired defense minister Ali Habib and replaced him with chief of staff General Daoud Rajha. The state news agency said Habib was ill. Habib had been added to an EU sanctions list last week for his role in crushing protests.

Syria's military is effectively under the command of Assad's brother Maher. Many officers are from the Assad family's minority Alawite sect.

The Syrian Observatory of Human Rights said among those killed were a mother and her two children, an elderly woman and a young girl. Syria has expelled most independent media since the uprising began, making it hard to confirm accounts.

FEW FRIENDS LEFT

The sudden withdrawal of ambassadors of Gulf Arab states leaves Assad with few diplomatic friends. Western states have imposed sanctions on top Syrian officials and countries with close ties to Damascus such as Russia and Turkey have warned Assad he is running out of time.

Nevertheless, countries have not proposed military action like that ranged against Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Assad's forces shot dead at least three mourners Monday when they opened fire at a funeral for a pro-democracy protester in the southern border city of Deraa, cradle of the five month uprising, witnesses and activists said.

Rami Abdulrahman of the Syrian Observatory said one of the dead was Maen Yousef Awadat, a leading political campaigner, who had recently been released from prison.

The funeral was for a youth arrested earlier this week when he took part street protests after nightly Ramadan prayers. His body was handed to relatives earlier Monday with signs of torture, according to relatives contacted in Deraa.

The Saudi criticism was the sharpest the oil giant has directed against any fellow Arab state since uprisings began to sweep the region, toppling autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt, kindling civil war in Libya and rattling elites.

"What is happening in Syria is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia," the Saudi king said in a written statement read out on Al Arabiya satellite television. "Syria should think wisely before it's too late and issue and enact reforms that are not merely promises but actual reforms."

"Either it chooses wisdom on its own or it will be pulled down into the depths of turmoil and loss."

SHELLING AND GUNFIRE

The assault on Deir al-Zor, in an oil-producing province bordering Iraq, took place a week after tanks stormed the city of Hama, where residents say scores have been killed.

The official SANA news agency said Monday the military was winding down in Hama. Residents said there were still tanks in parts of the city and security forces were making arrests. The Observatory said 1,500 people had been arrested in Hama's Jarajima neighborhood and troops killed three civilians.

Like most of Syria, Hama and Deir al-Zor are mainly-Sunni cities, and the crackdowns there resonate with Sunnis, who form the majority in the region and rule most Arab countries.

INTERNATIONAL CALLS

The Arab League called for an end to the bloodshed. France and Germany repeated calls for Assad to scrap the military campaign which rights groups say has killed at least 1,600 civilians.

Saudi Arabia's decision to join countries putting pressure on Assad was unlikely to deter the 45-year old president, who calls the clampdown a national duty, regional experts said.

Relations between Sunni Saudi Arabia and a Syrian ruling elite from Assad's minority Alawite sect have been tense since the assassination in 2005 of Rafik al-Hariri, a Western-backed Lebanese Sunni statesman who also had Saudi nationality.

In Cairo, the head of the most influential school of Sunni Islam, al-Azhar, described the violence as a human tragedy that had to stop. "Blood only fuels the fires of revolutions," said Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb.

Hama is known throughout the region as the site of a crackdown by Assad's father nearly 30 years ago against Sunni Islamists in which many thousands died.

AUTHORITIES DENY CITY ATTACKED

Syrian authorities denied that any Deir al-Zor assault had taken place. The official state news agency said "not a single tank has entered Deir al-Zor" and reports of tanks in the city were "the work of provocateur satellite channels."

Syrian authorities say they have faced attacks since the protests erupted in March, blaming armed saboteurs for civilian deaths and accusing them of killing 500 security personnel.

State television broadcast footage Sunday of mutilated bodies floating in the Orontes river in Hama, saying 17 police had been ambushed and killed in the central Syrian city.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who cultivated close ties with Assad but has sharply criticised the crackdown, said Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu would visit Syria Tuesday.

"Our message will be decisively delivered," he said, drawing a rebuke from an Assad adviser, who described the Turkish statement as unbalanced.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Davutoglu Sunday, the State Department said, asking him to "reinforce" Washington's position that Syria must immediately return its military to barracks and release prisoners.

(Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny in Beirut, Brian Love in Paris, Brian Rohan in Berlin, Asma al-Sharif in Jeddah, Mahmoud Harby in Kuwait and Ayman Samir in Cairo; Editing by Dominic Evans and Peter Graff)

Yahoo! News

Wildfires burn 1.4M acres in 12 states

(CNN) -- As a legion of firefighters battle the stubborn Wallow Fire in east central Arizona and west central New Mexico, colleagues in 10 other U.S. states also have their hands full with dozens more wildfires.

The Wallow fire is just one of 53 large uncontained wildfires burning in the United States, from Alaska to Florida, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. All told, the fires have burned 2,166 square miles or 1.4 million acres -- nearly the size of Delaware.

About 10,400 firefighters are involved in efforts to contain the fires, with more than 7,000 of them in Arizona and New Mexico, where fires have burned 853,518 acres, according to the center.

The largest of the fires continues to be the Wallow Fire, which has burned 527,774 acres so far, the fire's incident command team announced Tuesday, and is about 58% contained.

var currExpandable = "expand14";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap === 'object') {CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var currExpandableHeight = 360;mediaObj.lgImage= $(currExpandable).select('img.box-image')[0].readAttribute('src');mediaObj.lgImageX = 640;mediaObj.lgImageY = currExpandableHeight;mediaObj.origImageX = $(currExpandable).select('img.box-image')[0].readAttribute('width'); mediaObj.origImageY = $(currExpandable).select('img.box-image')[0].readAttribute('height');mediaObj.contentType = 'Video';CNN.expElements.expand14Store = mediaObj;

While residents in Greer, Arizona, are being allowed to return home, evacuation orders remain in effect in other parts of Arizona and in Luna, New Mexico. Residents in parts of Apache County, Arizona, also have been told to be prepared to evacuate should the need arise.

Power has been fully restored in Alpine and Nutrioso, Arizona, but remains out in areas north of Blue River, fire officials said.

In Texas, a fast-moving fire near Grimes County destroyed at least 26 homes as it burned across more than 4,000 acres.

The fire was caused by homeowners grilling near Stoneham, Texas, CNN affiliate KHOU-TV reported.

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said officials have identified a person of interest who is believed to have built the barbecue pit that started the fire, but as of now authorities do not believe there was any intent of arson.

The speed of the fire forced evacuations of whole subdivisions throughout the area.

Jerome Seeberger, who owns 40 acres of land in Grimes County, said there's just one word to describe the scene.

"Apocalypse," he told KHOU as he stood in front of a backdrop of charred trees. "I've never seen anything like this. Such a beautiful forest two days ago and now look at it."

In North Carolina, Forest Service officials said they are closely monitoring a fire in Pender County, which has burned more than 4,000 acres.

Though evacuations have not been ordered, residents of Pender County said they are worried. Diane Kuzina's voice broke as she described the fire's path. Kuzina owns land near the Pender County line.

"I don't want to lose my home," she said. "It's just scary."

The number of wildfires so far this year is below the 10-year average for the United States, according to the U.S. Forest Service. But the number of acres burned is three times that 10-year average, according to the agency.

While some state and local authorities have reported stretched resources from the widespread fires, Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told Congress last week that there's plenty of capacity to continue fighting fires.

The U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior have about 16,000 trained firefighters available nationwide, Tidwell said.

The agency also has leftover funds from previous years to pay higher-than-usual firefighting costs.

CNN's Craig Bell contributed to this report.

CNN

7 states at extreme fire risk on Sunday

The risk of fire is high in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas and UtahU.S. Forest Service chief: A Southern Arizona fire is the "number one priority"The chief says Arizona's Monument fire "can't get any worse"The cause of this fire, which is 27% contained, is under investigation, an official says

(CNN) -- Firefighters across the southwestern United States on Sunday could face some of the worst weather conditions of the season for battling blazes currently raging across the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for most of Arizona, all of New Mexico, much of north Texas and portions of Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas and Utah for Sunday. A red flag warning means weather conditions -- mainly high heat, low humidity and strong winds -- pose an extreme fire risk.

"The winds certainly will be very gusty and strong," said Ken Daniel, NWS meteorologist in Flagstaff, Arizona. "Any new fire starts would have the potential to have explosive growth."

The forecast calls for winds of 30 mph or more in some areas, with gusts of up to 50 mph, Daniel said.

There are currently dozens of active wildfires burning in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, according to InciWeb, an online interagency database that tracks fires, floods and other disasters.

Nationwide, wildfires have burned almost as many acres in the first half of 2011 than were recorded by the National Fire Interagency Center for all of 2010. The agency reports on its website that 3.1 million acres in the United States had been ignited by wildfires as of May 31, compared to 3.2 million burned acres cited in the organization's year-end report in November 2010.

One Arizona blaze that started May 29 has mushroomed into a massive wildfire that's scorched more than a half-million acres. A smaller but fast-moving blaze is raging in the southeastern corner of the state.

The latter of the two has emerged as "the number one priority" for firefighters nationwide, according to the chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

"The conditions that we're dealing with here are as bad as we can get," said Tom Tidwell, head of the U.S. Forest Service, of the combination of high temperatures, low humidity, ample "fuel" and strong winds. "It just can't get any worse."

Gordon Van Vleet, a spokesman for the Joint Information Center, said that no cause has been determined for the so-called Monument Fire, which has spread across the Huachuca Mountains and burned 20,956 acres as of Saturday afternoon. He said authorities likely won't state a cause until the blaze is more under control.

"We know where it started and when it started, but (the specific cause) is under investigation," Tidwell said. "When we do have that information, we will share it."

At a press conference, U.S. Sen. John McCain blamed illegal immigrants for starting unspecified fires in the area. The Arizona Republican, however, did not provide evidence to back up the accusation, which prompted rebukes from Latino civil rights leaders.

While a fire at the U.S. Army's Fort Huachuca is 100% contained, according to Van Vleet, the Monument fire was 27% contained as of Saturday afternoon -- an improvement over the 15% figure in the morning, but certainly dangerous given the inordinately dry and windy conditions.

"This has been the number one priority in the country for a couple of days," Tidwell said. "That means this will receive resources before anyone else."

The Monument Fire, just south of Sierra Vista, Arizona, has torched at least 40 homes.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has issued emergency declarations for the Monument Fire and another blaze, Horseshoe II, making Cochise County eligible for $100,000 toward response and recovery expenses.

Meanwhile, residents of the eastern Arizona community of Alpine were able to return home, according to fire spokesman John Helmich. The community has a population of about 300, but many more seasonal visitors were forced to leave earlier this month because of the historically large Wallow fire.

The Wallow fire, which burned 500,409 acres, was 38% contained Saturday.

Tidwell said earlier Saturday that he was "very optimistic" that damage from future wildfires could be minimized by thinning forests and clearing out biomass -- which did occur, to some extent, in parts of eastern Arizona. He noted that 3.2 million acres were "treated" nationwide last year.

Sen. John Kyl, R-Arizona, noted that the estimated $64.1 million price for the Wallow fire would more than double after the costs of mitigation efforts to prevent mudslides from the summer monsoons.

"Just think that what we could have done using those funds to treat those forests in advance," Kyl said.

But government budget strains have limited the amount of money going to such efforts. "The only way we are going to get these (forests) thinned is through greater participation of private enterprise," McCain said, adding that the government should try to facilitate such initiatives, including by allowing limited logging in national parks.

"There is simply not enough tax dollars to get the job done without them," McCain said of private companies.

CNN's Greg Botelho contributed to this report.

CNN

Heat-related deaths reported in 3 states

A flag seller in New York's Spanish Harlem uses a fan in his shop Wednesday as temperatures reach record-breaking highs.NEW: Autopsy is performed on a Milwaukee nursing home patientTwo deaths are reported in Maryland and two in Tennessee, health officials sayAll of the reported deaths were of people 60 or older with underlying health issuesThe heat that has plagued the South for nearly two weeks spreads northSee local coverage from CNN affiliate WISN in Milwaukee.

(CNN) -- Five possible heat-related deaths, all involving people 60 years or older and having pre-existing medical conditions, have been reported by health officials in three states, underscoring the danger posed to those most vulnerable in the searing heat wave that has gripped much of the eastern United States for nearly two weeks.

Medical examiners said a 69-year-old nursing home patient was left outdoors in his wheelchair, unchecked, for more than three hours Tuesday during record heat in Milwaukee, CNN affiliate WISN reported.

Martin Belkin, a patient at Sunrise Care Center, asked to be wheeled outside at 2:45 p.m. and was found unresponsive at 6 p.m. by workers at the facility. His temperature, taken nearly two hours after he was discovered, was 101.4, according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.

Milwaukee had a record high temperature of 97 degrees Tuesday, and a heat advisory had been issued the day before, warning of extreme heat between noon and 8 p.m. Tuesday, WISN reported. The station reported Belkin also suffered from a number of medical conditions and had been in the hospital in recent months.

An autopsy has been performed, and a ruling on cause of death is pending further toxicology testing, which may take several weeks, said Karen Domagalski of the medical examiner's office.

Two deaths also were reported in Maryland and two in Tennessee.

In Maryland, two senior residents, ages 65 or older, have died in the past 10 days from excess heat exposure, according to the state's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Both of the affected residents, a Cecil County man and an Anne Arundel County woman, had underlying medical conditions, the health agency said.

Two deaths related to the heat were reported in Shelby County, Tennessee, county health department spokeswoman Heather Reynolds said. A 75-year-old woman was found dead in her home Monday, and a 60-year-old man who fell from his wheelchair in Tipton County was taken to a hospital in Shelby County, where he died Tuesday,

The woman had a working air conditioner that wasn't turned on, and none of her windows were open, Reynolds said. She had only a fan on. The Shelby County chief medical officer said the woman had a number of medical conditions, including hypertension, but heat was listed as a contributing factor.

The Tipton County man was an amputee who had diabetes and was overweight. He was apparently in his wheelchair on a ramp to his van when he fell. Neighbors passing by alerted emergency services, and he was taken to Tipton County Hospital before being brought to Shelby County.

"When hot weather claims the lives of our residents, we are reminded how important it is to take precautions against heat exposure," Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley said in a statement issued by the state health department. "We need to remember to check on our families, friends and neighbors and especially those who are most vulnerable."

Is the heat wave affecting you? Share your story

Much of the Southeast has endured blistering heat, with little rain relief, since the last week of May, CNN Meteorologist Rob Marciano said, and the rising mercury now is spreading as far north as Minneapolis. Heat indices, which include humidity levels to show how the temperature feels, were in the upper 80s and low 90s well before noon in cities such as Washington, Atlanta, New York and Detroit.

A couple of cold fronts "will flirt with the western Great Lakes, so places like Chicago, maybe New York City, will see some brief cooling, but everything south of the Mason-Dixon Line (will experience) heat indices over 90 as well," Marciano said.

Dangerous heat is expected through Thursday, and possibly into Friday, in the large Eastern cities, he said, "so take care of your neighbors, certainly the elderly ones, and those who may not be able to handle this heat."

"Air quality is an issue, too," Marciano said. "Also, ozone builds up in big cities like Atlanta, so we're at a Code Orange today. Not only for Atlanta, but I think tomorrow over 80 cities will be in unhealthy categories."

The Maryland health department issued tips for recognizing symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion, and for dealing with the searing summer weather:

• Heatstroke is a serious illness characterized by a body temperature greater then 105 degrees. Symptoms may include dry red skin, convulsions, disorientation, delirium and coma. The onset of heatstroke can be rapid: A person can go from feeling well to a seriously ill condition within minutes. Treatment of heatstroke involves the rapid lowering of body temperature using a cool bath or wet towels. A heatstroke victim should be kept in a cool area; emergency medical care should be obtained by dialing 911.

• Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heatstroke that may develop because of a combination of several days with high temperatures and dehydration. Signs of heat exhaustion include extreme weakness, muscle cramps, nausea or headache. Victims may also vomit or faint. Heat exhaustion is treated with plenty of liquids and rest in a cool, shaded area. Those on a low-sodium diet or with health problems should contact a doctor.

• In hot weather, it's important to drink plenty of fluids such as water and fruit juice to prevent dehydration, and be aware that alcohol can impair the body's sweat mechanism, as can fairly common medications such as antihistamines and diuretics. Other tips include wearing loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothes, a hat and sunglasses; avoiding direct sunlight as much as possible; taking it easy outdoors; and seeking air-conditioned areas such as a shopping mall or public library if you don't have air conditioning at home.

CNN's Vivian Kuo, Kara Devlin and Devon Sayers contributed to this report.

CNN

Netflix now the top bandwidth consumer in the United States (Yahoo! News)

Streaming video is a big business, with companies like Netflix and Hulu raking in hundreds of millions of dollars every year. And now, according to a study by networking company Sandvine, Netflix is now the single biggest user of internet bandwidth in North America. The research shows that streaming video has been steadily taking over the majority of our virtual internet pipes, and web surfing — once the top dog — is now lagging far behind.

Netflix now accounts for nearly 30% of all downstream internet traffic, with traditional websites scrounging up just 18%. This makes sense, as the video that Netflix offers, much of which is in high definition, eats up a lot more bandwidth than a simple web page. Perhaps what's most surprising is Netflix's huge lead over competing streaming services like YouTube, with 11%, and Hulu, garnering just 1% of overall bandwidth.

We seem to be entering uncharted waters in terms of our internet usage, as well as the rules being imposed on it. On one hand we have studies like Sandvine's, which clearly show streaming video is here to stay, and on the other hand we have threats of bandwidth caps, speed throttling, and more limitations than ever before. These two trends simply can't continue to grow without clashing, and predicting which one will come out on top is anyone's guess.

Sandvine via TechCrunch

More from Tecca:

Yahoo! News

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

17 states urge halt to Blast drink

Rapper Snoop Dog promotes Blast, which has an alcohol content of 12%. STORY HIGHLIGHTS17 state attorneys general send a letter to Pabst Brewing Co., maker of "Blast"The malt beverage is a 'binge-in-a-can" that targets youth, letter saysThe drink has an alcohol content of 12%, comes in colorful, 23.5-ounce cans"Message of drinking responsibly" is focus of marketing, Pabst says RELATED TOPICSPabst Brewing CompanySnoop Dogg (CNN) -- Seventeen state attorneys general are urging Pabst Brewing Co. to stop marketing to young drinkers and halt production of a new malt beverage promoted by rapper Snoop Dogg.

In a letter sent to the Pabst Brewing Co., Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler says "Blast" by Colt 45 is a 'binge-in-a-can" that targets youth. Gansler was joined by attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington.

San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera also joined the petition, according to a written statement.

The makers of the new fruity blend came under fire after advocacy groups and politicians raised questions about its marketing campaign.

The drink, in a colorful 23.5-ounce can that resembles soda pop but has an alcohol content of 12%, more potent than a typical can of beer.

"They're marketing it as a single serving when in reality it's five servings in a can," said Raquel Guillory, spokeswoman for the Maryland attorney general. "We hope they would be a good corporate citizen."

Paul Porter of Industry Ears, a media watchdog group, says "Colt 45 makers are raising the alcohol level from the already high 6% to the even higher 12%, and enticing young people with hip hop themes and lollipop flavors."

He added the company is "expanding its market with our children."

Asked about the letter, Pabst Brewing Co. chief marketing officer Jon Sayer responded in a written statement: "Blast is only meant to be consumed by those above legal drinking age."

"As with all Pabst products, our marketing efforts for Blast are focused on conveying the message of drinking responsibly," the statement said. "To that end, the alcohol content of Blast is clearly marked on its packaging."

Rapper Snoop Dogg is considered a face of the product who "has the ability to take Colt 45 to a whole new level," according to a company marketing video.

As of Thursday night, Snoop Dogg had not responded to a request for comment from CNN.

In 2008, Gansler worked out a deal with MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch to halt the sale and production of select high-alcohol-content drinks.

"Both of those voluntarily pulled those off the market after we sent them a letter" that requested the drinks' removal, said Guillory.

View the Original article

Firefighters from 34 states battle Texas blazes

Western wildfires eat up TexasSTORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Texas burning "from border to border," forest service spokeswoman saysNEW: A cold front is expected to bring rain and lower the fire threat WednesdayNEW: The threat is likely to return Thursday for parts of west TexasMore than 170 homes have been destroyed by firesRead more about this story from CNN affiliates WFAA and KTVT.

Dallas (CNN) -- Texas firefighters on Wednesday continued to battle blazes that have scorched a million acres and have been burning for more than a week, according to the Texas Fire Service.

"We're actually seeing Texas burn from border to border. We've got it in West Texas, in East Texas, in North Texas in South Texas - It's all over the state," Texas Forest Service spokeswoman April Saginor told CNN Radio. "We've got one in the Dallas area that's four fires that have actually merged together."

Saginor said firefighters from 34 states are now in Texas battling blazes that, over the past two weeks, have destroyed 170 homes and scorched 1 million acres.

"Some (fires) are over 100,000 acres, and they've been burning for over a week, so that's our priority right now," Saginor said, "to put out the big ones.

Wildfire ravages home but spares family roosters

Much of Texas, however is expected to get a break Wednesday from the dry weather and high winds blamed for the spreading wildfires, according to the National Weather Service. However, the fire danger is likely to return Thursday for various parts of the state, the weather service said.

View the Original article

Google users become editors of the map of the United States

Google is allowing it's users to edit and add to the map of the United States. STORY HIGHLIGHTSGoogle Map Maker accepts user contributions and map editsThe Map Maker tool has been used in 183 countries and regions around the worldAnyone Google user can sign in and zoom in to a region to add a map point or draw an entityRELATED TOPICSGoogle MapsGoogle Inc.Science and Technology (Mashable) -- Nearly three years after first releasing Map Maker, Google is finally ready to let its users edit and add to the map of the United States.

Google Map Maker is a parallel version of Google Maps that accepts user contributions and map edits. When approved by moderators, edits are published to Google Maps and are pushed live to all users.

The Map Maker tool has been used in 183 countries and regions around the world, and users have been actively adding the next level of detail -- roads, universities, bike paths, pools and the like -- to their towns.

In 2008, roughly 15% of the world's population had online maps of their neighborhoods via Google Maps. Today, that percentage has jumped to 30% thanks to user contributions via Google Map Maker.

Tuesday, Google is making the entire United States map available for editing. The three-year wait, explains technology lead Lalitesh Katragadda, was due to two primary factors. Google chose to first make map editing available in parts of the world that needed detailed maps.

The company also wanted to ensure its moderation and editing processes could scale to meet higher demand. After all, he explains, the live version of Google Maps in the U.S. sees millions of visitors daily.

The processing of editing the U.S. map is not without its checks and balances. Anyone Google user can sign in and zoom in to a region to add a map point or draw an entity -- a newly constructed swimming pool, for instance.

Once an edit is saved, it is reviewed by a moderator and posted to the live version of Google Maps within seconds upon approval.

Google employs a hybrid moderation system to ensure the accuracy and quality of Maps edits. There's a small in-house moderation team, but most of the moderation is managed by power Map Maker users who have graduated to become a part of the moderating community.

"Users are best served by having complete details," says Katragadda. "The only way to get there is to have users doing it."

Google is also adding a few new features to Map Maker. Beginning Tuesday, Map Maker will integrate with Street View so users can use imagery to help guide their edits. Plus, there's now additional advanced search options.

Now that Google is giving us all the ability to become editors of the map of the United States, one can only hope that we wield our new digital cartography powers wisely.

© 2010 MASHABLE.com. All rights reserved.

View the Original article

Unemployment Falls in Two-Thirds of States

Associated Press

Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet

The unemployment rate fell in two-thirds of the nation's states last month, the latest evidence that the strengthening economy is encouraging many employers to boost hiring.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that the unemployment rate dropped in 34 states in March. That's the largest number of states to record a decline since June. The rate rose in seven states and was unchanged in nine and Washington, D.C.

Employers hired more workers in 38 states. A government survey of employer payrolls found only 12 states plus Washington, D.C. lost jobs last month, the fewest since October.

Nationally, the unemployment rate fell in March to a two-year low of 8.8 percent, and private employers added more than 200,000 jobs for the second consecutive month. That's the largest two-month hiring total in four years.

New Mexico reported the biggest monthly drop in unemployment among all states, falling from 8.7 percent in February to 8.1 percent in March. Florida, Oklahoma, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio posted the next biggest monthly declines.

Texas added 37,200 net jobs in March, the most of any state. It was followed by Missouri and Florida, both of which reported strong gains. California lost 11,600 net jobs -- the most of any state. Connecticut, Louisiana, Maryland and Maine all had large job losses, too.

Nevada again had the highest unemployment rate of any state, although it fell from 13.6 percent to 13.2 percent in March. California, at 12 percent, was second, followed by Florida (11.1 percent) and Rhode Island (11 percent).

North Dakota had the nation's lowest unemployment rate at 3.6 percent. It was followed by Nebraska at 4.2 percent and South Dakota at 4.9 percent.

Print Email Share Comments Recommend Tweet View ArticleLeave a CommentSort: NewestSort: Oldest Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. You must login to comment.

View Article

View All Comments

Latest Politics VideosMore »

View the Original article

States debate Internet cafe gambling

By Pat Jarrett, for USA TODAY

Natasha Summers, 18, crosses her fingers while playing a slot machine game at Richard's Internet Access and Sweepstakes in Harrisonburg, Va.

EnlargeCloseBy Pat Jarrett, for USA TODAY

Natasha Summers, 18, crosses her fingers while playing a slot machine game at Richard's Internet Access and Sweepstakes in Harrisonburg, Va.

In trying to build her business, she offered an online sweepstakes -- giving 100 chances for every hour of Internet time purchased. Customers could see if they won by playing video slot machines online and redeem winning chances for cash prizes of $10, $25 or $100.

Authorities said it looked a lot like gambling, and the city's police department shut her cafe down three months after she opened.

STORY: D.C. to offer Internet gamblingEighteen months later, the state attorney for Brevard County has dropped the gambling charges for a lesser misdemeanor for not properly advertising her sweepstakes promotion. Marceau accepted the deal this month. And the City Council that had her investigated has decided to make electronic gaming establishments legal.

"It's not gambling," says Marceau, who says she plans to reopen under the new ordinance. "The sweepstakes is just a way to get them in to use the computers."

Palm Bay's debate over Internet gaming cafes mirrors the problems cities and counties across the USA are having. The question is whether the casino-style video slot games are gambling under state law and whether the state allows that kind of gambling.

Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling, says it is gambling.

"What we've seen a lot with these Internet sweepstakes cafes is it's a way to get around gambling laws," Whyte said. "The only reason people are going to these facilities and spending so much time and money is because it's gambling. If it wasn't gambling, it wouldn't be popular."

The assumption, he said, is people are going primarily to gamble and not to use the Internet, make copies or fax documents.

Last year, North Carolina's Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue signed a bill making the 900 or so cafes in the state illegal as of Dec. 1. She has subsequently said she would consider regulating the industry.

William Thevaos, president of the Entertainment Group of North Carolina -- an association representing Internet sweepstakes centers in the state -- says regulated Internet sweepstakes could generate $500 million a year for the state.

In other states:

•A bill introduced by Virginia state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, that would make sweepstakes stores illegal was passed by the General Assembly last month. Gov. Bob McDonnell wanted the law to take effect immediately, but the General Assembly turned him down, said Jeff Caldwell, spokesman for the Republican governor. The governor will have 30 days to review the measure before signing it or vetoing it.

Jim Sutherland, a co-owner of Richards Internet Center in Harrisonburg, Va., says he had planned to open a second center in Newport News and had applied for a supplemental use permit.

"Then this law came along, and they tabled it," he said.

•Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is working with the Legislature and the Ohio Casino Control Commission to license and regulate Internet cafes so people won't be ripped off. "Internet cafes and sweepstakes that are skirting the law are growing in many of our communities," he said.

In March, police in Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, raided cybercafes suspected of online gambling. Attorney Elizabeth Dunning has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Blue Sky Entertainment challenging the "fringe gambling" law.

•A federal judge in Texas convicted three men earlier in March of participating in an Internet gambling conspiracy using "computerized gambling machines using sweepstakes to attract patrons under the guise of internet cafes and e-business centers " U.S. Attorney John Bales said.

Even as Palm Bay officials consider legalizing Internet sweepstakes promotions, Florida Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, has introduced a bill that would make it illegal statewide.

"Anybody that goes into those places is obviously not checking their e-mail or their friends on Facebook," Plakon said.

Danny Black, a regional manager for Allied Veterans of the World, which has 38 cafes in Florida, said customers have the option of going to a quick open page to reveal all their chances at once to see if they won anything. The video games "are a more entertaining way" to find out what you won, he said.

No one in Florida has been convicted of gambling related to running an Internet cafe.

Marceau hopes it stays that way so she can reopen.

"I just want to run my little business, provide Internet and copy services," Marceau says. "I've done nothing wrong."

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters

View the Original article

TVA to upgrade coal plants in 3 states under settlement

By the CNN Wire Staff STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe 11 plants are in Alabama, Kentucky and TennesseeTVA will also invest $350 million in clean energy projectsThe EPA says the upgrades will save lives and protect public health (CNN) -- The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday said it had reached a settlement with the Tennessee Valley Authority to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at 11 of its coal-fired power plants in three states.

Under the settlement, TVA will be required to invest $3 billion to $5 billion, by its own estimate, to install new and upgraded pollution controls. The controls "will prevent approximately 1,200 to 3,000 premature deaths, 2,000 heart attacks and 21,000 cases of asthma attacks each year, resulting in $27 billion in annual health benefits," the EPA said in a statement.

The plants are in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee.

In addition, TVA will invest $350 million on clean energy projects aiming to reduce pollution, save energy and protect public health and the environment, the EPA said. Those will include retrofitting low-income housing with the more cost-effective energy efficiency technology aimed at reducing pollution, energy use and saving residents money, according to the agency.

"This agreement will save lives and prevent billions of dollars in health costs," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson in the statement. "Investments in pollution control will keep hundreds of thousands of tons of harmful pollutants out of the air we breathe, and help create green job opportunities that will reduce pollution and improve energy efficiency."

Asked by reporters whether the settlement will drive up power bills, Jackson said, "TVA has made estimates and says they do not expect this settlement to impact rate payers in their service district."

When fully implemented, the actions will address 92% of TVA's coal-fired plant capacity, reducing emissions of nitrogen oxide by 69% and sulfur dioxide by 67% from TVA's 2008 emissions levels, the EPA said. "Uncontrolled releases of harmful air pollution like sulfur dioxide from power plants can affect breathing and aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, especially in sensitive populations like children and the elderly," the agency said in its statement.

TVA also will provide $1 million to the National Park Service and the National Forest Service to "improve, protect or rehabilitate forest and park lands that have been impacted by emissions from TVA's plants, including Mammoth Cave National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park," according to the EPA.

"I think one thing to emphasize here is that what TVA has done is look ... across their entire fleet, (and) made a business decision that they want to move to cleaner, more efficient, newer technology and in doing that, save lives and make people healthier," Jackson told reporters.

TVA operates 59 coal-fired boilers at the 11 plants, and provides wholesale power to 155 municipal and cooperative power distributors and direct service to 56 large industrial and government customers, who supply power to about 9 million people in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and small portions of Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia, the EPA said.

"The message here," Jackson told reporters, "is that we don't have anything against coal, but we have to reduce the pollution that comes from coal to our air, to our water and on our land."

The settlement also requires TVA to pay a $10 million civil penalty, with Alabama and Kentucky receiving $500,000 each and Tennessee receiving $1 million.

As part of the settlement, a consent decree will be filed in federal court, the EPA said. The states of Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina, along with the National Parks Conservation Association, the Sierra Club and Our Children's Earth Foundation were involved in developing the settlement and are signatories to the consent decree.

CNN Radio's Shelby Erdman contributed to this report.

View the Original article

Plains states endure a season of weather extremes

Such is life across the Plains, which typically endure some of the most volatile, varied weather on the planet, and the last couple of months have been no exception. Plagues of floods, wildfires and even tornadoes have wreaked havoc from the Dakotas to Texas.

While parts of the northern Plains this week slog through what the National Weather Service called

View the Original article

Study: Prisons failing to deter repeat criminals in 41 states

By Dirk Lammers, AP

A guard house sits atop a wall of the South Dakota State Penitentiary, where a guard was shot and killed during a failed escape attempt on Tuesday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

EnlargeCloseBy Dirk Lammers, AP

A guard house sits atop a wall of the South Dakota State Penitentiary, where a guard was shot and killed during a failed escape attempt on Tuesday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

In one of the most comprehensive reports of its kind, the Pew Center on the States found that slightly more than four in 10 offenders return to prison within three years, a collective rate that has remained largely unchanged in years, despite huge increases in prison spending that now costs states $52 billion annually.

National recidivism, or return, rates are holding steady even as state officials have launched programs to help prisoners re-enter society and as the recent financial crisis has forced states to cut their budgets and re-evaluate the types of offenders who should return to prison.

MORE: Recidivism report

View the Original article

Indian firm stops selling scarce execution drug to U.S. states

SharePrintBy Michael Winter, USA TODAYComment

Recommend

An Indian pharmaceutical company that was supplying a hard-to-get sedative used in executions says it has stopped selling the drug to U.S. prisons.

The Associated Press reports that Mumbai-based Kayem Pharmaceutical was becoming a major supplier of sodium thiopental, one of the three drugs used in lethal injections in 34 states. After supplying the drug to Nebraska and South Dakota and contacting a half-dozen other states, the manufacturer cited the "ethos of Hinduism" for its decision to "refrain ourselves in selling this drug where the purpose is purely for lethal injection and its misuse."

Read the company's full statement.

Kayem had come under pressure from activists, The Wall Street Journal notes.

Supplies of sodium thiopental became scarce after the sole U.S. manufacturer, Illinois-based Hospira, stopped making the sedative last year, saying it objected to the drug's use in executions. At least seven states have purchased the drug from overseas, while others got it from other states whose stocks had not expired. Several states have postponed executions because of the shortage.

Last week, Kentucky and Tennessee surrendered their supplies of sodium thiopental to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which is investigating the importation of the drug. Last month, the DEA seized Georgia's stock.

AP has found that Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Nebraska and Tennessee obtained sodium thiopental overseas.

Tags:Hospirasodium thiopental .div-wrapper

View the Original article