75 Percent of Nation’s Top Metro Areas Post Increasing Foreclosure Activity in First Half of 2010

July 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment

IRVINE, CA, Jul 29 (MARKET WIRE) —
RealtyTrac(R) (www.realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for
foreclosure properties, today released its Midyear 2010 Metropolitan
Foreclosure Market Report, which shows 154 of the 206 U.S. metropolitan
areas with a population of 200,000 or more posted year-over-year
increases in foreclosure activity even while foreclosure activity
decreased in nine of the 10 metros with the highest foreclosure rates.

Four states — Florida, California, Nevada and Arizona — accounted for
all top 20 metro foreclosure rates. Florida led the way, with nine of the
top 20 metro foreclosure rates, followed by California with eight, Nevada
with two and Arizona with one.

“While we’re seeing early signs that foreclosure activity may have peaked
in some of the hardest-hit markets, foreclosures continued to rise in
three-quarters of the nation’s metropolitan areas in the first half of
the year,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.
“The fragile stability achieved in many local housing markets hinges on
improvements in the underlying economy, specifically job growth. If
unemployment remains persistently high and foreclosure prevention efforts
only delay the inevitable, then we could continue to see increased
foreclosure activity and a corresponding weakness in home prices in many
metro areas.”

Top 10 metro foreclosure rates
Las Vegas continued to post the nation’s
highest metro foreclosure rate in the first half of the year, with 6.60
percent of its housing units (one in 15) receiving a foreclosure filing
– more than five times the national average. A total of 53,525 Las Vegas
properties received a foreclosure filing during the six-month period, a
decrease of nearly 15 percent from the previous six months and a decrease
of nearly 9 percent from the first half of 2009.

Foreclosure activity in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla., metro area
decreased nearly 22 percent from the previous six months and was down
nearly 30 percent from the first half of 2009, but the metro area still
documented the nation’s second highest metro foreclosure rate — 4.98
percent of its housing units (one in 20) received a foreclosure filing
during the six-month period. Other Florida cities in the top 10 were
Orlando-Kissimmee at No. 8 (4.15 percent of housing units) and Miami-Fort
Lauderdale-Pompano Beach at No. 10 (3.89 percent).

With 4.59 percent of its housing units (one in 22) receiving a
foreclosure filing, Modesto, Calif., posted the nation’s third highest
metro foreclosure rate. Other California cities in the top 10 were Merced
at No. 4 (4.47 percent of housing units); Riverside-San
Bernardino-Ontario at No. 5 (4.37 percent); Stockton at No. 6 (4.37
percent); and Vallejo-Fairfield at No. 9 (3.91 percent).

The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area in Arizona posted the nation’s
seventh highest metro foreclosure rate, with 4.28 percent of its housing
units (one in 23) receiving a foreclosure filing in the first half of
2010.

Metros with highest foreclosure totals
More properties received a
foreclosure filing in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach metro area
during the first half of 2010 than any other metro area with a population
of 200,000 or more. A total of 94,466 properties in the Miami area
received a foreclosure filing during the six-month period, a decrease of
8 percent from the previous six months, but up nearly 11 percent from the
first six months of 2009.

A total of 93,263 properties in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana
metro area received a foreclosure filing in the first half of 2010, the
second highest total of any metro area nationwide and 2.11 percent of all
housing units (one in 47) — ranking No. 35 in terms of foreclosure rate.

A total of 78,022 properties in the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet metro area
received a foreclosure filing in the first half of 2010, the third
highest total and 2.07 percent of all housing units (one in 48) –
ranking No. 37 in terms of foreclosure rate.

Other metro areas with the 10 highest foreclosure totals were
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (73,352), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
(63,717), Las Vegas-Paradise (53,525), Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta
(52,381), Detroit-Warren-Livonia (47,563), New York-Northern New
Jersey-Long Island (44,522), and Orlando-Kissimmee (37,352).

Report methodology
The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Market Report
provides a count of the total number of properties with at least one
foreclosure filing entered into the RealtyTrac database during the first
six months of the year for metropolitan statistical areas with a
population of 200,000 or more based on Census bureau estimates. Some
foreclosure filings entered into the database during a six-month period
may have been recorded in previous time periods. Data is collected from
more than 2,200 counties nationwide, and those counties account for more
than 90 percent of the U.S. population. RealtyTrac’s report incorporates
documents filed in all three phases of foreclosure: Default — Notice of
Default (NOD) and Lis Pendens (LIS); Auction — Notice of Trustee Sale
and Notice of Foreclosure Sale (NTS and NFS); and Real Estate Owned, or
REO properties (that have been foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank).
If more than one foreclosure document is received for a property during
the six-month period, only the most recent filing is counted in the
report. If the same type of foreclosure document was filed against a
property previous to the six-month period but within the estimated
foreclosure timeframe for the state where the property is located, the
report does not count the property in the six-month period.

Midyear 2010 U.S. Metro Foreclosure Market Data
—————————————————————————-
%Change %Change
Properties from from
Rate with %Housing 1/every Jul-Dec Jan-Jun
Rank Metro Name Filings Units X HU 09 09
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
— U.S. Total 1,654,634 1.28 78 -5.14 8.26
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
1 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 53,525 6.60 15 -14.73 -8.80
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Cape Coral-Fort Myers,
2 FL 18,179 4.98 20 -21.69 -29.88
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
3 Modesto, CA 8,034 4.59 22 -15.24 -14.02
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
4 Merced, CA 3,742 4.47 22 -19.49 -34.64
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Riverside-San
5 Bernardino-Ontario, CA 63,717 4.37 23 -18.01 -22.62
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
6 Stockton, CA 9,999 4.37 23 -17.63 -21.80
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale,
7 AZ 73,352 4.28 23 -2.54 -0.95
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
8 Orlando-Kissimmee, FL 37,352 4.15 24 -13.78 -1.19
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
9 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 5,885 3.91 26 -14.94 -12.24
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-
10 Pompano Beach, FL 94,466 3.89 26 -8.28 10.62
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
11 Reno-Sparks, NV 6,804 3.76 27 -6.07 4.44
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
12 Bakersfield, CA 10,010 3.67 27 -18.69 -17.79
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
13 Naples-Marco Island, FL 6,251 3.23 31 -0.94 -10.57
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-
14 Roseville, CA 27,275 3.19 31 -12.38 -6.99
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Deltona-Daytona Beach-
15 Ormond Beach, FL 7,664 3.09 32 -8.16 15.51
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
16 Port St. Lucie, FL 6,343 3.05 33 -31.58 -23.11
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
17 Lakeland, FL 8,132 2.90 35 -12.15 9.79
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Palm Bay-Melbourne-
18 Titusville, FL 7,473 2.79 36 -0.44 18.32
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
19 Visalia-Porterville, CA 3,751 2.72 37 -7.93 -4.99
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Tampa-St. Petersburg-
20 Clearwater, FL 35,835 2.71 37 5.58 5.69
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
21 Fresno, CA 8,331 2.70 37 -15.13 -11.14
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
22 Boise City-Nampa, ID 6,420 2.67 37 -15.47 23.13
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Sarasota-Bradenton-
23 Venice, FL 10,359 2.65 38 -10.14 -0.05
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
24 Ocala, FL 4,250 2.63 38 0.54 4.01
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
25 Salinas, CA 3,611 2.58 39 -10.49 -16.78
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
26 Jacksonville, FL 15,286 2.57 39 -8.12 12.76
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
27 Prescott, AZ 2,708 2.56 39 -1.20 7.55
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Detroit-Warren-Livonia,
28 MI 47,563 2.50 40 8.42 34.54**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
29 Greeley, CO 2,334 2.48 40 -10.13 8.26
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-
30 Marietta, GA 52,381 2.43 41 9.41 22.39
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
San Diego-Carlsbad-San
31 Marcos, CA 26,135 2.30 44 -14.62 -13.74
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-
32 Ventura, CA 6,244 2.28 44 -11.91 -7.66
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
33 Provo-Orem, UT 3,318 2.26 44 -8.37 4.73
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Fayetteville-Springdale-
34 Rogers, AR-MO 4,114 2.20 45 0.39 7.19
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Los Angeles-Long Beach-
35 Santa Ana, CA 93,263 2.11 47 -17.13 -12.10
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
36 Salt Lake City, UT 8,276 2.08 48 5.86 55.51
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Chicago-Naperville-
37 Joliet, IL-IN-WI 78,022 2.07 48 -0.37 22.73
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
38 Flint, MI 3,880 1.97 51 3.74 28.14**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
39 Tucson, AZ 8,371 1.96 51 10.16 17.79
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
40 Rockford, IL 2,805 1.94 52 12.97 38.25
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
41 Medford, OR 1,689 1.91 52 10.18 6.29
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
42 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 3,732 1.88 53 -15.32 -10.37
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
San Francisco-Oakland-
43 Fremont, CA 31,612 1.86 54 -11.01 -2.55
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Santa Cruz-Watsonville,
44 CA 1,792 1.73 58 1.30 5.85
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Santa Barbara-Santa
45 Maria-Goleta, CA 2,586 1.70 59 -13.13 4.15
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa
46 Clara, CA 10,828 1.70 59 -16.34 -9.19
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-
47 Brent, FL 3,332 1.67 60 -6.85 19.30
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
48 Chico, CA 1,569 1.64 61 -11.36 21.72
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
49 Denver-Aurora, CO 17,087 1.62 62 -10.77 9.32
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
San Luis Obispo-Paso
50 Robles, CA 1,823 1.56 64 -6.46 6.86
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
51 Indianapolis-Carmel, IN 11,694 1.55 64 -7.30 5.95
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
52 Toledo, OH 4,593 1.53 65 10.22 6.86
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
53 Colorado Springs, CO 3,835 1.48 67 -5.33 3.93
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
54 Ogden-Clearfield, UT 2,654 1.47 68 -1.37 10.72
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Charleston-North
55 Charleston, SC 4,249 1.47 68 24.93 17.08
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
56 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 4,482 1.40 71 -0.97 7.28**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
57 Atlantic City, NJ 1,770 1.39 72 -16.11 56.50
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor,
58 OH 12,903 1.36 73 -5.13 0.32
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
59 Savannah, GA 2,015 1.36 73 19.58 57.18
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
60 Dayton, OH 5,168 1.35 74 21.09 9.56
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
61 Columbus, OH 10,481 1.35 74 17.26 -6.68
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
62 Holland-Grand Haven, MI 1,353 1.34 75 1.88 26.69**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
63 Lansing-East Lansing, MI 2,619 1.33 75 -5.38 -7.19**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
64 Salem, OR 1,966 1.33 75 8.98 14.04
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
65 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 7,341 1.32 75 -16.71 -14.62
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Portland-Vancouver-
66 Beaverton, OR-WA 11,634 1.29 77 5.50 -0.11
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Washington-Arlington-
67 Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 27,631 1.28 78 -17.98 -5.41
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
68 Albuquerque, NM 4,574 1.26 80 21.75 156.82*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
69 Gainesville, FL 1,449 1.25 80 -2.75 18.77
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
70 Kansas City, MO-KS 10,719 1.24 81 14.56 51.25
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West
71 Allis, WI 8,082 1.23 81 4.36 19.05
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
72 Macon, GA 1,277 1.23 82 6.59 12.21
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
73 Canton-Massillon, OH 2,178 1.22 82 2.30 -10.85
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
74 Ann Arbor, MI 1,731 1.17 85 11.25 20.21**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
75 Tulsa, OK 4,715 1.17 85 11.02 66.31*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Saginaw-Saginaw Township
76 North, MI 1,040 1.17 85 18.05 26.37**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
77 Worcester, MA 3,684 1.16 86 -1.29 30.27
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
78 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 1,651 1.14 88 17.51 26.22**
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Minneapolis-St. Paul-
79 Bloomington, MN-WI 15,230 1.13 88 -11.31 4.11
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Greenville-Mauldin-
80 Easley, SC 3,038 1.11 90 19.75 17.12
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
81 Trenton-Ewing, NJ 1,548 1.10 91 -12.84 61.92
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Little Rock-North Little
82 Rock-Conway, AR 3,229 1.08 92 3.33 42.62
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
83 Baltimore-Towson, MD 12,027 1.08 92 5.32 130.23
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Youngstown-Warren-
84 Boardman, OH-PA 2,837 1.08 93 7.95 17.91
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-
85 Newport News, VA-NC 7,344 1.07 93 33.24 38.99
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Cincinnati-Middletown,
86 OH-KY-IN 9,777 1.07 94 -3.25 10.76
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
87 New Haven-Milford, CT 3,736 1.07 94 11.69 44.53
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
88 Tallahassee, FL 1,702 1.06 95 5.45 22.36
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Charlotte-Gastonia-
89 Concord, NC-SC 7,576 1.04 96 4.24 68.39*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
90 Akron, OH 3,203 1.04 96 3.49 -0.59
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Bridgeport-Stamford-
91 Norwalk, CT 3,598 1.02 98 13.36 54.95
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
92 Richmond, VA 5,155 1.00 100 21.12 45.25
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
93 Green Bay, WI 1,357 0.99 101 -4.57 -1.67
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Dallas-Fort Worth-
94 Arlington, TX 23,378 0.97 103 5.91 29.61
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
95 Birmingham-Hoover, AL 4,857 0.97 104 -9.21 27.35
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
96 York-Hanover, PA 1,679 0.96 105 2.50 32.00
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue,
97 WA 13,483 0.94 106 7.17 2.31
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
98 Mobile, AL 1,659 0.92 109 1.28 26.35
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
99 Manchester-Nashua, NH 1,488 0.92 109 21.87 14.73
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Fort Collins-Loveland,
100 CO 1,168 0.91 110 -31.17 -0.93
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
101 St. Louis, MO-IL 11,233 0.90 111 1.17 15.65
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
102 Barnstable Town, MA 1,403 0.90 111 7.59 92.98
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
103 Columbia, SC 2,845 0.90 111 0.07 52.96
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
New Orleans-Metairie-
104 Kenner, LA 4,021 0.90 111 7.86 51.97
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Nashville-Davidson-
105 Murfreesboro-Franklin, 5,846 0.90 112 8.12 39.76
TN
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
106 Eugene-Springfield, OR 1,342 0.89 112 10.82 12.96
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
107 Chattanooga, TN-GA 2,054 0.89 112 4.85 16.77
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
108 Spartanburg, SC 1,054 0.86 116 217.47* 253.69*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Houston-Sugar Land-
109 Baytown, TX 19,137 0.86 117 7.29 34.64
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
110 Reading, PA 1,342 0.83 120 0.45 25.30
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Myrtle Beach-Conway-
111 North Myrtle Beach, SC 1,429 0.83 121 -15.19 0.63
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
112 Honolulu, HI 2,784 0.83 121 9.78 72.28
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Augusta-Richmond County,
113 GA-SC 1,884 0.82 121 13.97 29.13
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Philadelphia-Camden-
114 Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 19,659 0.82 122 -8.81 38.26
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
115 San Antonio, TX 6,217 0.81 124 6.42 19.90
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
116 Springfield, MA 2,299 0.81 124 -4.88 39.08
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
117 Austin-Round Rock, TX 5,251 0.80 125 2.32 42.34
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
118 Norwich-New London, CT 925 0.79 127 13.22 61.15
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Providence-New Bedford-
119 Fall River, RI-MA 5,261 0.78 129 -8.95 10.32
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy,
120 MA-NH 14,177 0.77 129 -5.48 12.39
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Greensboro-High Point,
121 NC 2,449 0.77 129 6.66 33.53*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
122 Appleton, WI 693 0.77 131 2.51 56.79
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
123 Columbus, GA-AL 989 0.77 131 11.75 44.17
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
124 Anchorage, AK 1,072 0.76 131 -10.29 47.25
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
125 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 770 0.75 133 -6.44 35.80
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Hartford-West Hartford-
126 East Hartford, CT 3,705 0.75 133 11.80 47.14
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Hagerstown-Martinsburg,
127 MD-WV 853 0.75 134 -5.75 42.64
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
South Bend-Mishawaka,
128 IN-MI 1,046 0.75 134 -13.63 -7.10
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Louisville/Jefferson
129 County, KY-IN 4,117 0.75 134 2.01 40.90
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
130 Oklahoma City, OK 3,881 0.74 136 15.82 127.36*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
131 Knoxville, TN 2,247 0.72 139 9.77 40.09
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
132 Winston-Salem, NC 1,467 0.70 143 -0.54 30.63
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
133 Montgomery, AL 1,104 0.70 143 -1.34 14.88
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Allentown-Bethlehem-
134 Easton, PA-NJ 2,331 0.70 144 6.54 23.46
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
135 Fort Wayne, IN 1,238 0.69 144 -11.63 -26.35
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
136 Boulder, CO 855 0.69 145 -22.41 13.40
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
137 Raleigh-Cary, NC 3,019 0.68 146 5.45 49.16
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
138 Madison, WI 1,680 0.68 148 -2.27 14.75
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
139 Olympia, WA 694 0.68 148 8.78 -14.22
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Killeen-Temple-Fort
140 Hood, TX 994 0.67 149 -1.97 12.70
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
141 Fort Smith, AR-OK 811 0.65 153 -5.15 32.08
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Davenport-Moline-Rock
142 Island, IA-IL 1,017 0.61 163 8.77 1.29
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
McAllen-Edinburg-
143 Mission, TX 1,551 0.61 163 -21.51 230.00
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
144 Springfield, MO 1,137 0.61 164 -10.47 0.71
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
New York-Northern New
145 Jersey-Long Island, NY- 44,522 0.60 167 -19.88 27.61
NJ-PA
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
146 Clarksville, TN-KY 653 0.59 170 8.29 31.12
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
147 Laredo, TX 405 0.57 175 21.26 44.13
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
148 Topeka, KS 590 0.57 176 1.20 50.51
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
149 Las Cruces, NM 435 0.56 179 -8.61 72.62*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
150 Baton Rouge, LA 1,817 0.56 180 10.25 46.89
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
151 Amarillo, TX 544 0.55 183 6.04 16.49
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
152 Springfield, IL 526 0.54 184 11.68 41.02
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
153 Waco, TX 487 0.52 191 1.88 20.54
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
154 Pittsburgh, PA 5,744 0.52 193 12.54 -1.48
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
155 Corpus Christi, TX 898 0.51 198 5.52 41.19
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Brownsville-Harlingen,
156 TX 731 0.50 199 -45.24 -28.40
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
157 Roanoke, VA 701 0.50 200 5.26 -5.01
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
158 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 528 0.50 201 54.84 152.63
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
159 Sioux Falls, SD 464 0.50 202 -16.85 97.45*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
160 Lancaster, PA 924 0.47 211 7.69 16.08
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre,
161 PA 1,214 0.47 213 80.39 73.68
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
162 Cedar Rapids, IA 520 0.46 215 30.65 49.86
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Des Moines-West Des
163 Moines, IA 1,092 0.46 215 -25.87 -22.77
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
164 Champaign-Urbana, IL 444 0.45 222 24.37 74.12
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Shreveport-Bossier City,
165 LA 739 0.43 235 -17.34 47.50
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
166 Peoria, IL 691 0.42 237 17.12 3.60
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-
167 Middletown, NY 1,041 0.42 238 -15.23 -23.12
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Omaha-Council Bluffs,
168 NE-IA 1,479 0.42 239 25.77* 94.61*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
169 Huntsville, AL 701 0.41 244 -14.51 -14.41
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
170 Evansville, IN-KY 621 0.39 258 34.71 51.83
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
171 Lafayette, LA 430 0.38 261 -12.96 155.95*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
172 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 611 0.37 267 76.08 77.10
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Portland-South Portland-
173 Biddeford, ME 933 0.36 275 14.62 44.88
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
174 Wilmington, NC 706 0.35 285 38.16 132.24*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Hickory-Lenoir-
175 Morganton, NC 554 0.35 286 74.21 154.13*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
176 Wichita, KS 908 0.35 287 -30.05 -25.94
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
177 Spokane, WA 675 0.34 292 -2.03 103.31
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
178 Duluth, MN-WI 461 0.33 299 4.30 48.23
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
179 Durham, NC 716 0.33 302 26.06 -3.24
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
180 Lynchburg, VA 361 0.33 303 159.71 88.02
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
181 Yakima, WA 276 0.33 303 -29.95 5.75
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
182 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 750 0.32 310 -4.94 30.89
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
183 Asheville, NC 645 0.32 314 125.52 270.69*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
184 Tyler, TX 223 0.29 349 31.18 14.95
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
185 Erie, PA 338 0.29 350 2.11 -16.95
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
186 Rochester, NY 1,201 0.27 368 -15.48 -24.98
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
187 El Paso, TX 658 0.26 391 -33.67 -36.49
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Houma-Bayou Cane-
188 Thibodaux, LA 209 0.25 395 22.22 186.30*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Kingsport-Bristol-
189 Bristol, TN-VA 354 0.24 413 25.09 34.60
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Kennewick-Richland-
190 Pasco, WA 206 0.24 422 13.81 216.92
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
191 Jackson, MS 527 0.24 423 -67.96 -39.08
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
192 Binghamton, NY 256 0.23 432 -26.22 -4.48
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
193 Longview, TX 191 0.22 446 34.51 -3.05
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
194 Lexington-Fayette, KY 428 0.21 479 -23.57 8.91
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
195 Lubbock, TX 221 0.19 539 11.62 20.77
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Huntington-Ashland, WV-
196 KY-OH 233 0.18 568 -19.38 1.75
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Buffalo-Niagara Falls,
197 NY 915 0.18 570 -41.53 -44.98
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Albany-Schenectady-Troy,
198 NY 592 0.16 644 -20.64 0.17
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
199 Tuscaloosa, AL 120 0.12 805 -21.57 66.67
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
200 Syracuse, NY 333 0.12 860 3.42 25.66
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
201 Fayetteville, NC 177 0.12 866 78.79 -9.23
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
202 Lincoln, NE 141 0.11 882 30.56* 314.71*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
College Station-Bryan,
203 TX 95 0.11 933 5.56 21.79
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
204 Charleston, WV 52 0.04 2,799 -54.39 -53.57
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
Burlington-South
205 Burlington, VT 27 0.03 3,305 -25.00 145.45*
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
206 Utica-Rome, NY 28 0.02 4,859 -37.78 12.00
—- ———————— ———- ——— ——- ——– ——–
* Actual increase may not be as high due to data collection changes or
improvements
** Collection of records classified as NOD began in August 2009 because of
change in state law

About RealtyTrac Inc.
RealtyTrac (www.realtytrac.com) is the leading
online marketplace of foreclosure properties, with more than 1.5 million
default, auction and bank-owned listings from over 2,200 U.S. counties,
along with detailed property, loan and home sales data. Hosting more than
3 million unique monthly visitors, RealtyTrac provides innovative
technology solutions and practical education resources to facilitate
buying, selling and investing in real estate. RealtyTrac’s foreclosure
data has also been used by the Federal Reserve, FBI, U.S. Senate Joint
Economic Committee and Banking Committee, U.S. Treasury Department, and
numerous state housing and banking departments to help evaluate
foreclosure trends and address policy issues related to foreclosures.

Media Contact:
Michelle Sabolich
Atomic Public Relations
415.593.1400, ext. 233
michelle.sabolich@atomicpr.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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CaseCruzer PSC100 Conquers Multiple Bag Hassle with All-in-One Mobile Carry-on Photography Case

July 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment

MONTCLAIR, Calif., July 13 /PRNewswire/ — Photographers conquer the hassle of multiple shoulder bags when they roll with the new PSC100 by CaseCruzer. Snug padded dividers protect sensitive cameras and lenses, while a custom lid containing an interior universal sleeve secures most laptops.

Soft camera bags that offer no protection can stay at home when the professional photographer flies with a CaseCruzer hard-shell ATA-approved carrying case. Sweating strict airline regulations is a thing of the past. Gliding into any environment with embedded wheels and an extendable handle is the envy of fellow road warriors. Finally, a camera case that fits the style of a pro.

Don’t fear baggage handlers. This carrying case is guaranteed to bulldoze worries about careless airport personnel. Overall, they are built to take a beating so that the photographer can take a vacation from worry. “There tends to be a lot of hesitation when it comes to transporting sensitive gear,” says Tatiana Briceno, marketing director of CaseCruzer. “That should never be the case. If you typically feel uneasy when traveling with your invaluable digital SLR and expensive laptop, you can put your fears aside. As a professional photographer, there’s a lot on your plate. So, we believe that when you take your career on the road, your only concern should be just that – your profession. Worrying whether gear will survive to and from destinations is a thing of the past.”

The camera case comes with a universal sleeve fitted to the interior of the crushproof lid and protects all 13″ to 17″ laptop models. The interior base of the carrying case is fitted with a padded divider system with Velcro sub dividers, making it easy to rearrange the 11-compartments as needed.

The camera case exterior is injection-molded with ultra high-strength polypropylene copolymer resin – built to withstand the shocks and hard knocks of travel. Molded-in hinges provide additional protection against high-impact jolts. The waterproof and dust tight submersible case is resistant to corrosion and severe impact. It is designed with an ambient pressure equalization valve and has an IP67 certification. Exterior dimensions are 21.75″L x 13.75″W x 8.99″H. It weighs only 12.5 lbs when empty.

The sleek, mobile airline carry-on waterproof case is fitted with snap-down rubber over-molded cushion grip handles that make the case easy to lift. Easy to use trigger latches provide instant access to equipment. But when the day is done, two padlock holes give the case a lock-down capability that secures equipment against theft. This stylish, durable carrying case travels in any environment with a lifetime guarantee.

The PSC100 is camera heaven. The 11-pocket padded divider snugly holds SLR camera bodies as well as all the important accessories: lenses, lens caps, batteries and chargers and compact flash memory cards. There is also ample space for laptop battery cables.

Prevail with style: The PSC100 by CaseCruzer.

The CaseCruzer network of companies provides the community with the most comprehensive packaging solutions available on reusable carrying cases for applications such as Communications, Photography, Computers, Electronics, Weapons, Medical, Transportation and other industrial shipping and carrying case uses. For more info about the new laptop travel case, visit www.casecruzer.com; call 800-440-9925 in the U.S. or 909-613-1999 internationally; fax 909-465-5598; or write to CaseCruzer at 4665 State Street, Montclair, CA 91763

Follow us: www.twitter.com/CaseCruzer

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Outcome of US-led ‘War On Terror’ hinges on ‘Battle Of Kandahar’ success

May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New York, May 12 (ANI): The slated US offensive against Taliban in Kandahar could be the defining moment in the US-led war on terror in Afghanistan. More than 20,000 US troops are being mobilized for the do-or-die operation that will see the US go all out to reclaim the nerve center of the Afghan Taliban.

According to Stephen Biddle, a civilian adviser to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the outcome of the entire war is riding on it.

“If we fail to secure this population, it”s hard to see how the campaign could succeed,” CBS News quoted Biddle as saying.

The operation is already under way with more than a hundred Taliban operatives being reportedly captured or vanquished.

Operation Cooperation for Kandahar, the official name for the operation, is unprecedented in scale and far outstrips previous US attempts at weeding out the Taliban militia from Marjah.

Right now there are only 12,000 U.S., Canadian and Afghan troops in and around Kandahar, and according to Michael Semple, an Irish EU official who has spent more than two decades in Afghanistan and is a Taliban expert, that”s not enough to stop the Taliban”s reign of terror, the report said.

Between now and July, the number of troops will essentially double. American and Canadian troops will set up bases in the districts surrounding Kandahar and spread out into the villages where the Taliban have their safe havens, the report said.

At the same time, U.S. and Afghan forces will establish checkpoints – 40 in all – on roads leading into Kandahar. Inside the city, U.S. troops will man every police station alongside Afghan police, though Semple has his reservations about the Afghan Police’s ability.

“The weak point in the strategy is the Afghan police. They have yet to prove themselves,” Semple said.

“The operation in Kandahar is 100 times more important than the operation in Marjah, that was a sideshow; Kandahar is the real thing,” he added

The Marjah operation is still not over and U.S. officers do not expect the Kandahar operation to produce results until the end of the year. (ANI)

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Rambus Inc’s stock driven by lawsuit outcome-Barron’s

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) – Chip designer Rambus Inc’s (RMBS.O) future stock performance hinges on the outcome of its $12 billion lawsuit against Micron Technology (MU.O) and Hynix Semiconductor Inc (000660.KS), Barron’s said in its April 26 edition.

Stocks | Technology

With a victory, analysts said the company’s stock could surge to $50 from around $25, the financial newspaper reported. But without a “juicy settlement or court award” the company’s shares could stumble.

Barron’s said for Rambus shares to leap, the outcome of its suit against Micron and Hynix would have to be more lucrative than its settlement with Samsung. Without a rich settlement, the stock could slide to as low as $15.

Rambus shares closed 6.4 percent higher Friday to $25.04 on the Nasdaq. (Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman, editing by Maureen Bavdek)

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Horse studs rally against mine plans

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Hunter Valley’s thoroughbred industry has told a public hearing that the future of its industry hinges on the rejection of the proposed Bickham open-cut mine near Murrurundi.

Yesterday, the Planning and Assessment Commission was told 255 jobs at six of the largest studs near Scone could be lost and major players are considering their options if the pit proceeds.

Thoroughbred breeders’ spokesman John Messara says people are reluctant to invest due to fears the mine will be approved.

“Scone vet practice is looking at building a hospital. It’s a $6 million investment that’s being held back,” he said.

“I know of a number of other important parties that want to get involved in Hunter Valley breeding who are saying let’s wait and see.

“Remember this has been going on for 10 years, we can’t continue to live with this uncertainty.

“We’ve made that case to the Government and we’ve made it again to the commissioners.”

But Bickham Coal director John Richards says the horse studs have nothing to fear.

“We’ve tried to demonstrate that the water impacts from Bickham are both local and very small,” he said.

“So John Messara’s stud and a number of the other studs that he was mentioning as having deep concerns, they are a long way away.

“They’re more than 25 kilometres downstream.”

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pak cricket’s ‘international future’ hinges round crucial Butt, Clarke meeting

September 10, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Karachi, Sep.10 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hoping that the meeting between its chairman Ijaz Butt and England Cricket Board (ECB) chief Giles Clarke would yield some positive results for Pakistan cricket.

The PCB expects the meeting, which is scheduled to be held later this week, to be fruitful with regard to resumption of international cricket in Pakistan.

“The chairman will discuss several important issues with the ECB chief. We are hoping to get a very positive outcome from the meeting,” a PCB official said.

According to board insiders Butt is likely to discuss issues to facilitate the return of international cricket to Pakistan during the meeting.

Sources said he is also expected to finalize a deal regarding staging Pakistan’s ‘home’ series against Australia in England next summer.

As per the plan Pakistan has to host Australia for two Tests and a couple of Twenty20 games next July, The News reported. (ANI)

Filed Under: Sports News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lindsay ‘OK, but upset’ after burglary at home

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, August 24 (ANI): American actress Lindsay Lohan is said to be “OK, but upset” after her home has been burgled.

She found that her Hollywood Hills house had been broken into when she returned home after a hugely successful stint as a guest judge on the Project Runway premiere.

Norma Eisenman, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), confirmed that police were investigating the matter.

She also said that everyone at Lindsay’s home was cooperating, and that no suspects were in custody.

“There is a possible burglary investigation going on,” E!online quoted her as saying.

Lindsay’s mother Dina, who also happens to be the actress’ manager, told People: “The safe was ripped out of the wall, and the door was off the hinges and door handles removed.”

She even revealed that the family was already in the process of packing up Lindsay’s belongings.

“We are moving her to a safer place,” she said.

Earlier, a robbery attempt was made at Lindsay’s house in May, which was caught on the surveillance cameras installed there. (ANI)

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US, Fiat to name Chrysler board, CEO in alliance

April 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

US automaker Chrysler, already operating under government emergency aid, would cede control of its board and ultimately senior leadership if it completes a planned alliance with Italy’s Fiat SpA.

The US government and Fiat would appoint a board of directors for Chrysler, with a majority of them independent and not employed by either automaker, Chrysler chief executive Bob Nardelli said on Thursday in an internal memo to staff.

“The board will have the responsibility to appoint a chairman,” Nardelli said in the memo, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters. “The board also will select a CEO with Fiat’s concurrence.”

That could mean the end of Nardelli’s tenure at Chrysler, where he was named chairman and CEO in 2007 shortly after Cerberus Capital Management acquired its 80.1% stake in the automaker from Daimler AG.

Chrysler and Fiat have been in talks to complete a partnership by the end of April to meet the requirements of US government emergency aid and avoid a bankruptcy filing. The US autos taskforce rejected Chrysler’s turnaround plan in late March and gave the company until the end of April to cement the Fiat alliance and reach agreements with its unions to slash labor costs and with its lenders to cut debt.

“We continue to review the status of all stakeholder discussions with Fiat, as the achievement of concessions is a condition of the alliance,” Nardelli said.

The deal with Fiat hinges on Chrysler securing concessions from unions in the United States and Canada, as well as agreement with those who hold Chrysler’s first-lien loans, which includes a group led by JPMorgan Chase and Co (JPM.N) and others.

Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne has criticised the Canadian union, saying that a lack of progress in talks between it and Chrysler had hurt the chances of securing an alliance.

But Fiat Chairman Luca Cordero de Montezemolo denied on Friday a news report that the Italian car maker could look at General Motors’ German unit Opel as an alternative.

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India faces multiple threats from multiple groups: Rand study

April 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr.16 (ANI): An imploding nuclear-armed Pakistan torn apart by militant groups, economic woes and sectarian tension poses an extraordinary danger to India because of spill-over effects, including effects on India’s economy and its own Muslim population, says a Rand Corporation study.

According to Seth G. Jones, a political scientist at RAND and author of “In the Graveyard of Empires: America’s War in Afghanistan,” while there is good reason for India and its neighbours to be concerned, there is considerable misunderstanding of the threat.

“Referring to it as one orchestrated by the “Taliban” is fundamentally misplaced. In reality, there is no single organization involved (and certainly not an overarching one called the “Taliban”), but a series of networks, which are dispersed, small and which allow individuals to communicate, coordinate and conduct their campaigns with little precise central command,” he says.

Accurately describing these groups is important to formulating an effective response. A hierarchical “Taliban” with a clear command and control structure would lead to a relatively straightforward response: capture or kill the core leadership (a “decapitation” strategy), he opines.

But the networked nature of Pakistan militant groups requires a “networked strategy” that hinges on countering the groups in their areas using local police and intelligence agencies to gather information and penetrate the organizations. To attack the threat, there has to be a willingness to operate at the small-unit level and a deeper understanding of its structure, he concludes. (ANI)

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Now, car doors that get jammed when near danger

April 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Apr 4 (ANI): Considering that the opening of car doors into the path of oncoming vehicles has been a major cause of road accidents, scientists have now developed a new technology to avoid such mishaps-doors that sense potential impacts and get jammed.

Named the “haptic”-the technology provides tactile feedback to the users, and can thus help reduce both road injuries and repair bills

Invented by Michael Graf at BMW and Michael Strolz’s team at the Technical University of Munich, the current prototype looks like a normal car door.

However, there’s an extra metal bar that runs through the door’s centre, and connects it to the car’s frame between the hinges.

When in normal mode, the bar moves freely and doesn’t affect the door’s movement.

But if the sensors happen to detect a nearby obstacle while an accelerometer detects an attempt to open the door, a linear motor attached to the bar restricts the door’s swing, making it impossible to open it fully.

For user-convenience, the amount of door resistance is in proportion to the proximity of an object, which means that one may swing a door halfway open without problems before it gets stiffer as it nears a lamppost.

Strolz has revealed that the current prototype uses ultrasonic sensors to spot dangers, but because of their limited field of view, the next version will use cameras that can span 180 degrees.

“Then we will be able to sense the complete workspace of the door and detect people walking by the car or cycling towards it,” New Scientist quoted him as saying.

Strolz also said that the technology was mature enough that a car factory could be pumping it out in cars within a year. (ANI)

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US sees Pak as a ‘hurdle’ in its anti-terror strategy

March 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Lahore, Mar. 30 (ANI): The United States is struggling hard to identify the loopholes in its South Asian policy over the past seven years, as it has limited ability to control what happens in Pakistan, the Los Angeles Times reports.

“Of all the dilemmas, problems and challenges we face, that’s going to be the most daunting. You could have a great government in Kabul. But if the current situation in western Pakistan continues, the instability of Afghanistan would continue,” the Daily Times quoted Obama’s special envoy on Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke, as saying.

However, the new policy puts the consequences of those constraints in sharp relief, the paper points out.

In Afghanistan, the US is going to send an additional 21,000 troops and to train thousands of Afghan soldiers.

In Pakistan, its approach hinges on providing an extra five billion dollars in aid and leaning on Islamabad to act against the militants.

Obama, who described FATA as the most dangerous place in the world, had warned Pakistan that the US’ could not continue to give blank cheques to Islamabad if it doesn’t take any substantial steps to weed out terrorism.
“After years of mixed results, we will not and cannot provide a blank cheque. Pakistan must demonstrate its commitment to rooting out Al Qaeda and the violent extremists within its borders. And we will insist that action be taken, one way or another, when we have intelligence about high-level terrorist targets,” the report quoted Obama, as saying.

The remark appeared to be one of the most pointed threats of unilateral US military action in Pakistan.

However, US intelligence officials say Islamabad continues to foster relationships with militant groups. An officer described the problem as “too big” which has hurt US efforts to strike militant targets.

“After 9/11 they did a turnabout, but not a 100 percent turnabout, and remain engaged,” he said. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Climate change replaces hunting as biggest threat to polar bears

March 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Oslo – Climate change poses the main threat to the world’s polar bear population, the world’s five biggest polar bear nations said Thursday.

Norway, Denmark/Greenland, Russia, the US and Canada all agreed in 1973 to sign an agreement protecting polar bears and their habitat.

But back then, hunting was regarded as the biggest threat to the bears.

However, global warming, which causes the Arctic sea ice to melt, is now considered to be the main threat to polar bears that raise their young and hunt for food off the sea ice.

Some researchers fear the world’s polar bear population – estimated to between 20,000 and 25,000 animals – will shrink by a third within a few decades if the trend is not reversed.

“The meeting was a success from a Norwegian point of view. The countries have sent a clear message to the world that climate change is a serious threat to polar bears and the future of the polar bear hinges on containing climate change,” Norwegian Environment Minsiter Erik Solheim said.

Climate change can only be tackled within a larger international context, Solheim added.

The three-day meeting that ended Thursday was held in the northern Norwegian city of Tromso.

Although the five polar bear nations agreed in 1981 to extend the treaty indefinitely, they have not held regular meetings.

Participants at the Tromso meeting agreed to prepare national action plans to protect the polar bears and their habitat, and to coordinate research.

The respective national plans were to form the basis of a joint plan.

Other challenges to polar bears include impacts from human activity including shipping, and exploration for minerals or oil as the ice sheets melt as well as the impact from toxic substances.

The five-nation group agreed to meet again in 2011 in Canada, followed by a new meeting in Russia in 2013. (dpa)

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Sanjay Dutt woos Muslim clerics in Lucknow

March 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, Mar 17 (ANI): Bollywood actor and Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from Lucknow Sanjay Dutt sought the support of Muslim clerics.

Dutt visited a mosque and termed it as ‘personal’ visit.

Dutt said that he wanted Muslim clerics to pray for him so that the Supreme Court grants him permission to contest the elections.

“I would ask the Muslim clerics to pray for me, so that I get permission. I have full faith in the Supreme Court and God. And even if I don’t get the permission then also I would stay here only,” said Dutt.

Later, Dutt held talks with prominent Muslim clerics.

“Dutt has come here as a guest and being hosts, we have welcomed our guest,” said Abdul Firangi Mahli, a Muslim cleric.

In the evening, Dutt visited the National Inter-College in the city and promised to build a top-class college with all the facilities.

“With God’s blessing, if I become a parliamentarian, then I would construct a top most college with all the facilities like cricket ground, football ground and all other facilities would be available,” said Dutt.

Dutt’s nomination hinges on the Election Commission’s decision to let him contest since he has been convicted to a jail term of six years in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

The SP and Congress have at present agreed to a loose seat-sharing deal on majority of seats in Uttar Pradesh.

In Uttar Pradesh, the SP and Congress will be facing the BSP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (ANI)

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Sanjay Dutt vows to work for the common man

March 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, Mar 16 (ANI): Bollywood actor-turned-politician Sanjay Dutt has promised to work for the betterment of the people, if voted to power.

Addressing reporters after visiting a temple here, Dutt said that he would follow the footsteps of his father Sunil Dutt.

“Lucknow is my home, I will definitely work here. I am the son of Sunil and Nargis Dutt and I would work like my parents,” said Sanjay.

However, Dutt’s nomination hinges on the Election Commission’s decision to let him contest since he has been convicted to a jail term of six years in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

The SP and Congress have at present agreed to a loose seat-sharing deal on majority of seats in Uttar Pradesh.

In Uttar Pradesh, the SP and Congress will be facing the BSP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (ANI)

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British Airways flight crash lands at London City Airport

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Feb 14 (ANI): A British Airways plane carrying 71 people from Amsterdam to London made a hard landing at London City Airport, injuring several people on board.

A spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade said the accident happened around 8:00 p.m. local time on Friday after the nose-wheel of British Airways flight 8456 failed during landing.

The passengers and five-member crew on board the Avro RJ100 plane were all evacuated safely, The Telegraph reported.

“There was obviously quite a loud bang as the plane scratched in, the stewards and stewardesses were quick to evacuate everyone off, there was a few scrapes and cuts due to hitting the asphalt, all in all everyone seems to be doing quite well now,” said Justin Fletcher, one of the passengers on the plane.

Six ambulances were sent as a precaution as well as 10 fire engines and a number of police cars. Staff at the airport said the said the plane’s front wheel had come “clean off its hinges”.

A spokesman for British Airways said: “The nose wheel of a British Airways aircraft suffered a failure on landing at London City Airport. As a precaution the emergency slides were deployed and the passengers were evacuated down the slides onto the runway.”

“Our priority at the moment is to ensure that all the passengers involved in the incident are well cared for by our ground staff,” he said. (ANI)

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British Airways flight crash lands at London City Airport

February 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Feb 14 (ANI): A British Airways plane carrying 71 people from Amsterdam to London made a hard landing at London City Airport, injuring several people on board.

A spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade said the accident happened around 8:00 p.m. local time on Friday after the nose-wheel of British Airways flight 8456 failed during landing.

The passengers and five-member crew on board the Avro RJ100 plane were all evacuated safely, The Telegraph reported.

“There was obviously quite a loud bang as the plane scratched in, the stewards and stewardesses were quick to evacuate everyone off, there was a few scrapes and cuts due to hitting the asphalt, all in all everyone seems to be doing quite well now,” said Justin Fletcher, one of the passengers on the plane.

Six ambulances were sent as a precaution as well as 10 fire engines and a number of police cars. Staff at the airport said the said the plane’s front wheel had come “clean off its hinges”.

A spokesman for British Airways said: “The nose wheel of a British Airways aircraft suffered a failure on landing at London City Airport. As a precaution the emergency slides were deployed and the passengers were evacuated down the slides onto the runway.”

“Our priority at the moment is to ensure that all the passengers involved in the incident are well cared for by our ground staff,” he said. (ANI)

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