Heat lead series 2-0, Wade heads back to Milwaukee

MIAMI (AP) ? A banner bearing Dwyane Wade's jersey number hangs in the arena the Milwaukee Bucks call home, in tribute of his days as a standout at Marquette.

Suffice to say, he won't have favorite-son status over the next few days.

Wade and the Miami Heat are halfway to advancing in the NBA playoffs after topping the Milwaukee Bucks 98-86 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the teams' Eastern Conference first-round series. Wade scored 21 points, LeBron James finished with 19 and the Heat opened the fourth quarter on a 12-0 run to pull away.

Now comes a Wednesday flight to Milwaukee, followed by Game 3 there on Thursday night, when the Heat can take absolute control of the matchup. And Wade is certain that nothing will come easily, not even for the defending NBA champions.

"They're going to come out and play with emotion," Wade said. "I've been in Milwaukee when they've had playoff teams. I know that place can get very loud."

So can his current home arena, which roared for 2 minutes in the fourth quarter when the Heat finally shook off Milwaukee's upset bid.

It was 68-65 entering the fourth. With James and four backups on the court, the Heat needed only 2 minutes, 22 seconds to score a dozen unanswered points and stretch the lead to 80-65.

"We held court," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We protected it for two games. We did what we're supposed to do. And that's it."

Chris Bosh, Shane Battier and Chris Andersen all scored 10 points for the Heat. James' postseason streaks of 22 straight games with at least 20 points, and 16 straight games of at least 25 points, both came to an end.

Ultimately, none of that mattered.

"We were able to jump on them," James said.

Ersan Ilyasova scored 21 points for Milwaukee, which got 16 from Mike Dunleavy and 14 from Larry Sanders. The Bucks' starting guards, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, combined for only 15 points ? after teaming up to score 48 in Game 1.

"It's a series," said Sanders, who had a sore right ankle after a collision with Battier in the fourth quarter. "We made progress this game."

They'll need to make more, and do it quickly. James has never lost in 10 previous series in which his team takes a 2-0 lead, and Wade is 8-0 in that same situation.

He was a skinny kid who Miami drafted as a point guard in 2003, a couple months after he took Marquette to the Final Four. Three years later, he became an MVP of the NBA Finals. Now he's looking for his fourth trip to the title round in eight seasons.

To this day, he credits the help he got in Milwaukee for much of his success.

"I went to Milwaukee with not a lot of expectations, and I came out of Milwaukee the fifth pick in the draft," Wade said. "Milwaukee has been special to me. It has helped me get to this point. Going back there in the playoffs is a cool thing."

For a while on Tuesday, it looked as though Wade and the Heat might go to Milwaukee without a 2-0 series lead. It was that 12-0 run that was the difference ? in what finished as a 12-point game.

Andersen started it with a three-point play, James had a layup not long afterward and the Heat were starting to roll. Another basket by Andersen off a pass from Ray Allen made it 77-65, and James found Norris Cole for a 3-pointer that capped the flurry and made it 80-65.

Just like that, it was over, even to Miami's surprise.

"They were doing some things that had us spinning around a little bit defensively, got us on our heels, and offensively we never got into a rhythm," Spoelstra said. "So we figured we were just going to have to find a way to grind in the fourth quarter, figuring it was going to be a close game."

Jennings and Ellis combined for 48 points in Game 1, and the Bucks got blown out. So in the first half of Game 2, they combined for one point, were held to five shots that all missed ... and the Bucks were within 47-43 at halftime.

Chances are, very few would have seen that coming.

But play was sloppy from the outset, with the teams combining for eight turnovers in the first 6 minutes to set the tone for a clumsy first half. Wade, James and Chalmers shot 15 for 19 combined in the first half for Miami ? and the rest of the Heat were 3 for 17. For Milwaukee, Ilyasova had 12 points in the first 10 minutes, then two points the rest of the half.

So much like in Game 1, Milwaukee came out for the second half with a chance of stealing home-court advantage.

And for the entirety of the third quarter, the Bucks hung around, though the Heat showed some signs of getting things going. Bosh had a dunk for a six-point lead, then made a jumper ? on a play that James started by running down a loose ball and flicking it between his legs for a save along the sideline ? for a 68-60 lead, what was then the biggest Heat margin of the night.

The Bucks got within 68-65 to end the third, but then came the run that Miami had been waiting for all evening.

"We felt pretty good about the position we were in, giving ourselves an opportunity on the road with 12 minutes to go," Bucks coach Jim Boylan said. "You feel good about that. Then they come out, go on a 12-0 run and it changes the complexion of the game. Playing catch-up is very hard to do against a high-quality team like Miami."

Jennings said Milwaukee would win in six games before the series began, and his confidence didn't waver even now with his club in an 0-2 hole.

"We showed a lot of improvement tonight," said Jennings, who shot 3 for 15. "Aside of making that run in the fourth, I think we should have won this game."

NOTES: Battier needed stitches in his chin after the collision with Sanders with 6:59 left. ... It's the 11th time the Heat have gone up 2-0 in a playoff series. They're 10-0 in the previous instances. ... Milwaukee has lost 21 of its last 29 playoff games.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/heat-lead-series-2-0-wade-heads-back-072230727--spt.html

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Keeping Your Head Above Water When Bankruptcy Is The Option

Many people these days have fallen deep in to debt. They have lots of collection agencies looking for them and they have trouble paying their bills. If you have been going through this for a while, you might want to consider filing for bankruptcy. The information in this article will help you to decide if this is an option for you.

If you?re concerned about the details of keeping your car, try to ask your attorney about details regarding lowering your monthly payments. A lot of the time you can lower payments by filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. There are qualifications, such as the loan being high interest and a good work record for this option.

Don?t wait till it?s too late to file for bankruptcy. For some people, they tend to ignore their poor financial situation and just wishing it away, but that is only putting you in more danger. It is very common for personal debts to snowball suddenly. When this happens, terrible consequences, such as wage garnishment and foreclosure result. The minute you realize that your debts are too big to take care of, contact a bankruptcy attorney to discuss your options.

TIP! Most people that file for bankruptcy try not to use credit cards again. This isn?t necessarily a good strategy to follow because good credit is established by getting, and handling, credit responsibly.

You can take out a mortgage or car loan while filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy. However, it won?t be as easy as it may have been to get one prior to the bankruptcy. Your trustee must approve any new loans such as this. When you meet with your trustee or financial adviser, make sure that you come up with a sound budget proposal. You will always have to let them know why this item needs to be purchased.

When filing for personal bankruptcy you should always be aware of your rights. Bill collectors can try to scare you into believing that your debt will not be cleared. There are few debts that can?t be discharged. If a bill collector attempts to say their bill cannot be discharged, look it up. If they are wrong, report them.

Banish the word ?shame? from your vocabulary before you file for bankruptcy. Many people feel guilty, embarrassed and unworthy when dealing with bankruptcy. Learn to accept these feeling at face value? you can?t prevent yourself from feeling them, but you can stop them from controlling you. These difficult financial times can easily take their toll on anyone. One of the best ways to cope with the situation is to maintain a positive attitude.

Write down every one of your debts. Your debts in particular will serve as the basis of your claim. Every single debt you have will need to be listed here. Review your records to determine the precise amounts that you owe. Take your time with the process of filing for personal bankruptcy. It is important that all of the numbers and debts included in your case be included accurately.

TIP! Make your decision wisely when you select a bankruptcy attorney. A lot of rookie lawyers get their start in bankruptcy law.

Know the bankruptcy code backwards and forwards before filing. Here is one example, an individual who files for bankruptcy cannot transfer any assets for a year before the filing date. Also, it is illegal to load up your credit cards with debt right before filing occurs.

Make a comprehensive list of all of your financial information before you file for bankruptcy. If you forget any items, your filing could be rejected. No sum is too small to be included; err on the side of caution and include everything. Some things to be included are: current loans, valuable vehicles and side jobs.

Personal Bankruptcy

A few months after bankruptcy is complete, get your credit report copies from the 3 credit reporting agencies. It is important to make sure the report reflects your debts as satisfied and that any accounts you closed are noted. Challenge discrepancies as soon as possible in order to repair your credit.

TIP! Include all of your debts that you wish to be erased on the bankruptcy filing papers. If you posses debts that aren?t listed in the paperwork, they wont be included in your discharge.

Research the rules and regulations of personal bankruptcy before you file. There are many pitfalls when it comes to the code pertaining to personal bankruptcy that can lead to a lot of unwanted issues. If you do not know bankruptcy law, your bankruptcy case could be dismissed. Before you go forward, make sure you thoroughly research personal bankruptcy. Doing so will pave the way to an easier process.

Exhaust all other option prior to filing personal bankruptcy. You should consider credit counseling. You can get assistance from non-profit companies. They will work with your creditors to get your payments lowered and your interest lowered as wll. You make payments to them and they pay your creditors.

Do not take a large cash advance from credit cards prior to filing, knowing that bankruptcy erases all debts. This will be viewed as fraud, and you may be held responsible for the balances despite your bankruptcy filing.

If you pick up a new job shortly before you file for bankruptcy, don?t slow down your filing plans! Filing for bankruptcy might be the smartest thing for you to do. Choosing to file can impact you well. If you file before gaining more income, you have a better chance of having your debt discharged.

TIP! Divorce can unexpectedly leave people in financial ruins. Many people find themselves filing for bankruptcy after a divorce.

Watch how debts are paid off prior to filing. You might be legally unable to file for bankruptcy if you were still paying your creditors ninety days ago, or your family members a year ago. You need to know the law before you decide to file for bankruptcy.

Don?t stress about trying to determine whether bankruptcy is something you must do. While it may be difficult to accept that you are in trouble, waiting only prolongs the agony. Speaking with someone knowledgeable as soon as you can helps get you started on the bankruptcy process before your situation becomes any worse.

It is possible that a bankruptcy might actually be smarter over the long term than struggling month to month with consistently late or missing payments. It is true that a bankruptcy stays on your credit record for ten years, but you are freed to start improving your credit immediately. One of the good things about bankruptcy is that you can start fresh.

Some lawyers offer free phone services that you can refer your creditors to in regard to any delinquent accounts. Give your creditors your lawyer?s number and they will get a confirmation that you do not owe them anything. This will put an end to annoying phone calls from collectors.

Credit History

Make a quick decision to be more responsible fiscally before filing. Don?t boost current debt or get new debt before bankruptcy. Judges may take into account your current credit history, in addition to your past credit history, when considering your bankruptcy case. Show that you are making a positive change to your current financial situation.

Contrary to popular belief, you won?t necessarily lose your assets if you happen to file for bankruptcy. You can keep personal property. This covers items such as clothing, jewelry, electronics and household furnishings. Depending on the state you are from, what kind of bankruptcy you?re filing, and your specific case, you could be allowed to keep bigger items, like your car or house.

Before you commit to a bankruptcy filing, make sure that your most troublesome debts can actually be discharged through bankruptcy. There are some types of debt (e.g., student loans, child support) that are not dischargeable in bankruptcy. For debts of that nature, it may make sense to seek loan consolidation assistance.

TIP! If your bankruptcy case is dismissed because you made a mistake, you can re-file. But, generally speaking, the automatic stay will apply for 30 days only if you have already received a prior dismissal.

As you?ve read here, there are many places to find help if you are thinking about personal bankruptcy. Tackling this in a logical and emotionless manner will relieve you of your debt issues while giving you a fresh start for the future.

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Source: http://hwm.cc/?p=655

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Hagel: US committed to Israel's military edge

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) ? U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel assured Israel on Monday that the Obama administration is committed to preserving and improving the Jewish state's military edge in the Middle East.

Hagel, on his first visit to Israel as Pentagon chief, also declared that it is Israel's right to decide for itself whether to attack Iran to stop it from building a nuclear bomb.

Those two messages appeared to form the foundation of Hagel's effort to improve U.S. relations with Israel, which have been strained in recent years by obstacles to reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and by the threat of an Iranian bomb.

Later, Hagel was flown in an Israeli Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter over northern Israel to view the Golan Heights, an area along the Syrian border that Israel captured during the 1967 Six-Day War.

The flight appeared to be aimed in part at impressing upon Hagel the narrow reaches of Israel and its vulnerability to troubled areas like Syria, which is in the midst of civil war.

An Israeli Defense Forces information packet provided to those who took the flight with Hagel noted that "the State of Nebraska is nine times the State of Israel." Hagel is a former two-term Republican senator from Nebraska.

At a joint news conference with Hagel prior to their flight, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, said security in the Golan Heights is one of Israel's chief worries about Syria's turmoil. He also appeared to refer to an Israeli military operation in response to a violation of what he termed an Israeli "red line" with regard to the Syrian conflict.

Yaalon said Israel has declared it will not "allow sophisticated weapons to be delivered or to be taken by rogue elements like Hezbollah and other rogue elements that are operating now in Syria. And we proved it; when they crossed these red lines we operated, we acted." He did not elaborate on what action Israel took.

In his appearance with Yaalon, Hagel was asked whether he believes it would be advisable for Israel to attack Iran on its own.

"That calculation has to be made by" Israel, he replied after noting, "Israel is a sovereign nation; every sovereign nation has a right to defend itself."

Hagel did not mention a concern that U.S. officials have voiced in the past, namely, that an Israeli strike would run the risk of igniting a wider war that could draw in the United States.

As evidence of Washington's commitment to preserving Israel's so-called qualitative military edge in the Mideast, Hagel said the U.S. will permit Israel to buy various new weapons, including U.S. missiles and advanced radars for its strike aircraft.

"We are committed to providing Israel with whatever support is necessary for Israel to maintain military superiority over any state or coalition of states and non-state actors," Hagel said.

Yaalon was asked about reports that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons in its struggle against rebel forces.

He did not specifically say whether Israel believes such weapons have been used, but he said that Syria must not cross the "red line" of allowing any chemical weapons to fall into the hands of what Yaalon called "rogue elements."

He said that "red line" has not yet been crossed, adding, "but we are ready to operate if any rogue element is going to put their hands (on chemical agents) or chemical agents are going to be delivered."

Hagel also was meeting Monday with Israeli President Shimon Peres, and on Tuesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

___

Associated Press writer Josef Federman contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hagel-us-committed-israels-military-edge-100201278--politics.html

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Akamai: DDoS attacks tripled year-over-year in 2012, China ranks as biggest offender

Akamai's back with yet another snapshot of the state of the internet and, surprise surprise, it's reporting that DDoS attacks were up threefold last year versus 2011. That stat's just one slice of the sprawling cybersecurity picture painted by the company, which also ranks China as the foremost perpetrator of "observed attack traffic" in Q4 2012, numbering that country's share at 41 percent. To put that into better perspective, consider that the number two and three offenders -- the U.S. and Turkey, respectively -- are responsible for a shared 15 percent of that traffic, while former Cold War enemy Russia accounts for just 4.3 percent. On a continent-by-continent basis, the majority of these attacks originated in the Asia Pacific / Oceania region (about 56 percent), with North and South America accounting for 18 percent.

On a much lighter note, global high-speed broadband adoption (defined as any speed equal or greater than 10Mbps) grew by 2.7 percent last quarter, with top honors going to South Korea where nearly half the population enjoys super fast internet access. For the mobile flipside, Akamai found that average global speeds hovered between 8Mbps to 345kbps down, with peak downlink speeds coming in at 44Mbps to 2.7Mbps. The bulk of mobile data requests sent to Akamai's platform saw Android's Webkit browser and Apple's Mobile Safari come in nearly neck-and-neck at 35.3 percent and 32.6 percent. Although when you expand that to overall network traffic, Safari reigns supreme with a 58.7 percent share. If you're keen to digest even more of these sobering statistics, we recommend you hit up the source for the full executive summary and even more infographics.

Filed under: Internet, Mobile

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Source: Akamai

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/foy1-JXxSPU/

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The Science Behind Why We Procrastinate

Some research says the best way to spark creativity is to walk away and that the best ideas come from those least-expected ?aha!? moments. So maybe procrastination isn?t such a bad thing after all. Or is time spent on those cat memes taking its toll? Can procrastinating ever be a source of productivity? Here's what the research has to say.

This is a guest post by Anna Codrea-Rado via Quartz.

Here?s the complete guide to procrastinating at work:

Clever People Procrastinate Smartly

The Creativity Research Journal studied the working habits of a particularly intelligent group of people, winners of the Intel Science Talent competition. They found the group procrastinated productively. Some used procrastination as a trigger for a helpful amount of stress needed to ignite positive action. Others saw it as a ?thought incubator." They put off making a decision because they wanted to fully process it before finding a solution.

The same study also found that the tasks the science competition winners were doing while avoiding work were helping in other areas of their life. They were procrastinating efficiently and taking care of other responsibilities. So don?t feel too guilty the next time you pause from that spreadsheet to pay your gas bill online.

Procrastination Isn?t Just Bad Time Management

Professor Joseph R. Ferrari of DePaul University writes extensively on procrastination and has found that procrastinators aren?t simply managing their time poorly. It?s a tactic deployed by those with vulnerable self-esteem and has a lot to do with perceived notions of time.

There are two types of procrastinators out there: those who delay making decisions, and those who delay taking action. Ferrari found that the decision-avoiders are dependent on others, relying on them to make their minds up for them. They?re more submissive and prefer to pass the buck to someone else whom they can blame them if it all goes wrong.

The task-avoiders, on the other hand, are generally characterized by low self-esteem; they make a decision but don?t follow up on it. Of course a lot of people fall into both categories, but the findings go some way in explaining the different ways people procrastinate.

Nature Versus Nurture

Though procrastination might seem merely a personality quirk, scientific opinion is divided as to whether it can be put down to nature, or is the product of a person?s environment.

According to Ferrari and further research from Oklahoma State University, factors like ?time perspective? affect someone?s likelihood to procrastinate. Time perspective is how people understand and interpret their past, present and future. For example, someone who focuses on the bad things in his past is more prone to bitterness and resentment. Although it?s possible to modify your time perspective, it?s thought to be rooted in personality and linked to procrastination.

Other research, though, has found that environment is also a contributing factor in procrastination. The American Psychological Association, for example, found that procrastination often starts at school, where a lack of rigor in curricula and not being punished for missed deadlines can breed time-wasting habits.

Procrastinators Hate Procrastinators

In one of his many studies into the behavioral habits of procrastinators, Ferrari found that they are hyper-critical of their fellow procrastinators. This is especially true of women. When asked to the evaluate the poor performance of a co-worker who has the same procrastinating tendencies and habits as themselves, workers were harsher on them than their non-procrastinating co-workers.

The Real Problem is "Flow"

That trance you can go into when finding yourself scrolling through cat memes or chatting an afternoon away has a name. It?s called ?flow." The concept was coined by psychologist Mih?ly Cs?kszentmih?lyi and was originally considered a good thing because it?s a state of deep engagement and absorption, as he abstractly explains in a Wired interview.

Andrew Thatcher and his colleagues at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa wanted to understand more about flow in relation to two other online behaviors: procrastination and problematic internet use. They were trying figure out to what extent too much time online was psychologically and socially harmful.

Unsurprisingly, they found a strong link between procrastination and problematic internet use, as they wrote in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior. But they also found that when someone was in a state of flow while engaged in a non-work related activity, she was more likely to end up with problematic internet use.

In a way, then, this frames procrastination not as a time-wasting phenomenon, but more as a disconnect between intent and action. Flow is a desirable state to be in when you?re working, but you misdirect it at something else, like avoiding a boring task or the pressure of an assessment, you fall down a rabbit hole.

How To Spot a Procrastinator

A study by Ritu Gupta and colleagues in the journal Current Psychology suggests a way for employers to screen applicants for their procrastination tendencies. People who believe in some form of fate or pre-destination?in a hopeless, ?it?s out of my hands? kind of way?are more prone to procrastination, because such people tend to be more neurotic and anxious.

But more surprising, perhaps, is that the other main characteristic of the typical procrastinator is a relatively healthy life outlook. According to the study, people who have a glowing, nostalgic view of their past have a high tendency towards procrastination. This new finding (the study was conducted in 2012) runs opposite to previous research in the field, and scientists don?t yet have a concrete explanation for what seems rather counter-intutive.

Right, back to those cat memes.

The Complete Guide to Procrastinating at Work | Qz.com

---

Andrea Codrea-Rado covers management and design for Quartz. She is Columbia University's Tow Center digital media fellow. Follow her on Twitter @annacod.

Image via Getty/Maciej Laska.

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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/2Iifu8G7tfI/the-complete-guide-to-procrastinating-at-work-477166257

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5 Vegan Sandwich Recipes | Care2 Healthy Living

Sandwiches are such an easy on-the-go food, whether you?re packing lunch for work or school, putting together a picnic basket, or just looking for a quick meal on a busy day. Because they?re so often centered around meat and cheese, it might seem like making a satisfying vegan sandwich would be daunting, but you don?t need animal products to create a yummy sandwich recipe!

The trick to creating vegan sandwiches is just like the trick to eating vegan in general: you have to let go of some of the conventions you?re used to, and re-imagine that sandwich. Instead of starting with the meat, use fresh veggies, bean and nut spreads, tofu, or tempeh as your base, and build on that.

The other key to making a vegan sandwich just as satisfying as one made with animal products is to replace at least some the fat that you?re losing when you cut out the animal fats. Fat tastes good, and it tells our brains that we are satisfied. If you?re used to a slice of cheese on your sandwich, you?re going to feel deprived if you just take out that cheese, for example. Instead, replace the cheese with something else, like avocado, a drizzle of olive oil or some vegan mayo.

Ready to get your vegan sandwich on? Check out these yummy recipes!

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-delicious-vegan-sandwich-recipes.html

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Sea disputes, NKorea in spotlight at ASEAN summit

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (AP) -- Worried that long-seething rifts could escalate over the South China Sea, Southeast Asian leaders are expected this week to press China to agree to start negotiations on a new pact aimed at thwarting a major clash in one of the world's busiest waterways.

Concern over North Korea's latest threats is also expected to gain attention over economic issues in the annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, being held Wednesday and Thursday in Brunei's capital of Bandar Seri Begawan.

The 10-nation bloc is scrambling to beat a deadline to transform the strikingly diverse region of 600 million people into a European Union-like community by the end of 2015.

About 77 percent of the work to turn the bustling region into a single market and production base, first laid out in a 2007 blueprint, have been done, according to a draft statement to be issued after the summit. The document did not detail what still needed to be done.

The statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press on Monday, would reaffirm the ASEAN leaders' commitment to ensure the peaceful resolution of South China Sea conflicts in accordance with international law "without resorting to the threat or use of force."

They would call for "the early adoption of a code of conduct in the South China Sea," referring to a legally binding pact ASEAN would like to forge with China to replace a 2002 nonaggression accord that has failed to stop territorial skirmishes.

China, Taiwan and ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have overlapping claims across the South China Sea, which Beijing claims in its entirety. The Philippines and Vietnam in particular have been at odds with China over the region in recent years, with diplomatic squabbles erupting over oil and gas exploration and fishing rights.

A tense standoff last year between Chinese and Filipino ships over the fishing-rich Scarborough Shoal is unresolved.

The Philippine vessels withdrew, but China has refused to pull out its three surveillance ships and remove a rope blocking Filipino fishermen from a Scarborough lagoon.

In January, the Philippines challenged China's massive territorial claims before an arbitration tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in a daring legal step that China has ignored. The tribunal has to appoint three more of five arbiters by Thursday, then start looking into the complaint if it decides it has jurisdiction.

A pre-summit meeting by ASEAN foreign ministers in Brunei two weeks ago was dominated by concerns over the territorial disputes and ended with a call for an early conclusion of a nonaggression pact with China, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said.

But Chinese officials have not clearly indicated when they would be ready to discuss the proposed accord.

The territorial issue has threatened ASEAN's unity. Cambodia, a China ally, refused to have the issue mentioned in a post-ministerial statement when it hosted the meetings last year. That drew protests from Vietnam and the Philippines, and ASEAN ended up not issuing an after-conference communique for the first time in the bloc's 45-year history.

China has steadfastly refused to bring the disputes to the international arena, preferring to negotiate one on one with each rival claimant. It has also warned Washington not to intervene in the disputes.

ASEAN, founded in 1967 as a bulwark against communism in the Cold War era, has often been caught in the crosscurrents of major conflicts. Currently, the bloc is walking a tightrope between a rising China and an America that is reasserting its status as an Asia-Pacific power.

Both wield tremendous influence on ASEAN, which has become a battleground for political and security clout and export markets.

Defense forces from all of ASEAN, along with eight other countries that include the United States and China, would hold for the first time three-day disaster response drills in Brunei in June to foster confidence among the multinational troops, the draft summit statement said.

Brunei's publicity-shy leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has led the tedious legwork to avoid any major hitch in the ASEAN summits his tiny but oil-rich kingdom hosts this year.

He has separately met with President Barack Obama and Chinese leader Xi Jinping ahead of this week's summit. Last week, Bolkiah flew to Manila, partly to discuss the summit agenda with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.

When his gleaming Royal Brunei Air plane taxied to a red-carpet welcome at Manila's airport, Philippine officials saw Bolkiah, who also heads his country's defense forces, at the pilot's seat.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sea-disputes-nkorea-spotlight-asean-141113466.html

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