Kick Start Your Libido | self improvement directory

Has your libido been a bit neglected lately? Its not like you uncommitted but well, it?s just finding the time and energy. It seems impossible some days because there?s work and cleaning and working out and grocery shopping and cooking dinner, laundry, kids, family commitments, friends, ironing! When you do get horizontal you pass out within minutes. Or you?re not in the mood. Or you just can?t be bothered. Soon enough a month has passed and you can?t remember the last time you had sex. And when was the last time you kissed your partner and I mean really kissed them, not just a polite peck?

Or maybe you?ve just fallen into a rut. You have sex in the same place at roughly the same time each week and do the same things. Routine is good for things like brushing your teeth but it shouldn?t come into your sex life when variety and excitement are crucial elements in making it fulfilling. If this sounds like you and you want to kick start your passion back into well, life, then read on.

1. Be spontaneous

The element of surprise can be very seductive. Take a shower together, surprise your partner with a long passionate kiss when they are expecting to just graze lips, buy some newstripper lingerie and wear it.

2. Get Healthy

Eating good and regular exercise put you in better touch with your body and that inner healthy glow not only makes you look more attractive but gives you heaps of energy and makes you feel more vibrant and alive.

3. Be Affectionate

If you haven?t had sex for awhile then it may be better to start out slowly to get back into the groove. Instead of trying to go from a standing start to racing speed, ease your way back into the physical by touching when you can and by being considerate with each other. Touch when you talk. Stop to kiss when you walk past each other in the hallway. Trail your finger along their shoulder as they sit reading a magazine. Snuggle on the couch in front of your favorite movie.

4. Be Sensual

Give your partner a peppermint foot bath when they get home from a busy day. Massage their hands, scalp, back ? wherever takes your fancy (if you don?t know how to massage, don?t think about it, just do what feels good). Or try a lighter touch by using a feather or silk scarves to trail along the length of your partner.

5. Experiment

Learn a new convention together. Try a romantic weekend away. Or you could try a sex toy from one of the many on offer. If you always have sex lying down then try standing or sitting. If you?re always on top then try switching things around.If you?re wearing the same old birthday suit during sex switch it up and try on some erotic lingerie(a good website is Polethongs.com).

6. Focus On The Now

When you do get down to it, it is imperative that you focus on exactly what it is you are doing. To do this you must stop the noise within your own head. Don?t worry that you forgot to pick up the dry-cleaning, or how you need to call your mom about her birthday, or the fact that you?re out of cereal. Leave all that stuff to later. Much later. Chances are it won?t seem nearly so important once you?re done.

Discover the ticket to superior lovemaking by visiting www.polethongs.com to find the best advice on stripper lingerie for yourself.

Source: http://www.selfimprovementdirectory.info/self-improvement/attraction/kick-start-your-libido/

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Bangladeshi Investors Badly Hit by the Stock-Market Crash (Time.com)

Nobody in Hafizur Rahman's family asked too many questions when the money they sent home to Bangladesh doubled or even tripled within two to three months. "He was like a prince," says Mirza Golam Sabur of his brother-in-law. So when Sabur was told last May that his 55-year-old brother-in-law died suddenly of a heart attack, he was shocked. Shocking, too, was the discovery that the tens of thousands of dollars sent to Rahman by relatives in Europe and North America was largely gone. The funds that they planned to use to buy retirement homes for relatives in the southern port city of Khulna had disappeared in Bangladesh's volatile stock market.

Woeful tales like the Rahmans' are multiplying across Bangladesh as the country's benchmark stock index, which has dropped 55% since early 2011, continues to fall. Although Bangladesh has seen booms and busts before during its stock exchange's 58-year history, the steep losses suffered over the past 12 months by millions of small investors threaten to bring fresh economic and political turmoil to a long-suffering nation that seemed, at last, to be gaining ground. (Watch TIME's video "Fleeing Catastrophe, Stuck in the Slums of Bangladesh.")

Between 2006 and '11 Bangladesh's booming garment industry fueled average economic growth of 6.3%. In 2005, Goldman Sachs included Bangladesh among the "Next 11" rapidly emerging economies to succeed Brazil, Russia, India and China. J.P. Morgan followed suit in 2007, including Bangladesh in its "Frontier Five" markets. Today, though, the market's dramatic rise -- and swift fall -- seems like a cautionary tale for emerging-market investors oblivious to the perils of hasty banking deregulation and rapid capital inflows.

So what went wrong? The country's growth spurt was fueled by the garment industry, where some 2.5 million workers toiled for about $40 a month, a third of wages in southern China. Low costs helped Bangladesh become a hub for global apparel makers, including H&M and Li & Fung. In 1993, the value of Bangladesh's garment exports was under $2 billion, according to Stockholm-based Brummer & Partners, a large private-equity-and-hedge-fund company that invests in Bangladesh. By 2011, garment exports had risen sixfold to $17.9 billion.

Polo shirts and blue jeans were paired with another fast-growing export from Bangladesh: Bangladeshis. Some 5 million Bangladeshis work abroad, many as construction workers, mariners and restaurant owners in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Great Britain, and the $12 billion they sent home last year swelled Bangladesh's $100 billion economy with cash. Coupled with the earnings from garment exports, that cash flooded into more than three dozen banks across the country, many of which were newly licensed, small and unprofessionally managed. As inflation crept up and more banks entered the marketplace, the pressure to generate higher returns for depositors mounted. That, in turn, turned banks into stock-market players. The central bank allowed banks to invest a tenth of their total liabilities in the market. "This was considerably less restrictive than the international norm," says Ifty Islam, managing partner at Dhaka-based investment firm AT Capital. (Read "Strike Divides Dhaka as Unrest Deepens.")

As banks poured money into stocks, the market rocketed skyward. In 2010, the benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange climbed over 90%. Such heady gains fed a hunger for investing among small-time players, even among those who knew little about the stocks they were trading. According to AT Capital's Islam, retail brokerage accounts in Bangladesh jumped sevenfold from roughly half a million in 2007 to 3.5 million by 2010. "Many people didn't have any investment knowledge," says Sabur. "But the market was so bullish everyone was buying."

Unsurprisingly, the bubble soon burst. By the end of 2010, inflation had climbed past 11%, pushing up the price of staples. Alarmed, the central bank began tightening, in part by proposing stricter limits on banks investing in the market. That became the trigger of a punishing one-year-old market decline that's wiped out all the gains of 2010 and is now threatening to widen into a more serious economic and political crisis. As Europe's demand for garments slows and fewer Bangladeshis find work abroad, the country has begun to run a current account deficit. That is eroding the value of the Bangladeshi taka, which has dropped by roughly a fifth against the dollar over the past two years and is accelerating the market's slide. "It's going to get worse before it gets better," predicts Arjuna Mahendran, the Singapore-based head of investment strategy for HSBC Private Bank.

Worryingly, high food prices are stoking public anger against the government Sheikh Hasina. Over the past year, groups of disgruntled investors have been regularly gathering outside the stock exchange's Dhaka headquarters to burn tires and protest, venting their frustration with a regime they feel has not taken adequate steps to curb market speculation and protect small investors. Last April, a committee led by Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled, a respected former banker, submitted an official report to the government that alleged extensive market manipulation prior to the initial Jan. 2011 crash, ratcheting up tensions ahead of a general election to be called by mid-2013. (Read "Behind Bangladesh's Failed Coup Plot: A History of Violence.")

Decades of steady economic progress won't be necessarily unraveled by a market rout alone. Kiron Bose, chief investment officer of Brummer & Partners' Bangladesh-focused private equity fund, emphasizes that the stock market has not traditionally been a major source of capital for Bangladesh. Analysts say the country's larger banks are solvent enough to continue lending to companies and individuals, albeit at double-digit interest rates. "I still believe in the country's long-term story," echoes AT Capital's Islam, who points out, for example, to a report by the consulting firm McKinsey that says if Bangladesh can upgrade its road and ports and Chinese manufacturing rages continue to rise, the country's garment exports could further double to surpass $40 billion over the next decade. Even so, to small investors like Sabur's late brother-in-law, hitching his fortunes to a roller-coaster market was a devastating ordeal.

Read "Bangladesh's 'Banker to the Poor' Faces a Political Battle to Survive."

Watch TIME's video "Creating New Land for Climate Refugees in Bangladesh."

View this article on Time.com

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/stocks/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20120205/wl_time/08599210584500

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[Women's Basketball] Mustangs on verge of 20-win season after win ...

February 4th, 2012 ?|? Published in Basketball, Featured, Mount Mercy

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa ? Mount Mercy hadn?t been playing well on its home court, and that trend continued early on Saturday, but the 15th-ranked Mustangs turned it around in the second half to beat Waldorf, 77-60, in a Midwest Collegiate Conference matchup on Saturday at Hennessey Recreation Center.

A recent three-game skid at home went by the wayside on Saturday as Mount Mercy (19-7, 11-3 MCC) put up 50 points after intermission against the Warriors (7-18, 4-10 MCC). The Mustangs shot 50 percent from the floor after the break and went 10-of-13 at the free throw line to earn their fourth straight win.

Four Mustangs hit double figures, led by Emily Greiner?s 18 points. She got 11 of those at the foul line on 14 attempts. The senior guard also finished with five rebounds and a pair of steals. Senior guard Micha Mims narrowly missed a double-double with 17 points and nine boards. She tallied four steals as well.

Sophomore forward Amanda Frost added 14 points and five rebounds, senior guard Mackenzie Skay 10 points and four boards. In her first action this season, senior forward Bria Fields came off the bench to score seven points. Senior guard Laura Lippert contributed seven rebounds and a game-high four assists.

Ellie Markwardt scored 16 points for the Warriors. Allie Davison chipped in 11 points and five rebounds, BreeAnn Hageman six points, 10 boards and three blocked shots. Mia Chiaro and Joni Lillo had eight points apiece.

Mount Mercy hosts St. Ambrose on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Hennessey Rec Center. The Mustangs can sweep the season series with the Queen Bees (10-13, 6-8 MCC), whom they beat, 80-67, on Jan. 11 in Davenport.

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Source: http://easterniowasportsandrec.com/2012/02/04/womens-basketball-mustangs-on-verge-of-20-win-season-after-win-over-warriors/

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ComScore: Android and iOS gallop ahead, US smartphone usage approaches 100 million

The latest report is in from ComScore, and as you might expect, the news is sunshine and roses for the crews at Google and Apple. Both companies platforms charted some worthwhile month-over-month gains, as Android is estimated to account for 47.3 percent of smartphones in the US, while iOS runs a strong second with 26.9 percent. Meanwhile, former BlackBerry fans continue to scatter, as the platform now accounts for 16 percent of smartphone users. Similarly, Windows Phone (and whatever's left of Windows Mobile) have taken it on the chin, and have fallen to just 4.7 percent market share. Without ever gaining much traction in the US, Symbian now makes up 1.4 percent of the smartphone pie. You'll find a quick look at the manufacturing side of the equation, along with the full ComScore press release, after the break.

Continue reading ComScore: Android and iOS gallop ahead, US smartphone usage approaches 100 million

ComScore: Android and iOS gallop ahead, US smartphone usage approaches 100 million originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get Rid Of That Extra Weight Dragging You Down | New Health and ...

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Losing weight is one of the greatest motivating factors for many to get into fitness. It is true that losing weight can be somewhat of a challenge. Luckily, this article provides you with valuable guidance that will help you achieve successful weight loss.

Cutting your portions down to size is a higher priority than fussing with calories if you intend to make your diet healthier. Many diets now a days are focusing on the ingredients and the chemistry of the food. This is not the right thing to be looking at. Reducing your portions is actually the best way to healthy weight loss. By eating less, you can create a great increase in your overall health.

Remember to keep a positive mindset and focus on the power you have to change your life. Say, for instance, ?I am going to drop two pounds by Sunday,? or, ?I am going to have dinner without dessert tonight.? The more often you use positive thoughts, the sooner they?ll become a habit.

Avoid diet fads in favor of good, solid nutrition. Fad diets that take things to extreme limits to lose weight, and limit your food, could be hazardous to your health. The diet industry in infamous for all the fad diets that crop out of nowhere and burn out just as quickly. Even though these diets produce weight loss, it is usually just short term, and they do nothing to promote long-term health.

Try talking to your doctor if you plan on taking diet pills. If you have high blood pressure, heart conditions, or other chronic disease, diet pills could be very dangerous. It is important to consult with your physician and ensure that you are physically okay to use the pills prior to taking them.

With your doctor?s guidance, try to omit dairy products from your daily diet and see if it affects you weight. Hidden medical complications, such as lactose intolerance or even allergies, can spell trouble for some people. This may result in bloating or weight gain for what seems to be no reason.

Muscle burns about four times the calories than fat does. Increased muscle mass through strength training can help increase your weight loss. Strength training that is done two or three times weekly will help you build muscle.

Enjoying a little exercise right around your mealtimes can be an effective means of controlling weight. Are you going on a picnic? Walk to the location of your picnic for added exercise. If your schedule permits, coordinating mealtime with a mild workout can be an enjoyable way to stay on the dieting fast track.

If you don?t know the basics of healthy eating, ask a dietician for help. They can also help you to identify your diet pitfalls. Losing weight is going to require choosing a healthier diet.

Shun foods with high amounts of fat, and try to restrict the number of sweetened drinks and substances you ingest. Avoid fast food like the plague; it has some of the highest fat and sodium content you will find anywhere. Soda should be seen as a treat.

You now know lots of different tricks to help you lose weight. Hopefully, you should now see that this is something you can accomplish. If you stay with your plan, you will be successful. Try some of the things you have learned here, and research more, and soon you will have an arsenal of techniques that work for you.

Find the Padres gift ideas every fan will love.

Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/02/03/get-rid-of-that-extra-weight-dragging-you-down/

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[unable to retrieve full-text content]Gulf Shores real estate involves condominiums and also homes giving a wide range of choices for investment in rental property and/or a second home, moving the family, or retirement. Many residential choices are located in close proximity to ...

Source: http://ribud.livejournal.com/131585.html

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Reclaim Your Power From Anger, Part 1 ? Empowering Your Mind

by Linda-Ann Stewart

Hallie prided herself on holding grudges. She never forgave anyone for any real or imagined slight. Once someone had offended her, she?d cut them out of her life. This attitude caused her to be exhausted, and negatively affected her health and her relationships.

Anger is a survival instinct that lets you know that some right has been violated. When you get angry with someone, it provides protection so that the other person will think twice about acting like that again. Once the situation has been dealt with, it has fulfilled its purpose and anger fades away.

However, if you continue to hold onto your anger, like Hallie, you?re trying to protect yourself against a threat that no longer exists. Anger then twists into hostility, a bubbling cauldron of antagonism. Studies have shown that hostility depresses the immune system and harms cardiovascular function.

Antagonism ties up energy that could be used for something productive. This affects you physically with increased stress, tense muscles, an upset stomach, and shallow breathing. It also ruins relationships and contributes to the self-destructive habits of smoking, drinking, overeating, and others.

Anger is energy. As long as it?s moving and released, it can actually help make constructive changes. But if it gets stuck, it turns to hostility and becomes a black hole that sucks in more energy. ?Energy flows where attention goes.? When you?re focused on holding onto anger, it diverts energy from manifesting good. The Law of Attraction causes it to draw more disharmony and frustration to you.

When you?re angry, your mind functions at much less than your normal potential. Chronic anger greatly reduces your ability to think, make decisions and tap into creativity.

If you hold a grudge, like Hallie, you?re trying to control a situation that?s in the past. It?s a reaction against feeling helpless, but it keeps you in a victim cycle. You?re letting the past rule how you feel and act. You might think it makes you stronger and more powerful than the other person. Instead, you?ve just handed control of your emotions over to them.

They may no longer even think of you, but they?re still very much a part of your thoughts. Maybe you?re trying to punish them. But you?re not hurting them at all. The only person it?s harming is you. You may think that you?re protecting yourself, but you?re actually keeping yourself immobile, unable to learn from a situation and move forward.

As long as you continue to be angry, you?re holding that person and situation to you like glue. The relationship or situation isn?t over for you. Every time you think of it, your subconscious thinks it?s happening all over again and it revs up your anger all over again.

Copyright 2012 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

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Source: http://self-improvementtools.com/2012/02/02/reclaim-your-power-from-anger-part-1/

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IAEA, Iran to meet again after "good" talks (Reuters)

VIENNA (Reuters) ? Senior U.N. nuclear inspectors plan another trip to Iran later this month after holding what both sides described as good talks on the Islamic state's disputed atomic program.

The Jan 29-31 talks in Tehran were a rare direct dialogue in the long-running international stand-off, which has worsened in recent weeks as the West pursues a punitive embargo on Iranian oil and Tehran threatens retaliation.

"The Agency is committed to intensifying dialogue. It remains essential to make progress on substantive issues," Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in a statement.

Tehran says its uranium enrichment program is solely for peaceful electricity generation and has dismissed allegations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons as baseless.

Led by the U.N. agency's global head of inspections, the IAEA team returned on Wednesday from three days of meetings in Iran to try to end three years of deadlock in efforts to resolve the questions about Tehran's nuclear work.

The fact both sides said talks would resume suggested the round just completed at least created some basis for progress.

"We are committed to resolve all the outstanding issues and the Iranians said they are committed too," Herman Nackaerts, IAEA deputy director general, told reporters after returning from Tehran.

"But of course there is still a lot of work to be done and so we have planned another trip in the very near future."

Asked if he was satisfied with the talks, Nackaerts said: "Yeah, we had a good trip."

He described the talks as "intensive discussions" with their Iranian counterparts but declined to give any more details, saying he first needed to brief his boss, Amano.

Later, the IAEA issued a brief statement saying another meeting would take place from Feb 21-22 in Tehran.

The U.N. agency said it had explained to Iran its "concerns and identified its priorities, which focus on the clarification of possible military dimensions" to Iran's nuclear program.

"The IAEA also discussed with Iran the topics and initial steps to be taken, as well as associated modalities," it said.

Western diplomats based in Vienna, the IAEA's headquarters, said the jury was still out on whether the mission accomplished anything concrete.

"This visit will be judged by whether the Iranians provided the visiting IAEA team with cooperation on substantive issues. Anything short of that type of cooperation is not acceptable," one envoy said.

Proliferation expert Mark Fitzpatrick described Nackaerts' statement about more meetings as a positive sign.

"The IAEA would not be scheduling another trip unless they had an expectation of progress in clearing away at least some of the questions about suspicious past nuclear activity," said Fitzpatrick, a director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi also said more talks would be needed but did not say when.

"We had very good meetings and we planned to continue these negotiations. The team had some questions about the claimed studies. One step has been taken forward," he told the semi- official Fars news agency in Tehran.

IAEA BOARD MEETING

By "studies," Salehi was alluding to intelligence reports indicating that Iran has covertly researched ways to design a nuclear weapon - Western allegations that were backed up by a detailed IAEA report in November.

Salehi added: "We were ready to show them our nuclear facilities, but they didn't ask for it."

Lower-level IAEA inspectors based in Iran have regular, if limited, access to Iran's declared nuclear installations.

Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, had already announced Iran's readiness to hold talks with world powers.

"I hope this meeting takes place in the not too distant future," Salehi said.

Western diplomats have often accused Iran of using offers of dialogue as a stalling tactic while it presses ahead with stockpiling enriched uranium, the key energy source in nuclear power plants or bombs, depending on the level of refinement.

They say they doubt whether Tehran will show the kind of concrete cooperation the IAEA wants.

The IAEA made clear before the visit it wanted to focus on its growing concerns of possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program. Among others, its team included French nuclear weapons expert Jacques Baute, one diplomat said.

Olli Heinonen, Nackaerts' predecessor at the IAEA, said it would take time to resolve all outstanding issues but that coming weeks would show whether Iran was ready to take "pragmatic steps" to address international concerns.

"It is of great importance that the IAEA experts will have unfettered access to information, sites, equipment and people, who have been involved in the military-related activities," Heinonen, now at Harvard University, said.

Friction between Iran and the West has worsened this year after the United States and the European Union imposed sanctions targeting Tehran's oil sector over its continued defiance of U.N. resolutions demanding it suspend enrichment, grant unfettered access to the IAEA and engage in negotiations.

Iran has been open to resuming talks with six world powers frozen for over a year but only to discuss broader international issues, not its nuclear program.

The new Western measures take direct aim at the ability of OPEC's second-biggest oil exporter to sell its crude. Iran has threatened to cut off oil exports to EU countries before July 1, when the sanctions would take full effect.

U.S. intelligence chiefs told legislators in testimony on Tuesday that Iran is feeling the bite from sanctions and that its nuclear program is now capable of yielding a weapon although Tehran had not yet decided on such a course.

(Writing and additional reporting by Fredrik Dahl; additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria in Washington and Ramin Mostafavi in Tehran; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120201/wl_nm/us_iran_iaea

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Iran sanctions "biting" in recent weeks: CIA chief (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Iran is feeling the bite from economic sanctions imposed over its nuclear program, which is capable of producing a weapon although Iranian leaders have not yet decided to do so, top U.S. intelligence chiefs told Congress on Tuesday.

"The sanctions have been biting much, much more literally in recent weeks than they have until this time," CIA Director David Petraeus said at a Senate intelligence committee hearing.

"What we have to see now is how does that play out, what is the level of popular discontent inside Iran, does that influence the strategic decision-making of the Supreme Leader and the regime, keeping in mind that the regime's paramount goal in all that they do is their regime survival," he said.

Iran's currency, the rial, has lost "considerable value" and there have been "runs on the bank" as Iranians try to dump domestic currency and acquire assets that will hold value better as inflation "takes off," Petraeus said.

But Director of National Intelligence James Clapper acknowledged that sanctions so far had not caused Iran's leaders to change their behavior or policies.

The U.S. hope is that recent sanctions "would have the effect of inducing a change in the Iranian policy towards their apparent pursuit of a nuclear capability," he said.

Senators at the hearing asked about Israel's concerns about Iran's nuclear program, amid speculation that Israel might launch a pre-emptive strike at the country's known nuclear sites.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, the panel's chairwoman, and Petraeus said they met recently with the director of Mossad, Israel's intelligence service.

"We're doing a lot with the Israelis, working together with them. And of course for them, this is, as they have characterized, is an existential threat," Clapper said.

Petraeus, appearing with other intelligence community leaders at an annual open hearing on global threats to U.S. security, said that China has reduced imports of Iranian oil but "it remains to be seen whether that continues."

"It appears that Saudi Arabian production is ramping up and can fill some of the demand that might have been met by Iranian exports now that there are the sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran," he said.

The United States imposed the harshest sanctions so far on Iran when President Barack Obama on December 31 signed into law new sanctions on transactions involving Iran's central bank.

The European Union last week imposed a ban on the import, purchase or transport of Iranian oil. Existing contracts can be honored up to July 1.

The West has imposed sanctions over the years due to concerns that Iran's nuclear development program is aimed at building a weapon. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes.

The latest U.S. sanctions will have a deeper impact because the Central Bank of Iran handles a large volume of foreign bank transactions and receives the revenue for the roughly 70 percent of oil sold by the National Iranian Oil Company, Clapper said.

'CRITICAL YEAR'

"According to most timelines I've heard, 2012 will be a critical year for convincing or preventing Iran's development of a nuclear weapon," Feinstein, a Democrat, said.

Iran is keeping open the option to develop a nuclear bomb but U.S. intelligence agencies do not know whether its leaders ultimately will decide to build one, Clapper said in his written statement to the panel.

New U.S. sanctions were likely to have a greater impact than previous ones, but were not expected to lead to the downfall of Iran's leadership, Clapper said.

"We assess Iran is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons, in part by developing various nuclear capabilities that better position it to produce such weapons, should it choose to do so," he said in written testimony. "We do not know, however, if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons."

Iran's advances, particularly in uranium enrichment, strengthen the assessment that "Iran is well capable of producing enough highly-enriched uranium for a weapon if its political leaders, specifically the Supreme Leader himself, choose to do so," Clapper said. He referred to the country's most powerful leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Iran's economic difficulties probably will not jeopardize the regime, absent a sudden and sustained fall in oil prices or a sudden domestic crisis that disrupts oil exports," Clapper's written testimony said.

Iran has sought to "exploit the Arab Spring but has reaped limited benefits, thus far," the testimony said. Tehran's biggest regional concern is ally Syria, where a change in leadership would be a major strategic loss for Iran.

Nearly a year into the unrest, conflict in Syria is unlikely to be resolved quickly, and it is a matter of time before Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad falls, Clapper said.

"I personally believe it's a question of time before Assad falls, but that's the issue, it could be a long time," Clapper said. "Protraction of these demonstrations, the opposition continues to be fragmented, but I do not see how he can sustain his rule of Syria."

CHINA CONCERNED

Arab Spring uprisings fueled concern among Chinese leaders that similar unrest could undermine their rule, prompting Beijing to launch its harshest crackdown on dissent in at least a decade, Clapper said in his written testimony.

At the same time, worries about the global economy helped heighten Beijing's resistance to external pressure and suspicion of U.S. intentions, it said.

China continued a policy of permitting modest appreciation of the renminbi, "although it remains substantially undervalued," the testimony said.

Espionage by China, Russia, and Iran will pose significant security threats to the United States in coming years, the written statement said.

Russia and China are aggressive and successful in economic espionage against the United States, and "Iran's intelligence operations against the United States, including cyber capabilities, have dramatically increased in recent years in depth and complexity," the statement said.

Foreign intelligence services have targeted the unclassified and classified computer networks of U.S. government agencies, businesses and universities. "We assess that many intrusions into U.S. networks are not being detected," the statement said.

(Reporting By Tabassum Zakaria; Editing by Eric Walsh and Eric Beech)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120131/ts_nm/us_usa_intelligence_threats

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Asian stocks rise as investors watch Europe

A masked man is reflected on an electronic stock board at a securities firm in central Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A masked man is reflected on an electronic stock board at a securities firm in central Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A currency trader walks through the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. South Korea's Kospi was 1.3 percent lower at 1,939.90. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

A woman walks screens at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. South Korea's Kospi was 1.3 percent lower at 1,939.90. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

Currency traders look at monitors at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. South Korea's Kospi was 1.3 percent lower at 1,939.90. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

BEIJING (AP) ? Asian stocks rose Tuesday as traders watched for a possible deal to cut Greece's debts and Japanese factory output rebounded.

Benchmark oil rose above $99 per barrel while the dollar fell against the euro and the yen.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.1 percent to 8,806.06 after data showed December industrial activity rose 4 percent over the previous month. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.7 percent to 20,304.48 and Seoul's Kospi was up 0.1 percent at 1,942.82.

Traders watched Europe, a major export market, following reports Greece and its creditors were close to a deal to cut its debts. Also Monday, European leaders agreed on a new treaty meant to stop overspending and put an end to the region's crippling debt woes.

"Everyone is watching the European summit and how the Greek debt crisis comes out," said Jackson Wong at Tanrich Securities in Hong Kong. "The general atmosphere is to play a wait-and-see game."

China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.2 percent at 2,289.42 ahead of Wednesday's release of a key manufacturing index. Investors are hoping for a loosening of credit curbs or other measures to boost growth if it shows activity is slowing amid lackluster global demand for Chinese goods.

Benchmarks in Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and India rose while Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand fell. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.2 percent to 4,266.10.

European markets tumbled Monday on concerns Greece's financial problems might not be solved even if creditors agree to cancel part of its debt.

Under a tentative agreement, investors holding 206 billion euros ($272 billion) in Greek bonds would exchange them for bonds with half the face value. The replacement bonds would have a longer maturity and pay a lower interest rate. When the bonds mature, Greece would have to pay its bondholders only 103 billion euros.

France's CAC-40 shed 1.6 percent while Britain's FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX both lost 1 percent.

Wall Street fell in early trading but Asian investors were encouraged after the Dow Jones industrial average recovered most of its losses to close down just 0.1 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 lost 0.8 percent.

Borrowing costs for European countries with the heaviest debt burdens shot higher. The two-year interest rate for Portugal's government debt jumped to 21 percent after trading around 14 percent last week.

Portugal may become the next country "where default is a real possibility," said Martin Hennecke of Tyche Group in Hong Kong.

"The euro zone crisis is far from being fixed at all. Italy and Spain are effectively bankrupt as well," Hennecke said. "For Asia, that means there is huge uncertainty in terms of export markets."

The treaty agreed to Monday by all European Union governments except Britain and the Czech Republic includes strict debt brakes and is aimed at making it harder for violators to escape sanctions. The 17 countries in the eurozone hope the tighter rules will restore confidence in their joint currency.

The agreement comes as richer countries such as Germany are losing patience with giving Athens loans, saying the Greek government is not carrying out reforms and spending cuts fast enough. A German official proposed having an EU monitor oversee Greek spending but that idea was quickly rejected at Monday's meeting in Brussels.

Benchmark oil for March delivery gained 37 cents to $99.39 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 78 cents to end at $98.78 per barrel on the Nymex on Monday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3191 from $1.3114 late Monday in New York. The dollar fell to 76.17 yen from 76.25 yen.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-31-World-Markets/id-b9fee620a42f46399de36ea4b70784a8

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Asian stocks mostly higher on strong China data

A masked man is reflected on an electronic stock board at a securities firm in central Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A masked man is reflected on an electronic stock board at a securities firm in central Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A currency trader walks through the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. South Korea's Kospi was 1.3 percent lower at 1,939.90. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

A woman walks screens at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. South Korea's Kospi was 1.3 percent lower at 1,939.90. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

Currency traders look at monitors at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Korea Exchange Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 30, 2012. Asian stock markets fell Monday, with slower-than-expected growth in the U.S. and uncertainty about a tentative deal to resolve Greece's debt crisis weighing on investor sentiment. South Korea's Kospi was 1.3 percent lower at 1,939.90. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

SHANGHAI (AP) ? Asian stocks were mostly higher Wednesday despite a lackluster day on Wall Street, as improved manufacturing data from China offered reassurance over its economic slowdown.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 0.3 percent to 8,826.79, helped by news of rebounding industrial production and household spending. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.2 percent to 20,424.24 and Seoul's Kospi added 0.3 percent, to 1,961.77.

An unexpected drop in U.S. consumer confidence dragged stocks down on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones industrial average finished down 20.81 points, or 0.2 percent, at 12,632.91. The S&P slipped 0.60 point to 1,312.41 while the Nasdaq composite index rose 1.90 points to close at 2,813.84.

But overall the U.S. markets had their best start for stocks in 15 years, thanks to a modest improvement in the economy. Sentiment was further buoyed by hopes of progress in Europe after leaders there agreed on the broad outlines of a deal to tie the countries that use the euro closer together and on hopes that Greece is close to a debt-reduction deal with private creditors.

China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index climbed 0.1 percent to 2,294.67 following the release of a key manufacturing index that showed conditions improving in January for a second straight month, though only by a modest margin.

Peng Yunliang, an analyst based in Shanghai, said strong demand for food and beverages kept manufacturing demand better than expected.

"I expect the market will keep on rising in the short term," he said.

Shares in Singapore and Australia weakened, while Taiwan, Indonesia and New Zealand gained ground.

European markets rebounded Tuesday amid hopes for progress on handling Greece's debt. Under a tentative agreement, investors holding 206 billion euros ($272 billion) in Greek bonds would exchange them for bonds with half the face value. The replacement bonds would have a longer maturity and pay a lower interest rate. When the bonds mature, Greece would have to pay its bondholders only 103 billion euros.

France's CAC-40 gained 1 percent while Britain's FTSE 100 and Germany's DAX both gained 0.2 percent.

Benchmark oil for March delivery gained 31 cents to $98.79 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 30 cents to end at $98.48 per barrel in New York on Tuesday.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.3064 from $1.3084 late Tuesday in New York. The dollar fell to 76.15 yen from 76.20 yen.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-31-World-Markets/id-28deb2dc7af04282a97b9229a1e6bffc

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DA Davidson Lowers Target to $4 on Frontier Communications ...

DA Davidson remains Neutral rated on Frontier Communications (NASDAQ: FTR) and reduces its price target to $4 from $6, on the expectation of a dividend reduction from the company.

DA Davidson comments, "We think the board will reduce the dividend to $0.50 to conserve cash and speed up deleveraging. We are cutting our price target to $4 from $6, which equates to 5.3x our 2012 EV/EBITDA estimate. We could become more positive on the stock once management completes the transition off of Verizon's systems and if they can reinvigorate DSL subscriber growth."

FTR closed at $4.32 a share on Friday.

(c) 2011 Benzinga.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published in its entirety or redistributed without the approval of Benzinga.

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Source: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/12/01/2300142/da-davidson-lowers-target-to-4-on-frontier-communication

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