Friday, May 10, 2013

3 Heavily Shorted Stocks Report Better Than Expected Results ...

Tesla Motors (TSLA), Groupon (GRPN), and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) are in totally different business, but they have two things in common: They are all heavily shorted, and they all reported better than expected results on Wednesday afternoon. This means that they are all prime candidates for a short-squeeze that can send their shares sharply higher - in fact, their shares traded higher on Thursday. But should investors buy them?

Company

Short % of Float

Forward PE

Qtrly Revenue Growth (yoy)

Qtrly Earnings Growth (yoy)

Operating Margin

Operating Cash Flow

Tesla Motors

49.20

41.63

678%

--

-95.41M

-266.08M

Groupon

20.30

18.63

29.70

--

4.27

266M

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

38.70

25.69

15.60

3

14.90

682.83

It all depends on the profile of each investor. Aggressive investors may want to trade all three on the long side, especially Tesla, which has the largest short interest among the three. However, long-term investors must take a close look at the fundamentals of each company. Tesla Motors, for instance, may beat traditional automakers in revenue growth, as it begins from smaller numbers, but it lags far behind in terms of other metrics like operating cash flow and operating margins. That's why long-term investors should be careful before they buy the stock. Likewise, Groupon lags behind other web-based companies like Facebook (FB) and Netflix (NFLX) in almost all the metrics presented in the tables below. As for Green Mountain Coffee, it lags behind its new partner Starbucks (SBUX).

Company

Qtrly Revenue Growth (yoy)

Qtrly Earnings Growth (yoy)

Operating Margin

Operating Cash Flow

Toyota Motor Corp (TTM)

9.30%

23.40%

1.0

$31B

General Motors (GM)

-2.30

-10.60

1.45

--

Ford (F)

10.30

15.40

4.83

7.18B

Source: Yahoo.finance.com

Company

Qtrly Revenue Growth (yoy)

Qtrly Earnings Growth (yoy)

Operating Margin

Operating Cash Flow

Facebook

37.80%

6.60%

9.66%

-1.89B

Netflix

17.70

--

2.23

-8.51

Source: Yahoo.finance.com

Company

Qtrly Revenue Growth (yoy)

Qtrly Earnings Growth (yoy)

Operating Margin

Operating Cash Flow

Starbucks

11.30

28.60

2.23

2.55B

Source: Yahoo.finance.com

The bottom line: Tesla, Groupon, and Green Mountain stocks are for traders and aggressive investors. Conservative investors can find better values elsewhere.

Disclosure: I am long TSLA, F, FB. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Short NFLX (More...)

Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/1419361-3-heavily-shorted-stocks-report-better-than-expected-results-should-investors-buy-them?source=feed

dallas cowboys Jarvis Jones minnesota vikings Eric Reid Kyle Long UFC 159 aaron rodgers

Dead stars 'polluted' with planetary debris: Signs of Earth-like planets found

May 9, 2013 ? The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has found signs of Earth-like planets in an unlikely place: the atmospheres of a pair of burnt-out stars in a nearby star cluster. The white dwarf stars are being polluted by debris from asteroid-like objects falling onto them. This discovery suggests that rocky planet assembly is common in clusters, say researchers.

The stars, known as white dwarfs -- small, dim remnants of stars once like the Sun -- reside 150 light-years away in the Hyades star cluster, in the constellation of Taurus (The Bull). The cluster is relatively young, at only 625 million years old.

Astronomers believe that all stars formed in clusters. However, searches for planets in these clusters have not been fruitful -- of the roughly 800 exoplanets known, only four are known to orbit stars in clusters. This scarcity may be due to the nature of the cluster stars, which are young and active, producing stellar flares and other outbursts that make it difficult to study them in detail.

A new study led by Jay Farihi of the University of Cambridge, UK, instead observed "retired" cluster stars to hunt for signs of planet formation [1].

Hubble's spectroscopic observations identified silicon in the atmospheres of two white dwarfs, a major ingredient of the rocky material that forms Earth and other terrestrial planets in the Solar System. This silicon may have come from asteroids that were shredded by the white dwarfs' gravity when they veered too close to the stars. The rocky debris likely formed a ring around the dead stars, which then funnelled the material inwards.

The debris detected whirling around the white dwarfs suggests that terrestrial planets formed when these stars were born. After the stars collapsed to form white dwarfs, surviving gas giant planets may have gravitationally nudged members of any leftover asteroid belts into star-grazing orbits [2].

"We have identified chemical evidence for the building blocks of rocky planets," says Farihi. "When these stars were born, they built planets, and there's a good chance that they currently retain some of them. The signs of rocky debris we are seeing are evidence of this -- it is at least as rocky as the most primitive terrestrial bodies in our Solar System."

Besides finding silicon in the Hyades stars' atmospheres, Hubble also detected low levels of carbon. This is another sign of the rocky nature of the debris, as astronomers know that carbon levels should be very low in rocky, Earth-like material. Finding its faint chemical signature required Hubble's powerful Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS), as carbon's fingerprints can be detected only in ultraviolet light, which cannot be observed from ground-based telescopes.

"The one thing the white dwarf pollution technique gives us that we won't get with any other planet detection technique is the chemistry of solid planets," Farihi says. "Based on the silicon-to-carbon ratio in our study, for example, we can actually say that this material is basically Earth-like."

This new study suggests that asteroids less than 160 kilometres across [3] were gravitationally torn apart by the white dwarfs' strong tidal forces, before eventually falling onto the dead stars [4].

The team plans to analyse more white dwarfs using the same technique to identify not only the rocks' composition, but also their parent bodies. "The beauty of this technique is that whatever the Universe is doing, we'll be able to measure it," Farihi said. "We have been using the Solar System as a kind of map, but we don't know what the rest of the Universe does. Hopefully with Hubble and its powerful ultraviolet-light spectrograph COS, and with the upcoming ground-based 30- and 40-metre telescopes, we'll be able to tell more of the story."

Notes

[1] The two "polluted" Hyades white dwarfs are part of a search of planetary debris around more than 100 white dwarfs, led by Boris G?nsicke of the University of Warwick, United Kingdom. Using computer models of white dwarf atmospheres, Detlev Koester from the University of Kiel in Germany is determining the abundances of various elements that can be traced to planets in the COS data.

[2] Seeing evidence of asteroids points to the possibility of Earth-sized planets in the same system. Asteroids are the building blocks of major planets. Planet-forming processes are inefficient, and spawn many times more small bodies than large bodies -- but once rocky embryos the size of asteroids are built, planets are sure to follow.

[3] The team estimated the size of the infalling asteroids by measuring the amount of dust being gobbled up by the stars -- about 10 million grams per second, equal to the flow rate of a small river. They then compared that data with measurements of material falling onto other white dwarfs.

[4] The Hyades study offers insight into what will happen in the Solar System when the Sun burns out, five billion years from now.

Notes for editors

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.

[1] The international team of astronomers in this study consists of J. Farihi (University of Cambridge, UK; STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow), B. T. G?nsicke (University of Warwick, UK), D. Koester (University of Kiel, Germany).

[2] The new study is appearing in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/UDNZiQsKHMs/130509123645.htm

hunger games Joey Kovar Expendables 2 Pussy Riot National Hurricane Center Zeek Rewards vanessa bryant

Samsung Galaxy S 4's storage to be investigated by BBC Watchdog

We've seen Microsoft's Surface RT face similar accusations, but this time it's the turn of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 and how much space you'll actually get from that advertised 16GB of storage. The BBC's consumer rights show, Watchdog, will be focusing on the smartphone in next week's episode, and the fact that almost half of the phone's memory is already occupied by Samsung's own software and apps. According to UK retailer Clove, there's just 9.5GB of storage left for customers to fill. It's not the only Android phone with storage space less than advertised -- visit our More Coverage link to see how the Droid RAZR Maxx's 16GB of storage magically transforms into 8GB of usable space. While the smartphone maker argues that the phone does offer an expansion option in the form of a microSD card slot (up to 64GB, no less), some apps still seem to prefer to reside on built-in storage over anything removable -- Amazon's Cloud Player comes to mind.

Host Anne Robinson hints at the end of this week's episode: "It [Samsung] claims that its brand new Galaxy phone has an extra-large memory, but what did it forget to mention?" Although we might have spoiled that question for you already, check the teaser after the break. Brits can tune in for the show at 8PM GMT next Wednesday.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Via: SlashGear

Source: Videolan (YouTube), Gavin's Gadgets

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/see8TO2g0z8/

S B H c mitt romney mark zuckerberg mark zuckerberg

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Chess world champion Anand draws against Carlsen

SANDNES, Norway (AP) ? Chess world champion Viswanathan Anand of India halved a point with the Norwegian world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen to draw in Thursday's second round of the Norway Chess Tournament.

Playing white, the 22-year-old Carlsen showed aggressive intent, turning down an early opportunity to force a draw.

But the game slowed in mid-section after an exchange of queens before both players grinded out a draw with just a white pawn and the two kings left on the board.

Anand said the psychological boost of a win would have been significant for their coming championship match in November in Anand's hometown, Chennai.

"I think it is silly to pretend that it isn't. So this is half way," Anand said. "I think that if somebody had won that would definitely be a boost, but we shouldn't go beyond that either. There is still a tournament to play."

Carlsen, who hopes to snatch the world title from the 43-year-old five-time champion in India, was more equivocal.

"I think this is another game between us. We have played lots of games over the years and it was probably a sign of the time to come ? that games are going to be relatively interesting and hard fought and nothing is going to come easy," Carlsen told reporters.

Asked if he would have played down the psychology of the occasion had he secured a win, Carlsen replied "most definitely not."

The two have drawn their last four full-length games. They also halved the match in the supercharged blitz tournament on Tuesday that set up the pairings for the rest of the tournament.

Hundreds of chess fans watched the game in the hall of the Quality Hotel in Sandnes on the west coast of Norway, with many thousands more following the live stream online.

World No. 10, Sergey Karjakin, leads the round robin tournament after day two having won both his games. The final round of the 10-man tournament will be played on May 18.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chess-world-champion-anand-draws-against-carlsen-195246501.html

nba trade deadline diane lane drew peterson Argo bonnaroo robin roberts Ashley Morrison

Verizon Wireless CEO wants to see BlackBerry, Windows Phone succeed

* World number one beats Spaniard Dominguez Lino * Sharapova crushes American qualifier McHale (Adds Sharapova result, byline) By Iain Rogers MADRID, May 7 (Reuters) - World number one and defending champion Serena Williams continued her serene progress at the Madrid Open when she eased past Spanish wildcard Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2 7-5 in the second round on Tuesday. Chasing a fourth title of the year and the 50th of her career, Williams had too much power for the slightly-built Dominguez Lino, who nonetheless managed to unsettle her illustrious opponent with some clever drop shots and ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/verizon-wireless-ceo-wants-see-blackberry-windows-phone-153045905.html

oakland shooting mega millions winning numbers autism speaks ubaldo jimenez ncaa final country music awards autism awareness

Methylphenidate 'normalizes' activation in key brain areas in kids with ADHD

Methylphenidate 'normalizes' activation in key brain areas in kids with ADHD [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 9-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Connie Hughes
connie.hughes@wolterskluwer.com
646-674-6348
Wolters Kluwer Health

Functional MRI studies help in understanding how stimulant medications work in ADHD, as reported in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry

Philadelphia, Pa. (May 9, 2013) The stimulant drug methylphenidate "normalizes" activation of several brain areas in young patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a review published in the May Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show increased activation of key brain areas after a dose of methylphenidate in young patients with ADHD, according to the systematic review by Constance A. Moore, PhD, and colleagues of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. They write, "In most cases, this increase 'normalized' activation of at least some brain areas to levels seen in typically developing children."

How Do ADHD Medications Affect the Brain in ADHD Patients?

In a research review, Dr Moore and colleagues identified nine previous studies using fMRI to study patterns of brain activation in response to a single dose of methylphenidate. Perhaps best known by the brand name Ritalin, methylphenidate is a common and effective treatment for ADHD. "Although methylphenidate has been shown to significantly improve the behavioral symptoms associated with ADHD, both the mechanism behind its therapeutic effect and its direct effects on brain function are unknown," the researchers write.

The studies evaluated methylphenidate-induced fMRI changes in various brain areas, as the participants performed different types of tasks. Most of the studies included adolescent boys with ADHD, along with matched groups of young people without ADHD.

Methylphenidate altered activation patterns in widely distributed areas of the brain in ADHD patients, the results showed. The main brain areas involved were the frontal lobes, the basal ganglia, and cerebellum: "Abnormalities in these regions have all been implicated in patients with ADHD," Dr Moore and coauthors write.

Different areas were activated during different types of fMRI tasks. Several studies assessed performance on "inhibitory control" tasksthe ability to control certain types of accustomed ("prepotent") responses. In three out of five studies, methylphenidate "at least partially normalized" brain activation in ADHD patients, compared to healthy young people.

Different Tasks Affect Different Brain Areas

A few studies showed similar normalization of brain responses with methylphenidate on tasks of selective attention and time perceptionalthough not on tasks evaluating working memory. Methylphenidate mainly affected activation in the frontal lobes during inhibitory control tasks. During selective attention tasks, a wider range of brain areas were affected.

Since none of the studies evaluated ADHD symptoms on and off methylphenidate, there was no way to link the changes in brain activation with clinical improvement. Brain activation patterns with methylphenidate differed for patients who were versus were not previously treated with stimulants for ADHD.

Patients with ADHD have "age-inappropriate frequency or severity of inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive behaviors," according to the authors. It affects about five percent of children worldwide, and a growing body of evidence suggests that ADHD persists throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Functional fMRI provides a safe, noninvasive way to study how stimulants like methylphenidate may act in the brain of ADHD patients.

The new analysis suggests that methylphenidate partially normalizes activation in key brain areas thought to be involved in ADHD. The studies "may provide evidence that methylphenidate facilitates the return of brain function in ADHD patients to, or close to, a typically functioning state," Dr Moore and colleagues write. They call for further research to confirm that methylphenidate-induced changes in specific brain areas are correlated with improvement in ADHD symptoms.

###

About the Harvard Review of Psychiatry

The Harvard Review of Psychiatry is the authoritative source for scholarly reviews and perspectives on a diverse range of important topics in psychiatry. Founded by the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry, the journal is peer-reviewed and not industry sponsored. It is the property of Harvard University and is affiliated with all of the Departments of Psychiatry at the Harvard teaching hospitals. Articles encompass all major issues in contemporary psychiatry, including (but not limited to) neuroscience, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, history of psychiatry, and ethics.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of 3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Methylphenidate 'normalizes' activation in key brain areas in kids with ADHD [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 9-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Connie Hughes
connie.hughes@wolterskluwer.com
646-674-6348
Wolters Kluwer Health

Functional MRI studies help in understanding how stimulant medications work in ADHD, as reported in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry

Philadelphia, Pa. (May 9, 2013) The stimulant drug methylphenidate "normalizes" activation of several brain areas in young patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a review published in the May Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) show increased activation of key brain areas after a dose of methylphenidate in young patients with ADHD, according to the systematic review by Constance A. Moore, PhD, and colleagues of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. They write, "In most cases, this increase 'normalized' activation of at least some brain areas to levels seen in typically developing children."

How Do ADHD Medications Affect the Brain in ADHD Patients?

In a research review, Dr Moore and colleagues identified nine previous studies using fMRI to study patterns of brain activation in response to a single dose of methylphenidate. Perhaps best known by the brand name Ritalin, methylphenidate is a common and effective treatment for ADHD. "Although methylphenidate has been shown to significantly improve the behavioral symptoms associated with ADHD, both the mechanism behind its therapeutic effect and its direct effects on brain function are unknown," the researchers write.

The studies evaluated methylphenidate-induced fMRI changes in various brain areas, as the participants performed different types of tasks. Most of the studies included adolescent boys with ADHD, along with matched groups of young people without ADHD.

Methylphenidate altered activation patterns in widely distributed areas of the brain in ADHD patients, the results showed. The main brain areas involved were the frontal lobes, the basal ganglia, and cerebellum: "Abnormalities in these regions have all been implicated in patients with ADHD," Dr Moore and coauthors write.

Different areas were activated during different types of fMRI tasks. Several studies assessed performance on "inhibitory control" tasksthe ability to control certain types of accustomed ("prepotent") responses. In three out of five studies, methylphenidate "at least partially normalized" brain activation in ADHD patients, compared to healthy young people.

Different Tasks Affect Different Brain Areas

A few studies showed similar normalization of brain responses with methylphenidate on tasks of selective attention and time perceptionalthough not on tasks evaluating working memory. Methylphenidate mainly affected activation in the frontal lobes during inhibitory control tasks. During selective attention tasks, a wider range of brain areas were affected.

Since none of the studies evaluated ADHD symptoms on and off methylphenidate, there was no way to link the changes in brain activation with clinical improvement. Brain activation patterns with methylphenidate differed for patients who were versus were not previously treated with stimulants for ADHD.

Patients with ADHD have "age-inappropriate frequency or severity of inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive behaviors," according to the authors. It affects about five percent of children worldwide, and a growing body of evidence suggests that ADHD persists throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Functional fMRI provides a safe, noninvasive way to study how stimulants like methylphenidate may act in the brain of ADHD patients.

The new analysis suggests that methylphenidate partially normalizes activation in key brain areas thought to be involved in ADHD. The studies "may provide evidence that methylphenidate facilitates the return of brain function in ADHD patients to, or close to, a typically functioning state," Dr Moore and colleagues write. They call for further research to confirm that methylphenidate-induced changes in specific brain areas are correlated with improvement in ADHD symptoms.

###

About the Harvard Review of Psychiatry

The Harvard Review of Psychiatry is the authoritative source for scholarly reviews and perspectives on a diverse range of important topics in psychiatry. Founded by the Harvard Medical School Department of Psychiatry, the journal is peer-reviewed and not industry sponsored. It is the property of Harvard University and is affiliated with all of the Departments of Psychiatry at the Harvard teaching hospitals. Articles encompass all major issues in contemporary psychiatry, including (but not limited to) neuroscience, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, history of psychiatry, and ethics.

About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

LWW is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2012 annual revenues of 3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-05/wkh-ma050913.php

social darwinism wisconsin recall election april 4 santa monica college wisconsin primary dallas fort worth airport texas tornados

Hamas looks to root out Israel's spy networks

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - The alleged spy buried his face in his hands inside a Gaza jail as he admitted passing intelligence to Israel during its battles with armed Palestinian groups.

"My handlers in Israel called me and told me that collaborators in Gaza don't know one another and that each worked alone, so hide and stay as you are," the man told visiting reporters, under the watchful eye of a plainclothed Hamas security officer.

"I should have turned myself in. This is my problem now. Maybe if I had, you wouldn't find me here," he said.

The Islamist Hamas government, which is pledged to Israel's destruction by force of arms, is lauding a recent campaign to root out informants in its midst, which it hopes will deprive Israel of a subtle but effective tool.

The muscular 41-year-old, who did not give his name, missed the deadline to turn himself in and will not receive leniency when his case goes to trial, Hamas says. Fellow prisoners listened to his anguish over his unknown fate through metal windows in the concrete corridor.

The Hamas Interior Ministry says the month-long campaign which ended on April 11 was a policy shift away from harsher tactics against spies accused of passing on vital information, such as the whereabouts of arms' depots or top militants.

These tip-offs are believed to have helped Israel plan its air strikes during the eight-day conflict with Hamas last November, when Israeli jets hit some 1,450 targets, killing more than 170 Palestinians, including many civilians.

The militant group used to broadcast chilling confessions of collaborators and put the worst offenders to death.

In scenes that shocked the world, seven suspected spies were yanked from Hamas custody in Gaza during the November conflict and shot dead in the street. One corpse was dragged by motorbike through Gaza city by pistol-waving men shouting, "God is Great."

But in this latest campaign, publicized through billboards and mosque sermons, Hamas's Internal Security Service (ISS) promised to treat those who surrendered of their own volition gently.

The campaign, Hamas says, was meant to bring wayward citizens back into the fold and counter through persuasion the espionage it says Israel gains through manipulation.

"We've made a media and educational effort to inform the Palestinian public about collaboration...the worst and most dangerous tool the occupation (Israel) uses against our people," said Mohammed Lafi, the deputy ISS chief who led the campaign.

He declined to reveal how many Gazans had stepped forward, saying such information would benefit Israel. In all, Hamas says only "tens" of spies are languishing behind bars.

ISRAEL RECRUITS

Collaboration with Israel is widely reviled by Palestinians, who see spies as traitors to their people.

"Do they feel mercy for the kids who get torn into pieces and to leaders whose bodies are burnt to death? Why should I feel mercy for him?" said Huda Adel, an office secretary, voicing sentiments shared by many Gaza residents.

Locals often refuse to marry their sons or daughters to relatives of convicted or dead collaborators.

"It's horrifying how your life can turn into hell in a blink of an eye," the brother of a jailed alleged spy told Reuters, taking deep drags from his cigarette.

Sitting nervously in a Gaza cafe, the man said many people shunned his brother's family when rumors of his deeds spread.

"Will his daughter marry? Will anyone accept to marry his boy?" the brother worried.

Minister of Interior Fathy Hammad said Hamas's new policy aimed to emphasize that spying was an individual act and offered anonymity to anyone who handed themselves in to avoid the inevitable backlash from their neighbors.

"As a community we should support the family whose household fell to the devil," Hammad told Reuters.

Many confessed spies say they were offered coveted Israeli permits to move in and out of the crowded coastal enclave, which struggles under tight restrictions from neighboring Israel and Egypt. Others were in Israeli custody and agreed to become spies in exchange for commuted sentences.

Rights groups say Israel also tries to force Gazans in need of outside medical treatment to become spies.

Others simply sought cash, feeding information via secret cell phone chips or coded emails.

A senior Israeli official told Reuters the informants were necessary because "Israel faces a very real threat from Gaza, as Hamas regards every Israeli civilian as a legitimate target".

Israel pulled its troops and settlers from the territory in 2005 but has come under regular rocket attack since then. In response, it imposed a stringent blockade on Gaza and has waged two short wars in a stated effort to stop the missiles.

The official called the Hamas government a "Stalinist authoritarian regime" whose measures against suspected spies amounts to "brutal and arbitrary violence against the people of Gaza, using collaboration charges as an excuse".

FEAR AND FAVOUR

Since taking power in 2007, Hamas authorities have executed 14 people, including six convicted spies. Hammad said his ministry reserved the right to execute more spies in future.

Hamas's political rival, the Palestinian Authority which has partial control over the nearby, occupied West Bank, also comes down heavily on alleged spies. Last week, a member of the Palestinian security forces was condemned to death for being a collaborator, although his sentence will almost certainly be commuted to life in jail.

Human Rights Watch said the amnesty plan was an improvement to Hamas's usual legal practice, which it says often involves incommunicado detention and evidence extracted through torture.

"Steps by Hamas to provide an alternative to the detention and trial of alleged collaborators should be encouraged given the severe problems with its justice system," senior HRW researcher Bill Van Esveld told Reuters.

ISS deputy head Lafi, for the first time disclosing details on its jailing policy on convicted spies, said most of those already in jail whose crimes were not serious would be freed after serving two-thirds of their sentences.

The offer will not spare veteran spies, and those whose work led to the killings in Israeli bombing raids or assassinations of militant leaders, Hamas said.

But with almost one third of Gazans unemployed and 80 percent of households living below the poverty line, local NGOs believe some young Gazans will continue to be drawn to espionage in return for Israeli cash, regardless of Hamas crackdowns.

"The Gaza government should treat some of the reasons why Israel's security forces manage to get through to victims, such as poverty," said Samir Zaqout of the al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, which is based in Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp.

(Additional reporting by Noah Browning; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hamas-looks-root-israels-spy-networks-142444342.html

deion sanders creutzfeldt jakob disease the lone ranger mad cow pennsylvania primary jerome simpson hand sanitizer