Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Innovative and Enterprising Ideas at Starhub Business Challenge ...

Cast your net across Starhub?s outlets in a few years? time and you may well catch a couple of fish. In case you were wondering, Starhub is not planning to renounce its business for a fishery. This is just one of the many fascinating concepts that the winning team of the Starhub Business Challenge 2013, Team Redux, presented during the final phase of the business competition, which was held at the School of Business Management (SBM) on 19 July 2013.

The inaugural event is a joint partnership between NYP?s Marketing Services Centre (MSC) and Starhub. The initiative aims to engage youths by providing them with a platform to create ideas to enhance sales in Starhub outlets. ?The winning team will stand a chance to walk away with a grand prize of $3,000, and have its ideas realised in a Starhub corner in MSC Studio, or even Starhub shops around Singapore! Of the 30 teams that signed up for the competition, five were selected for the finals.

The judging panel consisted of distinguished guests, Mr Tan Tong Hai, CEO of Starhub and Charimn of NYP?s Board of Governors, Ms Jeannie Ong, Starhub?s Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Mr Henry Heng, NYP?s Deputy Principal (Organisational Excellence) and Senior Director (SBM), and Mr Lee Tong Nge, NYP Director (SBM). Mr Chan Lee Mun, President and CEO of NYP, was also present at the finals of the event, which was held at a seminar room in SBM.


Teams were judged on factors such as the feasibility and differentiation of their ideas. Each group was given 20 minutes to present its concepts. As part of the competition rules, no other team could be present while one team was presenting.

It was a highly intriguing afternoon as teams pitched their concepts. For their presentations, some chose the classic Powerpoint slides, while others had a physical prototype of their products.

The first presentation saw Team Redux announcing its main goal of ?Bringing back a different future?. Team Redux gave an interesting overview of the telecomms industry in Singapore and showcased a three-dimensional computerised walkthrough of their proposed Starhub outlet. They also proposed having an interactive wall (powered by a smart projector) that can sense and response to customers? touch, and a fish tank that contains and displays waterproof phones. I can definitely say that the group was indeed tech-savvy!

The second team, Team Synergy, focused on how Starhub could more effectively target the youth market. The team explained that the youth of today were creative and always connected. With a heavy focus on gaming, Team Synergy went on to discuss how a youth-centric Starhub outlet could include a ?Demo play area? whereby customers can ?play online games to check connection speeds?.

It also suggested a business partnership with Valve, a major game developing company responsible for hit video games such as the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead franchises. They also proposed that Starhub could sponsor game events where the youth can play video games for free while simultaneously testing Starhub?s Internet speed. ?There were definitely some avid gamers in this group.


The third team, Team Unique, started off with a captivating video introduction of its name complete with soothing background music. From the start, it was clear that this group had a unique presentation. Team Unique proposed having a smart lounge equipped with USB charging stations for mobile phones, and partnering up with popular bubble tea chain Gong Cha to create a Starhub caf?. Similar to Team Redux,

Team Unique developed a model aimed at improving Starhub?s advertising. They dubbed the idea ?3D Augmented Advertising?. However, things did not seem to go as planned as the team struggled to scan the QR code it had printed out in order to launch their data. Nevertheless, it managed to salvage the situation by explaining how the model works.
The fourth team was a surprise. Team FABT (For A Better Tomorrow) comprised only two members, whereas the other teams had at least four group members each. FABT advocated the return of Starhub?s Sparky the Dog (a cute, frisky dog used in Starhub?s earlier commercials) and the ?return of freedom of choice? for consumers, which includes allowing youths to customise their own mobile plans. ?Just because there were only two of them did not mean that the quality of their presentation was any lesser than the other teams.
The Challenge?s final presentation saw Team EDC?s version of a future Starhub store. In its proposal, the team suggested three main areas for Starhub?s stores ? BoxIt (where mobile accessories are displayed in clear boxes), AppIt (where customers can test mobile apps) and PickIt (an online service that allows customers to apply for mobile plans through the Internet). They also suggested that Starhub?s employees could get a thinking break of an hour each week to encourage employees to come up with ideas for the company.

Each team?s proposal was equally strong, and it was certainly a difficult decision for the judges to make. As Mr Tan Tong Hai put it aptly, ?they are all winners today.?

Soon, it was time for the results! ?Participants gathered at the end of the room and huddled together in anticipation.

In the end, Team Redux secured the first place and a grand prize of $3,000! It was followed by Team EDC and Team Synergy, who were awarded the second and third prizes of $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.
Said Hansel Ng Eng Sheng, third year Information Technology student and leader of Redux, ?Basically our final pitch was almost completely different from the proposal we submitted. We just gave all that we could think of. We also looked into the visual aspects and created our 3D walkthrough of the store from the popular game Sims3. It was a huge risk, because nobody had seen these ideas before. But turning our ideas for the shop into a reality is what we truly want.? As for Team EDC?s members, they were pleasantly surprised that they finished in the top two. The team of four is part of the recently formed Entrepreneurship Development Club, and has a passion for formulating business ideas.

Said Christina Chua, third year Marketing student and EDC team member, ?This was another platform for us to step out of our comfort zone provided by our club, to try out our ideas, brainstorm, and generate our own solutions to problems. We are very happy to have won the second place.?

Indeed, everyone left a winner that afternoon. The event showed students how a real-life business presentation was like and how much potential NYP students had. It was certainly a mind-blowing experience as participants strove hard to bring forth their ideas, setting the bar at a new height. As fellow business students, it was a fantastic learning experience for the both of us.


By Chua Khai Woon (Year 3, Diploma in Banking and Financial Services) and Shawn Dabi (Year 1, Diploma in Accounting and Finance)


Khai Woon is a Year 2 student pursuing a diploma in Banking and Financial Services. Watching movies and reading are among some of her hobbies. Above all, she enjoys listening to music and likes writing. ?She is also a member of the NYP Symphony Orchestra. She believes life should be unpredictable; because that is the only way it will be exciting. With his passion for writing, Shawn composes various sorts of literature, from short stories to the article that you have just read, in an attempt to balance his poly life. Just because he?s studying accountancy doesn?t mean that he is good at only number crunching. In fact, his spare time is spent on whatever novel he gets his hands on. He aspires to be a best-selling novelist one day and, of course, a successful accountant.

Source: http://discover-nyp.blogspot.com/2013/07/innovative-and-enterprising-ideas-at.html

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Connor & Bella Cruise: Hangin? Out In London

Screen Shot 2013-07-23 at 10.31.07 PM

Connor Cruise and his sister Isabella have been in London the past couple of days. The 18-year-old posted a photo of the two as well as a video of them riding bikes in Hyde Park.

He writes on July 23, ?Hangin with Bellz in London?

Connor has been deejaying in Europe. He was also in Cologne and Nuremberg earlier this week. During one of his gigs a fan gave him a ring.

He tweeted: ?To whomever gave me this ring in Nuremberg during my set, thank you! It?s dope, I wear it all the time now!?

The teen seems to like traveling. He stated via Twitter: ?Being out of LA is like taking a breath of fresh air. The people in Europe are just nicer.?

Filed under: Connor Cruise,Isabella Cruise

Photo credit: Instagram

Source: http://www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2013/07/23/connor-hangin-london?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=connor-hangin-london

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Former boxing champion Emile Griffith dies at 75

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 1968 file photo, boxer Emile Griffith is flanked by boxers Joe Frazier, left, and Buster Mathis in New York. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 1968 file photo, boxer Emile Griffith is flanked by boxers Joe Frazier, left, and Buster Mathis in New York. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this June 8, 1963 file photo, Emile Griffith smiles in the dressing room after regaining his welterweight world championship title by defeating Luis Rodriguez, at New York?s Madison Square Garden. At right is Griffith's coach Gil Clancy. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/File)

FILE - In this Dec. 9, 1965 file photo, world welterweight boxing champion Emile Griffith relaxes by painting in his New York hotel room. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo)

FILE - In this March 24, 1962 file photo, welterweight champion Benny Paret, in white trunks, smiles as he reads the weight of challenger and former champion Emile Griffith during the weigh-in for their title fight in New York. In center is James A. Farley, Jr., a member of the New York State Athletic Commission. The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y.(AP Photo/John Lindsay, File)

FILE - This undated image provided by NBC Universal shows former welterweight boxing champion Emile Griffith striking a pose to promote the documentary film "Ring of Fire:The Emile Griffith Story." The International Boxing Hall of Fame says former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died. He was 75. The hall said Tuesday, July 23, 2013, he died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y. (AP Photo/NBC Universal, Robert Maxwell, File)

Emile Griffith, the elegant world champion whose career was overshadowed by the fatal beating he gave Bennie Paret in a 1962 title bout that darkened all of boxing, died Tuesday. He was 75.

He died at an extended care facility in Hempstead, N.Y, the International Boxing Hall of Fame said.

Griffith struggled with pugilistic dementia and required full-time care late in life. He was the first boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands to become world champion and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.

"Emile was a gifted athlete and truly a great boxer," Hall of Fame director Ed Brophy said. "Outside the ring he was as great a gentleman as he was a fighter. He always had time for boxing fans when visiting the hall on an annual basis and was one of the most popular boxers to return year after year."

Griffith often attended fights in New York, especially at Madison Square Garden, where he headlined 23 times. He was also a frequent visitor to the many boxing clubs around New York City. He would slowly rise from his seat, often with assistance, and smile while waving when he was acknowledged.

The outpouring of love that he received late in life stood in stark contrast to the way he was received after March 24, 1962, when he fought Bennie "The Kid" Paret before a national TV audience at the Garden. Griffith knocked out his bitter rival in the 12th round to regain the welterweight title. Paret went into a coma and died from his injuries 10 days later.

Sports Illustrated reported in 2005 that Griffith may have been fueled by an anti-gay slur directed at him by Paret during the weigh-in. Over the years, Griffith described himself at various times as straight, gay and bisexual.

"People spit at me in the street. We stayed in a hotel. Every time there was a knock on the door, I would run into the next room. I was so scared," Griffith told The Associated Press in 1993, recalling the days after Paret's death.

The shocking outcome left a cloud over the sport for many years. NBC stopped airing boxing broadcasts, and then-New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller created a commission to investigate the bout and the sport. The referee that night, Ruby Goldstein, never worked another fight.

The fight became the basis for the 2005 documentary "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story." One of the final scenes shows Griffith embracing Paret's son.

"I was never the same fighter after that. After that fight, I did enough to win. I would use my jab all the time. I never wanted to hurt the other guy," Griffith said. "I would have quit, but I didn't know how to do anything else but fight."

And fight he could.

Known for his overwhelming speed and slick style ? certainly not his punching power ? Griffith was a prodigy from the moment he stepped in Hall of Fame trainer Gil Clancy's gym in Queens. Griffith had been working in a hat factory when, as the story goes, he took off his shirt on a hot day and the factory owner realized how strong he was.

Under the eye of Clancy, Griffith blossomed into a New York Golden Gloves champion and eventually turned professional. He easily defeated the likes of Florentino Fernandez and Luis Rodriguez during an era when it was common to fight every couple of weeks, quickly earning a welterweight title shot against Paret in 1961.

Griffith won the championship with a 13th-round knockout at the Garden before losing the belt to Paret in a rematch five months later.

After winning back the title during his controversial third fight with Paret ? many believe Paret never should have been allowed in the ring after a brutal loss to Gene Fullmer three months earlier ? Griffith would eventually move up to middleweight. He knocked down Dick Tiger for the first time in his career and claimed the title with a narrow but unanimous decision.

Griffith would go on to lose twice during a thrilling trilogy with Nino Benvenuti, his lone victory coming at Shea Stadium in 1967, and lost two bouts against the great middleweight Carlos Monzon. Griffith would finally retire in 1977 after losing his last three fights, his record standing at 85-24-2 with 23 knockouts.

Griffith would go on to train several champions, including Wilfred Benitez and Juan Laporte, among the most popular boxers in Puerto Rican history.

His humor and generosity buoyed those close to him as his health deteriorated in later years. He would still make the pilgrimage to Canastota, N.Y., for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, regaling fans young and old with tales, even though the details often became hazy, the result of the many blows he sustained during his career.

There was no immediate word on survivors or funeral arrangements.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-07-23-Obit-Emile%20Griffith/id-050a1dc812ce4b18bb35f5c036882034

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Graduate Programs in Fashion Business Management ...

? The Fashion Spot | Fashion Trends, Styles, Celebrity Fashion, and Beauty
19-06-2006

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Join Date: Jun 2005

Posts: 1

Advice about what to do about School and Career Goals - See Post #1 for directions

Moderator's Note:

This thread is for anyone facing a big decision about your life and school, in general. This is where you may post your story and ask for personal advice about your direction and goals.

Ask things like:

Should I change schools?
Which school should I go to?
Should I leave school and start a career?
Do I even need school at this point in my life?
Whether or not to change majors?
Do I need additional education to reach my goals?
Want help making a career/school/internship choice.

If you want to know something about a certain school, you should find the appropriate school thread or find the thread about schools in your country /city and ask there.

If you want know where to go to school or what education is needed for a specific career, ask in the career thread.

To ask about what career you might be suited to ... there are general threads about that too.

Use the serach function using appropriate keywords that are least 4 letters long and search by thread titles only ... or you will get too many results.

i 'm now 16 .And i'm thinking to study in a community college next year.
I wanna study in a art school like prat,fit or CSM,ANTWEP IN UK .
I'm wondering if GOOD art school will accept students from COMMUNITY COLLEGE?? OR should i continue studying year11 &12??
thank you very much!



Last edited by BetteT; 11-04-2012 at 04:11 PM.

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05-07-2007

Brooklyn, baby!

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Location: Williamsburg Brooklyn

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Posts: 6,058

Advice needed - finish college or start career?

Hey all!

I'm really torn at the moment, and having a hard time figuring out my life right now. I landed the job opportunity of a lifetime this summer, working on the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" movie as the Shop Coordinator. It's an amazing first job in the industry, and it's sure to lead me to more jobs afterwards if I do a good job, which I am confident that I will. I'm making really good money, and have lots of great perks (my own production cell phone and production car, with gas provided to me).

My dilemma is this: should I go back to college in the Fall and finish up my Senior year, or should I just continue down this path right away? I'm nervous that if I go back to school for a year, not as many people will remember me, and it'll hurt my chances of getting as good of a job in this industry again. I really lucked out this time around, and I just don't know if I should risk a degree in film to go immediately into this industry, or go back to school first?

Any advice would be most helpful! Thank you.


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freja & siri.

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Source: http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f90/graduate-programs-fashion-business-management-merchandising-238901.html

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Morsi?s Family Lashes Out at Egypt?s Military

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.myantiwar.org/view/259913.html

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Recon Jet Android-powered HUD glasses sell out before initial pre-order period ends

Recon Jet

Second batch, shipping in February 2014, now available for $599

Recon Instruments' new Android-powered HUD glasses, dubbed the "Recon Jet" have sold out before the first pre-order period ended at $499 each. These early "Pilot Edition" models went on sale for $100 off retail price to entice early adopters over to the platform, and the plan seems to have worked. Even though these shipments aren't expected until December of this year, pre-orders are all sold out.

Because of the high demand, Recon Instruments has decided to open up another pre-order period at the retail price of $599. This next batch of devices will be sold on a first come, first serve basis and won't ship until February 2014 but will still get to early adopters before the devices hit store shelves officially. The order page is now live at the source link below if you're interested in picking up a pair.

More: Recon Instruments

read more

    


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/GWllf4KA3-4/story01.htm

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Internet Pioneers Discuss the Future of Money, Books, and Paper in 1972

Imagine a world where nearly every book ever published could be delivered to you electronically in the blink of an eye. Imagine a world where all of your banking is done without having to visit a bank teller. Imagine a world where paper doesn't need to be shuttled around to exchange ideas. I know, I know, I'm basically describing right now. But in the year 1972, when the ARPANET (the precursor to our modern internet) was just beginning to take its first baby steps, these ideas were all a fantasy. In the minds of these men, specifically.

Read more...

    


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Zh4eV-K5WMk/internet-pioneers-discuss-the-future-of-money-books-a-880551175

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Number of Same Sex Marriages In Military Bases Expected To Rise

Less than a month after the controversial DOMA ruling by the US Supreme Court, LGBT military communities predict a surge in the number of same-sex marriages officiated in military bases.

This was revealed by Outserve-SLDN director for legal and public policy David McKeon, who said that ?it makes sense to have ceremonies where you live and where your family is.? It?s because of the recent Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriages more acceptable to the military, as stated by McKeon in a news release.

While the court ruling states that gay and lesbian married couples should receive benefits as stipulated under federal law, the legality of the marriage might not hold water for all states. Aside from District of Columbia, only 13 states have passed laws to legalize same-sex marriage, including Rhode Island, Minesotta and California.

Conservatives, on the other hand, feel that this scenario has some serious religious backlash. Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council aired his sentiments, saying that ?forcing others to abandon their moral religious beliefs and their conscious rights ? that?s what we are fighting against.? Perkins was talking about how chaplains are forced to follow the law and wed people of the same sex, even if it?s against the chaplain?s rights on the First Amendment.

To be clear about the issue, chaplains serving in the military may choose not to officiate a wedding if it violates their religious beliefs. Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen of the Pentagon added that while this holds true today, this freedom might be taken away from them in the future, as more people begin to accept same-sex marriages.

[ Photo credit: Till Krech via Flickr ]

Source: http://blog.usnavyseals.com/2013/07/number-of-same-sex-marriages-in-military-bases-expected-to-rise.html

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Monday, July 1, 2013

SF Bay Area braces for first day of transit strike

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Commuters braced for traffic snarls Monday morning as two of San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit's largest unions went on strike, halting train service for the first time in 16 years.

The walkout promised to derail the more than 400,000 riders who use the nation's fifth-largest rail system and affect every mode of transportation. Transportation officials say another 60,000 vehicles could be on the road, clogging highways and bridges throughout the Bay Area.

The strike was called after an 11th-hour effort to resume negotiation failed to produce a new contract by the deadline of midnight Sunday. Both the unions and management said they were far apart on key sticking points including salary, pensions, health care and safety.

"A strike is always the last resort and we have done everything in our power to avoid it," said Josie Mooney, a negotiator for Service Employees International Union Local 1021.

"Our members aren't interested in disrupting the Bay Area, but management has put us in a position where we have no choice," said Antonette Bryant, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1555.

Negotiations fell apart Saturday and the unions walked away from the table. California Gov. Jerry Brown's office had urged both sides to resume discussions Sunday with rush hour on the horizon.

But talks between the two sides came to an end Sunday night with BART accusing negotiators of walking away from the bargaining table, while the SEIU countered in a statement that management "threw in the towel."

The unions, which represent nearly 2,400 train operators, station agents, mechanics, maintenance workers and professional staff, were asking for a 5 percent raise each year over the next three years. BART said that train operators and station agents in the unions average about $71,000 in base salary and $11,000 in overtime annually. The workers also pay a flat $92 monthly fee for health insurance.

BART spokesman Rick Rice said the agency had up its original offer of a 4 percent pay rise over the next four years to 8 percent. The proposed salary increase is on top of a 1 percent raise employees were scheduled to receive Monday, Rice added.

The transit agency also said it offered to reduce the contribution employees would have to make to their pensions, and lower the costs of health care premiums they would have to pay.

Bryant said Sunday that BART's latest proposal is not an actual pay increase, calling it "surface bargaining."

BART's last strike lasted six days in 1997. The transit agency handles more than 40 percent of commuters coming from the East Bay to San Francisco with the Bay Bridge handling another 50 percent said John Goodwin, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

Other transit agencies in the region urged commuters to consider carpooling, taking buses or ferries, working from home and, if they must drive to work, to leave earlier or even later than usual.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said the city will offer increased transportation options, including at the airport, and increase staff for traffic management. BART said it will let commuters use parking lots at their 33 stations free of charge for the purpose of carpooling.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sf-bay-area-braces-first-day-transit-strike-091906793.html

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Germany compares reported US bugging to 'Cold War'

A demonstrator protests with a poster against espionage programs in Hanover, Germany, 29 June 2013. A coalition for action consisting of representatives from politcs, unions and Blockupy and Anonymous activists protests against NSA espionage PRISM as well as the surveillance practices of British Secret Service GCHQ. Photo by: Peter Steffen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

A demonstrator protests with a poster against espionage programs in Hanover, Germany, 29 June 2013. A coalition for action consisting of representatives from politcs, unions and Blockupy and Anonymous activists protests against NSA espionage PRISM as well as the surveillance practices of British Secret Service GCHQ. Photo by: Peter Steffen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

(AP) ? A top German official accused the United States on Sunday of using "Cold War" methods against its allies, after a German magazine cited secret intelligence documents to claim that U.S. spies bugged European Union offices.

Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger was responding to a report by German news weekly Der Spiegel, which claimed that the U.S. National Security Agency eavesdropped on EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels. The magazine cited classified U.S. documents taken by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden that it said it had partly seen.

"If the media reports are accurate, then this recalls the methods used by enemies during the Cold War," Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger said in a statement to The Associated Press.

"It is beyond comprehension that our friends in the United States see Europeans as enemies," she said, calling for an "immediate and comprehensive" response from the U.S. government to the claims.

According to Der Spiegel, the NSA planted bugs in the EU's diplomatic offices in Washington and infiltrated the building's computer network. Similar measures were taken at the EU's mission to the United Nations in New York, the magazine said.

Der Spiegel didn't publish the alleged NSA documents it cited or say how it obtained access to them. But one of the report's authors is Laura Poitras, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who interviewed Snowden while he was holed up in Hong Kong.

The magazine also didn't specify how it learned of the NSA's alleged eavesdropping efforts at a key EU office in Brussels. There, the NSA used secure facilities at NATO headquarters nearby to dial into telephone maintenance systems that would have allowed it to intercept senior EU officials' calls and Internet traffic, Der Spiegel report said.

Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger urged EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to take personal responsibility for investigating the allegations.

The United States has defended its efforts to intercept electronic communications overseas by arguing that this has helped prevent terror attacks at home and abroad.

___

Frank Jordans can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-30-NSA-Surveillance/id-10205b82065c4a57b37466592afa0fd7

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Obama suggests spying on nations' allies is common

FILE - This June 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting all nations spy on each other, as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be stranded for the past week at Moscow?s international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

FILE - This June 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting all nations spy on each other, as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to be stranded for the past week at Moscow?s international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, July 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool)

In this photo taken on Monday, June 24, 2013, shows a view of Moscow's Airport Sheremetyevo, terminal E, with a hotel for transit passengers at the transit zone inside. Leaker Snowden has been caught in legal limbo in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, says it may take months to rule on his case. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Monday, July 1, 2013, that Snowden will have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wants to get asylum in Russia, but added that Snowden has no plan to stop leaking. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr)

FILE - In this file photo taken Friday, June 28, 2013, a Russian supporter of National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden holds a poster outside Sheremetyevo airport in Moscow. Leaker Snowden has been caught in legal limbo in the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, says it may take months to rule on his case. Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Monday, July 1, 2013, that Snowden will have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wants to get asylum in Russia, but added that Snowden has no plan to stop leaking. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits, File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Bolivian President Evo Morales, second right, attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in the Kremlin in Moscow, Monday, July 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Maxim Shemetov, Pool)

(AP) ? President Barack Obama brushed aside sharp European criticism on Monday, suggesting that all nations spy on each other as the French and Germans expressed outrage over alleged U.S. eavesdropping on European Union diplomats. American analyst-turned-leaker Edward Snowden, believed to still be at Moscow's international airport, applied for political asylum to remain in Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a statement he acknowledged sounded odd, told reporters in Moscow that Snowden would have to stop leaking U.S. secrets if he wanted asylum in Russia ? and he added that Snowden seemed unwilling to stop publishing leaks of classified material. At the same time, Putin said that he had no plans to turn over Snowden to the United States.

Obama, in an African news conference with Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, said the U.S. would provide allies with information about new reports that the National Security Agency had bugged EU offices in Washington, New York and Brussels. But he also suggested such activity by governments would hardly be unusual.

"We should stipulate that every intelligence service ?not just ours, but every European intelligence service, every Asian intelligence service, wherever there's an intelligence service ? here's one thing that they're going to be doing: They're going to be trying to understand the world better, and what's going on in world capitals around the world," he said. "If that weren't the case, then there'd be no use for an intelligence service."

The latest issue concerns allegations of U.S. spying on European officials in the German news weekly Der Spiegel. French President Francois Hollande on Monday demanded that the U.S. immediately stop any such eavesdropping and suggested the widening controversy could jeopardize next week's opening of trans-Atlantic trade talks between the United States and Europe.

"We cannot accept this kind of behavior from partners and allies," Hollande said on French television.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters in Berlin, "Eavesdropping on friends is unacceptable." He declared, "We're not in the Cold War anymore."

Even before the latest disclosures, talks at the upcoming free-trade sessions were expected to be fragile, with disagreements surfacing over which items should be covered or excluded from an agreement. The United States has said there should be no exceptions. But France has called for exempting certain cultural products, and other Europeans do not appear eager to give up longtime agricultural subsidies.

Obama said the Europeans "are some of the closest allies that we have in the world." But he added, "I guarantee you that in European capitals, there are people who are interested in, if not what I had for breakfast, at least what my talking points might be should I end up meeting with their leaders. That's how intelligence services operate."

Nonetheless, Obama said he'd told his advisers to "evaluate everything that's being claimed" and promised to share the results with allies.

Meanwhile, the Interfax news agency said a Russian consular official has confirmed that Snowden had asked for asylum in Russia.

Interfax cited Kim Shevchenko, the duty officer at the Russian Foreign Ministry's consular office in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, as saying that Snowden's representative, Sarah Harrison, handed over his request on Sunday.

Snowden, in legal limbo, is believed to have been in the airport's transit zone since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has annulled his passport, and Ecuador, where he has hoped to get asylum, has been giving off mixed signals about offering him shelter.

"If he wants to go somewhere and there are those who would take him, he is welcome to do so," Putin said. "If he wants to stay here, there is one condition: He must stop his activities aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners, no matter how strange it may sound coming from my lips."

Obama said "there have been high-level discussions with the Russians" about Snowden's situation.

"We don't have an extradition treaty with Russia. On the other hand, you know, Mr. Snowden, we understand, has traveled there without a valid passport, without legal papers. And you know we are hopeful that the Russian government makes decisions based on the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal interactions that law enforcement has. So I can confirm that."

Putin didn't mention any Snowden effort to seek asylum in Russia, and spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to say what the Russian response might be. Putin insisted that Snowden wasn't a Russian agent and that Russian security agencies hadn't contacted him.

Three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the Snowden case, said Washington's efforts were focused primarily on persuading Russia to deport Snowden either directly to the United States or to a third country, possibly in eastern Europe, that would then hand him over to U.S. authorities.

In a sign of the distrust the latest report had revealed, the German government said it had launched a review of its secure government communications network and the EU's executive, the European Commission, ordered "a comprehensive ad hoc security sweep."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday he didn't know the details of the allegations, but he still played them down, maintaining that many nations undertake various activities to protect their national interests. Kerry failed to quell the outrage from allies, including France, Germany and Italy.

A spokesman for Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, said, "The European Union has demanded and expects full and urgent clarification by the U.S. regarding the allegations."

According to Der Spiegel's report, which it said was partly based on information leaked by Snowden, NSA planted bugs in the EU's diplomatic offices in Washington and infiltrated the building's computer network. Similar measures were taken at the EU's mission to the United Nations in New York, the magazine said.

It also reported that NSA used secure facilities at NATO headquarters in Brussels to dial into telephone maintenance systems that would have allowed it to intercept senior officials' calls and Internet traffic at a key EU office nearby.

As for Snowden, White House national security spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said the White House won't comment on specific asylum requests but reiterated its message to all countries that he "needs to be expelled back to the U.S. based on the fact that he doesn't have travel documents and the charges pending against him."

Regarding possible effects on U.S. interactions with Russia, she said it remains the case "that we don't want this issue to negatively impact the bilateral relationship."

___

Associated Press writers Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Sarah DiLorenzo in Paris, Frank Jordans and Geir Moulson in Berlin, Elena Becatoros in Athens, Raf Casert in Brussels, Deb Riechmann in Brunei, Nicole Winfield in Rome, Julie Pace in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-07-01-NSA%20Surveillance/id-ff817bc0d87a40a99ea29de9675766a9

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