Africa

Nissan is conducting a major worldwide recall of 841,000 Micra and Cube subcompact models built from 2002 through 2006 for a loose steering wheel bolt. The cars affected were sold in the markets of Japan, Asia, Oceania, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. No cars sold in the U.S. are affected by the recall. [...]

Lately, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been hitting record high after record high. That has a lot of people wondering whether we're entering bubble territory. But not every stock is doing so well -- in fact, some are downright cheap. A great metric to help investors decide whether a stock is cheap is its price-to-earnings ratio. This tells you how much a stock is worth relative to how much money its company made over the past year. Right now, the average Dow stock trades for a P/E of 16.7. For comparison's sake, the Dow's five cheapest stocks -- all listed below -- have P/Es far lower than this average. But as you'll see, that doesn't necessarily mean they're all strong buys right now. 5. Intel , P/E of 12 Ever since computing became more mobile and less focused on desktop PCs, investors have worried about Intel. Before smartphones came along, Intel held a commanding 80% market share in the semiconductor industry. But the company was late to the mobile game, and the core PC market is slowly eroding. Intel is doing everything it can to stay relevant, and some of the new microchips show a lot of promise. But there aren't any sustainable competitive advantages that give Intel a leg up. If you're confident in the company's ability to continually outwit the competition, today's price might look cheap. Otherwise, it seems fairly valued. 4. Caterpillar , P/E of 11.7 Caterpillar's low price tag has everything to do with slow global demand. The company recently cut its full-year forecast, as the world's mining industry doesn't seem to need so many Caterpillar machines as investors hoped for. However, Caterpillar is investing heavily in quickly growing markets like Latin America, Asia, and even Africa. In the long term, the mining sector is likely to pick up, and Caterpillar has a dealer network that's second to none. If you're looking to invest over a 10-year time frame, Caterpillar is likely a good bet at today's prices. 3. JPMorgan Chase , P/E of 9.5 Fellow "too-big-to-fail" banks Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of America have an average P/E of 23.7 -- much higher than JPMorgan. And the bank escaped the Great Recession with a relatively unscathed reputation. But things haven't been rosy lately. Ever since the "London Whale" trading incident cost the company billions of dollars, internal weaknesses have been popping up everywhere. Fellow Fools John Reeves and Ilan Moscovitz did an excellent job recently of pointing out why you should avoid investing in the bank -- and why shares are likely trading so cheaply. 2. Chevron, P/E of 9.5 Sometimes, it can be tough for large oil companies to get much love from Wall Street. With a market cap of more than $240 billion and sales expected to remain relatively flat over the next four years, it's understandable that most investors aren't willing to pay a premium for Chevron. At the same time, however, the company has been smartly buying up unconventional oil plays, like those in Australia and in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Over the next 10 years -- if the developing world's appetite for energy steadily increases -- energy prices will likely rise, and Chevron shareholders will benefit. With a nice 3.2% dividend yield to tide you over until then, investors can get a pretty good deal on the stock right now. 1. ExxonMobil , P/E of 9.3 Though ExxonMobil lost its title as the world's most valuable company to Apple for a brief time in 2012, it's back in the driver's seat now. And when you consider the fact that it's both the cheapest stock in the Dow and the most valuable company in the world, it really shows how impressive Exxon's earnings are. Not only is the company a beast in the oil industry, but it is also America's largest natural-gas producer. As with Chevron, Exxon shareholders are likely to benefit from long-term increases in energy prices. Though the company's 2.7% dividend yield isn't so high as Chevron's, its asset diversity offers greater protection from downturns. The

Report: Google considering Internet balloons to connect sub-Saharan Africa by @MeganGeuss

Yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that Google is working on a “multi-pronged effort” to build wireless networks that could connect more than a billion people in emerging markets. According to unnamed sources, the company wants to connect people outside of major cities in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia through a combination of frequencies used for television broadcasting, special balloons or blimps transmitting on non-TV broadcast frequencies, and potentially through satellite transmissions. Making wireless speed faster in urban centers is also a potential goal for the project, the WSJ's sources said. Sources also said that Google might be looking to team up with local telecommunications companies to achieve greater wireless coverage, but it is still unclear whether any deals are on the table yet. The WSJ said that Google is talking to regulators in South Africa and Kenya to create a network through television broadcast frequencies, and that “some wireless executives say they expect such changes to happen in the coming years.” Read 3 remaining paragraphs | Comments

May 25 (Infostrada Sports) - Scores from the U.S. PGA Tour Colonial Invitational at the par-70 course on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas 199 Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 65 65 69 200 Matt Every (U.S.) 65 69 66 Chris Stroud (U.S.) 67 66 67 Boo Weekley (U.S.) 67 67 66 Graham DeLaet (Canada) 64 67 69 201 Martin Flores (U.S.) 66 70 65 Tim Clark (South Africa) 67 69 65 John Rollins (U.S.) 63 71 67 Steve Flesch (U.S.) 68 64 69 202 Bud Cauley (U.S.) 67 69 66 Jonas Blixt (Sweden) 67 68 67 Zach Johnson (U.S.) 69 65 68 Fredrik Jacobson (Sweden) 66 67 69 203 Charley Hoffman (U.S.) 66 70 67 J.J. Henry (U.S. ...

Sorry to keep harping about my website, gang, but it just keeps blowing me away. It started with a posting here, and on two other forums. From there, word keeps spreading. Growing every day !!! Railfans, especially model rail fans, are just awesome. In just over a MONTH, look at where the visitors to my site are from. I never would have believed it. At least I'm learning a lot about geography. This list is UNIQUE visitors, not counting repeat visits. All from Romania are thanks to Gamitzu. Some of these countries - I never would have thought had model railfans, but it truly IS a universal hobby. Thanks again for all your help spreading the word. It is truly appreciated. :wig: Countries 1 - 55 Country - New Visitors - Last New Visitor 1. United States - 126 - May 24, 2013 2. Romania - 47 - 3 hours ago 3. Germany - 22 - 11 hours ago 4. Spain - 16 - 13 hours ago 5. United Kingdom - 10 - May 17, 2013 6. Canada - 10 - 3 hours ago 7. Morocco - 9 - May 24, 2013 8. Australia - 9 - May 24, 2013 9. Poland - 9 - May 19, 2013 10. Kyrgyzstan - 9 - May 15, 2013 11. Sweden - 6 - May 23, 2013 12. Sri Lanka - 5 - 19 hours ago 13. Russia - 5 - May 24, 2013 14. France - 4 - May 24, 2013 15. Indonesia - 4 - May 20, 2013 16. Netherlands - 3 - 8 hours ago 17. Japan - 3 - May 24, 2013 18. Lithuania - 3 - May 19, 2013 19. Ireland - 3 - May 16, 2013 20. Philippines - 2 - May 22, 2013 21. Greece - 2 - May 20, 2013 22. Croatia - 2 - May 17, 2013 23. Brazil - 2 - May 16, 2013 24. Bulgaria - 2 - May 15, 2013 25. Ukraine - 2 - May 15, 2013 26. Czech Republic - 2 - May 12, 2013 27. Pakistan - 1 - 6 hours ago 28. Singapore - 1 - May 21, 2013 29. Finland - 1 - May 21, 2013 30. China - 1 - May 21, 2013 31. Norway - 1 - May 19, 2013 32. Antigua and Barbuda - 1 - May 19, 2013 33. Andorra - 1 - May 19, 2013 34. Albania - 1 - May 19, 2013 35. Afghanistan - 1 - May 19, 2013 36. Belgium - 1 - May 19, 2013 37. Colombia - 1 - May 18, 2013 38. United Arab Emirates - 1 - May 16, 2013 39. Malta - 1 - May 16, 2013 40. Liechtenstein - 1 - May 16, 2013 41. Luxembourg - 1 - May 16, 2013 42. Argentina - 1 - May 15, 2013 43. Slovakia - 1 - May 15, 2013 44. Cyprus - 1 - May 13, 2013 45. Jersey - 1 - May 12, 2013 46. Turkmenistan - 1 - May 12, 2013 47. New Zealand - 1 - May 12, 2013 48. Switzerland - 1 - May 12, 2013 49. Italy - 1 - May 12, 2013 50. Israel - 1 - May 5, 2013 51. South Africa - 1 - May 1, 2013 52. Iceland - 1 - April 25, 2013 53. Portugal - 1 - April 19, 2013 54. Hungary - 1 - April 19, 2013 55. Denmark - 1 - April 18, 2013 WOW!!!

The unhealed wounds of post-apartheid South Africa get a brutal but superficial once-over in Jerome Salle's savagely violent cop thriller.

The worldwide March Against Monsanto took place on Saturday in 250 cities around the world. The protest was planned to draw attention to the controversy surrounding the use of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) — including wildly popular Round-up Ready soybeans, corn, and cotton which are developed to be resistant to the use of the herbicide which kills common weeds. Some scientists and activists have linked the use of GMOs to collapsing populations of wild butterflies and honeybees. The European Union has taken a particularly strong stand against GMOs, regulating them so strongly that some observers say that there is a de facto ban on the crops. As a result, in 2012 Europe produced less than 400 square miles of GE (genetically engineered) crops, mostly Bt corn, which has been modified to include an insecticide. However, GE crops are one of the most valuable agricultural products in the Americas, with the United States, Brazil, and Argentina leading exporters of GMO crops and animal feeds like corn and soybean. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had pushed for a new law to allow states to require the labeling of GMO foods. However, on Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly shot down the measure 71-27. Here are just a few of the images from around the world. From Anonymous: #MONSANTO is NO DIFFERENT THAN PUTTIN A GUN 2UR FACE &PULLIN TRIGGER.March Against them on Sat bit.ly/157kqeY twitter.com/OrganicLiveFoo… — Anonymous(@AnonOpsMob) May 24, 2013 In New York: I like this sign NYC March against Monsanto#MarchAgainstMonsanto twitter.com/KillerParrot/s… — Killer Parrot™ (@KillerParrot) May 25, 2013 In Washington D.C.: The bee’s are “dying in” in front of Monsanto office in DC at the #mamdc march ow.ly/i/2cBHj — Occupy Wall Street (@OccupyWallSt) May 25, 2013 Paris, France: Protesters in Paris wave signs”#Monsanto plunders farmers, kills planet”#MAM on.rt.com/1hmc5w#OpMonsanto twitter.com/RT_com/status/… — Anonymous (@AnonOpsLegion) May 25, 2013 Here is video from Tokyo, Japan: And another one from Sydney, Australia: We don’t yet have a final count on the number of people who participated, but the March Against Monsanto Facebook page predicted 400 marches in 50 countries with over 200,000 people. [Durban, South Africa of March Against Monsanto protest by Tracy Hinds and Revolution News via Facebook] March Against Monsanto Worldwide Protest Two Days After Food Label Bill Fails Senate is a post from: The Inquisitr

More than 30 million people fled their homes in 2012 because of disasters such as floods, storms and earthquakes, a new report indicates. According to the study by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and theNorwegian Refugee Council, natural disasters forced 32.4 million people to flee last year, with the overwhelming majority (98 percent) due to climate- and weather-related events. While most of the victims live in developing nations, 2012 also saw an increase in environmental refugees in wealthy countries, particularly in the United States. The report establishes that most of the damage was caused by severe flooding, with India and Nigeria suffering the brunt of the destruction. India, in particular, experienced repeated flooding during its long monsoon season. Africa suffered a record high in 2012, with 8.2 million people displaced because of natural disasters. The study points out that both the intensity and the frequency of natural disasters are cause for concern as climate change is projected to continue to spur recurrent tragedies. According to the report, multiple displacement events occurred in three-quarters of the countries affected. via Natural Disasters Displaced 32.4 Million People In 2012, IDMC Study Shows.

Ian Holloway arrived at Selhurst Park at a difficult time, so promotion to the Premier League would be quite a turnaroundThe stakes raised by a play-off final can induce the type of scenes now more associated with the away dressing room at the Amex Stadium, so Crystal Palace's season needs to be considered in context. Rewind to mid-August and the numbing deflation of a thrashing at Ashton Gate. Dougie Freedman's side propped up the fledgling Championship table and would go on to lose their next game, too, to loiter pointless at the foot. They had failed to win any of their last nine games of the previous season, their start the maintenance of established dismal form. From the outside looking in this appeared a team in freefall, their trajectory a nosedive.And so now to May and bank holiday Monday at Wembley, and a meeting with Watford that will earn the victors upwards of £120m. Palace, whose highest finish over the previous five years had been 15th, ended their campaign fifth, overcame bitter rivals and a form team in Brighton & Hove Albion in the play-off semi-finals, and duly sold out their allocation of 33,000 for the showpiece in three days."The way we started, we'd never have thought we'd be in this position," says the goalkeeper Julián Speroni, the only survivor of the club's last spell in the top flight. "But this division is, well, competitive. The secret is never giving up: we believed we were on the right path, so we carried on and have turned things around."That feels simplistic. In a wildly unpredictable second tier, Palace have sensed opportunity, let it slip more than once, but grabbed it again at the last. Their campaign rather typifies a division where Wolverhampton Wanderers, bolstered by parachute monies and aspirants to return to the elite at the first attempt, can instead sink without trace, while Blackburn Rovers spend £8m on one player, go through six managerial changes and end relieved to be only perilously close to the trapdoor.Palace were interlopers among the clubs expected to challenge, a side expertly constructed on a relative shoestring by Freedman, supplemented by extravagant talents from a productive academy, and tweaked cannily by Ian Holloway. They actually go into Monday's match unbeaten in six with the manager insistent his players are "in the strongest place we've been all season". The hope is their timing is in.Holloway had arrived from Blackpool in October, Freedman having opted to pursue a role at Bolton Wanderers despite instigating the revival after that horrific start, courtesy of four new signings and an emphasis on solidity, with an eight-match unbeaten run. The Scot's abrupt departure, so unexpected considering his apparent commitment to the overall project, along with four other members of his backroom staff might have unsettled, but the team he had moulded together had found their rhythm. The new manager won his first four games and Palace were top. "I'm just glad I didn't completely muck it up," says Holloway, whose delight at inheriting a first team boasting such collective quality – if not a squad of huge depth – has been obvious.Speroni is one of the most consistent performers outside the elite. The player of the year, Mile Jedinak, has been a colossus in central midfield – "He's just so Australian," the manager says, reflecting upon his captain's competitive nature – with South Africa's Kagisho Dikgacoi having rediscovered the form interrupted by the Africa Cup of Nations. Glenn Murray, now cruelly sidelined with cruciate and cartilage knee damage, is the first Palace player to score 30 league goals in a season since Jonny Byrne in 1961.Damien Delaney, Peter Ramage and, most recently, Danny Gabbidon have impressed in spells to offset the absence of the club captain, Paddy McCarthy, all season. Jonny Williams, the next great hope from the academy, is now a Wales international, Joel Ward is destined to be a Premier League right-back, and Yannick Bolasie has that wonderful blen