Afghan and Pakistani presidents in Britain for talks

LONDON: Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari are set to hold key talks Monday with British Prime Minister David Cameron on the Afghan peace process.

The summit at Cameron's Chequers country retreat near London is aimed at boosting cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, amid growing fears that a civil war could erupt when international troops leave Afghanistan next year.

"This trilateral process sends a very clear message to the Taliban -- now is the time for everyone to participate in a peaceful political process in Afghanistan," a British government spokeswoman said.

Support from Pakistan, which backed Afghanistan's 1996-2001 Taliban regime, is seen as crucial to peace after NATO troops depart -- but relations between the neighbours remain uneasy despite some recent improvements.

Both Kabul and Washington have regularly accused Pakistan of helping to destabilise Afghanistan.

But Afghan peace negotiators have welcomed Pakistan's release of dozens of Taliban prisoners in recent months, a move they believe could help bring militants to the negotiating table.

Cameron hosted a private dinner for Karzai and Zardari at Chequers on Sunday evening, ahead of Monday's in-depth talks between the leaders and their officials.

These are the third trilateral talks in a year following meetings in Kabul in July and New York last September -- but they are the first in which Pakistani and Afghan army and intelligence chiefs will also take part.

In an interview with Britain's Guardian newspaper and ITV television station released late Sunday, Karzai said the biggest threat to peace in Afghanistan was not the Taliban, but meddling from foreign powers.

"Peace will only come when the external elements involved in creating instability and fighting, or lawlessness in Afghanistan, are involved in talks," he said, without naming any particular country.

The president also suggested Western troops had been "fighting in the wrong place" in Afghanistan, saying security in the southern Helmand province was better before British troops arrived there.

A statement released by his office said the talks in Britain would be "focused on ways to accelerate peace process in Afghanistan and further strengthen cooperations between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and extremism".

Karzai is also due to meet the heir to the British throne Prince Charles during his three-day trip to Britain, which began on Saturday.

Britain still has around 9,000 troops in Afghanistan ahead of a scheduled withdrawal in 2014.

Afghan soldiers and police are taking on responsibility for battling Taliban militants from the 100,000 NATO troops due to depart by the end of next year.

But more than 60 foreign soldiers were killed in 2012 in "insider attacks" by members of Afghanistan's security forces, which have bred mistrust and threatened to derail the training process.

Afghan forces are also increasingly being targeted by Taliban bombers as they take on a greater security role.

-AFP/ac

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What was that BlackBerry commercial you just saw?

So did a clown just explode, or what?

(Credit:
BlackBerry)

Okay, so what now?

BlackBerry opted to go with the whimsical and fantastical with its Super Bowl commercial, showing what the new BlackBerry Z10
can't do instead of what it can do. To say it's a little strange would be an understatement.

Indeed, it's a bold choice, one that some would argue might be a little head-scratching. But it's one that BlackBerry Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben believes will turn some heads and get consumers primed for a launch that's still more than a month away.

"The Super Bowl is a big wake-up call saying BlackBerry is back," Boulben told CNET. "It says there's something worth checking out."

With the BlackBerry phones generally getting good reviews (read CNET's review here), much of the company's success will ride on how well it markets the phone, and how strongly the carriers support it in their stories and with their sales reps. There are many examples of companies that failed despite great products and services, and BlackBerry is looking to avoid their past mistakes.

Which is where the Super Bowl ad comes in. Boulben says the commercial is a one-off event to take advantage of the Super Bowl's massive reach. The commercial is basically everything Boulben has said he wouldn't do for the campaign.

The commercial offers an early glimpse at the Z10 before things get weird. After he starts using the phone, the new BlackBerry customer briefly erupts in flames, grows elephant legs, teleports himself with a colorful poof, and turns an out-of-control truck into thousands of rubber ducks. The tagline: "In 30 seconds, it's quicker to show you what it can't do."

The ad asks interested viewers to check out BlackBerry's Z10 Web site to find out more information about the features of the smartphone.

With so many splashy commercials filling the airwaves during the Super Bowl, BlackBerry wanted to do something different from the traditional ad showing off features such as the Z10's Hub or Peek. Boulben, however, said the testing on the commercial has been positive. He noted it would be a "one-off" spot unrelated to the rest of the campaign.

"We wanted to do something that breaks the conventions of the category," he said. "If you do a traditional commercial at the Super Bowl, it will fall flat."

While the Z10 has launched elsewhere around the world, and will debut in Canada next week, the U.S. will be among the last countries to get the phone, thanks in part to the more rigorous testing process that it undergoes here. So BlackBerry has to deal with keeping the interest level high until mid-March, which is roughly when the Z10 should arrive in carrier stories.

Boulben said that during the dead period, he will attempt to keep interest going through online campaigns, mobile ads, YouTube, and social networks. The company will seed devices to celebrities and other high-profile figure to build buzz for the products. The goal is to drive traffic to the BlackBerry Web site, and then on to the pre-registration pages run by the carriers.

BlackBerry won't start its full campaign, titled "Keep Moving," until the Z10 launches next month, Boulben said, noting that he wanted to maximize the impact of the ads by having the smartphone available to consumers. The campaign would be more traditional and highlight the practical advantage of the features found on
BlackBerry 10, he said.

BlackBerry would launch its campaign alongside the carriers, he said. But he wouldn't specify just how enthusiastically the carriers would support the new smartphones. He added that it was a good sign that the carriers came out during launch day to commit to the company, which is rarity in the industry.

"Behind the scenes, our teams and their teams are working night and day together," he said.

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Sandy Hook choir, Hudson delight Super Bowl crowd

NEW ORLEANS As 26 children in white polo shirts excitedly walked to center of the Superdome field and prepared to sing, a packed Super Bowl crowd revved up by a day of partying in the Big Easy fell silent.

The chorus from Sandy Hook Elementary School, nearly two months removed from a deadly shooting rampage, joined Jennifer Hudson to deliver a stirring rendition of "America the Beautiful" on Sunday that had some players on the sideline and countless fans in the stands on the verge of tears.

Judging by the responses on social media, the performance appeared destined to become one of the most poignant memories of the Super Bowl, regardless of what played out in the game.

"Sandy hook elementary chorus singing America the beautiful and Alicia keys national anthem makes me proud to be American," model Kate Upton said on her Twitter page.

22 Photos

Super Bowl XLVII highlights

Gerald Rokoff, standing near a portal in the Superdome's upper deck, turned and said, "Beyond beautiful," when the children finished singing.

Sandy Hook is the school in Newtown, Conn., where 20 first-graders and six adults were killed by a gunman on Dec. 14.

An NFL spokesman said no one with the chorus was available for interviews, but a statement was delivered on behalf of the school.

"We have come to New Orleans to represent the Sandy Hook Family and the community of Newtown, Connecticut," the statement said. "Our wish is to demonstrate to America and the world that, `We are Sandy Hook and We Choose Love."'

The children wore green ribbons on their white shirts, which seemed to symbolize the innocence of youth, and stood in two rows of 13 on the NFL's red, white and blue shield logo for the performance. Many smiled excitedly as they sang the first verse. Then Hudson, wearing a black blouse and long, white skirt, fronted them for a second verse that showcased her sterling voice.

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh watched with his left arm around daughter, Alison, and his right hand over his heart.

Ravens nose tackle Terrence Cody could be seen on the stadium's video board tilting his head back, appearing to hold back tears.

Fans offered a rousing ovation at the finish, and the chorus then trotted to the 20-yard line and turned, with their hands on their hearts, to watch Alicia Keys sing the national anthem.

Caitlin Hamilton, a 22-year-old English teacher from Dodge City, Kansas, said on Twitter she thought the performance would, without a doubt, be the best part of the Super Bowl.

"It just shows that they're still persevering despite what's happened to them," Hamilton said. "It was a great way to lift up the people of Sandy Hook as well, and to let them know that the people of America support them."

Hamilton said that as a teacher, when she thinks about the shooting she thinks of herself in the same situation. She said Hudson did well leading the song, but the kids were the main event.

"I thought the kids were more inspirational that they could get up there and sing despite everything that had happened to them," she said.

During the season, NFL stars including Victor Cruz of the Giants and Chris Johnson of the Titans honored victims of the Sandy Hook rampage during games by writing the names of the victims' on their shoes.

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Super Bowl XLVII Live Blog: Lights Out

Matt Slocum/AP Photo

8:54  p.m. ET: The AC is apparently also out at the closed stadium, and people say it’s getting hot in there with such a huge crowd and the lights that are on.

8:51  p.m. ET: Considering the score, the fact that this power outage delay may last as long as 20 minutes, and the fact that the halftime show is over, I wonder how many people are tuning out right about now.

8:51  p.m. ET: Power surge to blame, apparently.

8:48  p.m. ET: “Bring Beyonce Back” trending on Twitter now.

8:45  p.m. ET: Players trying to stay warmed up on the field, and fans sound like they’re getting really antsy.

8:44  p.m. ET: Commercials cost around $4 million for a 30-second spot, and with these extra commercial breaks, some of them might really be getting their money’s worth.

8:40  p.m. ET:  Sideline reporter says half the lights in the stadium are out, including the scoreboard.

8:40  p.m. ET: 100 million people are expected to be watching the game today…a game that is suddenly not happening as the power cut out during the third quarter.

8:38  p.m. ET: Cut to commercial as the power goes out at the stadium. The game just got even stranger.

8:38  p.m. ET: And the power is out at the Super Dome.

8:37  p.m. ET: Kaepernick sacked for a loss of 6. 3rd and 13.

8:35  p.m. ET: 49ers to start their drive at the 13-yard line.

8:34  p.m. ET:  The biggest deficit ever overcome in the Super Bowl is ten points. It’s been done twice.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

8:32  p.m. ET: That was fast (11 seconds to be exact) – a 109-yard kickoff return touchdown by Jacoby Jones. An all-time NFL record. 28-6 Ravens.

8:32  p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN RAVENS.

8:31  p.m. ET: Back to football. Ravens to receive to start off.

8:27  p.m. ET: First Lady Michelle Obama liked the halftime show. She just tweeted “Watching the #SuperBowl with family & friends.@Beyonce was phenomenal! I am so proud of her! -mo” from her FLOTUS twitter account.

8:22  p.m. ET: And Beyonce ends an impressive and energetic halftime performance with “Halo.”

8:19  p.m. ET: Looks like the DC reunion is over – it was fun while it laster!

Gerald Herbert/AP Photo

8:16  p.m. ET: Destiny’s Child reunion for “Bootylicious!”

8:14  p.m. ET: So many Beyonces!

8:12  p.m. ET: For the halftime performance, there are 135 dancers on the field, and 2,000 fans. And really cool visuals on the stage.

8:10  p.m. ET: Beyonce kicks off the halftime show with “Love on Top” followed by “Crazy in Love.”

8:07  p.m. ET: Here’s what the President and First Lady are eating at their Super Bowl party: Chesapeake Crab Cakes and San Francisco Cioppino Stew with Sourdough Toast. There are also wings, and they’re drinking Anchor Steam and Clipper City beers.

8:05  p.m. ET: Still, the 49ers rallied from a 17-0 deficit to make it to the Super Bowl so it’s tough to count them out just halfway through.

8:04  p.m. ET: Ravens dominating so far, and it’s not even really close. While the teams take a breather, Beyonce heads to the field for the half time show.

8:00  p.m. ET: First half ends with a Ray Lewis sack. The likely future Hall of Famer is retiring after this game. Strangely enough, his first NFL sack was of Jim Harbaugh – who is currently coaching the 49ers. Also in that game? Randy Moss, who is currently having a rough game for the 49ers.

7:59  p.m. ET: Field goal is Good. 21-6 Ravens at the half.

7:58  p.m. ET: Really looks like the big game jitters are getting to Kaepernick. Ray Lewis sack brings out Akers for a field goal attempt.

7:55  p.m. ET: Fun Fact – Kaepernick was drafted by the Chicago Cubs as a pitcher in 2009. You can see the pitcher still in him with some of these throws.

7:54  p.m. ET: 49ers back in the red zone after a few big gains. They still have two timeouts with less than one minute left in the second quarter.

7:52  p.m. ET: 15-yard penalty and automatic first down for the 49ers on a roughing the passer call.

7:50  p.m. ET: That’s Flacco’s 11th touchdown pass this postseason.

Dave Martin/AP Photo

7:49  p.m. ET: 21 – 3 Baltimore as incredible throw, catch and run lead to a touchdown for the Ravens. 49ers have A LOT of  work to do in the second half.

7:48  p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN RAVENS.

7:45  p.m. ET: No flag on what looked like offensive pass interference as Culliver breaks up a Flacco long throw, and we hit the two-minute warning.

7:44  p.m. ET: 2nd and 10 for the Ravens with 2 minutes left in the second quarter. The Ravens will be receiving the ball at the beginning of the second half.

7:41  p.m. ET: Kaepernick, who had been noted for his great decision making calls under pressure, is having a rough game so far. At 25 years old, this start is only the tenth pro start of his career.

7:39  p.m. ET: Awesome 9-year-old girl football player Sam Gordon is in the house!

Obtained by ABC News

7:37  p.m. ET: Volkswagen’s controversial ad just aired – here’s Jamaica’s reaction to it.

Harry How/Getty Images

7:37  p.m. ET: Gutsy fake field goal call considering the Ravens’ rookie kicker is about as sure a thing as there is for points.

7:36  p.m. ET: Tricky – fake field goal by the Ravens, but short of a first down.

7:34  p.m. ET: Almost an interception by the Niners, but it’s just an incomplete pass by Flacco. 3rd and 9.

7:31  p.m. ET: Another first down for the Ravens.

7:30  p.m. ET: Personal fouls by both teams cancel each other out. Ravens first down at 49ers 38.

7:29  p.m. ET: That interception is evidently the first time a 49ers quarterback has ever been intercepted in the Super Bowl (that’s five previous games). And Reed ties the record with his 9th postseason interception.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

7:28  p.m. ET: Interception by Baltimore but flag is down and teams fighting on the field.

7:24  p.m. ET: After that commercial about sports fans’ superstitions – here’s an interesting article about when those superstitions cross the line into OCD.

7:22  p.m. ET: Penalties and that fumble killing San Francisco so far. 14-3 Ravens. Ten touchdowns and no interceptions so far this postseason for Flacco.

Harry How/Getty Images

7:22  p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN BALTIMORE.

7:21  p.m. ET: Automatic first and goal for Ravens after another penalty – a personal foul on 49ers’ Whitner.

7:20  p.m. ET: Flacco connects with Dickson, and a flag is down.

7:19  p.m. ET: While they’re on the subject of Patrick Willis, here’s an interesting story about him and his “brother for life,” the Baltimore’s Michael Oher.

7:17  p.m. ET: Another first down for the Ravens. That’s 4/5 third down conversions for the Ravens so far.

7:16  p.m. ET: Major change of momentum, as Ravens get gain of about 5 after 49ers fumble.

7:12  p.m. ET: Fumble recovered by Ravens. First down for Baltimore.

7:12  p.m. ET: Another first down for the Niners.

7:11  p.m. ET: Another first down on gain of eleven with reception by Davis. Another another small scuffle breaks out. Teams clearly (obviously) passionate.

7:10  p.m. ET: Looks like Davis is okay – gain of 29 yards on great throw from Kaepernick.

7:08  p.m. ET: First Harbaugh parent sightings of the night! They’ve said tonight will be really bittersweet for them.

7:08  p.m. ET: They may be brothers, but side-by-side comparison of the Harbaugh brothers’ reactions to last play show totally different styles.

7:05  p.m. ET: Flacco sacked with 12 seconds left in quarter.

7:04  p.m. ET: Incomplete throw by Flacco with 17 seconds left in the 1st quarter.

7:03  p.m. ET: Unbelievable throw and catch by Boldin for 31-yards.

7:02  p.m. ET: 3rd and 7 for Ravens after incomplete pass by Flacco.

7:00  p.m. ET: 9-yard gain for the Ravens. Ed Reed in locker room for evaluation.

6:57  p.m. ET: Jacoby Jones returns kick to the 22-yard line. Ravens’ Ed Reed and 49ers’ Vernon Davis both apparently being checked out after Reed hit Davis on previous drive.

Harry How/Getty Images

6:55  p.m. ET: And to the relief of 49ers fans, David Akers field goal attempt is good. 7-3 Ravens.

6:54  p.m. ET: Kaepernick sacked. 49ers going for field goal.

6:53  p.m. ET: Davis out and being worked on by trainers. Second and goal, incomplete in the end zone, off of Crabtree’s hands.

6:52  p.m. ET: Vernon Davis, a super speedy tight end, with another first down on a 24-yard reception from Kaepernick. 1st and goal.

6:51 p.m. ET: And Gore with another first down.

6:50 p.m. ET: Kaepernick scrambles for a gain of seven, 2nd and 3.

6:50 p.m. ET: Kaepernick, who shocked the league with his legs when he took over from Alex Smith, gets a 1st down and then some.

6:49 p.m. ET: Gore gains nine, after having a rough few carries early.

6:48 p.m. ET: Huge, 19-yard game for Michael Crabtree, who broke out this season once Kaepernick took over the starting QB job.

6:46 p.m. ET: Already looking to be a really physical game as scuffle between players breaks out after 49ers loss of two yards.

6:45 p.m. ET: And here’s the GoDaddy commercial everybody has already been talking about – supermodel makes out with Hollywood’s favorite extra.

6:44 p.m. ET: Penalties already hurting the 49ers – big game jitters?

McNamee/Getty Images

6:41 p.m. ET: And the extra point is good. 7-0 Ravens

6:40 p.m. ET: TOUCHDOWN BALTIMORE. Ravens take an early lead with a reception by Anquan Boldin.

6:39 p.m. ET: On 3rd and 9, same thing happens, but flag is down for defensive offsides – five yard penalty and replay of 3rd down.

6:39 p.m. ET: Given some time, Flacco throws ball beyond end zone for an incompletion on 2nd and 9.

6:38 p.m. ET: Ravens QB, Joe Flacco, known for his exceptionally strong arm, gets the ball to Torrey Jones at the SF 19.

6:37 p.m. ET: And a first down for the Ravens from SF 39.

6:36 p.m. ET: Better start for the Ravens, who pick up eight yards on their first down of the game.

6:36 p.m. ET: And the first drive of the game goes nowhere; Andy Lee punts on 4th down, and Jacoby Jones returns to near the 50-yard line.

6:34 p.m. ET: On first and 15, no gain for 49ers all-time leading rusher, Frank Gore.

6:33 p.m. ET: Five yard penalty for the 49ers for illegal formation.

6:32 p.m. ET: Kaepernick connects with Vernon Davis for a gain of 20, but a flag is down.

6:31 p.m. ET: Here we go – 49ers start the first drive at the 20-yard line.

6:28 p.m. ET: Ravens chose heads, and elected to defer their choice until the second half. 49ers to receive at kickoff.

6:27 p.m. ET: Newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame join the team captains for the coin toss.

6:22 p.m. ET: Alicia Keys performs the Star Spangled Banner, wearing a red dress and playing a white piano at the 50-yard line.

6:21 p.m. ET: Joint Armed Forces Color Guard present the flags.

6:20 p.m. ET: Hudson wearing a green ribbon in honor of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting while performing with the students.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

6:19 p.m. ET: In a touching performance, Sandy Hook Elementary School students perform “America the Beautiful,” with Jennifer Hudson.

6:18 p.m. ET: Jason Witten wins the 2012 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

6:12 p.m. ET: And out come the 49ers.

6:11 p.m. ET: The Ravens players are introduced in the stadium to a raucous crowd.

6:09 p.m. ET: And another historic first tonight – the two head coaches are brothers, born just 15 months apart. John Harbaugh, 50, is in his fifth season as the Baltimore Ravens head coach, and has won playoff games in each of his previous seasons. Jim Harbaugh, 49, is in his second season as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, leading his team to the playoffs both seasons.

6:05 p.m. ET: The San Francisco 49ers are going for their 6th Lombardi trophy, which would tie them for the most championships ever with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Baltimore Ravens are trying for their second Super Bowl victory. Neither team has ever lost a Super Bowl game – and at the end of the night, there will only be one team left in the NFL to have never lost a Super Bowl game.

6:00 p.m. ET: It’s here – the biggest spectacle in American sports, the Super Bowl. We’ll be covering the game, performances and, of course, the commercials right here.

It’s been an incredible season so far, and everything has led up to tonight’s game in New Orleans, where the NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers face the AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XLVII. Keep refreshing for the latest updates throughout what promises to be a great game.

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Turkey says tests confirm leftist bombed U.S. embassy

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A member of a Turkish leftist group that accuses Washington of using Turkey as its "slave" carried out a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. embassy, the Ankara governor's office cited DNA tests as showing on Saturday.

Ecevit Sanli, a member of the leftist Revolutionary People's Liberation Army-Front (DHKP-C), blew himself up in a perimeter gatehouse on Friday as he tried to enter the embassy, also killing a Turkish security guard.

The DHKP-C, virulently anti-American and listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and Turkey, claimed responsibility in a statement on the internet in which it said Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was a U.S. "puppet".

"Murderer America! You will not run away from people's rage," the statement on "The People's Cry" website said, next to a picture of Sanli wearing a black beret and military-style clothes and with an explosives belt around his waist.

It warned Erdogan that he too was a target.

Turkey is an important U.S. ally in the Middle East with common interests ranging from energy security to counter-terrorism. Leftist groups including the DHKP-C strongly oppose what they see as imperialist U.S. influence over their nation.

DNA tests confirmed that Sanli was the bomber, the Ankara governor's office said. It said he had fled Turkey a decade ago and was wanted by the authorities.

Born in 1973 in the Black Sea port city of Ordu, Sanli was jailed in 1997 for attacks on a police station and a military staff college in Istanbul, but his sentence was deferred after he fell sick during a hunger strike. He was never re-jailed.

Condemned to life in prison in 2002, he fled the country a year later, officials said. Interior Minister Muammer Guler said he had re-entered Turkey using false documents.

Erdogan, who said hours after the attack that the DHKP-C were responsible, met his interior and foreign ministers as well as the head of the army and state security service in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss the bombing.

Three people were detained in Istanbul and Ankara in connection with the attack, state broadcaster TRT said.

The White House condemned the bombing as an "act of terror", while the U.N. Security Council described it as a heinous act. U.S. officials said on Friday the DHKP-C were the main suspects but did not exclude other possibilities.

Islamist radicals, extreme left-wing groups, ultra-nationalists and Kurdish militants have all carried out attacks in Turkey in the past.

SYRIA

The DHKP-C statement called on Washington to remove Patriot missiles, due to go operational on Monday as part of a NATO defense system, from Turkish soil.

The missiles are being deployed alongside systems from Germany and the Netherlands to guard Turkey, a NATO member, against a spillover of the war in neighboring Syria.

"Our action is for the independence of our country, which has become a new slave of America," the statement said.

Turkey has been one of the leading advocates of foreign intervention to end the civil war in Syria and has become one of President Bashar al-Assad's harshest critics, a stance groups such as the DHKP-C view as submission to an imperialist agenda.

"Organizations of the sectarian sort like the DHKP-C have been gaining ground as a result of circumstances surrounding the Syrian civil war," security analyst Nihat Ali Ozcan wrote in a column in Turkey's Daily News.

The Ankara attack was the second on a U.S. mission in four months. On September 11, 2012, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three American personnel were killed in an Islamist militant attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

The DHKP-C was responsible for the assassination of two U.S. military contractors in the early 1990s in protest against the first Gulf War, and it fired rockets at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in 1992, according to the U.S. State Department.

It has been blamed for previous suicide attacks, including one in 2001 that killed two police officers and a tourist in Istanbul's central Taksim Square. It has carried out a series of deadly attacks on police stations in the last six months.

Friday's attack may have come in retaliation for an operation against the DHKP-C last month in which Turkish police detained 85 people. A court subsequently remanded 38 of them in custody over links to the group.

(Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

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Argentina to launch new inflation data method

BUENOS AIRES: Argentina said Saturday it will start using a new method of measuring inflation after the International Monetary Fund censured Buenos Aires over the quality of its economic data.

Economy Minister Hernan Lorenzino told C5N television that it would be "a new consumer price index to replace the current measure that has supposedly caused so many problems for the IMF."

Lorenzino said that officials expect to begin using the new method starting in the last quarter of 2013.

On Friday, the IMF's executive board took the unprecedented measure of issuing a "declaration of censure" against Argentina, opening the way for one of Latin America's largest economies to lose its voting rights at the multinational lender, or even lose its membership.

But the board put off that decision, giving Buenos Aires until September 29 to resolve the problem.

"It's an ongoing process and the Fund is aware of that," said Lorenzino, who criticized the decision as a "double standard."

In a statement, his ministry suggested that "many countries" have changed their unemployment and CPI measures, as well as they way they compile this data.

Official Argentine statistics are sharply different from those private sector economists issue.

For instance, last month the government said that inflation in 2012 was 10.8 percent, while a group of private economists who collate their data put the rate at 25.6 percent.

Buenos Aires benefits from understating the data because a large part of its sovereign debt is indexed to inflation.

In rejecting the IMF's decision, President Cristina Kirchner's government demanded that the lender's board hold a special meeting to review its policy toward Argentina and "its role in the origin of the global economic and financial crisis."

Brazil, an IMF board member and strategic ally of Argentina, criticized the censure as "counterproductive."

In a tweet, Kirchner herself suggested that her government's debt reduction policy "seems to be the real cause of anger from the IMF."

Argentina defaulted on some $100 billion in debt in 2001, and has since restructured its debt twice, covering around 75 percent of the nominal value of the bonds.

But the country is embroiled in a legal battle in the United States with hedge funds demanding that Buenos Aires repay $1.3 billion in bonds held by investment funds NML and Aurelius because they refused to take part in a 2005 restructuring agreed to by most of the other bondholders.

The IMF and Argentina have a long history of troubled relations, with successive governments blaming the Fund for domestic economic failures and the country's deep troubles in international debt markets.

In January 2006, the government paid off Argentina's debt with the IMF -- some $9.5 billion -- and cut links with the Fund.

Since then Argentina has been the only country in the G20 that does not allow annual economic assessments by official IMF teams. It has also promised not to ask for more financial aid.

But at the end of 2010, the IMF was invited back to assist with collection and formulation of economic data, opening the way to the current impasse.

-AFP/ac

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Apple updates Java for Snow Leopard following blockage

Following another recent security issue with Java, Apple issued an update that added the latest versions to the system's browser plug-in blacklist to protect users from any potential threats; however, in doing so it silently blocked a number of people from accessing required Java content, such as banking and financial Web sites.

To manage this problem, if you need Java, then the latest version from Oracle (version 1.7.0_13) that was released yesterday should have addressed the security holes and get your system back up and running. You can download it for OS X Lion or Mountain Lion from Oracle at its Java Downloads page.

Unfortunately the Java 7 runtime is not available for those using
Snow Leopard, for which the latest version is Java 6. However, Apple has issued its own separate update to Java 6 for Snow Leopard to address the vulnerabilities in this version. The update, which should be available through its Software Update service, should run automatically or can be invoked by going to the Apple menu.

Given the stream of recent security issues with Java, if you don't need Java, then you might consider avoiding using it on your system, or at least be sure to disable the Web plug-in for it. While Java is a powerful and useful runtime that a number of programs use, the avenue for exploiting it is almost exclusively through the Web plug-in component of the runtime, so if you find you do need it installed, then you might at least consider disabling the plug-in in the Java Control Panel (or in Apple's Java Preferences utility for Java SE 6).

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Al Qaeda-linked militants free 2 Filipino hostages

MANILA, Philippines Abu Sayyaf gunmen have freed two Filipino members of a Jordanian TV journalist's crew believed to have been kidnapped by the al Qaeda-linked militants in June as they set out to interview the extremists in their jungle lairs in the southern Philippines, police said Sunday.

Policemen found frail-looking cameraman Ramel Vela and audio technician Roland Letriro late Saturday and brought them to a hospital in southern Sulu province, where they were kidnapped in June along with Jordanian Baker Abdulla Atyani, provincial police chief Senior Superintendent Antonio Freyra said. Atyani is believed to still be held by the gunmen.

"They really lost weight because they were constantly under stress each day," Freyra told The Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear who worked for their release or whether ransom was paid to the kidnappers.

Military officials have said Abu Sayyaf militants have demanded 130 million pesos ($3.1 million) for the release of Atyani and his two Filipino crew members. Hundreds of rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front, which signed a 1996 autonomy deal with the government, have also been negotiating with the Abu Sayyaf for the release of Atyani and other foreign hostages, including two European bird watchers who were abducted last February.

Moro commander Khabir Malik said his group had taken the initiative to seek the freedom of the hostages to help the government clean up the image of Sulu, a predominantly Muslim province where the Abu Sayyaf has carried out deadly bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings, primarily in the early 2000s.

U.S.-backed military offensives have crippled the Abu Sayyaf in recent years, but it remains a national security threat. Washington has listed the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization.

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Body of Missing Mom Reportedly Found in Turkey

The body of an American woman who went missing while on a solo trip to Turkey has been pulled from a bay in Istanbul, and nine people have been held for questioning, according to local media.

Sarai Sierra, 33, was last heard from on Jan. 21, the day she was due to board a flight home to New York City.

The state-run Andolu Agency reported that residents found a woman's body today near the ruins of some ancient city walls in a low-income district, and police identified the body as Sierra.

Rep. Michael Grimm, R-NY, who with his staff had been assisting the Sierra family in the search, said he was "deeply saddened" to hear the news of her death.

"I urge Turkish officials to move quickly to identify whomever is responsible for her tragic death and ensure that any guilty parties are punished to the fullest extent of the law," he said in a statement.

Courtesy Sarai Sierra's family

Footage Shows Missing New York Mom in Turkish Mall Watch Video

NYC Woman Goes Missing While Traveling In Turkey Watch Video

New York Mother Goes Missing on Turkish Vacation Watch Video

The New York City mother, who has two young boys, traveled to Turkey alone on Jan. 7 after a friend had to cancel. Sierra, who is an avid photographer with a popular Instagram stream, planned to document her dream vacation with her camera.

"It was her first time outside of the United States, and every day while she was there she pretty much kept in contact with us, letting us know what she was up to, where she was going, whether it be through texting or whether it be through video chat, she was touching base with us," Steven Sierra told ABC News before he departed for Istanbul last Sunday to aid in the search.

Steven Sierra has been in the country, meeting with U.S. officials and local authorities, as they searched for his wife.

On Friday, Turkish authorities detained a man who had spoken with Sierra online before her disappearance. The identity of the man and the details of his arrest were not disclosed, The Associated Press reported.

The family said it is completely out of character for the happily married mother, who met her husband in church youth group, to disappear.

She took two side trips, to Amsterdam and Munich, before returning to Turkey, but kept in contact with her family the entire time, a family friend told ABC News.

Further investigation revealed she had left her passport, clothes, phone chargers and medical cards in her room at a hostel in Beyoglu, Turkey.

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Suicide bomber kills guard at U.S. embassy in Turkey

ANKARA (Reuters) - A far-leftist suicide bomber killed a Turkish security guard at the U.S. embassy in Ankara on Friday, officials said, blowing open an entrance and sending debris flying through the air.

The attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body after entering an embassy gatehouse. The blast could be heard a mile away. A lower leg and other human remains lay on the street.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the bomber was a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), a far-left group which is virulently anti-U.S. and anti-NATO and is listed as a terrorist organisation by Washington.

The White House said the suicide attack was an "act of terror" but that the motivation was unclear. U.S. officials said the DHKP-C were the main suspects but did not exclude other possibilities.

Islamist radicals, extreme left-wing groups, ultra-nationalists and Kurdish militants have all carried out attacks in Turkey in the past. There was no claim of responsibility.

"The suicide bomber was ripped apart and one or two citizens from the special security team passed away," said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

"This event shows that we need to fight together everywhere in the world against these terrorist elements," he said.

In New York, the U.N. Security Council strongly condemned the attack as a heinous act.

Turkish media reports identified the bomber as DHKP-C member Ecevit Sanli, who was involved in attacks on a police station and a military staff college in Istanbul in 1997.

KEY ALLY

Turkey is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East with common interests ranging from energy security to counter-terrorism and has been one of the leading advocates of foreign intervention to end the conflict in neighboring Syria.

Around 400 U.S. soldiers have arrived in Turkey over the past few weeks to operate Patriot anti-missile batteries meant to defend against any spillover of Syria's civil war, part of a NATO deployment due to be fully operational in the coming days.

The DHKP-C was responsible for the assassination of two U.S. military contractors in the early 1990s in protest against the first Gulf War and launched rockets at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in 1992, according to the U.S. State Department.

Deemed a terrorist organisation by both the United States and Turkey, the DHKP-C has been blamed for suicide attacks in the past, including one in 2001 that killed two police officers and a tourist in Istanbul's central Taksim Square.

The group, formed in 1978, has carried out a series of deadly attacks on police stations in the last six months.

The attack may have come in retaliation for an operation against the DHKP-C last month in which Turkish police detained 85 people. A court subsequently remanded 38 of them in custody over links to the group.

"HUGE EXPLOSION"

U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardone emerged through the main gate of the embassy shortly after the explosion to address reporters, flanked by a security detail as a Turkish police helicopter hovered overhead.

"We're very sad of course that we lost one of our Turkish guards at the gate," Ricciardone said, describing the victim as a "hero" and thanking Turkish authorities for a prompt response.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland condemned the attack on the checkpoint on the perimeter of the embassy and said several U.S. and Turkish staff were injured by debris.

"The level of security protection at our facility in Ankara ensured that there were not significantly more deaths and injuries than there could have been," she told reporters.

It was the second attack on a U.S. mission in four months. On September 11, 2012, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three American personnel were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

The attack in Benghazi, blamed on al Qaeda-affiliated militants, sparked a political furore in Washington over accusations that U.S. missions were not adequately safeguarded.

A well-known Turkish journalist, Didem Tuncay, who was on her way in to the embassy to meet Ricciardone when the attack took place, was in a critical condition in hospital.

"It was a huge explosion. I was sitting in my shop when it happened. I saw what looked like a body part on the ground," said travel agent Kamiyar Barnos, whose shop window was shattered around 100 meters away from the blast.

CALL FOR VIGILANCE

The U.S. consulate in Istanbul warned its citizens to be vigilant and to avoid large gatherings, while the British mission in Istanbul called on British businesses to tighten security after what it called a "suspected terrorist attack".

In 2008, Turkish gunmen with suspected links to al Qaeda, opened fire on the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, killing three Turkish policemen. The gunmen died in the subsequent firefight.

The most serious bombings in Turkey occurred in November 2003, when car bombs shattered two synagogues, killing 30 people and wounding 146. Part of the HSBC Bank headquarters was destroyed and the British consulate was damaged in two more explosions that killed 32 people less than a week later. Authorities said those attacks bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda.

(Additional reporting by Daren Butler and Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul, Mohammed Arshad and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Stephen Powell and Sandra Maler)

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