Motorola emphasizes design in circular smartwatch

NEW YORK -- Motorola rolled out a circular smartwatch Friday, counting on a more traditional design to win over consumers who have so far shunned other computerized wrist devices.

Smartwatches so far have had rectangular faces, a shape that has turned off many consumers, said Steve Sinclair, Motorola's vice president of product management. Motorola's Moto 360 is round and has an all-metal frame, making it look more like a regular watch.

"People don't want to wear a shrunken-down smartphone on their wrist," Sinclair said.

Reshaping the smartwatch still might not be enough to sway consumers' attitudes. Apart from design, smartwatches have had limited appeal because of their small displays and a requirement to have a companion smartphone nearby. Technology companies have yet to make a compelling case for why everyday consumers need them.

Nonetheless, mobile device makers are still pinning their hopes on smartwatches spurring more sales to consumers who already have smartphones and tablet computers and aren't looking to upgrade right away. Samsung and Sony already have smartwatches out, and new models are coming this fall. Apple is also believed to be working on one that could be announced Tuesday.

Friday's debut of the Moto 360 comes a week after LG Electronics Inc. announced its own circular smartwatch, the G Watch R. LG's watch won't be available for at least a month, though, and its price wasn't immediately announced.

Both watches use Google's Android Wear operating system. The system uses voice controls for basic functions, such as reading messages, checking the weather and getting reminders on calendar appointments.

The Moto 360 costs $250 and starts shipping Friday. That comes with a leather band. A metal-band version will come out this fall for $300.

Motorola also announced updates to two of its phones.

The Moto G will grow to 5 inches, from 4.5 inches in last year's model. The camera is also improved to 8 megapixels, rather than 5 megapixels. It will start at $180 in the U.S. with no contract requirement. The new version will have 3G cellular access only. Motorola will continue selling a 4G version of the old model for $219.

Meanwhile, the flagship Moto X will enlarge to 5.2 inches, from 4.7 inches, and will start at $500. It will have a 13 megapixel camera, up from 10 megapixels. The Moto X distinguishes itself from rival phones by allowing people to customize the backs when ordering. Wood and leather backs will be available for a higher price.

There's also a new Bluetooth headset, the Moto Hint. Headsets have typically been limited to phone calls. The Moto Hint will also allow users to control the Moto X phone with voice commands.

Motorola is currently owned by Google, though Lenovo plans to complete its purchase of the business this year.

Divers seek lost crab pots in Washington waters

PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. -- Over 12,000 crab pots are lost in Washington state's Puget Sound every year, costing an estimated $700,000 in lost harvest revenue, and more poignantly, damaging the sea floor environment. Using sonar to find the pots, divers and scientists venture into the waters to clean up and learn why pots are lost.

—THE PROBLEM:

Recreational and commercial crabbing in Washington's inland waters is a popular pastime and an important seafood industry. But thousands of crab pots are lost every year, abandoned on the sea floor. The lost pots continue to attract Dungeness and red-rock crabs for up two years, trapping them until they die. The dead crabs then attract more crabs. "It just keeps on self-baiting itself," said Joan Drinkwin, programs director at the Northwest Straits Foundation, which spearheaded the crab pot cleanup project a decade ago.

—THE DAMAGE:

Crabs are not an endangered or threatened species, so what's the issue? Scientists have estimated that a derelict crab pot can impact up to 30-square-feet of the sea floor around it, depending on where the pot landed. For example, a pot digging out cavities in the sea floor can damage eel grass beds. "If you think about 12,000 pots sitting out there every year, and you add that up, the numbers are pretty alarming in terms of the kind of impact they are having on marine habitat," Drinkwin said.

—THE CAUSES:

Research by the Northwest Straits Foundation has found a variety of reasons why pots are left behind. Lines attached to the pots can be cut by boats, a problem acerbated when people place pots in heavily used waterways. Badly tied knots can come undone. Pots are left in water that's too deep for the line. And sometimes, even sabotage among competing fishermen is a cause. "We see people putting their pots in the middle of ferry lanes. And obviously that's a terrible place to put your pot," Drinkwin said.

—THE CLEANUP:

After using sonar to pinpoint crab pots on the sea floor, a diver plunges into the cold, dark Puget Sound waters using a rope with a weight thrown near the pot as a guide. Once the pot is found, it's tied to the rope and reeled in. The team uses divers in an attempt to minimize the impact on the sea floor. In a 2010 trip to Boundary Bay near the U.S.-Canada border, the team found over 1,000 pots in a 6-square-mile area. "When the divers went down to remove them, they tripped over the pots," Drinkwin said.

—CRAB POTS AREN'T ALONE:

More than 336,000 animals from more than 240 species have been found in derelict fishing nets and crab pots, according to the foundation. The nets have killed porpoise, sea lions, Chinook salmon and many more species. Since 2002, the Northwest Strait Foundation teams have removed 4,700 nets and 3,400 crab pots from the Puget Sound. The law now requires fishing vessels to report a lost net, and there's no penalty.

—FIXING THE PROBLEM:

Crabbing is relatively easy and accessible, but that also leads to people setting up pots without knowing how to do it well. Drinkwin and her teams can't pick up every crab pot left behind. So they've been focusing on areas with high concentrations of pots. "We recognized that what really needs to happen is a combined approach that includes some targeted removals in areas where the concentrations of derelict crab pots may be having an ecological impact in the area, combined that with really aggressive prevention campaigns that will educate crabbers how not to lose their pots and also we want to work more to making sure that crab pots used in Puget Sound have appropriate escape mechanisms," Drinkwin.

Asia stocks fluctuate ahead of US jobs report

HONG KONG -- Asian stocks fluctuated Friday as investors looked for direction before a key U.S. jobs report later in the day while Japan's market edged higher after the yen fell to a six-year low.

KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 0.1 percent to 15,693.25. South Korea's Kospi dipped 0.4 percent to 2,048.59 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.3 percent to 25,227.97. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.5 percent to 2,318.13. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.6 percent to 5,598.40. Benchmarks in Taiwan and Singapore fell while those in Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand gained.

ECB SURPRISES: In a fresh bid to revive the lifeless eurozone economy, the European Central Bank surprised markets Thursday with a cut to its main interest rate bringing it to a record low of 0.05 percent. That gave European and U.S. benchmarks a big initial boost but the effect wore off by the time Asian trading opened.

CURRENCIES: The dollar is gaining strength after the ECB's rate cut and the Bank of Japan's decision Thursday to hold steady on stimulus even after a GDP contraction in the second quarter. The dollar was at 105.36 after rising as high as 105.71 yen, the highest level since October 2008, from 105.38 in late trading Thursday. The euro slipped to a 14-month low of $1.2932 from $1.2937 in late trading Thursday.

US JOBS: Investors are standing pat ahead of a U.S. government jobs report later Friday. Economists expect it will show that the world's biggest economy added 220,000 jobs in August, which would be the seventh month in a row of gains exceeding 200,000.

THE QUOTE: "Markets will consolidate in expectation of the U.S. labor market report later in the day," Credit Agricole CIB's Dariusz Kowalczyk wrote in a report. "Therefore, volatility during much of the day will be limited as players will not want to take the risk of new positions before the data."

WALL STREET: The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.1 percent to close Thursday at 17,069.58 points. The S&P 500 index fell 0.2 percent to 1,997.65. The Nasdaq composite dropped 0.2 percent to 4,562.29.

ENERGY: The price of oil slumped after U.S. government data showed supplies fell less than expected last week, suggesting demand in the world's No. 1 economy wasn't as strong as believed. Benchmark crude oil slipped 1 cent to $94.44 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Stock Exchange, after falling 1.1 percent, or $1.09, to settle at $94.45 on Thursday.

Details on Nevada's incentive package for Tesla

CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Nevada has assembled a package of tax breaks and incentives worth up to $1.3 billion over 20 years to lure Tesla Motor Inc.'s new $5 billion battery factory to an industrial park near Reno. The state Legislature will have to approve the package. Here's what the deal with the electric car maker includes:

WHAT TESLA RECEIVES:

— 100 percent abatement of sales and use taxes for 20 years, worth up to $700 million.

— 100 percent abatement of real property tax, personal property tax and payroll taxes for 10 years. Together the abatements are valued at $675 million to $1.1 billion over 20 years, depending on the size of Tesla's investment.

— Tax credits worth about $195 million over 20 years, including a jobs transferable tax credit of $12,500 per permanent employee, worth $70 million, and an investment tax credit of $125 million.

— The tax credits (about $195 million) are separate from abatements ($675 million to $1.1 billion) for a total package worth about $865 million to $1.3 billion.

— Nevada will purchase the right of way to USA Parkway to connect Interstate 80 south to U.S. Highway 50 east of Carson City and improve access to the site.

— Minor revisions in state law to ensure Tesla can sell its cars through company-owned dealerships.

WHAT NEVADA RECEIVES:

— An estimated economic impact of roughly $5 billion a year for the next 20 years for a total of $100 billion. That's equal to a bit more than 3 percent of the state's gross product.

— Some 6,500 permanent jobs averaging $25 per hour at the Tesla factory and a peak of 3,000 construction jobs leading to the plant's scheduled 2017 opening. About 22,000 projected new jobs resulting directly and indirectly from the plant over two decades.

— Tesla will make it a priority to hire Nevada residents, especially veterans.

— An estimated $1.9 billion in tax revenue for all levels of government, state, local and school districts over 20 years.

—Tesla will make a $37 million contribution to K-12 education — approximately $7.5 million a year for five years.

— Tesla will contribute $1 million to battery research at UNLV.

WHAT NEVADA CUTS:

— The state's existing film tax credit would be cut from $80 million to $10 million.

— A home office credit used by insurance companies would end Jan. 1, 2016, to save $125 million.

— The cuts totaling $195 million offset the tax credits Tesla is to receive.

Source: Steve Hill, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development

Lebanon's Arabic press digest – Sept. 5, 2014

The following are a selection of stories from Lebanese newspapers that may be of interest to Daily Star readers. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.

As-Safir

Iran to Moqbel: Weapons with nothing in return

Saudi grant of arms postponed

Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister for Arab Affairs Hussein Amir Abdul Allahaan is expected to arrive in Beirut next week for talks with Lebanese officials.

A diplomatic source told As-Safir that Allahaan will brief the Lebanese officials on his Saudi talks.

The source said the Iranian defense minister has sent out an invitation to his Lebanese counterpart Samir Moqbel to visit Iran to discuss what Lebanon needs, particularly in terms of arming the Lebanese Army.

“Iran’s decision is to meet all of Lebanon’s needs at this level with nothing in return,” the source stressed.

Meanwhile, a well-informed French source told As-Safir that the Saudi grant of arms for Lebanon has been delayed for two months.

The source said the the Saudi defense minister and his French counterpart agreed during a meeting Wednesday to extend the deadline to sign the arms deal for two months before a possible return to talks to conclude the agreement in November.

Al-Liwaa

Cabinet approves negotiations with states, not parties

Ministerial sources told Al-Liwaa that the Cabinet approved during its meeting Thursday the principle of conducting negotiations with states that have influence on the kidnappers and not with parties.

The sources did not spell out the countries with the most powerful influence on the jihadists holding at least 23 soldiers and policemen captive.

They said the Cabinet also endorsed the principle of what might be called a soft attitude – within the laws and regulations – toward Islamist inmates held at Roumieh Prison, specifically speeding their trials.

More to follow ...

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Apple supplier in China accused of violations

BEIJING -- An Apple supplier in China is violating safety and pay rules despite the computer giant's promises to improve conditions, two activist groups said Thursday, ahead of the expected release of the iPhone 6.

The report by China Labor Watch and Green America adds to a string of complaints about wage, safety and environmental conditions at China's network of contractors that produce most of the world's personal computers and mobile phones. Global brands that rely on Chinese suppliers have responded by imposing wage and other standards and by carrying out regular inspections.

Violations at Catcher Technology's facility in the eastern city of Suqian have worsened since they were pointed out to Apple in April 2013 by China Labor Watch, the report said. At the time, Apple promised to remedy the problems. The report said employees affected worked on parts for the latest version of Apple's iPad and were later transferred to a facility that produces the iPhone 6.

Apple Inc., based in Cupertino, California, said it would send inspectors to investigate the latest report. It said the Suqian facility makes aluminum enclosures for MacBook and iPad computers.

An undercover investigator who got a job at the facility found violations including mandatory overtime of up to 100 hours per month, in excess of the legal limit of 36 hours, and failure to pay some wages to its 20,000 employees, the report said. It said violations of Apple policies included failing to give out protective gear and locking fire exits and windows.

An aluminum polishing workshop was filled with metal dust, a fire hazard, according to the report. It said supervisors talked about the need to reduce fire risk following an explosion at another company but no action was taken.

In a statement, Apple said its inspectors examine the Catcher facility's aluminum polishing systems every month "and consistently find they exceed international safety standards."

The statement said Apple conducted 451 audits of suppliers including Catcher last year.

The latest audit of Catcher in May found "concrete areas" for improvement, the company said. It said as a result of fire safety inspections, the most recent last week, Catcher has repaired fire extinguishers, unblocked fire exits and added missing emergency exit signs.

Apple said Catcher has averaged 95 percent compliance with its limit of 60 hours of work per week so far this year.

The company has scheduled a product launch for Sept. 9 but has not said what will be released. People who follow the company believe it will be a larger iPhone or possibly a smart watch.

In 2012, Apple promised to raise wages and reduce working hours at factories in China after an audit found violations by its biggest supplier, Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group.

Companies including Nike Inc., Gap Inc. and The Walt Disney Co. also have set labor standards for Chinese factories that make shoes, clothing, toys and other goods sold under their brands.

---

Online:

Apple Inc.: www.apple.com

China Labor Watch: http://bit.ly/WgrumU

Green America: www.greenamerica.org

Catcher Technology Co. Ld.: www.catcher.com.tw

90 layoffs in Pennsylvania processing plant sale

HAZLETON, Pa. -- Ninety employees of a northeastern Pennsylvania plant will be laid off as part of a deal expected to become final in the first half of next year.

The (Hazleton) Standard-Speaker (http://bit.ly/Ye8PKd ) reports that Archer Daniels Midland officials will offer severance benefits to the 90 cocoa processing workers.

Another 118 workers who make chocolate will transfer to the buyer, Cargill, which has yet to decide what will happen to the Hazleton plant.

Cargill spokesman Pete Stoddart told the paper in an email that the company "will work out the best way to design the combined operations."

As part of the $440 million deal, Cargill will buy five other factories in Milwaukee, Ontario, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany.

Cargill also has a meat processing plant in Hazleton.

AutoNation's August sales rise 7 percent

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- AutoNation said Thursday that its new vehicle sales rose 7 percent last month, as the auto dealership chain sold 32,660 vehicles.

The largest part of that, domestic vehicle sales, climbed 8 percent to top 10,000 for the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, company. Sales of imports rose 5 percent to nearly 17,000 compared to August, 2013, and premium luxury vehicles jumped 11 percent to 5,676.

AutoNation Inc.'s sales from established stores rose 5 percent compared to August 2013. Sales at locations open at least a year are considered an important measurement of a retailer's performance. They exclude results from stores that opened or closed within the last year.

The automotive retailer owns and operates 273 new vehicle franchises, which sell 33 brands across 15 states.

Shares of AutoNation closed at $53.77 on Wednesday and have climbed 8.2 percent so far this year. That matches the advance of the Standard & Poor's 500 index over the same span.

Legal or not, the pot business is still wacky

NEW YORK -- Legal or not, the business of selling weed in the U.S. is as wacky as ever.

The tangle of rules and regulations that govern whether and how it can be grown, bought and sold create complexity and ambiguity that cause major headaches for marijuana businesses — and enticing opportunities for those who want to exploit it.

Marijuana is a gray market industry, mainly because the nation hasn't decided whether marijuana is a dangerous illegal drug, a medicine, or not much worse than tobacco or alcohol.

There are legitimate new businesses proliferating in the 23 states where pot is now legal. But there are also shady public companies trying to lure investors, consultants with little experience trying to elbow into the industry and wild claims about pot's medicinal benefits.

Rai: Depriving Lebanon of a president a crime

Rai: Depriving Lebanon of a president a crime

Depriving the state of its head is a crime Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai says, calling on Lebanese lawmakers to elect...

ISIS executes Lebanese man in border town: NNA

BEIRUT: ISIS executed a Lebanese man from the northeastern town of Arsal Thursday, according to the National News Agency.

The state-run agency said the victim has been identified as Kayed Ghadadah.

Security sources told The Daily Star that Ghadadah was kidnapped last week from his house in north Arsal and was taken to the town's outskirts close to the Syrian border.

Media reports are indicating that ISIS executed Ghadadh for his ties to Hezbollah.

Last week, a video surfaced on social media showing two Syrians held by a radical group saying they, along with Ghadadah, were recruited by Hezbollah to ignite strife between the Lebanese Army, Syrian refugees and the jihadists who have infiltrated the border in light of the battles in Qalamoun, a mountainous region bordering Lebanon.

The two men, who appeared in the video posted by a YouTube channel called "The Network of the White Minaret's Correspondents," identified themselves as Mohammad Abdo Araj and Mohammad Mahmoud Abdel-Nabi.

The two said Hezbollah trained them on the use firearms and how to plant bombs, and asked them to coordinate with each other to attack an Army post. One of the men also alleged that the party had killed a Lebanese soldier who sought to defect from the Army.

Ghadadah's name first appeared in a security report last year that stated that he, along with Palestinian Sheikh Abu Ammar Toufic Hijazi, was involved in rigging vehicles to be detonated in the Bekaa Valley town of Arsal.

The classified report, which was circulated among security agencies, said that the Nusra Front had rigged a white Mercedes 300 with a fake license plate, along with a gray Nissan Patrol jeep.

Lego Movie pushes toymaker's sales up

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Danish toy maker Lego says revenue soared 11 percent in the first six months of 2014, mostly because of the success of the "Lego Movie."

The privately owned company's chief financial officer said Thursday they were thrilled by the success.

John Goodwin said: "Lego Movie products provided a significant boost to our sales during the first half of 2014." He said that support could continue in the second half of the year, when Lego Movie will be launched on DVD.

Net profit in the period was up 14 percent compared with the first half of 2013, at 2.7 billion kroner ($480 million), on sales of 11.5 billion kroner.

Lego, which is not publicly listed, releases only half-year figures.

US services firms expand at fastest pace on record

WASHINGTON -- U.S. services firms expanded in August at the fastest pace on record.

The Institute for Supply Management says its services index rose to 59.6 last month from 58.7 in July. The August figure is the highest recorded since the measure was introduced in January 2008. Fifteen of 17 industries reported growth last month. Only mining and arts, entertainment and recreation contracted in August.

The ISM is a trade group of purchasing managers. Its services survey covers businesses that employ 90 percent of the American workforce, including retail, construction, health care and financial services firms.

Ex-secretary in Texas gets 10 years for theft

SAN ANTONIO -- A former secretary for a San Antonio medical-related business has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing nearly $1 million from the company.

Stephanie Ann Govett was sentenced Wednesday.

The San Antonio Express-News (http://bit.ly/1CtwdTw ) reports Govett in June pleaded no contest to felony theft in a plea deal. Govett could have faced life in prison if convicted. She's also required to make restitution.

Govett in 2009 was hired by Advitech Inc. The company was founded by Dr. Wesley Krueger of San Antonio, who invented some anti-vertigo glasses.

Court documents indicate Govett during her first year on the job cashed about two dozen company checks, some as large as $150,000, for her personal benefit.

Krueger offered a victim impact statement saying Govett's fraudulent actions led to his company's demise.

Lebanon, Denmark discuss refugees, terrorism

Lebanon, Denmark discuss refugees, terrorism

Security threats imposed by extremist groups and the refugee crisis in Lebanon were the topics of discussion between...

Two Syrians arrested for selling fake coins in Beirut

Two Syrians arrested for selling fake coins in Beirut

Two Syrians are arrested in Lebanon after attempting to sell fake gold coins that they claimed were worth $14,000.

Lebanese travel documents hobble Palestinians

BEIRUT: Palestinian refugees face insulting measures at international airports because of their poor quality identification and travel documents issued by the Lebanese state, the Palestinian Human Rights Watch said Thursday.

“The Palestinian refugees’ identification cards and papers are still issued with horrible quality and short life,” the organization said in a statement. “They do not comply with the international standards followed by most of the world’s states.”

The statement revealed that the Lebanese government has not yet begun using printers to issue travel documents for Palestinians, and was using the same identification cards as from the 1950’s.

“They are issued in large sizes and are handwritten, while photos are pasted onto the paper instead of being electronically printed,” the statement said.

The poor quality of the travel documents has meant that security guards at international airports are detaining Palestinians for long durations to carry out checks on the documents, which sometimes leads to travelers missing their planes or "other indignities."

As a result, PHRW called on the Lebanese Interior Ministry to “end this humanitarian problem,” digitalize the documents of Palestinian refugees and mechanize their issuance.

“The Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee ... had prepared a study about the mechanization of these documents according to international standards,” PHRW explained, “but the project has not seen light.”

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French ex-trader to be released from prison

PARIS -- The Paris appeals court has authorized the controlled release of a Frenchman convicted of one of history's biggest trading frauds.

Less than four months after he was taken into custody, Jerome Kerviel is to be released from France's Fleury-Merogis prison south of Paris on Monday wearing an electronic bracelet.

Appeals court spokeswoman Magali Josse said Kerviel will have freedom of movement on weekends and during the day on weekdays.

Kerviel cost Societe Generale 4.9 billion euros in losses in 2008, just before the financial market meltdown. He claimed the bank had quietly welcomed his unauthorized trades when they made money, but turned against him when his trades turned sour.

The 37-year-old ex-trader has also been ordered to pay 4.9 billion euros in damages — seen as an unlikely possibility.

US companies add jobs at solid pace in August

By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- U.S. businesses added jobs at a healthy pace in August, according to a private survey, the fifth straight month of solid gains.

Payroll processer ADP said Thursday that private employers added 204,000 jobs last month, down from 212,000 in July, which was revised slightly lower. Job gains above 200,000 are usually enough to lower the unemployment rate.

The figures suggest that the government's jobs report, to be released Friday, will also show a solid increase. But the ADP numbers cover only private businesses and sometimes diverge from the government's more comprehensive report.

Economists surveyed by FactSet forecast that the government's report will show that 220,000 jobs were added in August, while the unemployment rate slipped to 6.1 percent.

"The job gains are across the board in terms of payscale, which is very encouraging," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, which helps compile the report.

Manufacturers added 23,000 jobs in August, the most since December 2012, the ADP report said. Construction firms added 15,000. Professional and business services, which includes higher-paying sectors such as engineers, architects and accountants, gained 51,000, down from 60,000 in July.

Other data released Thursday also pointed to healthy hiring. Applications for unemployment benefits ticked up slightly to 302,000 last week, but that figure is at pre-recession levels and is consistent with strong job gains.

According to government data, employers have added an average of 230,000 jobs this year, up from 194,000 in 2013. That's lowered the unemployment rate to 6.2 percent in July from 6.7 percent at the end of last year.

Power outage hits Cairo subway, TV stations

CAIRO -- An hours-long power outage in Cairo and across Egypt halted many subway trains and knocked several TV channels off the air on Thursday, in what the electricity minister described as a rare event caused by a technical failure which occurs every 15 years.

Egypt suffered from regular rolling blackouts throughout the summer which left parts of the city in darkness for hours at a time. But Thursday's blackout was longer and more wide-ranging, and came just days after officials had claimed progress in alleviating the crisis. The cause of the outage remained unclear.

Egypt's Electricity Minister Mohammed Shakir told state-run agency MENA that electricity would be restored within hours and that the ministry would investigate the outage. Earlier, officials said the outage took place as the ministry was carrying out an experiment in redistributing electricity, saying a technical failure during the "maneuver" caused the blackout.

However, Mohammed al-Yamani, the spokesman for the Electricity Ministry, claimed the outage was due to routine "maintenance" work. He said the ministry would grant priority to vital institutions and hospitals as it works to restore power.

The sudden power outage at 6:00 a.m. Cairo time (0300 GMT) caused widespread frustration and led TV commentators to urge Egypt's prime minister to sack the electricity minister. Others accused Islamists' in the ranks of the ministry as plotting the crisis, something officials ruled out.

Local TV networks showed metro stations packed with commuters after trains stopped due to the electricity cut. The spokesman for the city's metro system, Ahmed Abdel-Hadi, said the trains connecting Cairo's southern suburbs to downtown were halted.

The government recently promised to end the blackouts in four months, partially blaming the outages on attacks by saboteurs on electrical lines. Over the past week there had been a noticeable reduction in the power cuts, coinciding with slightly cooler temperatures after a scorching August.

The energy crunch is linked to shrinking revenues and Egypt's inability to pay off debts to foreign oil companies.

Police ask victims of suspected thief to come forward

BEIRUT: Police have appealed for victims of a suspected robber to come forward to press charges Thursday. The suspect is currently being held in police detention, accused of killing a man after a botched robbery last week.

A statement released by the Internal Security Forces said the 32-year-old Lebanese detainee confessed to theft and pick-pocketing a number of citizens, particularly women in the Metn region.

According to the man's confession he would pickpocket women from a motorcycle with the help of an accomplice.

The detainee is also suspected of killing Elie Kfoury on Aug. 16 in Jal al-Dib, after he failed to carry out a robbery in the Metn neighborhood.

The ISF asked victims to contact their nearest police station or call the following number: 01-900391/01-901203/01-900390

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Fast-food workers protest in Chicago for more pay

CHICAGO -- Dozens of fast-food workers demanding their pay be increased to $15 an hour are protesting on a busy street on Chicago's South Side.

Half of the protesters are chanting slogans in front of a McDonald's, while the rest are doing so on the other side of the street in front of a Burger King.

Thursday's demonstration is part of a day of planned protests in 150 cities across the country by workers from fast-food chains.

In Chicago, the protesters arrived on buses, carrying signs with slogans such as "Strike $15" in both English and Spanish.

The protesters are waving to passing motorists. Many drivers are honking and waving back in support.

Many fast-food workers do not make much more than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

Police handcuff some Detroit fast-food protesters

DETROIT -- Police have handcuffed some protesters in Detroit who blocked traffic as part of a national protest to push fast-food chains to pay their employees at least $15 an hour.

About 100 protesters marched through the parking lot of an east-side Detroit McDonald's before dawn on Thursday, shouting slogans and bottling up the drive-thru lane. Some stood in the street and police handcuffed about two dozen who wouldn't get out of the way.

Organizers had said they planned to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience.

Twenty-year-old Kaya Moody of Detroit works at a McDonald's elsewhere in the city and just this week had her pay upped to $8.15 an hour. Moody marched with the others. The single mother says $15 an hour "would mean I could actually provide for my day-to-day expenses."

US trade gap narrows in July

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. trade deficit fell in July to its lowest level since January, as exports of autos, telecom equipment, industrial machines and semiconductors rose.

The trade deficit fell 0.6 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted $40.5 billion, from $40.8 billion in June, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

Exports climbed 0.9 percent to a record $198 billion. Imports also rose, climbing 0.7 percent to $238.6 billion, as shipments of food, beverages and autos from abroad increased.

Imports of oil products increased, but rising domestic production reduced the trade deficit in petroleum to its lowest in more than five years.

The trade deficit with China rose to a monthly record of $30.9 billion.

The combination of rising imports and exports suggest increased spending by consumers and businesses, which generally points to the possibility of stronger economic growth in the second half of 2014.

Trade deficits subtract from gross domestic product, so a narrowing deficit should help boost growth in the third quarter. The trade deficit's drag on the economy lessened in the April-June quarter, after having hurt GDP in the first three months of the year.

Exports fell 9.2 percent in the first quarter, likely because of slower growth in Europe and China. At the same time, imports rose and the resulting gap contributed to the economy shrinking at an annualized rate of 2.1 percent in the first three months.

Overall, the trade deficit lowered growth by 1.6 percentage points in the first quarter. The economy shrank at a 2.1 percent seasonally adjusted annual rate, the worst showing since the recession.

Exports rose in June to $195.9 billion, the previous record high. Imports shrank 1.2 percent that month to $237.4 billion. The lower trade deficit figures helped reduce the drag on economic growth in the second quarter, as the economy improved at an annualized clip of 4.2 percent.

Still, the trade deficit has widened in the first seven months of this year to $295.3 billion, up from $282.2 billion during the same period in 2013. Imports have risen faster than exports.

In 2013, the trade deficit declined by 11.4 percent. That reflected in part a boom in U.S. energy production that cut into America's dependence on foreign oil, while boosting U.S. petroleum exports to a record high.

The nation's trade balance in oil has continued to improve this year. The U.S. had a petroleum trade deficit of $119.8 billion in the first seven months of this year, down from $144.7 billion last year.

Russians React To Western Food Ban With Pride, Resignation

i i

Customers shop for produce at the Danilovsky Market in Moscow. The food import ban prevents the import of almost all fresh food from the U.S., Europe, and other Western countries. What's left in the market is grown locally or by Russian allies. Karoun Demirjian hide caption

itoggle caption Karoun Demirjian

Customers shop for produce at the Danilovsky Market in Moscow. The food import ban prevents the import of almost all fresh food from the U.S., Europe, and other Western countries. What's left in the market is grown locally or by Russian allies.

Karoun Demirjian

In Moscow, apples are starting to look a little worse for wear. Soft cheeses are in shorter supply. And if you want fresh fish from the market – well, you're going to be paying a premium for it.

But one month into the food ban Russia imposed on most Western imports of produce, meat fish and dairy and the city's grocery shelves are still stocked. And average Russians don't seem particularly perturbed about the ban, an answer to sanctions over Russia's involvement in Ukraine.

"Things [under the ban] will change, but then they'll return back," says Alexandra Aksheva, 27, a shopper outside the Danilovsky Market in Moscow. "It's not better for Russia, but it's temporary."

Another shopper took a more patriotic view.

"The West doesn't have to feed Russia; Russia can grow food for itself," says Ivan Alexeyevich, 65, who gave only his first name and patronymic (a customary Russian middle name). "Take the Soviet times: Everything was Soviet, everyone ate Soviet, Russia didn't depend on the West – so there's nothing to worry about."

The one-year food ban is a near across-the-board measure preventing the import of products from the U.S., the European Union, Canada, Australia and Norway. Ordinary Muscovites have cultivated a bumper crop of food jokes about everything from how Belarus could become a paradise for repackaged European products to myriad recommendations for dressing up grechka, a homegrown buckwheat grain and trade-ban-proof staple.

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Yet as Europe readies a new round of sanctions that Russia has already promised to answer, a look at the food ban's immediate legacy could be telling of what more is to come.

When the West began targeting Russia's financial, defense and oil and gas industries with sanctions, Russia opted for a gastronomic retort.

This summer, Moscow's quality control agencies started reporting a glut of food safety violations in various shipments of European fruit, Ukrainian cheese, and American chicken.

Russia's main consumer watchdog agency sued McDonald's – a symbol of Americanism in Russia since the first restaurant opened in Moscow in the waning years of the Soviet Union – over bacteria and under-reported nutritional content in certain menu items, and eventually shut down several restaurants.

Even a few American booze manufacturers, like Jack Daniel's, faced Russia's regulatory wrath.

Officials deny charges that the scrutiny was politically motivated despite a historical pattern of practice suggesting the contrary. Russia blocked Ukrainian and cheese and chocolate imports around the time the country decided to pursue closer ties with Europe; when Georgia did the same in the mid-2000s, regulators found microbes in its wine exports, which stayed off of Russian shelves for seven years.

Since the Kremlin ordered an all-out ban, normally food import-dependent Russia has been trying to build up capacity and confidence its own agricultural sector.

Russian state television stations trumpet stepped-up production in national farms and food factories. Meanwhile the Russian government has announced a host of new trade arrangements to replace Western fresh food imports with products from Turkey, China, Iran, and Brazil.

As Russia pulls in substitute imports from far corners of the globe, shipping costs alone could drive up the prices of food, already in the throes of a national 7.5 percent inflation rate, even further — despite government promises to prevent price gouging and keep costs in check.

Authorities are serious about enforcing the ban, reserving the right to conduct compliance checks in stores, and turning back shipments from neighboring countries discovered to contain prohibited goods. Despite that dedication, even the Russian government has acknowledged there are limits as to what they can do.

In late August, Russian officials announced they would take a select number of items off the blacklist, such as lactose-free dairy products because those products aren't produced in Russia. Onions are frequently subject to price shocks will also be allowed in.

Thus far, the system seems to be working: Supermarket shelves are stocked, and the popular support for the ban is strong. According to a recent Levada Center poll, about three-quarters of Russians back the prohibition on Western fruit.

But cooling temperatures in Moscow are a reminder that the true test of the food ban will come during the long Russian winter, when the frozen ground makes imports more vital.

"We know what it will be – and it will be unpleasant," says Tania Yazikova, 26, who will pine for Finnish yogurt. "But worried? No, we aren't worried about it."

Officials get ready to process sugar beet crop

MONITOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Officials expect a solid sugar beet crop in Michigan following favorable summer conditions.

The Bay City Times reports (http://bit.ly/1o0AWSQ ) Michigan Sugar Co. officials on Thursday kick off the harvest campaign, with delivery ramping up in October.

Paul Pfenninger, vice president of agriculture for the grower-owned cooperative, says it was a "very challenging planting season, but I think it's going to be a very rewarding harvest season." The cooperative has been producing sugar for more than a century.

Last year, Michigan Sugar had 4.17 million tons of sugar beets. This year, the estimated yield is 4.48 million tons.

This year's crop got off to a rough start with cold temperatures and wet fields. In some cases, growers waited weeks beyond the normal start time of early April to plant seeds.

Lebanon's speaker files paperwork for parliamentary election

Lebanon's Cabinet convenes over captured soldiers

The Cabinet convenes to formulate a mechanism to secure the release of captured soldiers and policemen as families...

TD Ameritrade becoming official NFL sponsor

OMAHA, Neb. -- Online brokerage TD Ameritrade is becoming an official NFL sponsor this fall to teach fans more about its services and increase the chances of its ads being seen.

The Omaha, Nebraska, based company plans to announce the three-year sponsorship Thursday morning.

Chief Marketing Officer Denise Karkos says the company already advertised during NFL games, but she hopes the sponsorship will help TD Ameritrade reach more of the league's huge audience.

Because most fans watch NFL games lives, there's a greater change that TD Ameritrade's ads will be seen instead of being skipped with a digital video recorder.

TD Ameritrade has long been a leader in online stock trading, but the company also offers asset-management services and education. The company plans to launch a new ad campaign this fall.

Court rules against Ohio utility in coal dispute

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court has sided with state utility regulators in a dispute with American Electric Power over how much the company can charge customers for coal.

The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1prXfQX ) reports that the court, in a unanimous ruling Wednesday, rejected AEP's contention that it should have been able to keep $71.6 million that it received related to a coal contract in 2009.

AEP disagreed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio about how much of the money should be credited to consumers. The commission allowed AEP to keep some, but not all, of the $71.6 million.

An AEP spokeswoman says the company is "disappointed" with the decision.

The Columbus-based utility has about 1.5 million customers in Ohio.

Kidnapped Lebanese troops' families lose patience with state inaction

BEIRUT: Rapidly losing patience over the state’s inaction regarding their loved ones’ kidnappings, the families of the captive soldiers and policemen held a sit-in facing the Grand Serail Thursday, warning that further delay could lead to catastrophic results for the nation.

"If one of their sons were among the kidnapped, they would have done anything to bring him back," said Nawaf, the brother of the kidnapped policeman Abbas Msheik, in reference to government ministers. “But they do not care about the normal people like us, because we are poor and we are not backed by any political party.”

Nawaf told The Daily Star that Msheik was suffering from liver problems and needed urgent treatment.

About 100 parents, children and cousins sat on the hot asphalt in the scorching sun near Beirut’s Riad al-Solh Square, warning the ministers - meeting just a few meters away - that if they do not act immediately to end the detention of their men, the results would be worse than expected.

“They have a plan to wage a civil war!” one of the protesters shouted, in reference to ISIS and the Nusra Front. “We will not fall for it, but if they do anything to my brother, I know what to do to theirs.”

His threat, referring to Syrian refugees in Lebanon, was echoed by other protesters.

“Their families live among us here,” said Ali Hajj Hasan, who carried a file of documents and statements, and appeared to be the movement’s coordinator. “If they harm our people, we will just expel them from the country.”

A cousin of a kidnapped Army soldier with the same name, Hajj Hasan accused the government of lying to the families for 30 days and of “not respecting the souls of the soldiers.”

Although rejected by many political leaders, negotiating directly with the militants was widely supported by the demonstrators.

“They only mention the state’s prestige, but what about the dignity of those wearing uniforms to defend the state?” Hajj Hasan yelled. “There is no shame in negotiating; the shame is in letting them kill those heroes while politicians are discussing what to do!”

The protesters’ rage was aimed against both March 8 and March 14 politicians, who, according to one of the protestors, "sit in the air-conditioned Grand Serail and procrastinate on the most vital of all decisions."

Thursday's protest was the first by the families of the kidnapped soldiers in Beirut, after they had blocked roads in east and north Lebanon to voice the same demands.

Anxiety had clearly taken over the mothers’ faces, as they feared that that their sons’ fate could be similar to 1st Sgt. Ali al-Sayyed, who was beheaded by ISIS last week.

During his funeral Wednesday, Sayyed’s family called for a “revolution” until the at least 23 soldiers and policemen still held by ISIS and Nusra Front are released.

Sayyed and the other captives were taken captive by the militants during the five-day gunbattles with the Lebanese Army in the northeastern border town of Arsal last month. The jihadists have demanded the release of Islamist inmates held in Roumieh Prison in exchange for the soldiers.

Lebanon Army arrests suspect behind Tripoli explosion

Lebanon Army arrests suspect behind Tripoli explosion

A man suspected of planting a bomb in the northern city of Tripoli last month is arrested, a security source tells The...

Nespresso opens its coffee machines to knockoffs

PARIS -- No more worries about the warranty, the machine breaking or — worst of all — a botched cup of coffee.

France's Competition Authority says Nespresso has for the first time agreed to open up its machines to knockoff coffee pods, under pressure from anti-trust regulators. The authority found that Nespresso had tweaked its machines four times between 2007 and 2013 to make competitors' pods unusable.

Under the agreement, announced Thursday, the company will give competitors four months' warning about changes to the machines and hand over prototypes for testing.

Nespresso said it would share the information with manufacturers selling outside France as well.

Magna starts construction near Tennessee GM plant

SPRING HILL, Tenn. -- Seat maker Magna International Inc. says it has begun constructing a new supplier facility near the General Motors plant in Spring Hill.

The new 122,500-square-foot Magna facility with become the Troy, Michigan-based company's fifth in Tennessee. It is expected to employ about 75 people when it begins making seat assemblies next year.

Last year GM announced plans to invest $350 million in the Tennessee assembly plant to build two future midsize vehicles. The plant already builds several small gasoline engines plus the Chevrolet Equinox midsize SUV.

The company revealed last week that it is moving production of its next-generation Cadillac SRX crossover SUV from Mexico to the Tennessee facility that began as a Saturn plant in 1990.

Taos ski area buys lodge, restaurant

TAOS, N.M. -- Taos Ski Valley is buying a privately owned lodge and restaurant located near one of its ski lifts.

Ski area CEO Gordon Briner said Wednesday that an agreement has been reached to buy the Bavarian Lodge and Restaurant and the current owners — Thomas and Jamie Schulze — will continue to manage it.

The lodge, which is built of large logs and features German cuisine, is near chairlift No. 4 in what skier's consider the backside of the ski area.

The purchase is the latest expansion announced since hedge fund owner Louis Bacon acquired Taos Ski Valley last year and began several improvements. A new lift is scheduled to be operating in the coming season to take skiers up Kachina Peak and base area improvements are under way.

Fiat-Chrysler merger on, insufficient opposition

ROME -- Fiat SpA says its merger with Chrsyler is going ahead since there isn't enough opposition to derail it.

Fiat said in a statement Thursday that shareholders had cashed out 463 million euros ($609 million), under the 500 million-euro ($657 million) threshold that would have scuttled the deal. Fiat shareholders had overwhelmingly approved the deal, but Italian law gives dissenters the right to cash out.

The merger has been in the works since Fiat took a 20 percent share of Chrysler in 2009. Fiat said Thursday it expects the merger to be completed in mid-October.

Global stocks lackluster before ECB policy meeting

TOKYO -- Global stock markets were lackluster Thursday as investors looked ahead to a European Central Bank meeting and U.S. economic data. Declines were tempered by an easing of tensions over Ukraine.

KEEPING SCORE: European trading was cautious. The CAC-40 in Paris edged down 0.4 percent to 4,403.99. Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.2 percent at 6,883.85. Germany's DAX shed 0.6 percent to 9,568.62. Wall Street was set for muted trading. Dow futures slipped 0.05 percent to 17,064 and S&P 500 futures were almost unchanged at 1,998.70.

DATA DELUGE: The focus of traders is turning to economic data and policy announcements later Thursday. The European Central Bank announces the outcome of its policy meeting and holds a press conference; there are hopes of additional stimulus as Europe's economy continues to flag. Among the U.S. data due is an update on services activity and an employment report from payrolls processor ADP that precedes Friday's official monthly employment report. The Bank of Japan ended its policy board meeting and kept its easy monetary policies unchanged.

ASIA'S DAY: Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.3 percent to 15,676.18 while South Korea's Kospi added 0.3 percent to 2,056.26. Hong Kong's Hang Seng inched down 0.1 percent to 25,297.92. Markets in Southeast Asia were mostly down, while China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.8 percent to 2,306.86.

SAMSUNG SHINES: Shares of Samsung Electronics rose 2 percent in Seoul after it unveiled new products in Germany last night including the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note 4 Edge. The Edge created most buzz with a screen that wraps around one edge of the device allowing information to be displayed while the main screen is dark.

ANALYST TAKE: With earnings reports now over, market attention is now turning to possible action from the U.S. Federal Reserve completely withdrawing its extraordinary stimulus measures later this year. Many players are taking a wait-and-see attitude. "The hesitation from investors is likely to increase downside risk in the short term as lower volumes trading through the market can lead to increased volatility," says Chay Flack, equities dealer at CMC Markets in Sydney.

UKRAINE: Russia and Ukraine said Wednesday they are working on a deal to halt months of fighting in eastern Ukraine, but Western leaders expressed skepticism, noting it wasn't the first attempt to end the deadly conflict.

CURRENCIES: The dollar appeared to pause from its recent upward swing, trading at 104.84 yen, down from 105.04 yen late Wednesday. The euro fell to $1.3146 from $1.3152.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude for October delivery was down 81 cents to $94.73 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Plant gets Tesla closer to electric car for masses

RENO, Nev. -- To bring electric cars to the masses, Tesla Motors will use an expanse of desert where wild mustangs still roam for a factory that the company projects will crank out enough batteries to power 500,000 vehicles annually by decade's end.

Tesla chose Nevada as the site for the $5 billion facility, a person familiar with car maker's plans said Wednesday

Nevada's elected leaders still must deliver on the economic incentives they've promised, but if they do as expected, Tesla will open its massive factory at an industrial park outside Reno, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made. An announcement was scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Nevada's Capitol.

A state synonymous with gambling hit the jobs jackpot — Tesla has said the factory will employ about 6,500 people. That's a welcome jolt for a tourism-based economy particularly hard hit during the Great Recession.

Tesla's choice of Nevada over California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico takes it a big step closer to mass producing an electric car that costs around $35,000 and can go 200 miles on a single charge. That range is critical because it lets people take most daily trips without recharging, a major barrier to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

The "gigafactory," as Tesla calls the project, would bring the cost of batteries down by producing them on a huge scale. Its approximately 10 million square feet, equivalent to about 174 football fields, would be running by 2017. That is when Tesla hopes to introduce its Model 3,

At present, demand for electric vehicles is small.

Through August, automakers have sold just over 40,000 fully electric cars this year, up 35 percent from a year ago, according to the auto website Edmunds.com. Factoring in plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles still account for just 3.6 percent of all new car sales, a slight drop from last year. Still, government fuel economy standards that will require new cars and trucks to average 54.5 miles per gallon are expected to drive sales.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval's office wouldn't comment Wednesday on the gigafactory news, saying only that he would make a "major economic development announcement" Thursday. A spokesman for Tesla Motors Inc., based in Palo Alto, California, said company representatives would be at the Capitol in Carson City for the announcement but offered no other details.

Sandoval has declined to discuss incentives he has offered Tesla. Based on CEO Elon Musk's public statements, the incentives likely total at least $500 million. The governor would have to call a special session of the Legislature to approve tax breaks, grants or other incentives of that magnitude.

This spring, Musk announced that the company would take the unusual step of spending millions to prepare sites in two states — or perhaps even three — before choosing a winner. The person familiar with Tesla's plans told The Associated Press a second site still will be prepared, in case Nevada is unable to deliver the incentives it has promised, or possibly to build a second factory.

Tesla has done excavation and other site-preparation work at the Reno Tahoe Industrial Center, where it plans to build the factory, but had not publicly committed to building in Nevada until it tested what economic incentives other states offered. The center is about 15 miles east of Sparks, a Reno suburb founded as a railroad town more than a century ago.

Aside from low tax rates and business-friendly workplace laws, Nevada offered plenty of sun and wind to generate "green" power. The industrial park is only about 200 miles along Interstate 80 from Tesla's lone auto assembly plant in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's also near a deposit of lithium, an essential element to produce the battery cells.

Competition for the factory has been intense among the states, which bid up their incentive packages in private negotiations with Tesla.

In California, where Tesla has its headquarters and manufacturing plant, the decision to build in the state next door stung.

"Tesla was using their business savviness to get states to compete against one another," said state Sen. Ted Gaines, R-Roseville, a principal proponent of the project. "It's just that I felt California had the inside track given our history of working in partnership with Tesla."

Associated Press writer Juliet Williams in Sacramento, California, and AP Auto Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report. Pritchard reported from Los Angeles; contact him at http://bit.ly/OBimq4 .

Fisheries to cut catch of endangered bluefin tuna

TOKYO -- The multi-nation fisheries body that monitors most of the Pacific Ocean has recommended cutting the catch of juvenile bluefin tuna to half of its average level in 2002-2004, a move that conservationists say is only an initial step toward saving the endangered species.

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission announced the decision Thursday following an annual meeting in Fukuoka, a city in western Japan.

The commission, a grouping of more than 20 nations that monitors the western two-thirds of the Pacific, also endorsed catch limits for adult bluefin and set a 10-year target of rebuilding its population to 8 percent of its original size.

Japanese eat 80 percent of the world's bluefin tuna, or "hon maguro," a sushi mainstay, and demand elsewhere in the world has kept growing. At a ritual new year auction, the top price for the fish jumped to about $7,000 a kilogram in 2013 but was a more reasonable $300 per kilogram this year.

The Pew Charitable Trusts, which has supported efforts to save the species, said the measures are encouraging but only a first step toward saving the bluefin tuna, which has been decimated by overfishing.

"There must be a strong recovery and rebuilding plan put in place for Pacific bluefin across its full range," said Amanda Nickson, director of global tuna conservation for Pew.

"Countries have the responsibility to agree on a strong recovery plan that does more than simply move the population from severely depleted to slightly less seriously depleted," she said.

The fisheries commission left a decision on longer-term efforts for later. Nations that manage the eastern Pacific bluefin fisheries are due to discuss their management plans for the species next month, and a final decision on the catch limits for the western Pacific is expected in December.

A stock assessment by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the Northern Pacific Ocean found the levels of bluefin in 2012 at near their lowest ever of just 4 percent of original stocks.

Most of the fish caught are juveniles that have not had a chance to reproduce, the scientific body said.

Cutting the catch in half would reduce Japan's annual catch of juvenile bluefins to about 4,000 tons from next year, out of a fisheries-wide catch of 4,725 tons.

The catch of adult fish weighing over 30 kilograms would be 4,882 tons out of a total regional catch of 6,591 tons, according to an announcement posted on the Japanese fisheries ministry's website.

In Japan, fisheries experts are rushing to devise ways to introduce commercially viable aquaculture of the deep-sea species.

ISIS terror threats against Christians spread in north Lebanon

Silicon Valley firms halt spread of grisly video

Silicon Valley firms were prepared this week to quickly block video of an ISIS militant beheading an American...

Silicon Valley firms halted spread of grisly video

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Silicon Valley firms were prepared this week to quickly block video of an Islamic State militant beheading an American journalist after a previous video by the same group showing the death of James Foley ricocheted through social networks in what was seen by some as a propaganda coup for the extremists.

The video Tuesday showing the beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff was first uploaded onto a different website and quickly deleted when copied onto YouTube, slowing the spread of posts linking to it, said a Silicon Valley insider, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others all have policies banning terms of service regarding images of gratuitous violence or that incite hatred. But grisly images, once viral, are hard to restrain.

"It's been very interesting, with this second beheading, how very little of those images have been passed around," said Family Online Safety Institute CEO Stephen Balkam, who serves on Facebook's safety advisory board. "It's very difficult to find them unless you know of some darker places on the web."

When Tuesday's beheading video of Sotloff was launched so soon after Foley's death, "platforms were better prepared for it this time around," the Silicon Valley insider said. Social media firms are trying to force out the Islamic State group "platform by platform," the tech official said.

The major social networks declined to speak with The Associated Press directly about the beheading videos. But YouTube in a statement said it has "clear policies prohibiting content intended to incite violence, and we remove videos violating these policies when flagged by our users."

YouTube also terminates accounts registered by members of State Department-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and used in an official capacity to further their interests.

One advocate of free speech on the Internet said she's troubled by the idea of Internet companies removing content.

Jillian York, who directs international freedom of expression initiatives at the nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation, said corporations like Twitter and Facebook should never remove content unless required to do so by law.

"The problem is that their rules are applied unevenly," she said, noting that she has heard from numerous people who had their Twitter accounts banned after they shared the Foley video even though newspapers and the Israeli prime minister did the same without repercussion. Meanwhile, she said, the Islamic State continues to use the platform to recruit.

"Ultimately, though, giving corporations the power to censor sets a dangerous precedent," York said. "And we've seen this power abused time and time again."

Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a Washington-based nonprofit focused on Internet privacy and freedom of expression, said one strategy that is gaining support "is to remove the underlying video but not to limit the discussion of the topic."

Dwayne Melancon, chief technology officer at Tripwire, a Portland, Oregon-based cybersecurity firm, said most of the mainstream sharing sites will cooperate with national agencies to remove content deemed dangerous to national security or endangering an active criminal investigation.

"Even in these situations, videos have often already been harvested by users that download them and then repost the material on other sites," he said. "This is the proverbial 'the cat is out of the bag' problem we see all the time on the Internet. While you may be able to deal with the original sources of content, you're almost always dealing with multiple sources, many of whom will not listen to any request to 'scrub' the video from their sites."

Social media sites police their content around the clock to take down content that users flag. In the past, this has included images considered online bullying and pages or feeds from people who died or became incapacitated. In recent years, social media sites have repeatedly blocked extremely graphic videos of murders by Mexican drug cartels.

Associated Press writer Lori Hinnant reported from Paris.

Pace of health care spending likely to speed up

WASHINGTON -- The nation's respite from troublesome health care inflation is ending, the government said Wednesday in a report that renews a crucial budget challenge for lawmakers, taxpayers, businesses and patients.

Economic recovery, an aging society, and more people insured under the new health care law are driving the long-term trend.

Projections by nonpartisan experts with the Health and Human Services department indicate the pace of health care spending will pick up starting this year and beyond. The introduction of expensive new drugs for the liver-wasting disease hepatitis C also contributes to the speed-up in the short run.

The report from the Office of the Actuary projects that spending will grow by an average of 6 percent a year from 2015-2023. That's a notable acceleration after five consecutive years, through 2013, of annual growth below 4 percent.

Although the coming bout of health-cost inflation is not expected to be as aggressive as in the 1980s and 1990s, it will still pose a dilemma for President Barack Obama's successor. Long term, much of the growth comes from Medicare and Medicaid, two giant government programs now covering more than 100 million people.

The United States is expected to spend more than $3 trillion on health care this year, far above any other economically advanced country. Yet Americans are not appreciably healthier, and much what they spend appears to go for tests and treatments of questionable value. Fraud also siphons off tens of billions of dollars a year.

Because health care spending is so high, shifts of a couple of percentage points have significant economic consequences. Health care inflation has recently been in line with overall economic growth, keeping things manageable.

As spending rebounds, health care again will start consuming a growing share of the economic pie, crowding out other worthy priorities. From 17.2 percent of the economy in 2012, health care is expected to grow to a 19.3 percent share by 2023, the report said.

"The period in which health care has accounted for a stable share of economic output is expected to end in 2014, primarily because of the (health care law's) coverage expansions," it concluded.

Yet if Obama's Affordable Care Act is an immediate trigger for rising costs, the analysts who produced the report said it is not the only factor. It's probably not the most important one when placed next to a recovering economy and an aging population. Traditionally, the state of the economy has been the strongest driver of health care spending.

The report estimated that 9 million uninsured people gained coverage this year as the health care law's big coverage expansion got underway, and another 8 million will be added next year.

More people insured translates into higher demand for medical services and more spending, so White House claims of dramatic savings from the health law were always suspect. But the fiscal doomsday warnings from "Obamacare" detractors have not materialized, either.

Part of the reason seems to be a push-and-pull effect within the health overhaul. Obama's insurance expansion increases spending, but Medicare cuts under the same law help keep other costs down. And Congress reinforced Obama's Medicare cuts with a round of its own during recent budget battles.

The analysts said they did not see much evidence that payment reforms encouraged by the health law are having an impact on costs yet. Medicare is experimenting with how it pays hospitals and doctors to reward efficiency while maintaining or improving quality.

The White House may take comfort that the report does not foresee a return to inflation rates of 7 percent a year or more. "We are not projecting that growth will get back to its rapid pace of the '80s and '90s," said Sean Keehan, a senior economist who worked on the report.

Again, factors other than the health care law seem to be involved. For example, employers have significantly increased deductibles and copayments, so working families must pay more out of their own pockets when they use medical care.

The report was published online by the journal Health Affairs.

Among other findings:

— Medicare and Medicaid will drive costs from 2016-2023, with average annual increases of 7.3 percent and 6.8 percent respectively. For Medicare, it's partly due to the retirement of the baby-boom generation, while Medicaid will see higher use of services by elderly and disabled beneficiaries.

— The federal, state and local government share of health care spending will keep steadily rising, from 44 percent in 2012 to 48 percent in 2023. The share of costs covered by businesses will decline from 21 percent to 19 percent.

---

Online:

Health Affairs - http://bit.ly/1pq05pz

German factory orders rebound in July

BERLIN -- The Federal Statistical Office says factory orders in Germany rebounded sharply in July, offsetting two consecutive declines in a good sign for Europe's largest economy.

The office said Thursday new orders were up 4.6 percent over June when adjusted for seasonal and working day factors. That followed an upwardly revised 2.7 percent decline in June and 1.6 percent drop in May.

Germany's economy shrank 0.2 percent in the second quarter and there has been growing concern the crisis in Ukraine could take a greater toll.

ING-DiBa economist Carsten Brzeski says the new figures are a "sign of relief," showing the economy should return to growth in the third quarter.

He says a marginal 1.7 percent rise in eurozone orders indicates Germany's greatest downside risk is weak demand from Europe.

Kidnapped Lebanese soldiers’ families take protest to Beirut

Silicon Valley firms halt spread of grisly video

Silicon Valley firms were prepared this week to quickly block video of an ISIS militant beheading an American...

Standoff at EDL as police stand aside

BEIRUT: The same scenario is being played out at Electricite Du Liban, where striking contract workers Thursday prevented the entry of full-time employees trying to resume work after a weekslong involuntary interruption.

Outside the company headquarters in Mar Mikhael, hundreds of policemen stood guard with orders to act as a disengagement force between part-time and full-time electricity workers.

A security source told The Daily Star that police were ordered not to use force to open EDL’s doors, sealed by protesters for several weeks in their demand for full-time status at the state-run electricity company.

EDL has asked security forces to secure the entry of the employees into the building and other branches in the country to allow them to do their job, saying the company had already handed over custody of the building to security agencies.

The company called on its employees to report to duty Thursday and begin network repairs needed to address severe electricity rationing in the country, which the company blamed on the striking contract workers.

In a statement after a meeting of the EDL board Wednesday, the company said that the directors “unanimously agreed on the need for employees to return to the headquarters, all of its branches to resume work, the safety of investments to be preserved and needed repairs to be carried out on the network.”

The meeting was held at the Zouk Mikael Power Plant instead of the EDL headquarters in Beirut after striking contract workers prevented full-time employees from entering the premises by sealing off the entrances.

With the contract workers’ open-ended strike and the inability of maintenance teams to access equipment inside the company, the country has witnessed hourslong blackouts, prompting residents in Beirut’s southern suburbs to burn tires and block roads in protest.

Fast food protests expected in push for higher pay

NEW YORK -- Hundreds of workers from McDonald's, Taco Bell, Wendy's and other fast-food chains are expected to walk off their jobs Thursday, according to labor organizers of the latest national protest to push the companies to pay their employees at least $15 an hour.

This time organizers said they plan to engage in civil disobedience, which could lead to arrests, and draw more attention to the cause. They also said home-care workers will join the protests, which are expected to take place at fast-food restaurants in 150 cities nationwide.

The "Fight for $15" campaign, which is backed financially by the Service Employees International Union and others, has gained national attention at a time when the wage gap between the poor and the rich has become a hot political issue.